Coldwater Creek

The Missouri Independent, MuckRock and The Associated Press spent months combing through thousands of pages of previously-unreleased government records that show radioactive waste was known to pose a threat to people living near Coldwater Creek as early as 1949. But federal officials repeatedly wrote potential risks off as ‘slight,’ ‘minimal’ or ‘low-level.’

The Army Corps of Engineers says its testing shows Jana Elementary School is radiologically safe in three new reports.

The measure introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley has a companion version proposed in the House by Rep. Cori Bush.

On the same day officials released results saying the school is safe, U.S. Rep. Cori Bush introduced a bill to clean up the school and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley announced he would take his legislation to the Senate floor to request unanimous passage.

The Hazelwood School District announced the decision at its school board meeting earlier this week. It comes about five months after a report found radioactive contamination at the school in north St. Louis County that is near Coldwater Creek.

Mary Oscko died last month of cancer.

Some families were hoping students would be able to stay together after news that the school would close because of concerns of radioactive contamination, but instead they are being spread out across multiple schools.

The school district has received conflicting information. The Army Corps of Engineers and consultants concluded that there is no radioactive contamination hazard at Jana Elementary School, but the author of a private report stands by its finding that there is a risk.

Preliminary results from the Army Corps of Engineers contradict a recent report from a private firm that found “unacceptable levels” of radioactive contamination in the Jana Elementary school.

Community outreach about radioactive waste has been left largely to local environmental organizations.