Tribal Court Case Against Line 3 Pipeline Is First to Invoke “Rights of Nature

Update

Propublica story .  Utility company wants to leave its toxic coal fly ash in unlined pits.  One pit has over 16 million tons of this toxic coal ash.  "samples had revealed concerning levels of boron, calcium and sulfate — all indicators of coal ash. There was also evidence of a contaminant researchers had linked to cancer, hexavalent chromium, which had previously been discovered in some California drinking wells by environmental advocate Erin Brockovich"  Activists, environmental attorneys, and neighbors battle the state politicians and Georgia Power lobbyists.- Georgia power wants to create a  weaker  definition of the word" infiltration"  .  It seems they want to just protect the top of waste piles, but want to avoid having to put a lining under the waste to keep the toxics away from groudwater and drinking water.    "You can’t store this waste full of toxic metals in groundwater,” Sams said."

Great article.  Giant ponds of radioactive waste are kept here under the loophole of recycling it. The mill gets some uranium out of the waste, and then the mill puts the  tons of leftover waste into toxic ponds, some of which only have a minimal lining. It has weaker laws to follow as it is not a nuclear waste site.  The tribe expects the toxic ponds to leak. The company wants to import 2000 barrels of radioactive waste from Estonia.  The mill uses its political power to get Utah and Federal agencies to allow it to expand and to be allowed to violate health standards,  The mill claims that increases in plumes of underground pollution are caused naturally or by former mill operators. The 290 acres of toxic tailings ponds are next the Ute tribe's land and the uranium mill.  The Ute tribe fears that their drinking water will be contaminated.  This is on the eastern edge of the Bear's Ears national monument.  Please ask Deb Haaland, Secretary of the Interior,  to protect the tribe, the anir and water, and the wildlife.   Yoland Badback,  a Ute Tribe activist, said,  “I will stand my ground,”  “I will not stop until the day that I get this mill to close and get it cleaned up.”   

article  Here are lists of things that cause air pollution in your home. There are links to more info at the end.

Bill McKibben on climate change and environmental justice.  Lower income people get asthma and lung disease from  the pollution from oil and gas; they also suffer the most from storms, floods, droughts. Young people leading.  Britain's largest pension fund is divesting from fossil fuels.  We need planning, preparation , and competent leadership to deal with climate change.

article This refinery leaks PFAS next to lower income homes in Denver.  many people are getting cancer in the neighborhood.  The oil refinery also leaks benzene.