Contaminated Water: State of Emergency Declared in Newburgh, NY

Global Pollution: The Lingering Legacy of PFOS

City officials in Newburgh [pop: 30,000] located about 100km north of New York City on the Hudson River, have declared a state of emergency after detecting elevated levels of Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, or perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a chemical found in stain repellents.

In 2002, a study by the Environmental Directorate of the OECD classified PFOS as a “persistent, bioaccumulative” that is “toxic to mammalian species.”

PFOS, an exceptionally stable compound in the environment, was the key ingredient in Scotchgard, a fabric protector made by 3M, and numerous stain repellents.

The following are excerpts from DISCOVERY AND INVESTIGATION OF PFOS/PFCs CONTAMINATION FROM A PFC MANUFACTURING FACILITY IN MINNESOTA–ENVIRONMENTAL RELEASES AND EXPOSURE RISKS:

The 3M Company was the primary global producer of PFOS – related PFCs, producing millions of pounds annually at its plants in the United States and Europe. In 2000 3M produced 7.33 million pounds at its plants in the United States and Europe. 3M also produced PFOA at its Cottage Grove plant until the end of 2002 when it terminated production of PFOA and PFOS – related compounds. The production or use of other PFC – related compounds (“4 carbon PFCs”) continues today. In addition to residual or by-product releases during production, PFOS , PFOA and other PFXA are the ultimate breakdown products of a range of perfluorochemical. Significant amounts of wastes, residuals, and sludges were generated in production of PFCs and PFC containing products. An assessment from Minnesota Pollution Control Agency revealed that PFC wastes from the 3M production plant in Cottage Grove, Minnesota/USA had been deposited to a large extent in selected landfills and on the production plant property.  http://www.dioxin20xx.org/pdfs/2010/10-1507.pdf

Highly soluble in water,  PFCs are easily mobilized and released from municipal landfills, according to the study.

From a landfill perspective , this study illustrates that PFCs deposited and released at landfills and a former production site are highly mobile and subject the wider environment to PFC contamination . Substance flows from landfills to leachates to wastewater plants and river , from landfills to groundwater , from landfill gases to atmosphere, or from contaminated ground water sprayed to the atmosphere, reveals multiple pathways in how deposited PFCs at landfills may end up in surface waters and fish , or perhaps in soil s possibly posing contamination to vegetables. Human exposure and risk assessment s around such contaminated sites to include all exposure pathways including fish consumption, drinking water, soil ingestion, fruit and vegetable consumption , and possibly – with respect to any landfill gas emissions – intake via inhalation near those sites, should be performed to assure adequate safeguards . Minority groups , where applicable, and who may have greater vulnerability of exposure due to their lifestyle and cultural attributes , should be considered.

Currently, the most important emission sources of PFOS are fire-fighting foams, metal plating and the semiconductor industry.

Animal studies have shown PFOS to cause cancer, neonatal mortality, endocrine disruption, delays in physical development and stunted growth. [Sounds familiar?]

Highest levels of PFOS have been detected in animal liver, plasma, egg and muscle throughout multiple global hotspots including Michigan (the highest concentration of about 60,000 ppb in mink’s liver); Minnesota; Mississippi River; Hudson Bay, Canada; Midwestern US; northern Quebec, Canada; California; North Carolina; Denmark; Tokyo Bay [aka “Sewage Bay,”] Japan; Charleston, South Carolina; Baltic Sea and Mediterranean Sea, Italy.

Meanwhile, a blog reader in NY has brought the following to our attention:

“What if  the AIM pipeline had ruptured near Indian Point?”

“Spectra Energy’s dangerous high pressure AIM gas pipeline is currently under construction only 105 feet from critical infrastructure at the Indian Point nuclear power plant.  Nuclear and pipeline safety experts have repeatedly warned that a pipeline rupture adjacent to Indian Point could result in a nuclear catastrophe similar to or worse than the Fukushima nuclear disaster and threatens more than 20 million people who live within a 50 mile radius in the New York tri-state region.  The pipeline poses a serious threat whether Indian Point is open or shut and decommissioned with 40 years of radioactive spent fuel remaining on site.  A comprehensive, independent risk assessment was never conducted.”

