Dear Editor, All of us recently received the annual city water
report. It’s a good report, but there are some incorrect
statements. It states incorrectly that the Federal Environmental
Protection Agency set a Maximum Contaminant Level for perchlorate
Oct. 18, 2007. This is incorrect.
Giving residents accurate information should be a priority
Dear Editor,
All of us recently received the annual city water report. It’s a good report, but there are some incorrect statements. It states incorrectly that the Federal Environmental Protection Agency set a Maximum Contaminant Level for perchlorate Oct. 18, 2007. This is incorrect. State of California Department of Health, in a memo issued Oct. 12, 2007 and effective Oct. 18, 2007 adopted an MCL of 6 ppb (www.cdph.ca.gov/certlic/drinkingwater/Documents/Perchlorate/AdoptionMemotoWaterSystems-10-2007.pdf), not the EPA. The EPA sent out an interim advisory in December of 2008 but for drinking water only (www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/unregulated/pdfs/healthadvisory_perchlorate_interim.pdf) but it has yet to set an official MCL.
The report correctly states that perchlorate is an unregulated EPA contaminate. But to be an unregulated contaminate, acknowledging that health based standards have yet to be set. The report incorrectly states that an EPA MCL has been established when it has not. However since the state has set the MCL, it is a regulated contaminate by the state. The report creates confusion in this regard. It is regulated by the state with an MCL and not regulated by the EPA and there is no MCL at this time.
The MCL for California as set by the CDH is 6 ppb. This is a concern when levels of 5.2 ppb have been found in our water supply and higher in previous years. The state of New Jersey is considering 5 ppb as its MCL (www.state.nj.us/dep/rules/notices/031609a.html.) Massachusetts has set the maximum to be 2 ppb because it recognizes perchlorate not only enters the water supply but also the food supply and even mother’s milk.
The sad thing about perchlorate is how it affects child development even with short term exposure. These problems do not readily appear but research has indicated that it limits a child’s IQ and can lead to behavioral problems. It’s a toxin that affects the child in the womb and when growing up. Without good information on the potential hazards many could be harming their children unknowingly, thus reducing the child’s ability to reach their full potential.
Lacking also in the report is an explanation of what ND means. It’s the state’s term for anything less than 4 ppb. It’s a misnomer because we are able to measure reliably below 4 ppb and have been doing so for quite some time. The state sets the context of official report and creates unnecessary ambiguity and misleads the public to thinking that ND means no perchlorate is found but that is not the case. In my opinion, the city is not limited in just presenting in accordance to the state’ protocol. We can do that and more. Our responsibility is to the people of Morgan Hill. Giving them good, transparent and accurate information is our goal and priority.
Mark Grzan, Morgan Hill
‘Would you like to stone’ officer involved in the BART shooting?
Dear Editor,
Oscar Grant has gone from BART passenger, to miscreant troublemaker, to detainee to victim, to hero, to martyr. This transformation was made possible through the magic of TV and print media. He has become fictionalized as the emotions and expression of grief over his death were reported over and over as “unarmed,” “passenger” and “murdered.”
Yes, he was a passenger who was removed from the train by force by BART police for fighting. He proceeded to create a disturbance and resist arrest, struggling with the officer attempting to subdue him. From the information the public received the officer thought he was reaching for a weapon and attempted to use a Taser but accidentally used a gun instead. Another fictional version might be that the officer dragged an innocent passenger off the train with the intent of killing him. Really? Who can imagine a motive for this scenario?
Maybe his shooting was an accident after all.
It is certain that if Oscar Grant had not been involved in the fighting and had not resisted arrest, he would never have been involved and would be alive today.
Why do people expect they can ignore the laws and place themselves in jeopardy without responsibility for the end results. Then they or their survivors expect to be compensated for their loss.
This was a tragic mistake by both parties. How much should the officer suffer for his mistake? He has already been in jail for 19 months. His career is lost. His prospects are slim. Would you like to stone him as they do in Iran?
Where is the forgiveness and compassion from Oscar Grant’s family as they call on the Christian religion in their speeches of anger and vengeance? How much punishment do they think is enough? What would … Jesus do?
John Herren, Gilroy
Republicans can’t win in November because the party no longer exists
Dear Editor,
People are talking about how the Republicans might do in the elections this November. I say they can’t win because the Republican party no longer exists. Those who claim to be the Republicans aren’t. The party is dead. Only the name survives.
This is not the party of Abraham Lincoln. Ronald Reagan was far to liberal for today’s Republicans. What is left of the Republicans is the Ku Klux Klan wing, neocons like Dick Cheney, and those who are against the kind of people who think. The party is owned by corporate puppets that apologize to British Petroleum.
The party is led by Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin. Republicans are only concerned about the deficit when they are out of power and spend like mad when they are in power.
Republicans need to take responsibility. They need to stand for something more than empty slogans. There are no ideas there anymore. It’s all about their own self interest. So Republicans cannot possibly win because Republicans no longer exist.
Marc Perkel, Gilroy
