To the Editor,
I am writing regarding a piece published by KJ Dell’ Antonia titled “Children’s Books Lose Touch with Nature.” I must say how refreshing it is to read something that is as interesting as it is important. Discovering that children’s books offering images of more environmental friendly and natural environments have “all but disappeared” was shocking.
It is no secret that environmental issues are not getting the attention they should be receiving. I think sometimes people get sick and tired of hearing the same complaints about why they should recycle and “go green,” so for them to hear a new spin on an environmental related topic and how it is affecting us is wonderful
This is a topic that I don’t think many people think much about, which is why I am so glad that this writer took the time to research and write about this issue that has been presumed unimportant. Articles like these, which shed new light and research into the realm of nature, can only accomplish good outcomes. I have high hopes that many readers will absorb this material and pay much closer attention to such matters instead of dismissing them as they frequently do.
Sincerely,
Alexis Lopez
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Toxic Legacy: What a Shame
By Alexis Lopez
When I see all of the documents and research pertaining to the “Toxic Legacy” reports of hazardous waste from the Ford Motor Company being dumped without any care, I feel sick to my stomach. Although I am not from Ringwood, substantial data that shows the deliberate sneakiness and foul play is concerning. Not only as a New Jersey resident, but as an American, I find the reports appalling.
I’m still having a hard time understanding how claims could have been made that these toxic sites were “taken care of” when that clearly was not the case. It’s also a shame that it took so long to come to this conclusion. I would hate to know that my nine-year-old twin nephews from Bergen County can potentially be playing in copious amounts of paint sludge when they go over to a friends’ house. To me, this revelation is completely and entirely unacceptable.
It is not too much to ask for a clean and safe environment where people live. For those who were assigned to clean up these damaged areas, shame on you. We all have jobs and tasks to attend to in life as adults, and skimping out on those duties is pitiful. I am glad for the research and the data that has been collected thus far, which will help get these areas that are in dire need of help the attention they deserve.
I think such reports give peace of mind to those who have been physically, emotionally and mentally affected by the wrongdoings of the Ford Motor Company. The fact that there are people who are reportedly ill from living in those areas is concerning. This is an event that never should have taken place to begin with, which is costing many innocent people their health and unnecessary grief.
Out of all the materials that I have read about “Toxic Legacy,” the part that strikes me the most is how long Ford was able to get away with this without being “found out,” so to speak. Another reason why I am so appalled has to do with the role the government played in enabling Ford to get away with this toxic behavior. This is an issue which absolutely should have had full attention 40 years ago, and certainly since then.
At this point, due to the negative publicity Ford and the federal government have received, I can only hope that these issues will be evaded no longer. Hopefully now, the rightful steps will be taken to alleviate the hazardous materials that are endangering North Jersey residents. Such disgraceful actions cause me to wonder how many other stories similar to this one are out there, beyond Ringwood, and beyond New Jersey—similar stories that have gone undetected and need immediate attention.
When I see all of the documents and research pertaining to the “Toxic Legacy” reports of hazardous waste from the Ford Motor Company being dumped without any care, I feel sick to my stomach. Although I am not from Ringwood, substantial data that shows the deliberate sneakiness and foul play is concerning. Not only as a New Jersey resident, but as an American, I find the reports appalling.
I’m still having a hard time understanding how claims could have been made that these toxic sites were “taken care of” when that clearly was not the case. It’s also a shame that it took so long to come to this conclusion. I would hate to know that my nine-year-old twin nephews from Bergen County can potentially be playing in copious amounts of paint sludge when they go over to a friends’ house. To me, this revelation is completely and entirely unacceptable.
It is not too much to ask for a clean and safe environment where people live. For those who were assigned to clean up these damaged areas, shame on you. We all have jobs and tasks to attend to in life as adults, and skimping out on those duties is pitiful. I am glad for the research and the data that has been collected thus far, which will help get these areas that are in dire need of help the attention they deserve.
I think such reports give peace of mind to those who have been physically, emotionally and mentally affected by the wrongdoings of the Ford Motor Company. The fact that there are people who are reportedly ill from living in those areas is concerning. This is an event that never should have taken place to begin with, which is costing many innocent people their health and unnecessary grief.
Out of all the materials that I have read about “Toxic Legacy,” the part that strikes me the most is how long Ford was able to get away with this without being “found out,” so to speak. Another reason why I am so appalled has to do with the role the government played in enabling Ford to get away with this toxic behavior. This is an issue which absolutely should have had full attention 40 years ago, and certainly since then.
At this point, due to the negative publicity Ford and the federal government have received, I can only hope that these issues will be evaded no longer. Hopefully now, the rightful steps will be taken to alleviate the hazardous materials that are endangering North Jersey residents. Such disgraceful actions cause me to wonder how many other stories similar to this one are out there, beyond Ringwood, and beyond New Jersey—similar stories that have gone undetected and need immediate attention.
What a Crude World
By Alexis Lopez
A topic I think deserves more attention is the Chevron Ecuador lawsuit over conditions where Ecuadoreans were left living on contaminated lands, due to the oil company Chevron’s careless actions. This occurrence was brought to my attention after seeing the movie Crude.
