2006.07.04 – FISHING FOR TRUTH ON THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

The Times News, © 2006

July 4, 2006

Health problems are nothing new to people living in certain sections of Rush Township and, hopefully, a new survey will be enough to prove that something is mighty wrong there.

According to a TIMES NEWS article that ran on Thursday’s front page, the Army for a Clean Environment (ACE) has asked a New York law firm that specializes in environmental issues to come to town and examine the problem.

This will be done through surveys area residents will fill out and return. The results should be a real eye-opener.

In a recent newspaper advertisement, ACE said the primary responsibility of government is to protect citizens from harm.

“Based on our numerous exposures to toxic chemicals and the increased levels of health problems in our area, we must conclude that the government is not doing their job,” the ad said.

How true.

While I’m not one to subscribe to conspiracy theories, it’s pretty hard to believe our government agencies when they say there’s no problem along Ben Titus Road, or other places impacted by illegal and toxic dumping. It’s rather obvious that a true cover-up has been going on here for years and some people are asking just how many have to get sick, or die, until the powers that be admit something is horribly wrong with the situation.

I guess they’re just hoping people forget about the toxic terror up on the Spring Mountain. Or, that it might magically disappear. It didn’t happen and it’s not going to happen.

Government agencies almost broke their arms patting themselves on the back after the reported cleanup of the site, which was little more than a bogus operation made to look like something was being done to address the problem.

Of course, they forget to take a look at one tiny problem – the amount of toxic chemicals dumped into the mines. Then, in a brazen display of misinformation, it was reported that any toxins dumped underground would travel west, instead of south, which is downhill – straight downhill to the Still Creek Reservoir.

The saddest thing is, they expected people to buy their cock and bull story. Speaking of the Still Creek Reservoir, it was interesting to note that the TIMES NEWS, also on Thursday, carried a police item saying two people were cited for fishing in the reservoir. An interesting and ironic fact is that fishing is not allowed there, for some reason.

With all the uproar about pollution there, it can certainly make people wonder what’s up. After all, it’s not uncommon for water companies to allow fishing in their water sources. The City of Reading, for one, is a good example. Perhaps it’s because of liability issues, and I truly hope that’s the case.

Of course, there’s also the topic that fish with tumors were reportedly caught in the Still Creek Reservoir. I don’t think too many people would want to let that cat out of the bag.

If, finally, the study returns the results everybody expected before, it’s going to point to a problem, one that could make the Love Canal look like a gallon of gas spilled in the middle of a parking lot.

This region has for many years been the dumping ground of the east and in almost every instance, the public is led to believe that everything is just ducky and the various diseases are normal for the population density.

But, we all know that it’s not normal. Somebody has been, and is, lying. And, it’s not the many people suffering with cancer.

That’s for sure.