The federal Department of Energy’s Secretary, Rick Perry, attained the high honor of Eagle Scout some fifty years ago. I was a Girl Scout throughout my childhood into High School graduation. My Girl Scout experiences taught me to be a responsible and productive human being. Even now, as a Girl Scout mom, the Scout Law still resonates with me:

“I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place…”

But Secretary Rick Perry is about to betray his Eagle Scout Oath.

Perry was appointed to the Department of Energy (DOE), a powerful federal agency that has the responsibility to clean up the Santa Susana Field Laboratory, the site of one of America’s worst nuclear disasters. Surrounding the site is a pediatric cancer cluster and a greater than 60% increased rate of other cancers associated with radioactive and chemical toxins.

In 2010 the State of California entered into a legally binding agreement with the DOE and NASA to fully remediate the Santa Susana Field Lab, in order to protect the 500,000 people living nearby.

But the Department of Energy just announced it will break its legal cleanup obligations and will instead leave as much as 98% of the carcinogenic and radioactive contamination on site permanently.

This would violate several laws and environmental regulations. It would usurp the regulating authority of California’s EPA and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control. It would undermine the hard work of the community and all the elected officials who have worked for decades for the complete cleanup they were promised in 2010.

And it would neglect the Congressional letter signed by eight California Congress Members and Senator Feinstein who are; “deeply concerned that this required cleanup has not been completed...These [2010] agreements, which were supported by the state and the local community, were entered into in good faith and its completely unacceptable that DOE and NASA are refusing to comply with these [complete remediation] clean-up agreements.”

That’s why we’re asking every American who shares the Scouting values, “to make the world a better place,” to sign this petition encouraging Secretary Perry to uphold his Eagle Scout Oath and to carry out the full cleanup that was promised.

With your encouragement I believe Perry will again, “be among those who dedicate their skills and abilities to the common good.”

Thank you,

Lauren Hammersley

**After signing our petition, you can also contact Perry with our important message**



You can tweet this message to Secretary Rick Perry by clicking this “click to Tweet” link.

@SecretaryPerry be among those who dedicate their skills and abilities to the common good. I encourage you to clean up all contamination at the toxic Santa Susana Field Lab, as DOE promised. It's the responsible thing to do. #ScoutsOath www.change.org/perryscoutoath

You can email him directly at The.Secretary@hq.doe.gov

You can also send mail a letter or postcard:

Secretary Rick Perry

Department of Energy

1000 Independence Ave. SW

Washington DC 20585

Or you can call the Department of Energy and leave a message for Secretary Rick Perry: (202) 586-5000. For Hearing/Speech Impaired: (800) 877-8339