It is terribly frustrating to see the deception that was going on and the helplessness that the people of Ecuador felt while being forced to live off of potentially fatal lands. To see such awful things happening without the ability to stop it must be a debilitating and terrible feeling. Not only were the unfortunate people of Ecuador left feeling helpless, but also many of them were ill, and many could not afford the health care they needed in order to become healthy again. Furthermore, Chevron would not even take responsibility for the unfortunate results to a problem they were responsible for. Instead, they placed blame on PetroEcuador, the national oil company for Ecuador, and tried completely omitting themselves from the equation.
I have a great deal of empathy for the people who wanted and deserved justice. The people of Ecuador have the right to clean water. I am truly appalled that this catastrophe took place, let alone the length of time in which it persisted. To further delve into what happened, there were oil spills and mass contamination that were ruining innocent people’s lives. The outcomes were beyond catastrophic for this region—causing illnesses, stunting the growth of crops that were an everyday part of their lives and essential for survival, causing skin rashes, causing animals to die and much more.
Images of huge oil pits cast a dismal light on the many unfortunate things that happened during the time of the contamination. In the 2009 film, when I saw how deep into the soil the oil had seeped, allowing this destructive substance to travel to what should be a clean and available water source for the people of Ecuador to drink, cook with, bathe in, took the wind right out of my sails. No one should have to worry about what is in his or her bath water in fear of getting chronically or even fatally ill.
I would have respected Texaco/Chevron so much more had they stood up and taken responsibility for their wrong doings, but instead, they consistently placed blame wherever it was that they could. In specific, Chevron made reference to the oil, stating that you cannot prove that it was Chevron’s oil because the oil “had no logo on it.”
It is especially tough to think about all of the families and people of Ecuador who were directly affected. Crude showed a house that was built basically on top of one of the many oil pits that had formed. Because of this, homeowners were entirely unable to have access to clean and safe drinking water. One of the saddest parts about all of this, is that the people of Ecuador not only felt sorry for the situation they were in as individuals, they were sorrowful for their entire country. The Ecuadoreans were saddened for their fellow people, that they too were dealing with these problems, some of whom were in tougher positions.
These unfortunate people were left to manage and make do with what they now had due to something that was entirely out of their control. Simply put, the entire situation was unfair for the people of Ecuador.
Thankfully, there were people who cared, who were not only from Ecuador but also from the United States. These people fought strongly for the rights of the Ecuadorian people. Justice needed to be served and wrongs were in need of being corrected. As ridiculous as it is that Chevron failed to take responsibility and continued to defend themselves, I think having people outside of Ecuador show they cared, provided Ecuadoreans with an element of solace.
Although the efforts are still on going and will sadly continue to be a pressing issue for at least another ten years, according to observers. Thankfully and reliving, rain collection units and filtration systems have been actively been put into place, providing clean water for at least a fraction of the country. Also, I was glad to discover that Chevron was recommended to pay twenty-seven billion dollars in damages to Ecuador in order to compensate for environmental remediation, excess cancer deaths, and impacts on indigenous culture.
Despite Chevrons attempts to dispute the report, from what I have read about this matter, I feel as though steps are being made towards the right direction for Ecuador. I only wish more could be done and at a more efficient rate. These people deserve justice. I hope all those interested in learning more about this case set the time aside to watch Crude, as it is a powerful movie with a powerful message.
A topic I think deserves more attention is the Chevron Ecuador lawsuit over conditions where Ecuadoreans were left living on contaminated lands, due to the oil company Chevron’s careless actions. This occurrence was brought to my attention after seeing the movie Crude.
It is terribly frustrating to see the deception that was going on and the helplessness that the people of Ecuador felt while being forced to live off of potentially fatal lands. To see such awful things happening without the ability to stop it must be a debilitating and terrible feeling. Not only were the unfortunate people of Ecuador left feeling helpless, but also many of them were ill, and many could not afford the health care they needed in order to become healthy again. Furthermore, Chevron would not even take responsibility for the unfortunate results to a problem they were responsible for. Instead, they placed blame on PetroEcuador, the national oil company for Ecuador, and tried completely omitting themselves from the equation.
I have a great deal of empathy for the people who wanted and deserved justice. The people of Ecuador have the right to clean water. I am truly appalled that this catastrophe took place, let alone the length of time in which it persisted. To further delve into what happened, there were oil spills and mass contamination that were ruining innocent people’s lives. The outcomes were beyond catastrophic for this region—causing illnesses, stunting the growth of crops that were an everyday part of their lives and essential for survival, causing skin rashes, causing animals to die and much more.
Images of huge oil pits cast a dismal light on the many unfortunate things that happened during the time of the contamination. In the 2009 film, when I saw how deep into the soil the oil had seeped, allowing this destructive substance to travel to what should be a clean and available water source for the people of Ecuador to drink, cook with, bathe in, took the wind right out of my sails. No one should have to worry about what is in his or her bath water in fear of getting chronically or even fatally ill.
I would have respected Texaco/Chevron so much more had they stood up and taken responsibility for their wrong doings, but instead, they consistently placed blame wherever it was that they could. In specific, Chevron made reference to the oil, stating that you cannot prove that it was Chevron’s oil because the oil “had no logo on it.”
