The Environmental Protection Agency has buckled under the pressure of the Bush Administration and the Pentagon in setting a safety standard for the chemical perchlorate in drinking water, according to a story in the Washington Post. Perchlorate is found in rocket fuel, and it has been linked to thyroid problems in pregnant women, newborns and young children. Over 16 million Americans are currently exposed to unsafe levels of the chemical, a result of improper disposal from rocket test sites.
Some longstanding EPA scientists wanted to regulate perchlorate, but the White House has stepped in and decided that it doesn’t want to make the Department of Defense foot the bill for an expensive clean-up.
Read more here.
