Toxic Dump Sites, EPA Superfund Sites, and New Orleans
By: Lance Winslow
As the damage assessment of New Orleans is completed it is fairly obvious that most of the original estimates were quite shallow. In fact on Think Tank puts the damage cost to the Federal Government Obligation alone at $155 Billion Dollars. Much of this money will be in rebuilding weakened sections of the levee, burning the remnants of flooded buildings and homes or building new levees on higher ground. Of course no matter what we have the makings of some pretty polluted ground water once the flooded area is drained. The Department of Environmental Quality declared that massive quantities of hazardous material from destroyed Industrial facilities. Currently there are many gas line fires and chemical fires still burning, some underwater.
We have now oil spills, chemical leaks and ruptured gas lines on top of spilled sewage, human waste, dead decaying bodies of animals and people. The water is tainted and now as it retreats and is pumped into Lake Pontchartrain, the lake too is contaminated. Just forget about fishing, eating local shrimp, catfish, crabs or anything of the sort, as you are likely to find glowing crawdads? Help!
They are saying that at least 200,000 homes were flooded and at least 1.2 cars per house and that means household toxic waste, automotive fluids like; oil, anti-freeze, hydraulic fluid, brake fluid, transmission fluid, gasoline and diesel fuel. Diesel fuel alone contaminated 1 million gallons beyond the EPA safe levels for every “One Gallon” dumped into water, which is already fresh. Folks the Water in Lake Pontchartrain or the water, which will be pumped in from the New Orleans Soup Bowl is anything but fresh? Any water, which soaks into the ground has contaminated the ground water now too.
There were two major oil spills already known in the area; one is 68,000 barrels of oil and one, which is 10,000 barrels of oil. Hurricane Katrina damaged 500 Sewage treatment plants and last count was over 280 known sources of leaking gas or hydrocarbons and that is only what they know about? This disaster is going to cost a lot more money than people are aware of. Think on this.
Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/