It is especially tough to think about all of the families and people of Ecuador who were directly affected. Crude showed a house that was built basically on top of one of the many oil pits that had formed. Because of this, homeowners were entirely unable to have access to clean and safe drinking water. One of the saddest parts about all of this, is that the people of Ecuador not only felt sorry for the situation they were in as individuals, they were sorrowful for their entire country. The Ecuadoreans were saddened for their fellow people, that they too were dealing with these problems, some of whom were in tougher positions.
These unfortunate people were left to manage and make do with what they now had due to something that was entirely out of their control. Simply put, the entire situation was unfair for the people of Ecuador.
Thankfully, there were people who cared, who were not only from Ecuador but also from the United States. These people fought strongly for the rights of the Ecuadorian people. Justice needed to be served and wrongs were in need of being corrected. As ridiculous as it is that Chevron failed to take responsibility and continued to defend themselves, I think having people outside of Ecuador show they cared, provided Ecuadoreans with an element of solace.
Although the efforts are still on going and will sadly continue to be a pressing issue for at least another ten years, according to observers. Thankfully and reliving, rain collection units and filtration systems have been actively been put into place, providing clean water for at least a fraction of the country. Also, I was glad to discover that Chevron was recommended to pay twenty-seven billion dollars in damages to Ecuador in order to compensate for environmental remediation, excess cancer deaths, and impacts on indigenous culture.
Despite Chevrons attempts to dispute the report, from what I have read about this matter, I feel as though steps are being made towards the right direction for Ecuador. I only wish more could be done and at a more efficient rate. These people deserve justice. I hope all those interested in learning more about this case set the time aside to watch Crude, as it is a powerful movie with a powerful message.
Dredging Delayed: Pompton Lakes Residents Win Small Victory in Fight for DuPont Cleanup
By Bliss Sando
POMPTON LAKES, NJ – 24 years is a long time to wait for justice to be done, and the residents of Pompton Lakes are still waiting. However, the recent announcement by the federal Environmental Protection Agency that it will reconsider its widely criticized plan to remove 26 acres of contaminated soil from a portion of Pompton Lake gives some residents hope.
Former Mayor Jack Sinsimer and some residents began uncovering DuPont’s pollution in the late 1980’s and since then the small lake community has discovered that it's been left with an inheritance of toxic waste and pollution from the old explosives plant, the former main employer in the town. DuPont’s plant once covered a 576-acre site on elevated ground. The industrial complex closed down in 1994, but during its long operation (mainly under the ownership of DuPont), it leaked hazardous chemicals and heavy metals such as mercury and lead into the surrounding area. These toxins have seeped deep into the soil, groundwater and lake sediment, and have even entered some 400 homes in vapor form.
The northern New Jersey site has not been added to the federal Superfund list, however, despite pleas to the federal government from environmental groups and residents. The Environmental Protection Agency’s website acknowledges the pollution, but claims that substantial progress has already been made to clean up the site and will continue to be made. Residents are not inclined to agree.
For years, DuPont has been taking what residents say are small, insignificant steps toward remediation, and the residents have continued to demand a proper cleanup. Residents worry that if DuPont continues their “cleanup” at this rate, it will take a lifetime or more to complete the decontamination.
Earlier this month, tests were done that confirmed the recontamination of Acid Brook, which runs through the former DuPont site and past several homes. Over 15 years ago, DuPont and the federal government confirmed that this stream was completely cleaned up, yet now toxic metals and chemicals are showing up again, some in dangerous proportions. Specifically PCE, a chemical linked to cancer, was at an unsafe level, according to EPA officials. This proves that DuPont’s small cleanup attempts have been unsuccessful and are simply not enough.
Since the EPA’s tests confirming the recontamination of Acid Brook have been made public, DuPont’s recent application to remove 26 acres of contaminated soil has been scrutinized by the public and was finally delayed. The residents expressed concern about the heavy truck traffic that will result from the dredging. “We’re going to have large trucks coming through residential streets for more than a year,” worries Raymond Bosna, whose home is located on Jefferson Avenue, one of the roads that the trucks will use to carry out the toxic soil. Raymond also worries about his two small children who frequently play outside.
Jeffrey Marsden, the Pompton Lakes borough engineer, expressed his concerns in a February 3 letter about possible damage to residential roads by the 4,000 trucks that will be needed to carry out the soil and the spread of contaminated dust throughout the neighborhood, among others.
In addition to these concerns, many residents believe that the EPA’s original plan for this dredging was insufficient. Former Governor James Florio and well-known environmental activist Lois Gibbs recently endorsed the residents’ pleas to add the site to the Superfund list.
More support for the critics of the EPA and DuPont came from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. FWS field supervisor J. Eric Davis Jr. called the plan inadequate, and described the soil dredging as only “an important first step.” Davis wrote, “[T]he Service does not believe that the proposed remedial action, as currently planned, will completely address historic releases, nor be sufficient to protect against future injury.”
The original proposal called for approximately 68,000 cubic yards of highly contaminated soil and sediment to be removed from a lake delta created by Acid Brook, along with 7,800 additional cubic yards from the shore. All of this would take place inside a 26-acre area.
