American civil engineers mourn their dead in Iraq

The American Society of Civil Engineers is asking its members for donations to a fund to support the families of civil engineers who have lost their lives in Iraq. In its newsletter of October 1, ASCE expressed its condolences and made a “Statement of Sympathy for Fallen Engineers.”
It read: “Since the end of the Iraqi regime, a talented contingent of civil engineers has been fighting a new battle to rebuild Iraq. These engineers have made great progress rebuilding roads and bridges, rehabilitating buildings and providing safe drinking water. Unfortunately, these successes have come at a very high price. These men and women are living under the constant threat of abduction and tragically, some have paid the ultimate price with their lives.”
To make a donation to the ASCE Foundation, contact Jeanne G. Jacob at ASCE, jjacobs@asce.org.
Also on the Iraq front, despite the ongoing strife and bloodshed, the United Nations is starting work to clean up hundreds of contaminated “hot spots” in Iraq. Among the priority sites is a sulphur manufacturing site, and a refinery where more than 5,000 tons of chemicals, including tetra-ethyl lead, may have affected soil and water sources. Japan is providing much of the funding for the initial studies.