Posted on February 27, 2018
By Bryce Gray, STLtoday.com
Well over 100 people crowded into the Hazelwood Civic Center East on Thursday night directing impassioned, and often angry, questions and accusations at members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers during the agency’s annual update on its cleanup of radioactive contamination along Coldwater Creek in north St. Louis County.
Doug Clemens, an area resident who has long tracked radiation issues at nearby West Lake Landfill, said the size of Thursday’s crowd was notable compared to the past — something he attributed to Coldwater Creek’s inclusion in a recent documentary and class action lawsuit that have each generated news coverage.
He also echoed the health concerns expressed by many at the meeting who said that they have not been notified by officials of any potential health risks despite living near the creek and even having their basements flooded by it over the years.
“Someone should come to the door at every house and say there’s a potential threat to you here,” said Clemens. “The truth is, (the corps doesn’t) tell people until they get their tests.”
Col. Bryan Sizemore, St. Louis District commander for the corps, told attendees that “10,000-plus” samples have been collected from the area, as part of ongoing efforts to test along the length of the creek. He also stressed that the agency shares residents’ desire to get contaminated areas remediated.
“We absolutely agree with you that we want the bad stuff gone,” he said. “When we find bad material in your area, we will get it out.”
Source: STLtoday.com
