Error Seen in E.P.A. Report on Contaminant
By FELICITY BARRINGER
New York Times
January 1, 2009
The Environmental Protection Agency failed to follow its own guidelines
and made a basic error in evaluating how a toxic contaminant in rocket
fuel harms human health, according to a report by the agency's inspector
general.
The contaminant, perchlorate, has been found in significant levels in
drinking water in at least 400 locations; scientific studies indicate
that perchlorate blocks the necessary accumulation of iodide in human
thyroid glands. Iodide insufficiencies in pregnant women are "associated
with permanent mental deficits in the children," the E.P.A. said.
Perchlorate can occur naturally, but high concentrations have been found
near military installations where it was used in testing rockets and
missiles.
...
For the entire article, see
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/01/washington/01epa.html?_r=1&ref=us
--
Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org
_______________________________________________
Military mailing list
Military@lists.cpeo.org
http://lists.cpeo.org/listinfo.cgi/military-cpeo.org
|