Radioactivity levels are “at or below” safe levels in Pennsylvania rivers, state regulators said on Monday, based on water samples taken last November and December from seven rivers.
The results come at a time of growing scrutiny of the potential hazards of radioactivity and other contaminants in wastewater from natural-gas drilling. The wastewater is routinely sent to treatment plants in Pennsylvania, which then discharge their waste into rivers.
In a letter sent to the state on Monday, the federal Environmental Protection Agency noted the state’s test results, but instructed officials there to perform testing within 30 days for radioactivity at drinking-water intake plants.
It also said that all permits issued by the state to treatment plants handling this waste should be reviewed to ensure that operators were complying with the law.
The E.P.A. asked the state for data and documents so it could check whether current permits were strict enough in requiring monitoring and in limiting the type of pollution the treatment plants can release into rivers.
“E.P.A. is prepared to exercise its enforcement authorities as appropriate where our investigations reveal violations of federal law,” the letter said.\
1 comment:
I know I feel better knowing that even though there is RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS (!!) in the water, our government (ALWAYS looking out for us!) says it's at a "safe" level...they're not the same government officials who said the radioactive fallout drifting across the U.S for the numerous above ground nuclear tests they did was also "safe", are they? Or put U.S. soldiers a few hundred feet away from these blasts and said it was okay (even thought THEY took precautions against radiation exposure?)....yeah, thats what I thought...go ahead and have a nice refreshing dring of that water...its "safe"...the government says so...
Post a Comment