Durbin Calls Industry Response to Wauconda Water Contamination "Pathetic"

DURBIN CALLS INDUSTRY RESPONSE TO WAUCONDA WATER CONTAMINATION "PATHETIC"
SENATOR CALLS FOR LONG-TERM SOLUTION; SAFE DRINKING WATER SUPPLY FOR RESIDENTS
Tuesday, October 19, 2004

[CHICAGO, IL] -- U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called the latest proposal by the alleged Wauconda polluters to provide a ninety-day supply of bottled water to residents whose well water is contaminated with vinyl chloride "a pathetic response to a deadly health threat."
Durbin cited the proposal by the Wauconda Task Group as the latest attempt by the group to stall and evade their cleanup responsibilities related to the Wauconda Sand and Gravel Superfund site. The Wauconda Task Group's proposal was made in response to the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) order to study and continue testing on the source of vinyl chloride contamination that has been found in 81 private wells in Wauconda's Hillcrest subdivision. Vinyl chloride is known to cause cancer in humans.

"Last month, I met with members of the Wauconda community, and they are rightly concerned about the contaminated wells in their neighborhood," Durbin said. "Questions about the safety of their water supply have gone unanswered for nearly a year while those identified by the EPA as likely responsible for the pollution at the Superfund site continue to avoid identifying the source of contamination, cleaning up the toxins and providing a long-term safe drinking water supply for the affected families. Ninety days of bottled water is not going to fix the problem. This proposal is a demonstration of bad faith on the part of the Wauconda Task Group."
Durbin noted that contamination at the site of the Wauconda Sand and Gravel landfill was first identified in 1982. Instead of taking decisive steps toward a long-term solution to the unsafe drinking water in local wells, the industry group continues to propose short-term fixes like this latest proposal.

"This group is trying to run out the clock as they look for any other source of the pollution besides the obvious-the Wauconda Superfund site they have known to be dangerous for more than two decades. They have even tried to suggest that household cleaners poured down sink drains caused the contamination. That's an insult to the families facing this dangerous public health threat," said Durbin. "I hope the EPA sees through this latest response and requires those responsible for the contamination to clean up the toxins and find a safe long-term source of drinking water for the affected residents."

Durbin also called on the Republican leadership in Congress to reauthorize the Superfund program-the nation's principal effort to clean up toxic waste sites like Wauconda. The Bush Administration has refused to reauthorize Superfund, arguing cleanup should be paid for by the taxpayer, not the polluting industries. Because of this Bush policy, the cleanup of toxic waste sites around the country has slowed dramatically.

"In 1995, industry payments into the Hazardous Substance Superfund Trust Fund were allowed to expire," Durbin said. "The Trust Fund holds polluters instead of taxpayers accountable for cleaning up contaminated sites. Sadly, both the Republican-controlled Congress and the Bush Administration have refused to reauthorize this important program-shifting yet another burden from polluting corporations to the taxpayer."

"If polluters don't pay, the taxpayers will," Durbin said. "And those who voted against the Superfund should come to Wauconda and meet with the families who fear for their health and the health of their children."

Senator Durbin is a cosponsor of legislation in the Senate that would reauthorize and extend funding for the Superfund program.