Lisa Riggiola, of the grassroots group Citizens for a Clean Pompton Lakes, stated: “The important thing is that the entire lake is cleaned up. It's 250 acres, not just the 26 acres they're talking about.” She also stated that, “of course,” the DuPont plant site itself must be cleaned up as well.
The major flaw residents point to in the EPA’s plan is the fact that DuPont’s former plant site has yet to be cleaned up. Consequently, since the plant sits on top of a hill, the highly concentrated contaminants there have found their way downhill toward the lake, particularly via the Acid Brook. The recontamination of the Acid Brook only supports this theory. However, the EPA plans to clean up a small area of the lake and shore, which sits at the bottom of the hill, despite the fact that this area will probably continue to receive new contaminants from uphill/upstream.
Dana Patterson, the toxic coordinator for the Edison Wetlands Association, said that “If they don’t address the source first, the plant, then the lake could just become re-contaminated.”
Patterson said that the Edison Wetlands Association, an environmental organization which has been assisting residents in their campaign for a full cleanup, is “excited” about the recently announced delay of the dredging. However they, along with many residents, still worry about the incomplete nature of the EPA’s original plan.
Residents and environmental organizations hope to keep the public pressure on the EPA and DuPont until they agree to a complete cleanup of the area.
POMPTON LAKES, NJ – 24 years is a long time to wait for justice to be done, and the residents of Pompton Lakes are still waiting. However, the recent announcement by the federal Environmental Protection Agency that it will reconsider its widely criticized plan to remove 26 acres of contaminated soil from a portion of Pompton Lake gives some residents hope.
Former Mayor Jack Sinsimer and some residents began uncovering DuPont’s pollution in the late 1980’s and since then the small lake community has discovered that it's been left with an inheritance of toxic waste and pollution from the old explosives plant, the former main employer in the town. DuPont’s plant once covered a 576-acre site on elevated ground. The industrial complex closed down in 1994, but during its long operation (mainly under the ownership of DuPont), it leaked hazardous chemicals and heavy metals such as mercury and lead into the surrounding area. These toxins have seeped deep into the soil, groundwater and lake sediment, and have even entered some 400 homes in vapor form.
The northern New Jersey site has not been added to the federal Superfund list, however, despite pleas to the federal government from environmental groups and residents. The Environmental Protection Agency’s website acknowledges the pollution, but claims that substantial progress has already been made to clean up the site and will continue to be made. Residents are not inclined to agree.
For years, DuPont has been taking what residents say are small, insignificant steps toward remediation, and the residents have continued to demand a proper cleanup. Residents worry that if DuPont continues their “cleanup” at this rate, it will take a lifetime or more to complete the decontamination.
Earlier this month, tests were done that confirmed the recontamination of Acid Brook, which runs through the former DuPont site and past several homes. Over 15 years ago, DuPont and the federal government confirmed that this stream was completely cleaned up, yet now toxic metals and chemicals are showing up again, some in dangerous proportions. Specifically PCE, a chemical linked to cancer, was at an unsafe level, according to EPA officials. This proves that DuPont’s small cleanup attempts have been unsuccessful and are simply not enough.
Since the EPA’s tests confirming the recontamination of Acid Brook have been made public, DuPont’s recent application to remove 26 acres of contaminated soil has been scrutinized by the public and was finally delayed. The residents expressed concern about the heavy truck traffic that will result from the dredging. “We’re going to have large trucks coming through residential streets for more than a year,” worries Raymond Bosna, whose home is located on Jefferson Avenue, one of the roads that the trucks will use to carry out the toxic soil. Raymond also worries about his two small children who frequently play outside.
Jeffrey Marsden, the Pompton Lakes borough engineer, expressed his concerns in a February 3 letter about possible damage to residential roads by the 4,000 trucks that will be needed to carry out the soil and the spread of contaminated dust throughout the neighborhood, among others.
In addition to these concerns, many residents believe that the EPA’s original plan for this dredging was insufficient. Former Governor James Florio and well-known environmental activist Lois Gibbs recently endorsed the residents’ pleas to add the site to the Superfund list.
More support for the critics of the EPA and DuPont came from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. FWS field supervisor J. Eric Davis Jr. called the plan inadequate, and described the soil dredging as only “an important first step.” Davis wrote, “[T]he Service does not believe that the proposed remedial action, as currently planned, will completely address historic releases, nor be sufficient to protect against future injury.”
The original proposal called for approximately 68,000 cubic yards of highly contaminated soil and sediment to be removed from a lake delta created by Acid Brook, along with 7,800 additional cubic yards from the shore. All of this would take place inside a 26-acre area.
Lisa Riggiola, of the grassroots group Citizens for a Clean Pompton Lakes, stated: “The important thing is that the entire lake is cleaned up. It's 250 acres, not just the 26 acres they're talking about.” She also stated that, “of course,” the DuPont plant site itself must be cleaned up as well.
