‘I’m Very Concerned About This Situation’: Marcy Kaptur Presses Army Corps Officials About Nuclear Waste

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During a House Appropriations Committee hearing before the congressional recess, Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) questioned Army Corps Officials about nuclear waste cleanup efforts.

Transcript

00:00I would like to recognize the ranking member, Ms. Kaptur, for five minutes for questions.

00:06Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.

00:09Thank you for your testimony.

00:11General Graham, I wanted to ask your help, and you already are helping with your FUSRAP program,

00:20for the areas that have been contaminated around our country.

00:25And one of these is in northwest Ohio, in the town of Lucky, not far from where I grew up and still live today.

00:32The Toledo Blade, over the last couple of months, has done superb reporting on the history of this site

00:39and the horrors done to the workers and surrounding community during the Cold War

00:44as part of the nuclear weapons race under the purview of the former Atomic Energy Commission.

00:50If I, Mr. Chairman, if I could, I'd like to place on the record two important articles from the Blade on this topic.

01:00Without objection, so ordered.

01:02Thank you very much.

01:04General Graham and Ms. Colosimo, as part of this reporting,

01:08the Blade discovered radioactive substances in multiple locations around the Lucky site, which were above normal.

01:14You have been very proactive, thank you, in communicating with me and my staff on this topic.

01:20However, one of the things you told my office was that you had confirmed

01:23that the radioactive materials discovered by the Blade were not related to the Lucky site.

01:29Did we understand that correctly? Is that still your position?

01:33Yes, ma'am, it is.

01:34Okay.

01:35Can you please explain to me what other possible sources of this magnitude of radiation

01:39might be responsible for its presence in this area, if not for the Lucky site?

01:45Ranking Member Kaptur, thank you.

01:47We remain confident that no Foos Rap-related material has migrated off the Lucky site,

01:53and we're committed to a safe remediation of that site.

01:58I understand what happened in St. Louis is a possible analog to what's happening in our area.

02:04In that case, the contamination was migrating through the soil to the water.

02:07Is that a possible explanation here?

02:10Not that I'm aware of.

02:12I'm very concerned about this situation.

02:14We'd like to have more clarity on what's in the water, what's in the soil,

02:17and what the dangers are to this region.

02:20Can you commit to me that you will get the water and soil tested?

02:23Working with our state partners with Ohio EPA,

02:30they're the ones that are currently doing the water testing,

02:33and so we are being absolutely transparent with them with what is on the Lucky site

02:39and our remediation plan.

02:41Can you commit to me that you'll continue to keep us informed of everything that is going on out there,

02:47even to do a public briefing at some point in the region?

02:52Absolutely.

02:53Thank you very much.

02:54I want to change topics to Brandon Road.

02:58The Brandon Road Project is aimed at arresting the economic and environmental damage unleashed

03:03by the unfortunate migration of Asian carp species that will definitely eliminate our massive fishery

03:11if allowed to proceed up into the Great Lakes.

03:14It's vital that the Brandon Road Project proceed in a timely manner.

03:17Could you kindly, General Graham, tell us the status in getting all federal and state entities

03:22on the same page to proceed with the project?

03:26Thank you for that question.

03:29On Brandon Road, the president had signed a memo in support of that on the 9th of May,

03:33and on that same date, Governor Pritzker had a press release saying that his needs are net

03:38and that Illinois is working to get the necessary real estate.

03:42So with that in hand, we released the solicitation for Contract 1A last Friday.

03:49And what that first contract for is for the bubbling system and the acoustic system.

03:55This is part of a multilayered defense.

03:57And so that contract has been released, and once that's awarded and constructed,

04:03that will be the start of fish deterrence, which is great news.

04:06All right, is it possible for your staff to get us the press release

04:11or whatever went out seeking contractors in that area?

04:15Yes, ma'am.

04:16I appreciate that very much.

04:18Do we assume that the fiscal year 2026 budget request will include the full capability

04:25for the Brandon Road Project?

04:31Ma'am, we're certainly going to put forth the best estimate we can

04:33and have the administration consider it.

04:35And we do expect to have FY26 here soon.

04:37But the president signaling his interest in this project and support of it

04:41will be a helpful action there.

04:44Thank you very much.

04:48I'm going to really switch to another subject here.

04:52General Graham, do you share General Spellman's goal of 70% use of dredge material

04:57for beneficial use by 2030?

05:00Absolutely.

05:01You do.

05:03Thank you very much on that.

05:04My time has expired, and thank you so very much for answering our questions this morning.

05:10And thank you, ranking member, captain.

05:12We will have a second round for anybody who would like to ask additional questions.

05:16At this time, I'd like to recognize my friend, Mr. Simpson of Idaho.

05:24Thank you very much for joining us.

05:24Have a great day.

05:31Bye-bye.

05:32I'll be right back.

05:34Well, next time, I'll be right back.

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