[CPEO-MEF] EPA hit over Inland pollutant

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California
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE
EPA hit over Inland pollutant
WATER: An environmental group criticizes the agency for failing to
regulate perchlorate.
By DAVID DANELSKI
07/16/2003

An environmental group is criticizing the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency for not yet moving to regulate a rocket fuel chemical that has
polluted several Inland water supplies.

The criticism by the Natural Resources Defense Council followed a
decision last week by the EPA not to add perchlorate to the list of
about 90 contaminants that the government already regulates in drinking
water.

EPA officials stuck to previously made arguments that more needs to be
known about perchlorate before it can be regulated.

Officials with the environmental advocacy group said the EPA is required
by Congress only to study at least five unregulated contaminants every
five years. At that rate, the group said the EPA probably will not issue
any new enforceable standards for perchlorate until at least 2010.

"Which essentially would mean a generation of children and adults that
would continue to be exposed to high levels of many of these
contaminants," said Erik Olson, senior attorney for the environmental
group.

The EPA is trying to move quickly on perchlorate, said Ephraim King, who
directs the EPA Office of Water's standards and risk management
division, which oversees the contaminant studies.

"We are doing studies on perchlorate, we care tremendously and we're
moving as fast as we can," he said. "We can't start the formal
rule-making process until all the data is on the table."

This article can be viewed at:
http://www.pe.com/breakingnews/local/PE_SPL_naperc16.5783a.html

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