“On Friday Spectra Energy’s Texas Eastern Pipeline ruptured in Salem, PA. It was the SECOND rupture of that pipeline in less than a year.

“What would have happened if it was the AIM pipeline that had ruptured near Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant?” https://sape2016.org/

 

 

Catastrophic Global Water Shortages Affecting Children Mostly —World Vision

Six million people need clean water, sanitation aid: Ethiopian Government

Severe water shortages are putting millions of lives at risk and forcing mass migration as people search for water, says international humanitarian aid agency World Vision.

Life-threatening drought conditions persist globally, including in Central and South America, Southern and Eastern Africa and the Pacific Islands.

“In parts of Ethiopia and Somalia, water is in such short supply that villagers are abandoning their homes and migrating in search of water. Children are absent from school as they search for water or move with their families to find it,” says World Vision.

“Across Africa alone, at least seven million people are without clean water as a result of El Nino weather,” warns World Vision Ethiopia Country Director, who is also a water specialist. “The actual number of people suffering from acute water shortages is probably much higher,” he said. “We have heard a lot about the widespread food shortages, but water shortages caused by El Nino are just as catastrophic. A person can survive for much longer without food than they can without water,” he added.

“If El Nino isn’t causing drought, it is causing floods – either way, the result is unsafe water or no water…  Not only can a lack of water kill, but contaminated water can kill just as quickly. Diarrhea, which is often caused by unclean water and sanitation, can kill small children very quickly. The result is that water shortages hit children harder than anyone else.”

• Zimbabwe. Water rationing is in effect in every city and town. 15, 000 boreholes have run dry and another 160 need to be drilled.
• Lesotho. Rains have been delayed by more than two months and some rivers have completely dried up. The Ministry of Health reports that a number of elderly people have died from dehydration as they were less able to cart water from water points.
• South Africa. Some 2.7 million households are facing water shortages – even hospitals are running out of water. Seven of the nine provinces have declared disasters and some have water rationing in place.
• Honduras. World Vision staff report that desperate communities are digging wells in an attempt to find water, children are falling ill with diarrhea from drinking dirty water and villagers queue in the middle of the night at waterholes due to demand.
• Papua New Guinea. Water supplies have been contaminated as people dig wells in order to find water and schools are also closing due to water shortages. An outbreak of typhoid and cholera in one area has killed at least 30 people.

Read more…

Related Links

• Drought, Rat Infestations to Plague 85% of Philippines February 21, 2016
• Drought Affecting 2.7 Million Households in South Africa February 19, 2016
• One million children require treatment for severe acute malnutrition in Eastern and Southern Africa February 17, 2016
• ‘State of Disaster’ Declared in Zimbabwe over Drought February 8, 2016

Federal Emergency Declared in Michigan

Affected Flint residents to receive water, water filters, water filter cartridges, water test kits…

Michigan Contaminated Water (EM-3375)

• Incident period: April 25, 2014 – continues…
• Emergency Declaration declared on January 16, 2016

The White House has declared that an emergency exists in the State of Michigan in the area affected by contaminated water.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act,

FEMA has been authorized, under Title V of the Stafford Act, “to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in Genesee County,” by identifying, mobilizing, and providing, “at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.  This emergency assistance is to provide water, water filters, water filter cartridges, water test kits, and other necessary related items for a period of no more than 90 days.”

The emergency declaration follows a January 14 request submitted by Michigan Gov. Snyder, who has been heavily criticized for his handling of the crisis.

The state officials allegedly exposed nearly everyone in the city of Flint to lead poisoning and other contaminants in the drinking water.

