By DAVID RISING and ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL Associated Press
A multiyear cleanup at a former U.S. air base in Vietnam was abruptly halted when the Trump administration cut funding, leaving tons of dioxin-contaminated soil exposed. The freeze also affected efforts to clear unexploded munitions, assist victims of Agent Orange, and and other war legacy remediation efforts. Although funding was partially restored, uncertainty and confusion over the goodwill projects' future threatens to harm the trust built over decades between the former foes. It comes at a time when Vietnam is of growing strategic importance to the U.S. as Washington pushes back at increasing Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific.
The remote Duck Valley reservation that straddles Nevada and Idaho has battled toxic contaminants on its land for decades. Shoshone and Paiute residents suspect fuels and chemical spills and leaks from U.S. government buildings have caused widespread illness and death. No one can say for sure. And, now, there's a new twist. The discovery of a decades-old document with a passing mention of Agent Orange chemicals suggests the government may have been more involved in contaminating the land. The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs says it's investigating whether the chemicals were sprayed around irrigation canals and is would work with the tribes on an action plan