The major flaw residents point to in the EPA’s plan is the fact that DuPont’s former plant site has yet to be cleaned up. Consequently, since the plant sits on top of a hill, the highly concentrated contaminants there have found their way downhill toward the lake, particularly via the Acid Brook. The recontamination of the Acid Brook only supports this theory. However, the EPA plans to clean up a small area of the lake and shore, which sits at the bottom of the hill, despite the fact that this area will probably continue to receive new contaminants from uphill/upstream.
Dana Patterson, the toxic coordinator for the Edison Wetlands Association, said that “If they don’t address the source first, the plant, then the lake could just become re-contaminated.”
Patterson said that the Edison Wetlands Association, an environmental organization which has been assisting residents in their campaign for a full cleanup, is “excited” about the recently announced delay of the dredging. However they, along with many residents, still worry about the incomplete nature of the EPA’s original plan.
Residents and environmental organizations hope to keep the public pressure on the EPA and DuPont until they agree to a complete cleanup of the area.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Dismantling Environmental Justice
By Bliss Sando
In this country and in most other parts of the world, communities of the lowest economic class experience the effects of environmental devastation first hand in the most severe forms. Personally, I was unaware of the commonness of such occurrences until an issue of environmental racism surfaced in my hometown.
Improving economic issues right alongside environmental ones seems to me to be the only way to eliminate the rapidly expanding problem of environmental injustices and racism across the globe. When examining problems in the current socio-economic structure of this country, the role that large corporations and powerful nations play in socio-environmental issues—specifically instances of environmental justice—becomes evident. I’ll start by talking about my own personal experience with an issue of environmental justice in my hometown in the United States, and move to examples of more global and large-scale issues of the same nature.
It is obvious that current issues of environmental degradation are directly related to this country’s unbalanced economic structure when cases of environmental justice are observed. In the United States and elsewhere, hazardous sites such as power plants, landfills, and oil/chemical refineries are often place in or near poor communities made up of mostly minorities. Consequently, many situations have arisen across the country in which members of these communities are financially unable to move themselves and their families out of these polluted and dangerous areas. On the contrary, most upper class citizens aren’t directly affected by such severe pollution and environmental degradation. They are therefore either unaware of these issues or ignore them because of the immunity that comes along with their economic status.
Although it may not be visible on the surface of this country’s structure, instances of environmental injustices and racism are present in all areas of the United States. In his article "Environmental Justice in the 21st Century: Race Still Matters," Dr. Robert Bullard confirms the fact that many of these instances in which minority communities have poorer environmental quality and living conditions than white communities in the same area are a result of institutional racism within the government and the economy.
Environmental Injustice Hits Home
Several years ago, when my mother was elected mayor of my hometown, I began hearing of an environmental injustice that literally hit close to home. I grew up in Ringwood, New Jersey, a small suburban town that borders New York state to the north. For the most part, Ringwood is a naturally beautiful and pristine area that is home to upper middle class citizens. There is an exception to this description, however: an area known to locals as “Upper Ringwood” that is home to a community of lower class citizens who are mostly of mixed Ramapough Mountain Indian and African-American descent.
As Teresa Edmond notes in a 2008 article in the Suburban Trends, this minority community has suffered political and environmental mistreatment at the hands of the Ford Motor Company, a major corporation, for years. Over forty years ago, Ford dumped millions of gallons of toxic paint sludge in the remote woods of Upper Ringwood. The dangerously polluted site was initially added to the National Priorities List of abandoned hazardous waste sites in 1983. A cleanup followed, and the site was de-listed in 1994. However, since then the presence of substantial amounts of remaining paint sludge and pollutants has prompted many complaints from residents in the area. It turns out that the previous cleanup, during which Ford removed 8,300 cubic yards of paint sludge and contaminated soil, was left incomplete. The Environmental Protection Agency is currently overseeing an ongoing reinvestigation of the location, which was re-listed as a Superfund site in 2006.
The toxic material that remains in Upper Ringwood and its surrounding areas has been affecting this minority population for over a generation. Toxins such as lead, arsenic, and benzene have been tainting the drinking water of the Ramapoughs and are believed to have been the cause of many serious health problems.
Paul Eugene Van Dunk is a current resident of Upper Ringwood whose family has been rooted in the area since it was an active iron mine during the American Revolution (Johnson). Paul has lost two young family members, his daughter and his nephew, to cancer and he firmly believes that the sickness of both children were caused by the poisons left behind by the Ford Motor Company. Paul dreams of moving his family out of the contaminated area in order to ensure the health of future generations, however he, like many other residents, lacks the financial means to do so.
In the “Toxic Legacy” website, reporter Jan Barry and his colleagues from The Record compiled a comprehensive report detailing the effects of Ford’s dumping in Upper Ringwood. Barry reported that other chronic health conditions that are unusually common among Upper Ringwood’s residents are asthma and skin rashes, which the residents suspect are also caused by the environmental toxins surrounding their homes.
Although the Ramapoughs in Upper Ringwood are recognized as a Native American tribe by the New Jersey state government, the EPA notes that the federal government refuses to give them tribal status. Up until recent years, Ringwood’s conservative town government has ignored the obvious environmental problems in Upper Ringwood, despite repeated complaints by residents at town council meetings. Many residents of surrounding areas are beginning to realize that the Ramapoughs in Upper Ringwood, New Jersey have faced serious environmental, political, and social injustices for decades, resulting in harmful physical affects and poor overall quality of life. This particular minority population is just one small example of the many socio-environmental injustices that affect the lives of minority populations not only in the United States, but across the globe.