Background

Flint Mayor Dr. Weaver has declared a state of emergency in mid-December, calling on the Genesee County Board of Commissioners to conduct a Special Meeting before the end of December to tackle the water crisis, according to local reports.

Water samples from Flint, on the left, and Detroit. Credit Steve Carmody / Michigan Radio

“Flint, a city of about 99,000 people, switched from Detroit’s water system while under state emergency financial management. The Flint River was supposed to be an interim source until the city could join a new system getting water from Lake Huron that is scheduled to be completed next year. But residents complained about the taste, smell and appearance of water coming into their homes and businesses from the Flint River,” said a report.

Related Links

• State of Emergency Declared in Flint, Michigan December 15, 2015

 

State of Emergency Declared in Ohio amid Major Health Threat

WATER CONTAMINATION
SCENARIOS 797, 05
.

Toxins Contaminate Toledo Water

Toxins, either from algae formed on Lake Erie or released during fracking, have contaminated the water supply of Toledo, Ohio’s fourth-largest city, forcing the governor to declare a state of emergency and the officials to warn residents not to drink the water.

Residents have been warned not to cook using tap water or use the contaminated water for bathing children. They have also been told not to boil the tap water because it will only increase the toxin’s concentration.

“The city advised about 400,000 residents in Toledo, most of its suburbs and a few areas in southeastern Michigan not to brush their teeth with or boil the water because that would only increase the toxin’s concentration. The mayor also warned that children should not shower or bathe in the water and that it shouldn’t be given to pets,” said a report.

“We don’t really want to speculate on this,” Gov Kasich told the AP. “When it comes to this water, we’ve got be very careful.”

“What’s more important than water? Water’s about life,” he said. “We know it’s difficult. We know it’s frustrating.”

“The state emergency operations center has been activated in response to the water contamination issue affecting the Toledo area,” said Ohio EMA.

Stores in Toledo area have run out of bottled water as residents rushed to stock up supplies.

“These organisms are capable of producing a number of toxins that may pose a risk to human and animal health,” officials said in a press release.

Consuming the contaminated water could result in nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and other health problems.

Related Links

• If Anything Can Explode, Leak, Contaminate… January 12, 2014
• Up to 27 Million Gallons of Coal Ash Spill into Dan River, NC February 7, 2014
• Officials ‘Baffled’ by LNG Explosion in Washington April 6, 2014

Philadelphia: Public Health Prevails Over Private Wealth

NO MORE FRACKING!

Philadelphia urges ban on hydraulic fracturing technique, or ‘fracking’

Philadelphia officials asked the Delaware River Basin Commission on Thursday to stop prospectors using the hydraulic fracture (fracking) shale gas extractions in the City’s watershed, until a full environmental impact assessment is conducted.

The commission, which comprises of representatives from Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, as well as federal officials, is responsible for protecting the Delaware River Basin over 360 miles from its headwaters all the way to the Delaware Bay.

Map Of Shale Gas Basins In The United States. Click image to enlarge.

• Marcellus Shale Play, Appalachian Basin (MAP)
• Presentation Given by DRBC Staff at the February 24, 2010 Stone Energy Public Hearing

The Middle Delaware River above Walpack Bend. Credit: NPS/George Ratliff

Background: Natural Gas Drilling in the Delaware River Basin

Much of the new drilling interest taking place in northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New York is targeted at reaching the natural gas found in the Marcellus Shale formation, which underlies about 36 percent of the Delaware River Basin.  Because Marcellus Shale is considered a tight geologic formation, natural gas deposits were not previously thought to be practically and economically mineable using traditional techniques.  New horizontal drilling and extraction methods, coupled with higher energy costs, have given energy companies reason to take a new interest in mining the natural gas deposits within the Marcellus Shale.

