"Scott Seidman" wrote in message
. 1.4...


**ACTION ALERT**
U.S. Coast Guard Proposes Using Great Lakes as Firing Range
Gunfire Exercises Endanger Public and the Environment

Comment by November 13, 2006
**Please distribute this information to interested parties in the U.S.
and Canada**

The United States Coast Guard, Ninth District, is proposing to conduct
live fire training throughout the Great Lakes. Great Lakes United has
serious concerns that gunfire exercises on the Great Lakes will put the
safety of the public and the environment at risk, and urges comment into
this serious issue. Please note: this alert does not question whether
Coast Guard personnel should be trained to handle weapons, rather whether
significant portions of the Great Lakes should be designated for live
fire military training.

Background:
The Ninth Coast Guard District is proposing the establishment of 34 live
fire safety zones throughout the Great Lakes, covering a combined total
of 2,376 square miles or 2.5% of the Lakes surface area. The safety
zones will be used to train Coast Guard personnel in maritime law
enforcement, national defense and homeland security using live 7.62mm
NATO rounds fired from lightweight automatic weapons. The proposed zones
would be permanent, and at this time are proposed for use "a few times in
a calendar year. with each exercise lasting approximately 4-6 hours". The
Coast Guard plans to alert the public in advance of all live gunfire
exercises through broadcasts on a marine band radio channel which is used
for distress, weather updates and marine information; they will also
employ an observer to monitor the safety zone throughout the exercise.
The Coast Guard also states that two independent environmental consulting
companies have determined that the use of live weapons on the Great Lakes
will present "no elevated risk to humans or the environment".

You can view maps identifying the location of the live fire safety zones:
4 zones in Lake Erie at: http://piersystem.com/go/doc/443/131148/
3 zones in Lake Ontario at: http://piersystem.com/go/doc/443/131143/
7 zones in Lake Superior at: http://piersystem.com/go/doc/443/131141/
6 zones in Lake Huron at: http://piersystem.com/go/doc/443/131146/
7 zones in upper Lake Michigan at:
http://piersystem.com/go/doc/443/131144/
7 zones in lower Lake Michigan at:
http://piersystem.com/go/doc/443/131144/


I can sort of see why they'd want to do this. The CG is understaffed, even
after president dick head promised to crank up their budget. If they have to
take personnel to a land-based firing range, it would, by necessity be far
from their boats. At least this way, they're working in their intended place
of business and can respond to emergencies.

But, it's still weird.

If any organization intends to take the CG to court about this, they'd be
wise to attack each issue separately, since ANY improvement in the plan
would be better than tying all the issues together and failing completely.
The strategy:

1) The easiest part: Insist that the CG use lead-free ammo for training. The
Army began doing this years ago, after groundwater contamination was proven
to come from some of their training areas. The Great Lakes have enough
problems without adding lead.

2) Insist that the CG increase their "zone of safety" to a distance equal to
10 times the known travel of the ammo in use. Ten miles would be about
right. I'm only familiar with Lake Ontario, and the map indicates the CG has
chosen their practice areas based solely on convenience - they're within
easy traveling distance to the nearest CG station. Too bad. Move them out.

3) Insist that the CG NOT depend solely on VHF notification. Anyone who's
seen the antics of power boaters on Lake Ontario will understand why.
Motor(s) too loud to hear radio. Radio off. Radio not installed. Radio sound
masked by ghetto blaster. The Navy used to use flagged ships in Block Island
Sound to indicate that submarine exercises were happening. It worked.