REPORT SAYS 9 SCHOOLS ON POSSIBLY TOXIC GROUND.Byline: David R. Baker Daily News Staff Writer At least nine Los Angeles schools rest on soil that district officials knew might be contaminated contaminated, v 1. made radioactive by the addition of small quantities of radioactive material. 2. made contaminated by adding infective or radiographic materials. 3. an infective surface or object. , according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a report released Thursday. The study, prepared by the state's Joint Legislative Audit Committee, found that construction on the schools began even though both local and state education officials knew the sites could be tainted with toxics. None of the schools is in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . Some are still under construction. ``There's been kind of a lackadaisical lack·a·dai·si·cal adj. Lacking spirit, liveliness, or interest; languid: "There'll be no time to correct lackadaisical driving techniques after trouble develops" William J. Hampton. attitude on both sides that really needs to be addressed,'' said Assemblyman Scott Wildman Scott Wildman was a California State Assemblyman from 1996 until 2000. That year, he lost a State Senate primary to Dr. Jack Scott, an Assemblyman from a neighboring district. Wildman received 46.7% of the vote. , D-Glendale, the committee's chairman. ``The problem is not just that the school district could have been much more diligent, and should have been, but also that the (state) Department of Education failed.'' An official with the school district said Thursday that although there are pollution concerns at some school locations, the contaminants can be removed. ``There's no question that there are some sites that have toxic problems, but the question is whether they can be properly mitigated,'' said Rich Mason, general counsel for the district. ``Yes, they can be. . . . We wouldn't put kids on an unsafe site.'' The study, which follows an earlier report issued by the committee in July, faults the district for its handling of several school construction sites, including a combined high school and elementary school location in South Gate contaminated by years of industrial use. The report recommends that as part of the state's approval of school construction on possibly contaminated sites, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (or DTSC) is an agency of the government of the state of California. The agency monitors exposure to hazardous, radioactive, and toxic wastes in addition to enforcement of compliance by individual businesses, should review the problem and direct cleanup efforts if necessary. Districts with a history of building on sites without making sure they are toxic-free should be required to get the substance-control department's approval for all school construction projects, the report concludes. Mason said the Los Angeles Unified School District The Los Angeles Unified School District (the "LAUSD") is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. Only the New York City Department of Education has a larger student population. would be happy to work with the substance control department. But ``whether or not they should have veto power on whether we should go forward is arguable,'' he said. |
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