JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – In the interest of the health and safety of Missourians, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey directed a letter to the U.S Army Corps of Engineers demanding they enact more stringent precautions around Coldwater Creek in Florissant, Mo, which has been contaminated for decades with nuclear waste and hazardous toxins.
“For far too long, Missourians have been poisoned by their federal government. The federal government owes it to these residents to provide sufficient warnings to prevent future victims and to expedite the cleanup process,” said Attorney General Bailey. “That’s why my office is demanding that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers comply with the law and update its signage to warn Missourians of the extreme dangers in the Coldwater Creek area.”
Excess uranium that was part of the United States’ efforts to build the atomic bomb was dumped, both in barrels and onto the ground, next to Coldwater Creek during World War II. This uranium waste has exposed residents to dangerous chemicals for decades. Officials were aware at the time that the waste could escape decaying barrels and enter the creek, putting citizens in harm’s way of toxins that can cause serious injury or even death. The waste now has escaped and infiltrated the creek; yet, the signage in the area fails to adequately warn area residents of the issue.
Attorney General Bailey is specifically requesting that the Army Corps of Engineers improve its signage in the area to properly warn Missourians of the extreme dangers. In the letter, he writes, “It has come to my attention that there is inadequate signage around contaminated areas of Coldwater Creek in Florissant, Missouri to warn local residents of the potential danger of toxic exposure. Coldwater Creek has been notorious for its nuclear waste and hazardous toxins since the end of World War II, posing extreme health and safety risks to those in the area. Under the current deficient signage, Missourians are not adequately warned of the dangers they face from exposure to cancer-inducing chemicals and other toxins that cause serious bodily injury or death. I demand that you take immediate action to address this deficiency.
“Although your department worked with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) earlier this year to procure and display warning signs indicating its toxicity, we believe these signs are legally inadequate to properly communicate the risks associated with being near the creek. The surrounding communities need clear communication immediately. The existing signage fails to meet the legal standards for adequately displaying the nature of the threat, and do not appear to comply with existing regulations.”
He concludes, “Because the current signage does not meet these legal requirements, you must take action to correct the issue immediately. Proper signage is a critical step to warning all residents of the dangers stemming from the waste that was senselessly dumped in the area over the years. I cannot overstate the importance and urgency of this matter. On behalf of the entire State, I demand that you comply with the law and act with all due speed to protect the health and safety of Missourians who live, work, and play around Coldwater Creek.”
The letter can be read here.
In addition to supporting Senator Hawley’s federal RECA legislation that would compensate victims of radiation poisoning, he has demanded documents from Biden’s Department of Energy.