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In March 1999, the federal Environmental Protection Agency
started lead soil contamination testing at child care centers and
at the homes
of children
with elevated
blood
lead levels that were in the path of prevailing winds from the
ASARCO facility.
About 42 percent of the 1,700 yards tested had
at least 400 parts per million (ppm) of lead, considered the threshold
for concern. Between 26 and 42 percent of children tested over
a six-year period during the 1990’s had elevated blood lead
levels over 10 ppm (Nancy Gaarder and Matt Kelly, “Council
Majority, Terry Back Superfund Listing,” Omaha World Herald,
1A, December 15, 2001).
As a result of these tests, the EPA proposed
in February 2002 to put the Omaha Lead site on the Superfund priority
cleanup list. On April 30, 2003 the Omaha lead site was officially
named as an EPA Superfund site.
The Omaha lead site, which is one of the largest residential lead sites in the
country, involves environmental justice issues because the areas nearest the
ASARCO industrial facility, where the highest percentages of children with elevated
blood lead levels were found, are predominantly minority and low income neighborhoods.
It is in these neighborhoods that the Building Environmental Communities (BEC)
campaign is focused. By using grassroots organizing the Sierra Club has been
assisting the community organizations by informing Omahans about the Omaha Lead
Site.
Sierra Club and several other community groups and concerned citizens
have joined together to form the Community Action Group (CAG).
Together we are holding the EPA responsible for aiding us in cleaning
up this mess and making ASARCO and other responsible parties pay
for the mess they have caused. However, we still have a long way
to go before this battle is won.
If you are interested in helping with the efforts of the CAG or
the Omaha Healthy Kids Alliance contact Cammy at 402-551-9480 or
camellia.watkins@sierraclub.org.
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