The State : Kesterson Study Debated

The discovery of dangerous quantities of the mineral selenium in agricultural drain water in Kern County dictates that the state of California must share the cost of studying the problem, Sen. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.) told a U.S Senate subcommittee. Wilson offered qualified support for a Reagan Administration-backed bill allocating more than $12 million in federal funds for studies of contamination in and near the Kesterson National Wildlife Refuge. But Wilson objected to what he called the measure’s “piecemeal approach,” saying that contamination may exist throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Sen. Alan Cranston (D-Calif.) said: “We need a lot more information, a lot more detail, a lot more direction on how much money is going to be spent and on what.”