Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Representative Cori Bush (MO-1) sent a letter to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Lieutenant General Scott Spellmon calling for additional radioactive testing of Hazelwood School District's properties.
Senator Hawley previously demanded that USACE conduct radioactive testing at Jana Elementary School following reports of contamination, and called on President Biden to declare a federal emergency and make aid available for students and families.
"Concerned parents deserve certainty about the safety of their children’s learning environment and on that, USACE can and should help," they wrote.
They continued, "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 wellbeing of the students must be our top priority."
Read the full letter here or below:
Lieutenant General Scott A. Spellmon
55th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
441 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20314-1000
Dear Lieutenant General Spellmon,
We write to urge the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to conduct additional radioactive contaminant testing of Hazelwood School District’s properties. USACE should begin testing as soon as possible and test all the district’s properties and buildings as requested by the Hazelwood School Board. Additionally, the district should be reimbursed for testing already conducted at their expense.
Following the closure of Jana Elementary School, students and parents have had their lives upended while waiting for answers and help from the federal government. The school district has actively reassigned students throughout the district, raising questions for some parents about the extent of any contamination. Concerned parents deserve certainty about the safety of their children’s learning environment and on that, USACE can and should help. 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 wellbeing of the students must be our top priority.
In addition, we request that USACE ensure transparency and independent verification throughout the testing process. It is crucial that the results of the testing be made available to the public and that any necessary remediation efforts be carried out with the utmost care, urgency, and expertise, all while keeping parents thoroughly informed.
We also request that USACE keep our offices informed of any developments in this matter and provide regular updates on the progress of the additional testing.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
Sincerely,
Josh Hawley Cori Bush
United States Senator Member of Congress