News Coverage
Perchlorate bill passes House subcommittee
Published July 7, 2004
Legislation that would help Inland cities pay to clean up perchlorate-contaminated groundwater passed a key congressional subcommittee Thursday.
The bill, authored by Inland Rep. Joe Baca, would authorize money to pay for groundwater cleanup in the Santa Ana and San Gabriel river watersheds. It also calls for the federal government to pay 65 percent of cleanup costs, leaving state and local agencies and private entities to fund the remaining 35 percent.
Money already spent to clean up contaminated groundwater for projects started before or after Jan. 1, 2000, would be eligible for reimbursement.
The federal fund would be administered through the federal Bureau of Reclamation. The bill also would require an inspector general to audit how the money is being spent.
Baca's bill unanimously passed the House Water and Power subcommittee. It now heads to the House Resources Committee. A date for that vote has not yet been set.
"Until someone can tell us that perchlorate in our water, milk and lettuc is good for us, Congress should offer assistance," said Baca, D-Rialto. "Our communities are tired of watching the finger-pointing and waiting for someone to step up to the plate."
The Environmental Working Group released a report that said some California supermarket milk was contaminated with perchlorate. The same group last year discovered the chemical in winter lettuce purchased from California supermarkets.
In sufficient amounts, perchlorate can disrupt the thyroid's ability to produce hormones that regulate metabolism and fetal development.
Underground pollution has contaminated at least 20 drinking-water wells in Rialto, Colton and Fontana - all of which are in Baca's district. The cities have had to close wells and fear water shortages.
Perchlorate, a chemical used in rocket fuel and other explosives, has spread about seven miles from an industrial area in northeastern Rialto. It has tainted wells that supplied water to 250,000 people. The contamination has prompted state and federal investigations, triggered a water emergency last summer and recently prompted an increase in water rates that will cost the average Rialto resident $17 more each month.