Poverty near the “high hazard” coal ash sites

[ensho]

http://www.grist.org/article/poverty-near-the-high-hazard-coal-ash-sites


The public’s right-to-know scored a victory this week when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finally released the list of the 44 coal ash sites deemed “high hazard.” This comes two weeks after a coalition of organizations including the Sierra Club filed a Freedom of Information Act request demanding the release of the list.

Since then we’ve been crunching some numbers to learn more this list of coal ash storage sites. First of all, we’ve put the 44 sites onto Google Maps so you can see just how close you are to one.

-maps snip-

After doing some demographic research on these locations, we’ve also noticed that 20 of the coal ash storage sites are in areas where high percentages of people live below the poverty line (some sites have more than one pond). For example, in Louisa, Ky., where the Big Sandy coal ash storage site operated by American Electric Power is located, more than 29% of the community lives below the poverty line.

For some perspective, more than 12% of Americans nationwide live below the poverty line.

Another example is the coal ash site located at Allegheny Power’s Pleasants Power Station near Willow Island, West Virginia. There, more than 20% of the community lives below the poverty line. Yet another example comes from the site with the most coal ash storage ponds in one location: Cochise, Arizona, with its eight storage ponds at the Apache Station operated by Arizona Electric Power Corporation. In Cochise, more than 19% of residents live below the poverty line. (All our city data comes from the 2000 Census)

(the rates of poverty is much higher now in 2009)

-snip-

It’s important to point out that these sites are listed as hazardous due to the location and condition of the dams, NOT because of the pollution stored behind them and whether or not it is seeping out into local drinking water. These 44 sites are places where a dam failure would likely result in a loss of life. We still don’t know just how many of the hundreds of coal ash sites nationwide are leaking toxic pollution into local drinking water supplies, but evidence is mounting that dozens of communities are living with that nightmare every day.

-snip-

Tell your Senator to push for coal ash regulations.
-snip-
---------------------------

[Javaman]

1. just more disposable people to the US government.

can't let them get in the way of economic growth, can we?

:banghead: