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Sun, June 4, 2023 | 16:39
-------------------------
US bases inspected for oil pollution
용산기지 내부 유류오염 조사 본격화…곧 시료채취
Posted : 2015-03-02 16:40
Updated : 2015-03-02 19:28
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By Jung Min-ho

Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) inspectors will soon find out whether underground water around U.S. Army bases in Yongsan is polluted with oil ― and if it is, ascertain the seriousness of the situation.

The city government said Monday it would ask a joint investigation committee of Korea and the United States for permission to take water samples from Yongsan Garrison and Camp Kim next month.

Since SMG started looking into 32 sites within the restricted areas on Jan. 9, they have found that eight of them meet conditions for sampling because their underground water level is 45 meters or deeper, an official said.

SMG suspects the U.S. military camps are the source of oil that has polluted at least 12,000 square meters of land and more than 7 million liters of underground water since 2001 when an oil spill was reported.

But it took 13 years for the SMG to investigate because the United States Forces Korea (USFK) refused to cooperate. The Korean government can investigate USFK bases only if permission is granted under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).

Once samples reveal potentially more specific problems, the SMG will start clean-up measures in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and the USFK.

"The investigation has been going smoothly," the SMG official said. "We planned to ask the joint investigation committee for permission last month, but it was delayed. Apart from this, everything is fine."

He said investigators will also look into the risk of the suspected pollution spreading and suggest preventive measures.

After oil-contaminated water was found around Noksapyeong Station near the camp, the USFK said after its own investigation that an old underground oil tank had cracked.

But the USFK refused to give SMG investigators permission to enter the camp.

In 2011, the SMG said it had extracted 568 liters of floating oil and 1,970 tons of polluted underground water near the station. The water contained harmful chemicals including benzene, toluene and xylene.

The revelation came amid growing public anxiety over allegations that the U.S. Army buried toxic defoliant in Camp Carroll in North Gyeongsang Province in the 1970s.

Under growing pressure, the USFK decided in December to accept the SMG's request to form a joint investigation committee.

In 2009, the SMG also won a lawsuit against the Korean government, demanding that it pay 2.2 billion won ($2 million) for the cleanup around the station between 2001 and 2008.


용산기지 내부 유류오염 조사 본격화…곧 시료채취

지난해 1천600t 정화비용 환수 소송도 추진

용산 미군기지의 유류 오염 정도를 파악하기 위한 서울시의 기지 내부 기초조사가 끝나 곧 지하수 시료 채취가 이뤄진다. 오염 여부가 파악되면 근본적인 정화 대책도 마련될 것으로 기대된다.

2일 서울시 도시안전본부가 서울시의회에 제출한 업무보고에 따르면 시는 지난달 9일 처음으로 기지 내부에 들어갔으며 24일에는 직원 10명이 지하수 관정에 대한 기초조사를 마쳤다.

서울시 도시안전본부 관계자는 '32개 관정의 위치와 구경, 깊이, 지하수위 등을 조사했는데 그 중 8개 관정은 지하수위가 45m 이상으로 시료 채취를 할 수 있는 여건임이 확인됐다'고 말했다.

서울시는 기초조사 내용을 바탕으로 다음 달에 열릴 제6차 한미공동실무위원회에서 시료 채취가 이뤄질 수 있도록 요청할 계획이다.

시료 채취는 지하수위가 어느 정도 확보된 관정에서 펌프질을 통해 오랫동안 고인 물을 걷어내고 새로 모인 물을 떠서 이뤄진다.

시는 시료 채취를 통해 그동안 미군 측이 주장한 대로 유류 오염에 대한 자체 정화가 실제로 이뤄졌는지 확인할 수 있을 것으로 보고 있다.

시 관계자는 '6차 회의가 애초 지난달 이뤄질 예정이었다가 다소 지연되긴 했지만 그렇다고 조사가 차질을 빚거나 하는 상황은 아니다'며 '조사를 추진하면서 기지 외부의 오염 지하수 정화 작업과 확산 감시 작업도 병행할 것'이라고 말했다.

용산기지 주변에서 기름 유출이 발견된 건 2001년부터다. 그동안 녹사평 일대와 남영동 캠프킴 주변 등 1만 2천235㎡가 오염된 것으로 나타났다. 특히 캠프킴 옆에선 기름 오염을 나타내는 석유계총탄화수소가 아직 고농도로 검출된다.

시는 그동안 자체 예산으로 오염된 지하수와 부유 기름을 정화하고 그 비용을 건별로 정부에 소송을 제기해 받아왔다.

지난해에는 총 1천600t의 오염된 지하수를 정화했으며 이에 따른 비용도 환수하기 위해 5월부터 소송을 시작할 예정이다. 2012년부터 2년간 들어간 정화비용 12억 9천만원은 소송을 통해 받아냈다.

시 관계자는 '공동회의에서 내부 조사와 정화 대책을 마련하는 것은 물론 정화 자료도 투명하게 공개할 수 있도록 추진할 것'이라고 말했다. (연합뉴스)
Emailmj6c2@ktimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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