Residents of the Patrick Space Force Base have been reporting concerns for years as the locals have seen a strange number of rare illnesses amongst them. They believe that old military waste is to blame, and worry that the hazardous materials are a health risk.
The federal government is now investigating the area, looking to find, dig up, and remove whatever hazardous waste remains in the area from World War II.
In Feb., the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began a $5.8 million project, using ground-penetrating radar to scan yards in South Patrick Shores, south of Patrick Space Force Base.
182 homes have signed right-to-entry forms so that the Army Corps could scan their yards for military waste. It’s anticipated that the scanning and surveying of the area could take months.