Public Information Assist Team U.S. Coast Guard
News Release	Date: Aug. 21, 2008 Contact: Public Information Assist Team (252) 331-6000

The Coast Guard's National Strike Force is assisting the Environmental Protection Agency today in Denver, Colo., with pre-positioning hazardous material response teams for the Democratic National Convention Aug. 25-28. 

The NSF members are providing technical guidance to local responders staged throughout the Denver metropolitan area.  The responders have been organized into air monitoring, communications support and hazardous material response teams.

Twelve members from the Novato, Calif.-based Pacific Strike Team joined the EPA's response today as well as six members from the Fort Dix, N.J.-based Atlantic Strike Team.

For more information about the Coast Guard's National Strike Force, please contact the Public Information Assist Team at (252) 331-6000 or visit http://www.strikeforcenews.com/go/page/771/15053 for information about the PST and http://www.strikeforcenews.com/go/page/771/15051 for information about the AST.

Public Information Assist Team U.S. Coast Guard
News Release	Date: Aug. 19, 2008 Contact: Lt.j.g. Karl Breedlove (415) 883-3311

A member of the Coast Guard's Pacific Strike Team is assisting with the removal of several dwellings in Farmington, N.M.

Petty Officer William Stewart, based in Novato, Calif., is assisting the Environmental Protection Agency with a site safety plan, contractor oversight and cost documentation.

The dwellings, on the Navajo Nation, are being removed because of the possibility of uranium contamination in their foundations.

The EPA is currently addressing the most urgent risks on the reservation: uranium-contaminated water sources and structures. This spring, the agency tested 50 water sources and more than 100 structures for radiological contamination. The EPA and the Navajo Nation EPA have launched an aggressive outreach campaign to inform residents of the dangers of consuming contaminated water. The EPA will also use its Superfund authority to address contaminated structures, and has already targeted at least 13 structures for remediation.

Beginning in the 1940s, nearly 4 million tons of uranium ore were mined at various locations throughout the Navajo Nation's 27,000 square-mile reservation. During the next five years, the EPA will complete a tiered assessment of over 500 abandoned mines, taking action to address the highest priority risks.

For more information on the Coast Guard's work at the site, contact Lt.j.g. Karl Breedlove at (415) 883-3311.

For more information on the EPA's response, contact Margot Perez-Sullivan at (415) 947-4149.

For more information about the Coast Guard's Pacific Strike Team, please contact the Public Information Assist Team at (252) 331-6000 or visit http://www.strikeforcenews.com/go/page/771/15053/.

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Public Information Assist Team U.S. Coast Guard
Press Release	Date: July 21, 2008 Contact: Lt. j.g. Ryan Harry (503) 240-9301

Three responders of the Pacific Strike Team are assisting Coast Guard personnel from Sector Portland, Ore., today in cleanup efforts aboard the decommissioned USS Washtenaw County (LST-1166) in St. Helen's, Ore., on the Columbia River.

The PST members are providing contractor oversight to ensure asbestos, lead batteries, lead-based paint and other hazardous materials are safely removed.

For more information about the Coast Guard's response contact Lt. j.g. Ryan Harry (503) 240-9301.

For more information about the Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team, please contact the Public Information Assist Team at (252) 331-6000 or visit http://www.strikeforcenews.com/go/page/771/15053. 

Public Information Assist Team U.S. Coast Guard
Press Release	Date: July 14, 2008 Contact: Wendy Chavez (415) 947-4248

Two members of the Pacific Strike Team are assisting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at an abandoned mercury mine near Castella, Calif., today.

The PST members deployed Friday to the Altoona Mine to assist the EPA in contractor monitoring, site safety, communications technical support and to serve as emergency medical technicians.

For more information about the EPA's response, please contact Wendy Chavez (415) 947-4248.

For more information about the Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team, please contact the Public Information Assist Team at (252) 331-6000 or visit http://www.strikeforcenews.com/go/page/771/15053.

Public Information Assist Team U.S. Coast Guard
Press Release	Date: April 9, 2008 Contact:LTJG Karl Breedlove (415) 883-3311

The Novato, Calif., based PST members will monitor sulfur dioxide and particulate levels produced by Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, which was evacuated Tuesday.

For more information about the Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team, please contact the Public Information Assist Team at (252) 331-6000 or visit http://www.strikeforcenews.com/go/page/771/15053/.  

Public Information Assist Team U.S. Coast Guard
Press Release	Date: Mar. 24, 2008 Contact: Margot Perez-Sullivan perezsullivan.margot@epa.gov (415) 947-4149

Two members of the Pacific Strike Team deployed Sunday to assist the Environmental Protection Agency in the removal of contaminated soil around 15 homes in Hayden and Winkelman, Ariz.

The PST members are providing contractor oversight and site safety while the responsible party, American Smelting and Refining Comapany (ASARCO), removes approximately 4,000 cubic yards of soil and other materials.

The EPA ordered the company to remove contaminated soil after elevated levels of arsenic, lead and copper were discovered.  The ASARCO Hayden Plant is an active copper ore processing, concentrating and smelting facility.

For more information about the EPA's response, please contact Margot Perez-Sullivan at (415) 947-4149.

For more information about the Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team, please contact the Public Information Assist Team at (252) 331-6000 or visit http://www.strikeforcenews.com/go/page/771/15053/.  

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Public Information Assist Team U.S. Coast Guard
Press Release	Date: March, 11, 2008 Contact: Lt. Kevin Sligh (415) 883-3311

Three members of the Pacific Strike Team deployed Friday to provide emergency hazardous materials response and Incident Command System (ICS) training to U.S. Marines stationed at Camp Fuji and Camp Baker in Japan. 

The Novato, Calif., based PST members will teach three 40-hour hazardous materials courses and two eight-hour refresher courses as well as one ICS-300 course.

The Coast Guard provides annual training to the Marine Corps to meet their training requirements.

For more information about the Coast Guard Pacific Strike Team, visit www.uscgnsfnews.com.