Water Tech: Groups to sue EPA over inaction on perchlorate cleanup

Water Technology
Published October 7, 2008

OAKLAND, CA —Earthjustice, a nonprofit environmental law firm based here, announced in an October 3 press release its intentions to sue the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) if the federal agency’s final determination regarding the rocket-fuel chemical perchlorate is that no national standard is needed. Earthjustice said in the release that it would be representing the Environmental Working Group and other organizations concerned about the health effects of perchlorate in drinking water. The EPA announced on October 3 that it has preliminarily determined not to regulate the perchlorate in drinking water at a national level because there is not a “meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction” through a national drinking water regulation, as WaterTech Online™ reported. Perchlorate is also an ingredient in the manufacture of fireworks. According to the Earthjustice release, perchlorate has contaminated drinking water in at least 26 states and, quoting the EPA, perchlorate has contaminated the drinking water of 10 million people in the United States. “EPA’s decision represents a victory for the Department of Defense and military contractors, which for years have pressured EPA not to regulate perchlorate and other chemicals associated with weapons manufacturing,” the group said in the release.