However, these new extraction methods require large amounts of fresh water to fracture the formation to release the natural gas.  A significant amount of water used in the extraction process is recovered, but this “frac water” includes natural gas and chemicals added to facilitate the extraction process, as well as brine and other contaminants released from the formation. —DRBC

The City Council, in a unanimous resolution, has formally asked the Commission to stop all fracking operations in the watershed and deny a drilling permit to Stone Energy Corp, a Louisiana-based energy company prospecting for natural gas, and all others that propose to use fracking to extract shale gas in the Basin which  supplies drinking water to more than 15 million people, including 2 million plus in the Philadelphia metro area.

“Stone Energy began operations in a protected area of the river basin without the necessary approvals, and now has applied for permits to drill for gas, extracting water it needs from a tributary of the river, the council said.” Reuters reported.

“We call on the Delaware River Basin Commission to halt Stone Energy’s operations, and not approve their application, or any other applications, until a full environmental impact assessment of fracking in the Delaware River Basin has been conducted,” the council said in a unanimous resolution.

A glass of water taken from a residential well after the start of natural gas drilling in Dimock, Pennsylvania, March 7, 2009. Dimock is one of hundreds of sites in Pennsylvania where energy companies are now racing to tap the massive Marcellus Shale natural gas formation. But some residents say the drilling has clouded their drinking water, sickened people and animals and made their wells flammable. REUTERS/Tim Shaffer. Image may be subject to copyright.

Stone Energy

Stone Energy spokesperson, Tim O’Leary, was reported as saying that fracking posed no danger to the drinking water in the region.

“Stone Energy believes that hydraulic fracturing technologies are a safe and proven method of accessing ample domestic sources of clean natural gas needed by the United States,” O’Leary said.

“Concern about possible ground water contamination from hydraulic fracturing, or ‘fracking,’ has led New York City to call on state authorities to prevent drilling in the city watershed. U.S. Congress members have introduced a bill that would require energy companies to disclose chemicals they use in fracking.” The report said.

“The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which has expressed ‘serious reservations’ about the prospect of fracking in the New York City watershed, said on March 18 it will conduct a national study of the process.”

“I knew the responsible thing to do was to send a strong message that drilling should not occur without an environmental impact statement,” said Philadelphia City Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, who sponsored the resolution.

“Energy companies exploiting vast reserves of shale gas in Pennsylvania and other states say there has never been a proven case of water contamination from fracking, and that the toxic chemicals are injected through layers of steel and concrete thousands of feet below drinking-water aquifers.” The report added.

The energy companies clearly aren’t telling the truth!

‘Diarrhea water’

Fire Earth had earlier noted that

In Dimock, Pennsylvania, drilling for natural gas has clouded the drinking water, sickened people and animals and made their wells flammable.

EPA admits water contaminated near gas-drilling sites

Now, for the first time ever, EPA scientists have revealed that drinking water wells  near natural gas [and oil] drilling operations contain chemical contaminants. They found dangerous chemicals in the water from 11 of 39 wells tested near the Wyoming town of Pavillion in March and May 2009.  Unfortunately, their report  falls shy of concluding what causes the contamination, though it admits the gas drilling is a potential source.

Kudos to Residents of Dimock, Pennsylvania

Residents of Dimock, a small rural Pennsylvania town, have sued Cabot Oil & Gas Corp, claiming the company’s natural-gas drilling has contaminated their wells with deadly chemicals, causing sickness and reducing their property values

Related Links:

• Big Oil Hires Top Environmental Assassins
• NY sanity questioned as state plan shale gas drilling
• EPA admits water contaminated near gas-drilling sites
• ‘Diarrhea water’
• Residents of Dimock in rural Pennsylvania sue Cabot Oil & Gas Corp

• Big Oil Itching to Drill to the Last Straw
• Exxon Pays Peanuts to the Monkeys
• Magnitude 4.0 quake hits Utah near gas fields
• Oil Drilling Likely Caused Texas Earthquake
• NY Quakes Probably Gas Drilling Related

• Disasters Caused by Oil and gas Drilling, Oil Spills, Leaks, Land, Water and Air Pollution