Washington, DC – The National Research Council of the National Academies today released a report on the health implications of perchlorate ingestion. The following is a comment from Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.):

“The EPA has said that it could not set a drinking water standard for perchlorate until it had the results of this new study. It now has the results. We know that perchlorate contamination is widespread, it is now in 35 states, and has entered the food chain. I urge the EPA to take action as soon as possible.”  

Last month, Senator Feinstein announced plans to introduce comprehensive legislation to address perchlorate contamination. The legislation would:

• Authorize $200 million to identify and clean up the sources of perchlorate;
• Provide grants for the research and development of better cleanup technologies;
• Create an Interagency Task Force to coordinate federal activities regarding water sources nationwide;
• Require the Environmental Protection Agency to set a national primary drinking water standard for perchlorate; and
• Make perchlorate-polluting entities responsible for contamination cleanup efforts.

Perchlorate is a chemical used in rocket fuel and munitions. It is a highly soluble salt that can readily permeate through soils. Perchlorate was widely used by the Defense Department and its contractors in the 1950s and 1960s.

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