For over a century, our governments failed to regulate lead as it entered almost every facet of our consumer market and infrastructure. Despite long-standing knowledge of the risk of lead poisoning, lead was used for its versatility and low-cost. New studies estimate that at least half of the United States population was exposed to adverse lead levels during early childhood. While statutes and regulations have been put in place to prevent the continued use of lead in infrastructure and some products, few hold anyone responsible for affirmatively removing lead hazards.
Tom Smith has lived by the Mahoning River his entire life, but it wasn’t until 2011, when his good friend invited him on a kayaking trip, that he had ever considered getting near the river a recreational activity. Today he is a member of the Freshwater Accountability Project (FWAP), our client, and the key standing witness in their successful case involving oil and gas waste polluting one section of the river he has never paddled.
The overarching goal of the Clean Water Act is often said to be attaining “fishable, swimmable” waters. In the U.S., we evaluate the quality of waterways by determining whether each segment of a waterway meets “uses.” As you can imagine, the categories of ways that we’d like to be able to use water can be diverse: drinking water, on-water and in-water recreation, fishing, aesthetics, industrial, habitat for aquatic life…the list goes on-and-on. Under the Clean Water Act, a specific segment of a waterway can either be in “attainment” of those uses or “impaired” or somewhere in between.
It’s mid-winter, the perfect time to start planning a community garden and have it ready for the thaw. Community gardens are a great way to turn previously unused land into a vibrant community space that promotes health and education for members of all ages! All throughout the Appalachian basin communities are finding creative ways to reuse land as shared gardens.
Last year a study by researchers at Penn State found that a common practice in Ohio (and previously Pennsylvania) — the spreading of oil and gas wastewater on roads for ice and dust control — poses serious risks to human and environmental health. The study found that harmful pollutants contained in oil and gas wastewater (aka “brine”) spread on roads can leach into groundwater, surface waters, soils, and even become airborne, providing numerous pathways for human and environmental exposure.
