[CPEO-MEF] Perchlorate Letter to Woodley

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

The following is a copy of a letter that went out to John Paul Woodley,
Jr., Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Environment) last
week.
________________________________________________________

June 6, 2003

Mr. John Paul Woodley, Jr.
Assistant Deputy Under Secretary
of Defense for Environment
Department of Defense
3400 Defense Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20301-3400

Dear Mr. Woodley:

We are writing to seek the cooperation of the Department of Defense
(DoD) in
addressing perchlorate contamination at DoD's active, closed, and
historic military and contractor-facilities in California on behalf of
my office, the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) and
Cal/EPA's Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) and State Water
Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The potential sources of perchlorate
contamination include facilities that manufacture, conduct research on,
and use solid propellants for rockets, missiles, military ordnance, and
pyrotechnics. Military and defense contractor facilities are among the
known and suspected sources of contamination of this type.

We cannot overstate the seriousness of this problem for the State of
California. To date, perchlorate has been detected in more than 300
wells, including public water supply wells. The loss of drinking water
supply wells to perchlorate contamination may leave parts of California
without sufficient water for the summer months. In response to this
crisis, the California Legislature is expressing its interest in finding
the sources and solutions to these impacts to the State's water by
holding hearings on the matter.

Our efforts to address perchlorate contamination in California warrant a
collaborative approach to this environmental crisis. Together, we need
to identify sources of perchlorate contamination, coordinate research of
treatment strategies and technologies, and eventually clean up both
impacted drinking water and water used for other beneficial uses.

Cal/EPA and its constituent boards and departments need to extend this
coordinated approach to DoD to address perchlotate and other emerging
chemicals of concern emanating from military properties. To that end,
the Regional Water Quality Control Boards have coordinated with the
SWRCB in preparing a letter to military installations in California
requesting assistance in identifying, investigating, and cleaning up
sources of perchlorate and other chemicals of concern on their
properties. We have enclosed a copy of this draft letter for your
information. We ask that you direct the installations and appropriate
program managers in DoD to assist and cooperate in this effort. In
addition, we understand that DoD conducted a national survey of
perchlorate contamination on military facilities, and we would request
the opportunity to review the results of this survey for installations
in California.

Both DTSC and SWQCB representatives are available to meet with you or
your staff to further discuss this issue. Should you have any questions
or need further assistance, please contact Mr. Frederick S. Moss, Chief,
Office of Military Facilities, DTSC, at (…) or Ms. Lisa Babcock, Chief,
Land Disposal Section, SWRCB, at (…).

Sincerely,
Winston H. Hickox
Agency Secretary

Edwin F. Lowry
Director
Department of Toxic Substances Control

Celeste Cantu
Executive Officer
State Water Resources Control Board

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