George AFB’s Schools – Completed Exposure Pathways

George Elementary School

Several people have reported that they, family members, friends, or coworkers from the George AFB schools have cancer. If you worked at or were a student at one of the schools on George AFB and have health problems, please contact us.

Expedited Environmental Assessment and Cleanup

The former George Air Force Base, CA, “EPA Superfund ID: CA2570024453″ was redeveloped under President Clinton’s expedited environmental cleanup “Fast-Track“.

The Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP) 

The Army and/or Air Force used organochlorine pesticide to protect the older buildings’ (pre-1988) foundations against ground termites and other pests at George AFB including the Base Schools, Housing, Barracks, and Dorms.

CERCLA §120(h) Deed Restrictions

  • The DOD and the Air Force failed to test for these organochlorine pesticide except at the Base Family Housing Units
  • The DOD and the Air Force failed to disclose the widespread use of these organochlorine pesticides in the CERCLA §120(h) Deed Restrictions as required by law except for at the Base Family Housing Units
  • The DOD and the Air Force failed to disclose that aldrin, chlordane, DDT, endrin, heptachlor, and lindanee were detected at  the Base Family Housing Units in the CERCLA §120(h) Deed Restrictions as required by law except for at the Base Family Housing Units
  • The DOD and the Air Force failed to disclose that dangerous levels of aldrin, dieldrin, and chlordane were present at the Base Family Housing Units in the CERCLA §120(h) Deed Restrictions as required by law

Organochlorine pesticides levels at the George AFB Family Housing

Highest Results – Organochlorine Pesticides In Soil Family Housing
Extracted Pages – Organochlorine Pesticides In Soil Family Housing

Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board (LRWQCB) Land Use Controls Violation – December 19, 2014 

LRWQCB Land Use Controls ViolationDocument

VIOLATION OF LAND USE CONTROLS AT SITE OT-071, WHICH INCLUDES THE FORMER HOUSING AREA AT THE FORMER GEORGE AIR FORCE BASE, SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY

Concern Regarding Schools
Another concern related to dieldrin soil contamination is the presence of schools located adjacent to the former housing area; namely, the former George AFB Elementary School and George Junior High (Middle) School. These schools were apparently built during the same time period as the housing units and similar construction procedures may have been followed, including the possible application of pesticides for termite control. These schools were transferred to the Adelanto Unified School District in 1994. The former elementary school is now operated as an adult educational facility called Taylion High Desert Academy. The former middle school is now leased by Adelanto Unified School District to Excelsior Charter School (grades 7-12). Apparently, the soils at these schools have not been tested for dieldrin.

See page 3, paragraph 2 “Concern Regarding Schools”

Health Effects of Chlordane, Heptachlor, Aldrin, Dieldrin, and Endrin

According to the ATSDR and EPA, contact with contaminated soil, ingestion, or inhalation of aldrin, chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, and/or  heptachlor can:

  • Cause birth defects
  • Cause breast cancer
  • Cause cancer
  • Cause Parkinson’s disease
  • Damage the kidneys
  • Decrease the effectiveness of our immune system
  • Increase infant mortality
  • Reduce reproductive success

See: George AFB’s Persistent Organic Pollutants (POP)
         George AFB’s Family Housing – Completed Exposure Pathways

Flawed ATSDR Public Health Assessment for George Air Force Base, CA

In the 1998 Public Health Assessment for George Air Force Base the ATSDR made the following statements:

“ATSDR did not identify any completed exposure pathways from George AFB to children at nearby schools or residential areas.” Page 27

“Soil at George AFB does not represent an apparent past public health hazard and does not represent a present or future public health hazard.” Page 28

See: Public Health Assessment for George Air Force Base, CA – ATSDR – December 1, 1998

Persistent Organic Pollutants’ Cumulative and Synergistic Interactions

A Cumulative Risk Assessment for all of the Persistent Organic Pollutants released at George AFB needs to be conducted because of the enhanced toxic effects of multiple POP exposures.  For example: what is considered a “safe level” of exposure to a single Persistent Organic Pollutant cannot be considered a “safe level” if the exposure consists of several Persistent Organic Pollutants.  This occurred at the Base Housing where the tenants were exposed to pesticides chlordane, heptachlor, aldrin, dieldrin, and endrin, and dioxin which was released by the burn pits and incinerators. The synergistic and cumulative effects of these POPs is devastating, and would explain the high infant mortality rate at George AFB.  See: George AFB’s Children

