No more poison in Detroit’s water and air

Latest

Groups gather at Detroit’s Michigan Department of Environmental Quality office to denounce the poisoning of water, dumping of poisons in sewage system, and expansion of hazardous waste plant. PHOTO/DAYMONJHARTLEY.COM
Groups gather at Detroit’s Michigan Department of Environmental Quality office to denounce the poisoning of water, dumping of poisons in sewage system, and expansion of hazardous waste plant.
PHOTO/DAYMONJHARTLEY.COM

 
DETROIT, MI — For too long, corporate polluters have put the profits before human lives in Michigan. The corporation US Ecology has been seeking permission from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) to expand its toxic waste disposal operation from 15,000 to 330,000 tons a day on Georgia Street in Detroit. The corporation transports, treats, and disposes of radioactive, chemical, hazardous and PCB waste from all over the country and then the liquid waste (arsenic, cadmium, cyanide, lead, etc.) is dumped into the Detroit public sewerage system.
The expansion is raising health concerns among our families, friends and those who live directly in the area. The facility is currently located within a mile of a number of schools, houses of worship, a hospital and even a senior center. One minor accident or fail in infrastructure could majorly contaminate the water and poison the entire city of Detroit, including surrounding suburbs that share the same water sources.
We, the Coalition to Oppose the Expansion and Michigan United gathered together and protested outside the state offices in Detroit on May 26, and demanded a meeting with officials from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) on spot to discuss the need to put environmental justice first in Michigan. Our list of demands included:
●  Stop the 10-fold expansion of this hazardous waste plant.
●  Stop dumping toxic and radioactive waste and contaminating Detroit’s water.
●  Continue forward with the CPP state implementation process and support Michigan efforts to move forward with the Clean Power Plan (CPP.)
●  Conduct public input hearings in communities across the state that are most impacted by carbon pollution to hear how this pollution impacts our daily lives.
Valerie Jean of the Detroit Coalition Against Tar Sands (DCATS) initiated the conversation, saying “We are coming together to let the state of Michigan and MDEQ know that they have completely failed us on all fronts.”
Afterwards, I spoke on behalf of Michigan United. Because meanwhile in District 6 where I live, the area code 48217 is the state’s most polluted zip code, the Marathon refinery continues to expose residents to toxins that cause a wide variety of health problems. When President Obama decided to issue rules for energy production that would address such problems, Governor Snyder said Michigan would come up with its own CPP rules.  But when the Federal plan was challenged in court, Snyder halted the process here. Our communities are being poisoned and, for too long, big dirty energy companies have profited from the destruction. They’ve left communities like Detroit with dirty air, poisoned water and dangerous, dead-end jobs.
Our Coalition wants the MDEQ to put the health of our people before corporate polluters and profits. We will not take any of the environmental racism and genocidal practices to destruct our communities anymore. The revolution will not be televised.
Dortheá E. Thomas is an environmental and climate justice organizer. Contact her at dorthea@miunited.org/

+ Articles by this author

Free to republish but please credit the People's Tribune. Visit us at www.peoplestribune.org, email peoplestribune@gmail.com, or call 773-486-3551.

The People’s Tribune brings you articles written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Unsigned articles reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: ©2024 peoplestribune.org. Please donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

Winners and Losers in Trump’s ‘Ugly Bill’

Winners and losers: The bill represents the greatest upward transfer of wealth in U.S. history. It cut health care, food subsidies, raised cost of other necessities to give massive tax breaks to billionaires.

Resistance Against Mass Deportations Webinar Scheduled July 17

The Zooming to the Resistance Against Mass Deportations Coalition is planning the second in a series of webinars exploring how people across the country are fighting mass deportations. During the webinar, scheduled July 17 at 4 p.m. Pacific, a panel of fighters from California cities and the East Coast will share their experience resisting the cruel ICE raids.

Mamdani’s NY Campaign Electrifies Those Seeking a Better Life

Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City, has struck a nerve by voicing the demands of those who are struggling to survive as the cost of living continues to rise.

Another Big Beautiful Betrayal for Rural America

You slash Medicaid, you’re swinging an axe at the heart of our rural hospitals, community clinics, doctors and nurses — and every family that depends on a job for a living. It’s not too late to raise hell.

ICE Terror Campaign Threatens Us All

Several recent Facebook reels show how ICE is ramping up its campaign of terror against immigrants, citizens and protestors alike as the effort to create a police state continues and resistance grows. One creator speaks to the significance of Haitians now being targeted.

More from the People's Tribune