The Environmental Protection Agency says it is studying a request by San Diego Congressman Brian Bilbray to investigate cancer cases in Carlsbad.
Congressman Bilbray sent a letter this week to the EPA and the Centers for Disease Control asking for a federal probe into the "disturbing trend of cancers" in his district. Bilbray wants the agencies to take a closer look at the cancer rates of people living near Kelly Elementary School and Carlsbad High School. Residents say they have documented 323 cases of cancer including seven deaths around those two campuses.
EPA spokesman Francisco Arcaute said today the federal agency is in the information gathering stage and will respond to Bilbray's request as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the California Cancer Registry is still studying data from Carlsbad.
