Environmental groups say more should be done to protect people s health from what they call toxic, radioactive sludge. A court granted a temporary restraining order against Austin Master Services, a fracking waste-storage facility in Martin s Ferry, at the request of Ohio Attorney General David Yost. Ohio has some of the least-restrictive rules on fracking waste, said Jill Hunkler, director of the local advocacy group Ohio Valley Allies. .
Residents of East Palestine, Ohio, say they continue to live with health problems, including rashes, nosebleeds and respiratory issues following last year s massive train derailment and chemical spill. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 177 tons of solid waste of solid waste and 68 million gallons of water have been transported out of East Palestine for disposal. Jess Conard, Appalachia director for the advocacy group Beyond Plastics, said vinyl chloride is a key ingredient in making PVC plastic. .
People working for environmental justice are rallying today at the downtown Pittsburgh headquarters of U.S. Steel, voicing their concerns to company shareholders about creating a healthier future in the Monongahela Valley region. Japan s Nippon Steel is buying U.S. .
The roundtable, held by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was the first in a series of 10 virtual events across the country to talk about updating the federal Lead and Copper Rule for drinking water.
Shut Off: Washing Hands Without Water
During a global pandemic, people in smaller communities are at greater risk of having no water at all in their homes if they canât pay their bills.
Todd McInturf/Detroit News via AP Photo
Detroit water shutoff protests, 2014. The city announced a shutoff moratorium during the pandemic, but some cities and towns plan to disconnect water for nonpayment.
Like many small towns in pandemic America, Duquesne, Pennsylvania, is at rock bottom. The mill city near Pittsburgh never regained its footing after the collapse of the steel industry. Its 6,000 residents, mostly poor and Black, have been left behind in jobs, education, and medical care. COVID-19 has brought with it more paralysis. Duquesneâs only grocery store has closed. There are no doctors with offices within the city limits. And now water bills, huge ones, have started going out to residents again after an early-spring pause.