[CPEO-MEF] Boxer says No Delay, Tighter Standard for perchlorate in California

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

*PRESS RELEASE*
Office of Senator Barbara Boxer

For Immediate Release: January 25, 2005

Washington, D.C. - Senator Boxer sent the following letter to Governor 
Schwarzenegger today:

January 25, 2005

The Honorable Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA  95814

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

You are to be commended for continuing the process of establishing a 
safe drinking water standard for perchlorate.  Unfortunately, there have 
been calls to delay this process further, which could mean years of 
delay before California's drinking water is cleaned up.

I urge you to resist these calls and, as authorized by state law, 
immediately set an emergency safe drinking water standard for 
perchlorate because of the threat it poses to human health. During the 
time the emergency standard is in effect, I urge you to review the 
standard to ensure that it is protective of our most sensitive 
populations - pregnant women and children.

It is doubly important that California set this standard since the U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency has been backing off its commitment to 
set a safe perchlorate.  I have legislation to require EPA to set a 
standard for perchlorate.  By moving forward now, California will show 
the country that perchlorate can be cleaned up and that it can be done 
now.  And, it would help move the EPA forward.

Perchlorate is highly toxic.  Studies have proven that even at low 
concentrations, exposure to perchlorate can interfere with development, 
and cause both physical and mental retardation.  Perchlorate is also 
linked to thyroid cancer.  Pregnant women and children are especially 
vulnerable to these adverse effects.

Yet, as you know, perchlorate contamination in California's drinking 
water is widespread, having been found in more than 350 drinking water 
sources in California counties.  The cleanup needs to begin now - and a 
standard is needed to ensure that happens.

Under state law, once California sets an emergency standard, there are 
then up to 240 days to analyze new data on perchlorate before the 
standard becomes permanent .  This data includes the National Research 
Council report (Health Implications of Perchlorate Ingestion) released 
on January 10, 2005, as well as U.S. Food and Drug Administration and 
other data indicating that individuals are exposed to sources of 
perchlorate in addition to drinking water, which was not known at the 
time California finalized its public health goal.

I believe that a review of this data will clearly show that California's 
recommended public health goal of 6 parts per billion is not protective 
of the most vulnerable populations and that the permanent standard needs 
to be lower.

The time to protect our children's health is now.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

 ###

From: Boxer Press Office [mailto:stacey_lybeck@boxer.senate.gov]



--
Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
http://www.cpeo.org


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