A Global Problem
The global polarization of wealth and revenue and its effect on populations in poor and developing nations mirrors the same phenomenon that occurs within the United States’ national borders yet on a much larger scale. Donald L. Kohn writes that the modern economic endeavors of global entities such as corporations and developed countries including our own have been and continue to drastically affect the economies, social structures, and environmental conditions of developing countries around the world.
In the book Faces of Environmental Racism: Confronting Issues of Global Justice, Selgun Gbasegesin writes about more than one instance of harmful and excessive toxic waste dumping in the African country of Nigeria. The comparably more developed nations of Italy and Norway were each to blame for separate issues of large-scale dumping, as was a major electrochemical plant called Elma. All three of these examples initially occurred behind the back of the vulnerable Nigerian government. These events represent the seriousness of the environmental injustices faced by countless populations throughout the entire African continent as a result of excessive toxic dumping by more powerful entities.
Despite the arguably obvious evidence that all instances of environmental justice are caused by flaws in local, national, and global socio-economic structure, it seems that environmental agencies such as the United States EPA do not have much influence on such policy. Perhaps this is the case today because when major environmental agencies were first developing, they lacked concern for environmental justice issues. These types of issues were certainly not then as critical as they are now. However today, as climate change poses a global dilemma of massive proportions, it appears that all world’s true superpowers, from the governments of developed nations to the executives of national and multinational corporations, must unite with the rest of the world instead of exploiting it.
Considering the crucial state of the Earth’s major natural resources, caused essentially by these superpowers, this hypothetical global union seems impossible without a gradual breakdown of corporations and modern mass-production. Not only does this strategy have the potential to be the most effective way of preserving the human race (in that it may save the most human lives), but it may also be essential to the preservation of the global, all species-inclusive living environment.
Will we be able to dump the harmful byproducts of our excessive lifestyles on poor neighborhoods forever? Since the number of such toxic sites in poor and/or minority areas are increasing, it seems that if dumping and mass-production continues at the current rate, these dangerous materials will eventually begin seeping into neighborhoods of the upper class. It seems to me that only when the upper class is more directly affected by the toxic waste and other pollutants that lower class communities are forced to live with every day, will the necessary authorities openly acknowledge the problem and work to solve it. Until then, why should only upper class communities be protected environmentally by our governments?
Although environmental regulations are in place in most cases, they are often ignored or sidestepped. Regulations that protect the quality of the land on which we live must be reformed and more strictly enforced—and must be done so fairly across the racial and socioeconomic spectrums that exist throughout modern society.
For further information:
toxiclegacy.northjersey.com/
www.ejrc.cau.edu/ejinthe21century.htm
rowman.com/ISBN/9780742512481
In this country and in most other parts of the world, communities of the lowest economic class experience the effects of environmental devastation first hand in the most severe forms. Personally, I was unaware of the commonness of such occurrences until an issue of environmental racism surfaced in my hometown.
Improving economic issues right alongside environmental ones seems to me to be the only way to eliminate the rapidly expanding problem of environmental injustices and racism across the globe. When examining problems in the current socio-economic structure of this country, the role that large corporations and powerful nations play in socio-environmental issues—specifically instances of environmental justice—becomes evident. I’ll start by talking about my own personal experience with an issue of environmental justice in my hometown in the United States, and move to examples of more global and large-scale issues of the same nature.
It is obvious that current issues of environmental degradation are directly related to this country’s unbalanced economic structure when cases of environmental justice are observed. In the United States and elsewhere, hazardous sites such as power plants, landfills, and oil/chemical refineries are often place in or near poor communities made up of mostly minorities. Consequently, many situations have arisen across the country in which members of these communities are financially unable to move themselves and their families out of these polluted and dangerous areas. On the contrary, most upper class citizens aren’t directly affected by such severe pollution and environmental degradation. They are therefore either unaware of these issues or ignore them because of the immunity that comes along with their economic status.
Although it may not be visible on the surface of this country’s structure, instances of environmental injustices and racism are present in all areas of the United States. In his article "Environmental Justice in the 21st Century: Race Still Matters," Dr. Robert Bullard confirms the fact that many of these instances in which minority communities have poorer environmental quality and living conditions than white communities in the same area are a result of institutional racism within the government and the economy.
Environmental Injustice Hits Home
Several years ago, when my mother was elected mayor of my hometown, I began hearing of an environmental injustice that literally hit close to home. I grew up in Ringwood, New Jersey, a small suburban town that borders New York state to the north. For the most part, Ringwood is a naturally beautiful and pristine area that is home to upper middle class citizens. There is an exception to this description, however: an area known to locals as “Upper Ringwood” that is home to a community of lower class citizens who are mostly of mixed Ramapough Mountain Indian and African-American descent.