Quitclaim Deeds

George Deed – Parcel E-2.pdf –  651 KB  – Quitclaim Deed – Parcel E-2 – Victor Valley Union High School District

George Deed – Parcel E-1 AF to SCLAA.pdf  – 384 KB – Quitclaim Deed of 8.34 acres from Federal government to Southern California Logistics Authority

George Deed – Parcel E-1 Voluntary Reconveyance.pdf  – 323 KB – Reconveyance of 8.4 acres from Adelanto School District to Federal government

George Deed – Parcel E-1.pdf  – 1070 KB – Quitclaim Deed – Parcel E-1 – Adelanto School District

Source: GeoTracker

Acronyms:

  • AF – United States Air Force
  • CAA: Clean Air Act
  • CERCLA: Superfund or Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980
  • CWA: Clean Water Act
  • EPA – United States Environmental Protection Agency
  • FIFRA: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act
  • DOD – United States  Department of Defense
  • POP – Persistent Organic Pollutants
  • TSCA: Toxic Substances Control Act
  • WHO – World Health Organization

Definitions:

  • Bioaccumulate: to become concentrated inside the bodies of living things
  • Organochlorine pesticides: are POPs made out of organochlorine compounds.  These organochlorine compounds and there metabolites can cross the placental barrier and accumulate in lipid rich tissues such as human breast and breast milk
  • Persistent organic pollutants (POPs): are organic compounds of natural or anthropogenic origin that resist photolytic, chemical and / or biological degradation (UNEP, 1999)
  • Persistent: extremely resistant to natural breakdown processes and therefore are stable and long-lived
  • Pollutants: toxic chemicals which adversely affect human health
  • Synergistic interaction: the effect of two chemicals taken together is greater than the sum of their separate effect at the same doses

I am not a doctor, Veterans Service Officer (VSO), or attorney; therefore, I cannot provide medical or legal advice.

If you, a friend, or a loved one have been injured or have passed away due to exposure to contamination at a DOD Superfund Site, please follow the steps outlined on the "Get Help" page.

The views and opinions expressed on this website belong solely to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency of the U.S. government.

Fair Use Notice   |   Release to one is release to all 

2 Comments

  1. Hello,
    I’m contacting you because I was a former student at Shepard middle school from 1996 to 1998, and after reading the articles of contamination and health issues I wanted to know if I am supposed to be concerned and if there’s something I’m supposed to do.
    Thank you.

    • I am not a doctor or attorney, and cannot give medical advice or legal advice.

      If you have no health problems now, I wouldn’t worry.

      If you are sick or you think you may have been injured, please follow the steps that are outlined @ http://georgeafb.info/can-get-help-others/ and follow the directions in the section “My adult non-military family member is sick or deceased” to get evaluated for a toxic exposure by the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC) nearest you.
      See: http://www.aoec.org/directory.htm The AOEC does offer low-cost or no-cost workups.

      IF the AOEC does find a potential connection between your health problems and an exposure at the George AFB schools, it is VERY important that you contact an attorney immediately because there is a limited timeframe to take legal action. I would recommend using the Martindale-Hubbell Find Lawyers and Law Firms @ http://www.martindale.com/Find-Lawyers-and-Law-Firms.aspx to look for a law firm in your state with an AV rating.

      That being said, I have been contacted by about 6 employees of the schools, family members or friends of former employees of the schools, who are sick, have cancer, or have died.

      I know that the Army / Air Force liberally used extremely toxic organochlorine pesticides at ALL of the older buildings.

      The Air Force found 500x safe levels of both aldrin and dieldrin at the Base Family Housing.
      See: http://georgeafb.info/george-afbs-persistent-organic-pollutants-pop/

      The Air Force has refused to test for these extremely toxic organochlorine pesticides at the Base Schools.
      See: http://georgeafb.info/george-afbs-schools/

      Please forward this email to your friends from the schools and post the information on Facebook.

      If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

      Frank Vera

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