A long-awaited federal study looking at how widespread perchlorate pollution is nationwide and what foods may contain it was released Tuesday, officials said.
The Food and Drug Administration study is now being reviewed by different stakeholders. Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would ultimately set how much perchlorate is safe to ingest, the FDA study found that "300 commonly consumed goods and beverages" have it, according to a news release from the U.S. House of "Representatives' Committee on Energy and Commerce. Committee member and South County's Congressman, Rep. Jerry McNerney, issued a statement Tuesday pointing out that it validates his position on perchlorate contamination.
"I will continue working in Congress to draw attention to this issue and to ensure that the EPA heeds this report and takes action," he said. "This report demonstrates the prevalence of perchlorate in many of the things we eat and drink on a daily basis. We need to make sure that children, who are the most vulnerable to perchlorate, are safe from ingesting dangerous pollutants."
If approved by Congress and signed into law by the president, H.R. 1747, or the Safe Drinking Water for Healthy Communities Act, could set a national perchlorate water level. McNerney co-sponsored when it was introduced last year.
Sylvia Hamilton, member of the Perchlorate Community Advisory Group, which regularly meets in San Martin, learned about the study from the Morgan Hill Times on Wednesday.
"I'm pleased to hear they're moving forward," Hamilton said in response.
The FDA study is another step in the federal government's ongoing process to determine whether the toxic salt used in the production of rocket fuel or signal flares - such as the case with Olin Corp. now-defunct site on Tennant Avenue in Morgan Hill - is dangerous. Olin isn't part of the Council on Water Quality - funded by manufacturers - which has presented its point of view on the subject on its Web site, councilonwaterquality.org, said spokesman Bill Romanelli.
"The EPA has yet to make any changes to perchlorate" levels, Romanelli said. "No one should be changing the diet."
Romanelli said the council didn't have a position on EPA regulation, but added that "from a public health perspective, our position is ... balance. But, it's also important to protect public resources. If the communities are forced to cleanup, you have to question whether this is a good use of public funds."
Morgan Hill recently implemented the state perchlorate water level, set at six parts per billion. As a result of the City Council's decision, a municipal well on Nordstrom Avenue is no longer outfitted with a perchlorate filtration systems.
"However, the City is still treating the Tennant well," which is operated only during peak water usage times - usually in the summer, Assistant City Manager Brian Stott said.
Former Mayor Dennis Kennedy wrote a letter to the Times the day after the council's decision that said he opposed it. At the Dec. 19 meeting (which can be viewed by going to this link
Councilman Mark Grzan opposed adopting the levels set by the state. He said Massachusetts has set a level of 2 ppb.
But, the Council on Water Quality's Romanelli said scientific studies are inconclusive that perchlorate concentrations as high as 24.5 ppb are dangerous, and so, a fraction of that would pose even less risk.
"We're out to make sure the science is clear," Romanelli said.
But McNerney plans to press on.
"Since coming to Congress I've worked to make sure that the federal government sets an appropriate drinking water standard for perchlorate to help protect our children and others from perchlorate exposure," he said.
Slav Kandyba Slav Kandyba covers city and county issues for South Valley Newspapers. Reach him at (408) 779-4106, ext. 201 or e-mail him.
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