Clean Watershed Campaign

If Not Now, When?

“In my experience, Dow only enters into negotiations if they can cut a better deal for themselves, not the environment.”

Former EPA Region V Administrator, Mary Gade

Greetings:

After spending the summer negotiating behind closed doors Region V EPA recently announced an agreement has been reached with Dow Chemical. The plan should be released to the public for comment in mid-October.  We invite you to come often to Cleanwatershedcampaign.org for perspective and commentary of the process, plans, public involvement and progress as EPA attempts to move Dow Chemical off the dime.

With Dow the past is prologue. Keep that in mind. We arrive at this juncture with EPA taking over the lead from the state due to a succession of governors unwilling to stand up to Dow, enforce state law, defend the Saginaw Bay Watershed and the right of families to live safely on their property. Dow’s chemicals have touched generations of children while the company unabashed plays hardball at great cost to the taxpayers and the health of the community.

There are those who insist we look forward and not dwell on the past 30 years. This admonition, however, is just too convenient and self-serving. It ensures that the sordid political interventions continue uncorrected and unconstrained. It gives a sort of get out of jail free card to the offenders who prop up Dow Chemical at the expense of public participation, public health protection and restoration of natural resources. It perpetuates years of failure to hold Dow accountable. It makes a mockery of open government and community right to know. Across the board it says accountability doesn’t matter.

Lone Tree Council Chairman Terry Miller and the Ecology Center’s Tracey Easthope, along with myself, will posting to this website. We have invited others to submit relevant vignettes for the Currents portion of this website. Dave Dempsey, Dr. Brian McKenna, Pam Pugh and Marcia Woodman are our first Currents contributors.

We encourage you to continue to visit the Tittabawassee River Watch site at: www.trwnews.net  as so many of you have over the years for all the news and nuance surrounding   Dow’s dioxin contamination in the Great Lakes Bay Region.

The narrative of this contamination is long, ugly and repetitious. As in the past Lone Tree Council will impart its voice on this contamination, the process and the need for fresh air and sunlight. We will remain vigilant in our demand for a good cleanup, for environmental justice, accountability by our government, for transparency and a legitimate and meaningful place at the table for the people, the river and the bay.  EPA insisted we hold their feet to the fire and we are happy to oblige. Please come back often.

MHR
Michelle Hurd Riddick

Lone Tree Council

michdave@aol.com