[CPEO-MEF] San Bernardino County officials are blamed for contamination.

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Task force: Perchlorate risk known
San Bernardino County officials are blamed for contamination.
By Chris Bowman -- Bee Staff Writer

Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Thursday, September 12, 2002

A task force of state regulators and water suppliers on Wednesday blamed
San Bernardino County officials for the rapid spread of a rocket fuel
chemical that has polluted wells serving 500,000 people.

The group provided The Bee records showing county officials knew the
property it bought to expand its Mid-Valley Landfill in Rialto had been
used to store explosives containing perchlorate, a chemical linked to
thyroid disorders.

The San Bernardino contamination is the same chemical that has plagued
Sacramento County. Perchlorate and other rocket fuel chemicals have
resulted in the closure of 18 wells in residential Rancho Cordova,
according to state health records.

San Bernardino County failed to properly investigate contamination on
the site, said Barry Groveman, an attorney for local water suppliers and
chairman of the Perchlorate Task Force.

This article can be viewed at:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/news/environment/story/4365310p-5388119c.html

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