As Teresa Edmond notes in a 2008 article in the Suburban Trends, this minority community has suffered political and environmental mistreatment at the hands of the Ford Motor Company, a major corporation, for years. Over forty years ago, Ford dumped millions of gallons of toxic paint sludge in the remote woods of Upper Ringwood. The dangerously polluted site was initially added to the National Priorities List of abandoned hazardous waste sites in 1983. A cleanup followed, and the site was de-listed in 1994. However, since then the presence of substantial amounts of remaining paint sludge and pollutants has prompted many complaints from residents in the area. It turns out that the previous cleanup, during which Ford removed 8,300 cubic yards of paint sludge and contaminated soil, was left incomplete. The Environmental Protection Agency is currently overseeing an ongoing reinvestigation of the location, which was re-listed as a Superfund site in 2006.
The toxic material that remains in Upper Ringwood and its surrounding areas has been affecting this minority population for over a generation. Toxins such as lead, arsenic, and benzene have been tainting the drinking water of the Ramapoughs and are believed to have been the cause of many serious health problems.
Paul Eugene Van Dunk is a current resident of Upper Ringwood whose family has been rooted in the area since it was an active iron mine during the American Revolution (Johnson). Paul has lost two young family members, his daughter and his nephew, to cancer and he firmly believes that the sickness of both children were caused by the poisons left behind by the Ford Motor Company. Paul dreams of moving his family out of the contaminated area in order to ensure the health of future generations, however he, like many other residents, lacks the financial means to do so.
In the “Toxic Legacy” website, reporter Jan Barry and his colleagues from The Record compiled a comprehensive report detailing the effects of Ford’s dumping in Upper Ringwood. Barry reported that other chronic health conditions that are unusually common among Upper Ringwood’s residents are asthma and skin rashes, which the residents suspect are also caused by the environmental toxins surrounding their homes.
Although the Ramapoughs in Upper Ringwood are recognized as a Native American tribe by the New Jersey state government, the EPA notes that the federal government refuses to give them tribal status. Up until recent years, Ringwood’s conservative town government has ignored the obvious environmental problems in Upper Ringwood, despite repeated complaints by residents at town council meetings. Many residents of surrounding areas are beginning to realize that the Ramapoughs in Upper Ringwood, New Jersey have faced serious environmental, political, and social injustices for decades, resulting in harmful physical affects and poor overall quality of life. This particular minority population is just one small example of the many socio-environmental injustices that affect the lives of minority populations not only in the United States, but across the globe.
A Global Problem
The global polarization of wealth and revenue and its effect on populations in poor and developing nations mirrors the same phenomenon that occurs within the United States’ national borders yet on a much larger scale. Donald L. Kohn writes that the modern economic endeavors of global entities such as corporations and developed countries including our own have been and continue to drastically affect the economies, social structures, and environmental conditions of developing countries around the world.
In the book Faces of Environmental Racism: Confronting Issues of Global Justice, Selgun Gbasegesin writes about more than one instance of harmful and excessive toxic waste dumping in the African country of Nigeria. The comparably more developed nations of Italy and Norway were each to blame for separate issues of large-scale dumping, as was a major electrochemical plant called Elma. All three of these examples initially occurred behind the back of the vulnerable Nigerian government. These events represent the seriousness of the environmental injustices faced by countless populations throughout the entire African continent as a result of excessive toxic dumping by more powerful entities.
Despite the arguably obvious evidence that all instances of environmental justice are caused by flaws in local, national, and global socio-economic structure, it seems that environmental agencies such as the United States EPA do not have much influence on such policy. Perhaps this is the case today because when major environmental agencies were first developing, they lacked concern for environmental justice issues. These types of issues were certainly not then as critical as they are now. However today, as climate change poses a global dilemma of massive proportions, it appears that all world’s true superpowers, from the governments of developed nations to the executives of national and multinational corporations, must unite with the rest of the world instead of exploiting it.
Considering the crucial state of the Earth’s major natural resources, caused essentially by these superpowers, this hypothetical global union seems impossible without a gradual breakdown of corporations and modern mass-production. Not only does this strategy have the potential to be the most effective way of preserving the human race (in that it may save the most human lives), but it may also be essential to the preservation of the global, all species-inclusive living environment.
Will we be able to dump the harmful byproducts of our excessive lifestyles on poor neighborhoods forever? Since the number of such toxic sites in poor and/or minority areas are increasing, it seems that if dumping and mass-production continues at the current rate, these dangerous materials will eventually begin seeping into neighborhoods of the upper class. It seems to me that only when the upper class is more directly affected by the toxic waste and other pollutants that lower class communities are forced to live with every day, will the necessary authorities openly acknowledge the problem and work to solve it. Until then, why should only upper class communities be protected environmentally by our governments?
Although environmental regulations are in place in most cases, they are often ignored or sidestepped. Regulations that protect the quality of the land on which we live must be reformed and more strictly enforced—and must be done so fairly across the racial and socioeconomic spectrums that exist throughout modern society.
For further information:
toxiclegacy.northjersey.com/
www.ejrc.cau.edu/ejinthe21century.htm
rowman.com/ISBN/9780742512481
Gas Pipeline through the Highlands
By Amanda Daley
A 7-mile gas pipeline has been approved by the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council. After hours of debating, the Highlands regional council voted 11-2 last month to recommend state support for the controversial project, according to Tom Johnson of NJ Spotlight. The pipeline route would run through state parklands and reservoir lands to Mahwah.
