U.S. Rep. Joe Baca on Perchlorate

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U.S. Rep. Joe Baca on Perchlorate

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• On Water
• Ensuring clean, safe drinking water for all
  Americans is a top priority of this Democratic
  Congress. Clean drinking water is a right all
  families deserve. I will continue to fight to
  ensure this essential right for all residents of
  the Inland Empire.
• U.S. Rep. Joe Baca

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Water Problem in our District

• PERCHLORATE

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What is Perchlorate?

• Its a man made material.
• Its a natural material in the country of Chile
  and the US imported it for fertilizer.
  
• Its scientific name is CL04.
• Its only a health risk if it is ingested, not by
  skin contact.

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What is Perchlorate used for?

• Rocket fuel
• Fireworks
• Fertilizer (Chile)
• Medicine (in the 1950s)
• Air Bags
• Road Flares

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Why is Perchlorate a problem in the Inland Empire?

• Perchlorate seeped into our water source in our
  drinking water.
  
• Our water is contaminated!
• We cant use some of the water wells in the area
  which means that our water volume is compromised.

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How did Perchlorate get in the water?

• Not every case is the same
• Some by Corporations using Perchlorate
• Some by Defense sites and defense contractors
• Some random areas in CA from importing Chilean
  fertilizer.

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How much Perchlorate is a bad thing?

• We dont really know!
• The US Environmental Protection Agency has not
  set a standard.
  
• The State of California set the standard to
  6ppb.
  
• The State of Massachusetts set the standard to
  2ppb.
  
• And many states do not have a standard.

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What do you mean by set a standard?

• To set a standard means how much of Perchlorate
  is allowed to be in drinking water.

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What does ppb mean?

• PPB Parts per billion.

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What are the health dangers with Perchlorate
exposure?

• Disrupts normal function of the thyroid gland
  (Metabolism/Normal growth development)
  
• Highest Risks are to pregnant women, fetuses,
  infants, children and individuals who have low
  levels of thyroid hormones.

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What are the continued risks if this problem is
not solved?

• Continued fees to clean the water - Cities will
  be forced to continue charging fees.
  
• Increased shortage of water
• By 2030 it is estimated that CA will have a
  population of 48 million.
  
• Most important Health Risks!

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How can Perchlorate be removed from the water?

• There are four primary scientific ways
• 1. Ion exchange well head treatment
• 2. Biological treatment plume (under ground
  clean-up)
  
• 3. Membrane Filtration not used much
• 4. Electrodialysis not used much

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How is Perchlorate being removed from our water?

• Some cities want to treat the well-heads.
• Some cities want to dilute the water.
• This works for perchlorate clean-up, but bad for
  water conservation.
  
• Some cities want to tackle water plumes
• Plumes are areas underground where water can be
  found these can be large areas.

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What is being done in our cities to solve water
problems in the 43rd District?

• Water treatment with Ionic Exchange
• Filing of Law suits
• Requesting receiving Federal financial support
  to help with clean-up

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What have I done to solve the problem?

• I fought for appropriations!
• With the help from partners in the Senate, the
  Inland Empire Perchlorate Task Force received 13
  million in federal funding for Perchlorate
  clean-up.

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What have I done to solve the problem?

• In 2006, the President of the US signed into law
  a bill that Senator Feinstein and I championed.
  
  
• The bill, Southern California Groundwater
  Remediation Act, authorizes 25 million to clean
  up Perchlorate-contaminated groundwater in the
  Inland Empire.

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What am I doing now to solve the Perchlorate
problem?

• This year, I sponsored HR 13 Inland Empire Water
  Resources Preservation Act
  
• which became part of the Water Resources
  Development Act (WRDA) of which the U.S. House
  U.S. Senate voted to over-ride the Presidents
  veto soon will become law.
• This bill directs the Secretary of the Army to
  study the feasibility of carrying out a water
  supply project for parts of the 43rd District.

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