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Scientists To Visit Vieques

House OK’s Drug Control Bill

NPP: No to PDP Plan To Solve Status Issue

Vibroacoustic Study Ready In Three Months

Bombs Silent Because Pataki Wasn't

Vieques Suspension Probed

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Scientists From Atlanta To Visit Vieques

March 8, 2001
Copyright © 2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

SAN JUAN (AP) - A group of scientists from the Agency for the Diseases and Toxic Substances Registry is expected to visit Vieques next week to discuss the recent findings about the island municipality's potable water and other health issues, agency spokeswoman Maria Teran Maclber said in published reports.

The scientists are scheduled to be in Vieques March 14-15, when they will meet with Mayor Damaso Serrano and several doctors and members of the Vieques community.

Maclber said the scientists will discuss the recent findings that confirmed that there were no pollutants present in the island municipality's water resources.

The public will have 60 days to state their opinion on the findings before a final conclusion is reached.

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House Approves Bill Creating Drug Control Office

By Proviana Colon Diaz

March 8, 2001
Copyright © 2001 PuertoRicoWOW News Service. All rights reserved.

SAN JUAN - In yet another abrupt legislative session that included the overruling of several amendments proposed by the minority and a tense moment that nearly ended in a fistfight between House Vice President Ferdinand Perez and New Progressive Party (NPP) Minority Leader Edison Misla Aldarondo, the House of Representatives approved late Wednesday the bill aimed at creating the Drug Control Office.

The bill, however, was not voted on until 8:50 p.m. with only the votes of the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) majority.

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NPP Won't Take Part In Calderon's Plan To Solve Status Issue

March 7, 2001
Copyright © 2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

SAN JUAN - The New Progressive Party (NPP) Directory decided to refrain from participating in the so-called "unity and consensus group" promoted by Gov. Sila Calderon to solve the status issue in the island.

NPP President Leo Diaz said Calderon's idea was a "smoke screen to deviate the attention away from other problems that are more urgent in this administration."

"There is no way Calderon could call for work groups of consensus after firing thousands of government employees and casting away the NPP delegation in both the House and the Senate from the legislative process," said Diaz during a press conference Tuesday.

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Vibroacoustic Study To Be Ready Within Three Months

March 7, 2001
Copyright © 2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

SAN JUAN (AP) - Diseases and Toxic Substances Registry spokeswoman Kathy Skipper said the analysis on the vibroacoustic disease in Vieques could be ready within the next three months, according to published reports.

The study is aimed at determining if the U.S. Navy practices on Vieques have had a harmful effect on land, air, and the food chain of the island municipality.

Last week, the agency published a study revealing that no polluting agents were found in either underground or potable water sources in Vieques.

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Vieques Bombs Silent Because Pataki Wasn't

by JUAN GONZALEZ

March 6, 2001
Copyright © 2001 New York Daily News. All rights reserved.

WHEN THE NAVY did a sudden about-face last week and suspended bombing practice on the tiny Puerto Rican island of Vieques , a force behind the scenes was Gov. Pataki.

Pataki confirmed yesterday that he mounted a strenuous lobbying campaign with the Bush administration in recent weeks to end 60 years of Navy bombardment.

During the past few weeks, Pataki said, he had made his views known "to virtually everyone in the administration: the President, Secretary [of Defense Donald] Rumsfeld, Secretary [of Health and Human Services Tommy] Thompson.

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Vieques Military Practice Suspension Probed

March 6, 2001
Copyright © 2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

SAN JUAN - Republican Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe will meet with Pentagon officials this week to discuss the reasons why the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) cancelled military training scheduled for this month in Vieques, according to published reports.

Inhofe said he believes DOD Secretary Donald Rumsfeld appears not to have been fully briefed on the Vieques issue.

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