Missouri Members Demand Action on West Lake Landfill

Press Release

Today, members of the Missouri congressional delegation, including Senators Roy Blunt and Claire McCaskill, and Representatives Ann Wagner and Wm. Lacy Clay, introduced legislation to transfer remediation authority over the West Lake landfill from the Environmental Protection Agency to the Army Corps of Engineers, putting the site in the Corps' Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP).

"The EPA's unacceptable delay in implementing a solution for the West Lake landfill has destroyed its credibility and it is time to change course," said Blunt. "The Corps has the knowledge, experience, and confidence of the families living near the site. Transferring clean up efforts to its control will help move the process forward and finally give these families the peace of mind they deserve. No parent should have to raise their child in an environment where they fear for their health and safety."

McCaskill added, "The needs of this community are our top concern. We've heard loud and clear that they want the West Lake site transferred to the Army Corps of Engineers' program that oversees all other sites in St. Louis containing this World War II era nuclear waste. This legislation is not a silver bullet, and will take far longer than we'd like to resolve the many issues surrounding this site, but this is a concrete, positive step forward in a process that's been stagnant for far too long."

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