[CPEO-MEF] California Criticizes Pentagon For Dodging Perchlorate Issues

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California
California Criticizes Pentagon For Dodging Perchlorate Issues
By PETER WALDMAN
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

SACRAMENTO -- California lawmakers, voicing the state's growing alarm
over water pollution from the rocket-fuel ingredient perchlorate,
accused the Pentagon and defense industry of shirking responsibility for
the spreading contaminant.

But the main person summoned here to listen to Californians' complaints
-- John Paul Woodley Jr., the assistant deputy undersecretary of defense
for environmental affairs -- didn't show up.

"I'm beginning to wonder what they have to hide," said state Sen. Nell
Soto, chairwoman of the California legislature's select committee on
urban economic development, which held the perchlorate hearing. "Who is
keeping him from coming? Why aren't they worried about these kids
drinking poison?"

Legislative aides said Mr. Woodley indicated in recent days that he or
one of his senior aides in Washington would testify, but that his office
called minutes before Wednesday's hearing to say the Pentagon was
sending the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Los Angeles commander instead.
For his part, Mr. Woodley submitted a seven-page written statement
reiterating the Pentagon's position that, until the Environmental
Protection Agency promulgates a national standard for perchlorate in
drinking water, the Defense Department won't spend money cleaning up the
chemical from the nation's drinking supplies.

"Until we ... have agreed upon the best available scientific
information," Mr. Woodley wrote, "we should not commit scarce resources
to cleanup to levels beyond what is necessary to protect human health
and the environment."

This article can be viewed at:
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/0,,SB1043881405299108504,00.html

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