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Millions in Earmarks Purchase Little of Use
Washington Post ^ | December 29, 2007 | Robert O'Harrow Jr.

Posted on 12/29/2007 7:54:28 PM PST by centurion316

The National Defense Center for Environmental Excellence opened its doors in 1991 with a $5 million earmark from a powerful lawmaker. Operating in Johnstown, Pa., the privately run center has received at least $671 million worth of federal contracts and earmarks since then to research and develop pollution-abatement technology and other systems for the Defense Department.

This Story Millions in Earmarks Purchase Little of Use The center's researchers have examined scores of software systems and other gear, including groundwater monitoring equipment, gun cleaners and ultrasonic devices, according to its managers. They said the center had delivered nearly 500 technology products and tools to protect the environment, improve safety and cut Pentagon costs.

But a months-long examination by The Washington Post, including a review of documents and interviews with Pentagon officials, found that little of the center's work has been widely used or deployed by the Defense Department.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 110th; defense; earmarks; federalspending; murtha; pork
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The real reason that Jack Murtha cares about the military.
1 posted on 12/29/2007 7:54:30 PM PST by centurion316
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To: centurion316
I’d be real interested in seeing the amount of money the DOD spends on environmental issues vs what they spend on weapon systems. Anyone else think those numbers are about equal? The damage this environmental BS is causing is just incredible.....
2 posted on 12/29/2007 8:00:32 PM PST by rightwingextremist1776
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To: rightwingextremist1776

I’m sure that the number would choke you. Aside from the pork projects like this one, the military must comply with all enviornmental laws. As one of the nations largest land holders, that means big bucks just to stay in compliance. Whenever a new weapons system is introduced at an installation, an enviornmental study must be conducted and, very often, mitigation measures undertaken. Why, a new weapons systems constitutes a “change of use” under the law. Imagine a farmer having to pay for an envrionmental study everytime he bought a new tractor.


3 posted on 12/29/2007 8:07:08 PM PST by centurion316 (Democrats - Supporting Al Qaida Worldwide)
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To: centurion316

$671 million here, $671 million there, and pretty soon you’re talking about real money.


4 posted on 12/29/2007 8:07:28 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: centurion316

“That includes such equipment as compost-monitoring technology”

They should turn some of that compost detection equipment on Murtha.


5 posted on 12/29/2007 8:09:49 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Cicero

What, and destroy a good piece of equipment when it pegs off the meter?


6 posted on 12/29/2007 8:11:55 PM PST by centurion316 (Democrats - Supporting Al Qaida Worldwide)
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To: centurion316
The National Defense Center for Environmental Excellence opened its doors in 1991 with a $5 million earmark from a powerful lawmaker. Operating in Johnstown, Pa., the privately run center has received at least $671 million worth of federal contracts and earmarks since then to research and develop pollution-abatement technology and other systems for the Defense Department.

Johnstown has sold its soul to Murtha. It is the more dependent on government work and contracts than any place outside of Washington DC and most of it is worthless earmarked money. That is why Murtha is untouchable. The town hates his politics but loves his pork.

7 posted on 12/29/2007 8:13:07 PM PST by Always Right
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To: centurion316

No, the ONLY reason Murtha cares about the military.


8 posted on 12/29/2007 8:15:32 PM PST by clilly54
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To: rightwingextremist1776
The damage this environmental BS is causing is just incredible.....

You think it's bad now, wait until the government signs on to the lie of human caused global warming.

9 posted on 12/29/2007 8:16:35 PM PST by taxesareforever (Never forget Matt Maupin)
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To: Always Right
That is why Murtha is untouchable. The town hates his politics but loves his pork.

With citizens like this, the Country cannot endure.

10 posted on 12/29/2007 8:17:04 PM PST by Prokopton
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To: centurion316
Murtha declined through a spokesman to comment for this article.

the picture at the link is actually a pretty good comment-- "Please don't out me ... please don't out meeee..pleeeeze.......

11 posted on 12/29/2007 8:22:23 PM PST by gusopol3
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To: taxesareforever

I suspect that when GW is exposed for the lie that it is, and the skin on the environmental onion are peeled back, there is going to be quite a backlash against these idiots...


12 posted on 12/29/2007 8:27:12 PM PST by rightwingextremist1776
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To: centurion316

You know, it strikes me that Pelosi and Dingy Harry bitching about Bush vetoeing the defense bill because it would accord litigants to bring a cause of action against the Iraqi government for the past misdeads of Hussein should be seized upon. Bush has never made a single move to make Iraqi oil money for the U.S. Now Pelosi and Harry are doing just that. The only difference is, they are trying to pass a bill which would funnel it to the trial lawyers. This should be a huge mantra and lable the democrats as voting for the war just for oil money.


13 posted on 12/29/2007 8:28:19 PM PST by Texas Songwriter
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To: centurion316

Keeping Democrats and their relatives employed since 1991.....


14 posted on 12/29/2007 8:35:15 PM PST by gunservative
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To: centurion316; RaceBannon; smoothsailing; jazusamo; Just A Nobody; RedRover; Calpernia

Well, well, well. The Army (a la Lt. Gen. Francis H. Kearney III, Gen. George W. Casey Jr., Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli, Maj. Gen. Eldon Bargewell, Col. Gregory Watt) appears to be defending murtha’s pork.


15 posted on 12/29/2007 9:08:21 PM PST by freema
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To: centurion316

What about the deals they are making themselves?


16 posted on 12/29/2007 9:09:46 PM PST by freekitty ((May the eagles long fly our beautiful and free American sky.))
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To: centurion316

Here’s another example of pork.. This company wouldn’t probably exist without the earmarks. $20M so far.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004097983_mobilisa29.html

This is funded by Dem’s out of WA, but I think all the congress critters do it unfortunately.


17 posted on 12/29/2007 9:17:55 PM PST by revtown
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To: freema
The Army has it's idiots. Wesley Clark comes to mind, as well as Hugh Shelton.

It's time to bring back firing squads, the Army could benefit.

18 posted on 12/29/2007 9:24:51 PM PST by smoothsailing
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To: centurion316; freema; jazusamo; RedRover; Just A Nobody
A major newspaper, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, that is circulated throughout Murtha's congressional district has picked up this article.

Murtha-backed Center of little use to Pentagon

19 posted on 12/29/2007 10:15:49 PM PST by smoothsailing
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Comment #20 Removed by Moderator


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