Bush's War Against Human Health

The Bush White House scored another victory in its war against human health and the environment by preventing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from issuing drinking water standards for perchlorate, a component of rocket fuel that has been linked to thyroid problems in pregnant women, newborns, and young children.

Perchlorate has contaminated the groundwater and drinking water in 35 states and has contaminated 153 public water systems. EPA had planned to regulate the chemical by issuing drinking water standards. But EPA's preliminary regulatory determination was gutted by White House officials, under pressure from the Pentagon.