Effect Measure

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I am browsing thru a site, Effect Measure at I am browsing thru a

site which [info]rialian turned me onto. The site is Effect Measure

http://effectmeasure.blogspot.com/

 

The website above has a link to a charming list of all the hazardous

waste sites in Orleans Parish. Not just the superfund hazardous waste

site, but all the industries which store hazardous chemicals they use.

With flooding and hurricane damage, there could well be leakage of

these chemicals into the environment.

http://www.ombwatch.org/article/articleview/3088#agstreet

 

 

Here is another good quote from the website on hazardous waste in

New Orleans:

 

" Meanwhile, EPA Policy Analyst Hugh Kauffman, apparently

hoping for a demotion and a transfer to the Marianas Islands, tells

Morning Sedition (via Buzzflash) that the EPA has definite knowledge

of chemical contamination that it is witholding from the public.

 

" All of the oil and chemical companies that own storage tanks,

facilities in that area that were flooded or impacted are required to

publish with our regional office in Dallas instantly—whenever there's

a release; whenever there's a breakage from pipelines, from storage

tanks, refineries. The regional office, under orders, is not releasing

that information to the public, and the Society of Environmental

Journalists has sued EPA and the Federal Government to try and get

that information released, so the public will see the full magnitude

of how much toxic material they are being exposed to in that region of

the country. "

 

Here is a little something from a link on the Effect Measure

Site to the WWLT website.

http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/WWL091505environmental.5dd0ea79.html

 

Two snippets below:

 

" Hurricane Katrina is rapidly becoming the worst environmental

calamity in U.S. history, with oil spills rivaling the Exxon Valdez,

hundreds of toxic sites still uncontrolled, and waterborne poisons

soaking 160,000 homes.

 

" New Orleans' flooded neighborhoods are awash with dangerous

levels of bacteria and lead, and with lower but still potentially

harmful amounts of mercury, pesticides and other chemicals. Much will

wind up in the soil as the water drains, or in Lake Pontchartrain,

hammering its already battered ecosystem.

 

" The total does not count the gasoline from gas stations and the

more than 300,000 flooded cars, which was likely to add another 1

million to 2 million gallons. Nor does it count the oil from hundreds

of smaller or undiscovered spills. Altogether, 396 calls had come in

to the Coast Guard's national oil-spill hotline by Wednesday

afternoon. "

 

 

and this one:

 

" Those who have been working in the floodwater understand the

danger all too well. One is J.T. Ewing, who for his living deals with

some of the world's most toxic muck, the pungent and flammable stuff

that leaks out of oil tankers in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

" But it was in the neighborhoods of New Orleans, steering a rescue

boat past the roofs of ruined homes, where he didn't want to touch the

water.

 

" 'Normally, you get your boat stuck on top of a car, which does

happen, or on top of a fence, you just put your foot down on it and

push off,' said Mr. Ewing, who works for the Texas General Land

Office's oil spill program.

 

" 'This time, nobody wanted to put their foot in the water unless

they were wearing rubber boots.' "

 

 

Alobar