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Campaigner and Regiment commander to discuss contaminated water controversy

Campaigning US Marine Jerry Ensminger

Campaigning marine Jerry Ensminger and Bermuda Regiment commanding officer Brian Gonsalves are meeting today to talk about the Camp Lejeune contaminated water controversy.Mr Ensminger, who believes his nine-year-old daughter Janey died after developing leukaemia while at the camp, is in Bermuda for the viewing of a documentary about his quest for truth from the United States Department of Defense.He will meet Lt Col Gonsalves today, to discuss any potential exposure to poisonous water at Camp Lejeune, where Bermuda Regiment has regularly trained; while in Bermuda he will also be seeking information about pollution at the Island’s former Naval Annex Morgan’s Point.Mr Ensminger told The Royal Gazette last night: “I just want to let Lt Col Gonsalves know what the contaminants were, the different areas affected on the base, because Bermuda Regiment still train there. What those people don’t realise is while they have stopped contamination through the wells, the plumes are still there under the ground.“A lot of contamination is still coming up through the buildings.”He claimed huge amounts of the toxin benzene had seeped into the ground following a leak of millions of gallons of gasoline.“When you have people exposed to benzene, how much benzene does it take to do you damage?” he said.The Oscar-shortlisted film, ‘Semper Fi: Always Faithful’, claims soldiers and their families consumed drinking water poisoned by toxic military waste between 1957 and 1987; 73 men who stayed at the camp have been diagnosed with male breast cancer. The Marine Corps has acknowledged water contamination but has never reported a direct link between the water and any illness.Lt Col Gonsalves has confirmed Bermuda Regiment used Camp Lejeune for training purposes four times between 1980 and 1987, and continues to use it today.He pointed out soldiers were in the country for spells of a maximum four weeks every two years, but said he understands the issue is based around prolonged exposure to the drinking water.Last night, Mr Ensminger said the issue is more serious than the US lets on.Speaking at the end of a viewing of the documentary at Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, Mr Ensminger told the audience he was also keen to find out more about possible contamination at Morgan’s Point, which is now the proposed venue for a multimillion dollar hotel resort.Developer Craig Christensen has said tests have shown the land is safe, despite jet fuel 60 feet beneath the surface and thousands of gallons of black oil in Bassett’s Cave.But Mr Ensminger told the audience: “A lot of these contaminants, they say it’s not in your drinking water, but if you build something on top of where the waste was, it can come up as vapour.“I really want to look at what contaminants were found there but I haven’t had a chance to see them yet. Hopefully before I leave some of them will show me what that have down there.”