be quite difficult. The facts should be presented with evidence or at least backup information to support our claims. Studies and laboratory tests could be complicated, and there is a cost implicit in terms of money and time. To provide the communities and the municipality with valid information to educate and to present the situation to other stakeholders, RSOL gives at least three facts related to public health concerns, endangered species that could be affected, and information about the owners of the sites who are impacted by the illegal dumping. The report included several elements using various technologies. First, the area was identified using a coordinate system in order to use the powerful tools offered by Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. This allows us to place the locations on a map and add the necessary layers to evaluate the area according to other information available on platforms such as ESRI. In the case of Puerto Rico, we used information from the Municipal Collection Center (CRIM) to identify the property owners and obtain their contact information. RSOL also included important and reliable sources of information from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Drinking Water Mapping Application to Protect Source Waters (DWMAPS) was another platform used to explore the possible impacts on the Fajardo River near the illegal dumping sites. This page contains information about groundwater reserves, wells, nature reserves, tribal areas, permitted discharge sites, and drinking water suppliers in the area. RSOL also consulted FEMA’s flood area maps to find out how susceptible the flood-impacted area is. In addition to pollution, bulky materials can be a major hazard to bridges and access roads during floods or weather events. Moving these bulky materials on roads or runoff management systems could cause serious problems that would increase losses and insurance costs, as there is a greater risk. Another factor to consider is the effect on the environment and ecosystems impacted by the practice of illegal dumping.Throughout this process, RSOL discovered most of the community members and even some municipal staff were not aware of such details. Other stakeholders may be interested in other environmental elements, including the soil and wildlife. Environmental Pollution’s Effects on Wildlife Through the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service platform, an Information for Planning and Consultation (IPaC) report was generated as a planning tool to be integrated into the environmental review process. In this case, it served as a quick reference for information about sensitive areas previously identified by the agency that included vulnerable species. Three endangered species were identified as affected by the impacted area, including the broad-winged hawk, the Amazona vittata or Puerto Rican parrot, and the Puerto Rican boa, all Puerto Rican endemic species. Other migratory birds were also included and considered
vulnerable according to the report. This information may be relevant for the U.S. Department of Natural Resources or EPA to integrate into a strategic approach to solve the problem. Other groups, such as ecologists or bird lovers, can help spread information and help educate communities about the large-scale effects of improper waste management practices. This information is important to educate the community and train municipal staff so that action can be taken and possible allies and funds can be identified to address the problem. Other approaches considered were the effects of possible contaminants on Fajardo’s drinking water reserves and the possible migration of these contaminants from illegal dumping to those reserves. Fortunately, in this case, it does not seem likely that the illegal dumping areas can influence the tributary that serves the drinking water treatment plant. Hidden Chemicals May Seep Into Our Water It is important to consider that routine tests such as bacteriology and some chemicals may not detect some uncommon substances that may be a part of the waste. Some materials are identified as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in contact with polyvinyl
14 2022, ISSUE 3
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