[FPSPACE] ALTAY CONCERNED OVER ROCKET DAMAGE TO ENVIRONMENT, HUMAN HEALTH

[JamesOberg@aol.com]

RUSSIA: ALTAY CONCERNED OVER DAMAGE TO ENVIRONMENT, HUMAN HEALTH
MOSCOW ITAR-TASS IN ENGLISH 1622 GMT 15 NOV 00
   [BY VALENTIN PAVLOV]
     BARNAUL, NOVEMBER 15 (ITAR-TASS) -- SCIENTISTS IN ALTAI, SOUTH SIBERIA, 
CONTINUE RESEARCH INTO THE INFLUENCE OF THE MISSILE AND SPACE ACTIVITIES ON 
HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT OF THE TERRITORY.
      THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT DESIGNED IN CONJUNCTION WITH
THE CHARITABLE PUBLIC ASSOCIATION "HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT" IS
BEING FUNDED BY THE U.S.   AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
(USAID) WHICH HAS EARMARKED 60,000 DOLLARS FOR THE PURPOSE,
ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT GALINA GUBINA TOLD ITAR-TASS ON WEDNESDAY.
      ACCORDING TO HER, THE USAID GRANT WILL PAY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGIES FOR CONTINUED ANALYSES OF THE SAMPLES OF
SOIL AND TREE BARK COLLECTED BY POST-GRADUATE STUDENTS AND
ASSOCIATES OF THE BARNAUL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES DURING
THEIR EXPEDITIONS TO THE BAIKONUR SPACE PORT AND THE SEMIPALATINSK
NUCLEAR TEST RANGE.
      THE RESEARCHERS SAY THAT MUCH HARM TO HUMAN HEALTH AND THE
ENVIRONMENT IS BEING DONE BY THE DISCARDED STAGES OF THE BOOSTER
ROCKETS WHICH FALL IN ALTAI TERRITORY AFTER SPACE LAUNCHES IN 
BAIKONUR. 
      ANOTHER CONCERN IS CAUSED BY THE DECOMMISSIONING OF THE
INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILES WITH NUCLEAR CHARGES AND THE
DESTRUCTION OF THE LAUNCH SILOS WHERE THE BALLISTIC MISSILES HAD
BEEN ON SERVICE.   HOWEVER, CHAIRMAN OF A SPECIAL COMMISSION IN 
CHARGE OF LOOKING INTO THE IMPACT OF THE PROCESSES ON HUMAN HEALTH,
VICE- GOVERNOR OF ALTAI YAKOV SHOIKHET TOLD ITAR-TASS ON WEDNESDAY
THAT NO HARMFUL EFFECTS ON HUMAN HEALTH HAVE BEEN TRACED.
      HIS STATEMENT WAS CONFIRMED BY THE SPECIALISTS OF THE
TERRITORIAL SANITARY SERVICE WHO HAVE BEEN MONITORING THE
ENVIRONMENT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE LIQUIDATION OF THE ALEISK
DIVISION OF THE RUSSIAN STRATEGIC MISSILE FORCES.   DEPUTY CHIEF
SANITARY DOCTOR YEVGENY KHOROSHEV DECLARED THAT THE EXPLOSION OF
THE FIRST TWO MISSILE SILOS IN NOVEMBER EXERCISED NO ADVERSE IMPACT
ON THE ENVIRONMENT.   SAMPLES OF THE AIR, SOIL AND WATER WILL BE
TAKEN AFTER THE EXPLOSION OF EACH OF THE 30 MISSILES WHICH ARE
SLATED FOR ELIMINATION IN ALTAI.