Bush, Hawley Urge Army Corps to Test Entire Missouri School District for Contamination
Washington D.C. (Jan. 11, 2023) - Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) and Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lieutenant General Scott Spellmon calling for additional radioactive testing of Hazelwood School District's properties.
“Concerned parents deserve certainty about the safety of their children’s learning environment and on that, USACE can and should help,” the lawmakers wrote. “USACE must prioritize the Hazelwood School District’s request for additional testing and take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of the school's properties as soon as possible. The health and well-being of the students must be our top priority.”
A copy of the full letter can be found HERE.
In October 2022, an independent report from Boston Chemical Data Corp found traces of radioactive waste in and around Jana Elementary School in Hazelwood, Missouri, located in the Congresswoman’s district. The Army Corps of Engineers found unsafe levels along Coldwater Creek adjacent to the school as well. Shortly after, Congresswoman Bush sent a letter to United States Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lieutenant General Spellmon demanding their agencies remediate radioactive contamination within Jana Elementary and hold a public briefing for community members regarding their efforts. Congresswoman Bush’s office continues to be in constant conversation with the Corps, as well as key stakeholders, and will be seeking additional funding to conduct further testing in and around potentially affected areas.
Coldwater Creek was used as a dumping ground for the Manhattan Project’s radioactive waste in the 1940s and 50s. Decades later, those same toxic contaminants can still be found in the Creek. Currently, there is no public signage in place along the Creek’s shore warning of the dangers the Creek’s potentially radioactive areas pose to community health and safety, despite requests from county officials dating back to the mid-1990s.
In May 2022, Congresswoman Bush introduced the Coldwater Creek Signage Act, legislation that would require signage about the dangers of toxic contaminants found in the creek.
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