With all the discussion among elected leaders about the state of healthcare, it's disconcerting that there's been little movement so far on what should be a local concern: depleted uranium in the environment.

The Army says there's no problem, but some health professionals are reasonably concluding there's a need for government scrutiny.

The worry first arose more than a year ago with revelations that, in preparation for the Stryker brigade at Schofield Barracks, depleted uranium, which is weakly radioactive, had been found. The remnants were from tail assemblies from depleted uranium aiming rounds used in a weapon from the 1960s. Depleted uranium also was used as aiming rounds to help target firing of inert warheads.

In addition, the Stryker vehicle is geared to fire rounds with depleted uranium, although the Army maintains there is no plan to use them.

Depleted uranium is what's left after removal of enriched uranium for nuclear reactors. It's dense and self-sharpening, and is favored for armor-penetrating ordnance. And on impact, it vaporizes, leaving uranium compounds in gas and particle form that can be dangerous if breathed in or otherwise internalized.

House Bill 1452, which stalled this session, was the Legislature's attempt to deal forcefully with this issue by requiring the state to conduct regular soil testing for the presence of depleted uranium at Schofield, near the target points where the aiming rounds were fired.

There is some measured relief in the works. State health officials plan to investigate reported Geiger counter readings showing elevated radioactivity at Pohakuloa.

And this summer, the Army will conduct radiological testing at Schofield, Makua Military Reservation and Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island. If those tests yield evidence of contamination at firing ranges, the Army would conduct cleanup. While that's a start, an ongoing program of soil tests is preferable, in the interest of public safety.

During hearings on HB 1452, concerns were raised that access to federal property for the tests may be difficult, but Army authorities could conduct the tests themselves. The public deserves fully substantiated assurances that all, indeed, is well.