[CPEO-MEF] Senate Calls for Perchlorate Study

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@cpeo.org>]

Language in the Senate Defense Authorization, if passed in the Senate and 
agreed to by the House,  bill will require DOD to initiate an independent 
epidemiological study on the effects of perchlorate in drinking water.  DOD 
appears to have some discretion in choosing the federal entity to conduct 
the study.  The actual language appears below.



S. 1050

SEC. 331. PUBLIC HEALTH ASSESSMENT OF EXPOSURE TO PERCHLORATE.

(a) EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF EXPOSURE TO PERCHLORATE-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Defense shall provide for an
independent epidemiological study of exposure to perchlorate in drinking
water.

(2) PERFORMANCE OF STUDY- The Secretary shall provide for the
performance of the study under this subsection through the Centers for
Disease Control, the National Institutes of Health, or another Federal
entity with experience in environmental toxicology selected by the
Secretary for purposes of the study.

(3) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED IN STUDY- In providing for the study under
this subsection, the Secretary shall require the Federal entity
conducting the study--

(A) to assess the incidence of thyroid disease and measurable effects
of thyroid function in relation to exposure to perchlorate;

(B) to ensure that the study is of sufficient scope and scale to permit
the making of meaningful conclusions of the measurable public health
threat associated with exposure to perchlorate, especially the threat to
sensitive subpopulations; and

(C) to study thyroid function, including measurements of urinary iodine
and thyroid hormone levels, in a sufficient number of pregnant women,
neonates, and infants exposed to perchlorate in drinking water and match
measurements of perchlorate levels in the drinking water of each study
participant in order to permit the development of meaningful conclusions
on the public health threat to individuals exposed to perchlorate.

(4) REPORT ON STUDY- The Secretary shall require the Federal entity
conducting the study under this subsection to submit to the Secretary a
report on the study not later than June 1, 2005.



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Aimee R. Houghton
Associate Director, CPEO
1101 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 1000
Washington, DC  20036
tel: 202-452-8039; fax: 202-452-8095
Email: aimeeh@cpeo.org
www.cpeo.org
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