The Christie administration feels that this project, which would expand an existing gas pipeline network, will allow us to take advantage of cheaper natural gasses, Johnson added. Many residents in New Jersey are worried that this may jeopardize our water supply. Carl Richko, a Highlands Council member from West Milford, said this decision “will come back to haunt us.”
Eleven members of the council assured residents that the project would be closely monitored and if any problems were to occur they would be corrected immediately. Jim Rilee, chairman on the Highlands Council, said that necessary precautions will be taken to ensure the safety of the region’s natural resources.
Many New Jersey residents spoke against the pipeline plan at the Highlands Council hearing. Jeff Tittel, of the NJ Sierra Club, said that this isn’t an upgrade, but a new pipeline and that it would cause erosion. Julia Somers, of the New Jersey Highlands Coalition, said that it is going to leave a “massive scar across the region” and that this is “not what the Highlands were preserved for.”
Another speaker argued that this pipeline is not exempted from the Highlands Act regulations because it is not a public utility, but rather owned by a private company.
The next step is a review of the plan by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which has not yet approved it. If they say no, then the pipeline expansion will not happen.
For more information:
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Plan Conformance Success at N.J. Highlands Council
By Molly Rothberg
When the New Jersey Highlands Council began a public participation program in 2005 towards the development of the Highlands Regional Master Plan, it hoped the plan would gain local support. That plan is now showing signs of success.
According to a press release from the N.J. Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council, local plans from 39 towns and 9 Highlands centers have been approved. Among the towns with approved plans is Mahwah, which is one of two Bergen County communities in the Highlands region. The overall total includes 60 towns that have submitted petitions to conform local master plans to the Highlands Master Plan. So far, these have resulted in a 97 percent conformance in the Preservation Area and 33 percent conformance in the Planning Area lands.
The Regional Master Plan’s initiative is to also promote sustainable economic development and re-development in areas that are already developed, Highlands Council Chairman Jim Rilee stated in the press release. These areas are primarily in the Planning Area sections of the region. The Preservation Area is a core section that hosts regional reservoirs and headwaters of water supply streams.
“A key responsibility of the Highlands Council is to balance preservation activities with the economic health of Highlands communities. Highlands Centers are an excellent example of achieving this goal and we look forward to working with these municipalities as they develop their plans,” Rilee said
With the voluntary support and action from residents, communities have been coming forward to conform in the Planning Area, even where it is not mandatory. The plan is designed to benefit communities as well as developing a sustainable future that protects natural resources and local economies.
In an earlier press release from 2005, back before the plan began, then-Council Chair John Weingart stated the criteria for success in gaining local support.
“The only way the Council will successfully accomplish the challenging tasks we have been given is with advice and feedback from people with a wide variety of viewpoints and areas of expertise,” Weingart said.
Since then, it is safe to say that the Highlands communities continue to do their job. The Regional Master Plan continues to develop as towns conform and the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council approves a long list of local plans.
For more information:
www.highlands.state.nj.us/njhighlands/news/pres/Highlands_Council_Press_Release_Feb_16_2012_ConformanceUpdate.pdf
When the New Jersey Highlands Council began a public participation program in 2005 towards the development of the Highlands Regional Master Plan, it hoped the plan would gain local support. That plan is now showing signs of success.
According to a press release from the N.J. Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council, local plans from 39 towns and 9 Highlands centers have been approved. Among the towns with approved plans is Mahwah, which is one of two Bergen County communities in the Highlands region. The overall total includes 60 towns that have submitted petitions to conform local master plans to the Highlands Master Plan. So far, these have resulted in a 97 percent conformance in the Preservation Area and 33 percent conformance in the Planning Area lands.
The Regional Master Plan’s initiative is to also promote sustainable economic development and re-development in areas that are already developed, Highlands Council Chairman Jim Rilee stated in the press release. These areas are primarily in the Planning Area sections of the region. The Preservation Area is a core section that hosts regional reservoirs and headwaters of water supply streams.
“A key responsibility of the Highlands Council is to balance preservation activities with the economic health of Highlands communities. Highlands Centers are an excellent example of achieving this goal and we look forward to working with these municipalities as they develop their plans,” Rilee said
With the voluntary support and action from residents, communities have been coming forward to conform in the Planning Area, even where it is not mandatory. The plan is designed to benefit communities as well as developing a sustainable future that protects natural resources and local economies.
In an earlier press release from 2005, back before the plan began, then-Council Chair John Weingart stated the criteria for success in gaining local support.
“The only way the Council will successfully accomplish the challenging tasks we have been given is with advice and feedback from people with a wide variety of viewpoints and areas of expertise,” Weingart said.
Since then, it is safe to say that the Highlands communities continue to do their job. The Regional Master Plan continues to develop as towns conform and the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council approves a long list of local plans.
For more information:
www.highlands.state.nj.us/njhighlands/news/pres/Highlands_Council_Press_Release_Feb_16_2012_ConformanceUpdate.pdf
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