最新杏吧原创

In response to recent public outcry, the Corps vowed to test the 鈥渆ntire school property鈥� and share preliminary results within two weeks. A parent leader is already skeptical.

鈥淲e do not believe these tests are being made in good faith efforts but rather as an attempt to silence longstanding community concerns about radioactive contamination throughout north 最新杏吧原创 County,鈥� said Ashley Bernaugh, Parent Teacher Association president at the school. 鈥淭his is bigger than Jana.鈥�

The Hazelwood School District closed the school last week following outcry from an independent study done for a lawsuit that found higher than normal levels of contamination in and around the school.

鈥淲e are committed to working with the school board and community leaders to help provide a safe learning environment for the Jana Elementary School students,鈥� the Corps said in a recent news release. 鈥淲e believe this community deserves a second opinion.鈥�

Though the Corps said that the Department of Energy would peer review its work, Bernaugh wanted new testing done by a firm that鈥檚 independent of 鈥渆xisting government contracts.鈥�

On Monday, Leidos was the main company mapping and testing at Jana. The firm is part of ongoing testing and cleanup of Coldwater Creek that has been criticized for being too narrow in scope and secretive.

Coldwater Creek was contaminated with radioactive waste from the World War II era previously stored by the airport. Officials say most of the source contamination by the airport and nearby Latty Avenue has been cleaned up. Now the Corps is mainly testing within the 10-year flood plain, from the airport to the confluence with the Missouri River. That data is supposed to inform a cleanup design plan being completed this year, while the actual cleanup of the creek is supposed to be finished by 2038.

The Corps said it found elevated samples along the creek near Jana Elementary but that that testing didn鈥檛 lead them to go closer or into the school.

Residents, activists and a federal public health agency have previously called for more extensive testing 鈥� beyond the stream, into the neighborhoods. The flare-up of concern at Jana renewed that call.

鈥淚 would like them to test all of this,鈥� said Elsie Heimbuecher, 88, who lives in the 300 block of Jana Drive, across from the school. 鈥淵ou aren鈥檛 going to be able to sell these houses. Had I known, we would have not moved here.鈥�

While it鈥檚 a federal cleanup, she said, she hasn鈥檛 been contacted by local leaders in Florissant, one of several impacted areas in North County.

鈥淭hey keep you like a mole 鈥� underground, in the dark,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a mess.鈥�

Added Gerald Carney, 67, who said he formerly did maintenance at Jana: 鈥淗ow far has this dirt been pushed around?鈥�

In the nearby 2800 block of Chapel View Drive, Abir Dajani had similar questions. Two of her grown children attended Jana. In her backyard, she had an inground swimming pool, with lots of outdoor bushes and plants to enjoy.

鈥淒id it affect this area too?鈥� she asked. 鈥淥r should we wait until we have cancer?鈥�

Leidos workers in orange vests were on the other side of her fence, testing the school swings and other playground equipment for radioactivity.

Asked if they鈥檇 test her backyard, too, one of the workers said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 not what we鈥檙e doing today.鈥�

Asked if they were finding radioactive contamination on the seat of the swings they were scanning, another worker shook his head: 鈥淣o.鈥