A recent report completed by the National Academy of Sciences found that arsenic in drinking water might pose more danger than previously thought. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Christie Whitman will receive the report this week. The report will detail that the arsenic related cancer risk is much higher than previously believed.

Arsenic is a naturally occurring substance, however, arsenic is also a by-product of certain manufacturing processes. Arsenic is commonly found in drinking water supplies of the western United States.

Before leaving office, President Clinton adopted new, strict standards regarding arsenic exposure. The Clinton administration's standards reduced the acceptable exposure level to 10 parts per billion (ppb), much lower than the 50 ppb standard currently in place. However, the Bush administration suspended Clinton's regulation until February 2002. According to the recent report, even at the low arsenic level of 3 ppb, contaminated water may cause bladder and lung cancer.

In addition to cancer, arsenic also poses other significant medical problems, including but not limited to diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

The National Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group whose lawsuit forced the Clinton administration to impose the new, lower standard, has now filed suit against the EPA for its postponement of the Clinton-adopted standard.