Jana Elementary School

The site near Jana Elementary is one of many the Army Corps of Engineers is cleaning up along the 14-mile Coldwater Creek, the waterway contaminated with radioactive waste from the Manhattan Project.

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.

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.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley and U.S. Rep. Cori Bush called on the federal government to complete an immediate cleanup of Jana Elementary School in Florissant after a report of nuclear contamination prompted officials to indefinitely close the school.