News Coverage
Perchlorate gag order
Bush Administration is Ignoring Possibility of Serious Health Effects
Published May 4, 2003
IT was all about rocket science when labs found last week that significant levels of perchlorate have been found in California-grown winter lettuce irrigated by Colorado River water. The toxic rocket fuel component has also been found in groundwater in the South Bay, contaminating three of Morgan Hill's 11 municipal wells, and evidence suggests that tiny amounts can affect the thyroid gland and cause severe birth defects.
This is no time for the federal government to stick its head in the sand. Yet the Bush administration has done just that, with its gag order on public discussion of perchlorate contamination by the Environmental Protection Agency. Says the White House, in effect: If we admit Americans might be ingesting toxic amounts of perchlorate from both water and food, then private industry, defense contractors and the Pentagon could be liable for billions of dollars to clean up the mess. So let's just not talk about it.
This ostrich approach ignores the serious health effects possible from perchlorate contamination, even as it becomes a major concern in 20 states. But it could also create more worry than necessary. Scientists don't know the extent of perchlorate concentration in food, or what level of exposure is safe.
A study to help answer the first question would have been finished by now if the Defense Department hadn't blocked it. An answer to the second question needs to be found if Americans are to trust their water and food supplies -- an issue of concern to everyone, but particularly to pregnant women.
Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., called this week for federal followup of the lettuce study performed by Oakland's Environmental Working Group. The EPA has made its own study, but hasn't released the results yet. More tests might show greater cause for alarm, or might prove health effects are minimal. But we'll never know if researchers are prevented from investigating, and discussing, the problem openly.