SUMMER 2023 ISSUE Focus on Health and Environment MISSION Our food, water, and climate are under constant assault by corporations who put profit over the survival of humanity. They have seized control of the very institutions that were built to protect us. We mobilize people to reclaim their political power, hold our elected officials accountable, and resist corporate control — ensuring we all have the essential resources we need to thrive. This is a fight we must win because this planet is the only one we get.
Thank You For Fighting Like You Live Here!
PUBLIC HEALTH NIGHTMARE IN THE WAKE OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER
SUMMER 2023 ISSUE Health and Environmental
Buddy Dreas Fights Like He Lives Here By Giving Monthly
3 Things You Can Do to Protect Our Water from PFAS
Fears Linger After Train Derailment
HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL FEARS LINGER AFTER TRAIN DERAILMENT
A MESSAGE FOR YOU I’m sure you were as
distraught as I was when you saw the horrific image of the black plume from Norfolk Southern’s train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this year. That toxic smoke came from a deci- sion by officials to burn over 100,000 gallons of vinyl chloride from five derailed cars. Evacuated residents were told it was safe to return home after only a couple of days. Meanwhile, fish in nearby streams were dying, and contaminants were found in downstream water systems. People getting sick were understand- ably afraid to drink their tap water. This tragic derailment happened on the border of Pennsylvania, directly impacting our organizers living there. We jumped into action to help affected families, even joining a town hall meeting with Erin Brockovich. When we discovered that officials were not testing for dioxin, a byproduct of burning vinyl chloride, our team worked with local universities to get free environmen- tal testing for impacted residents. We owe our rapid response capa- bilities to you. Your investment is what allows us to meet the demands of crises like this head- on. Thank you for your generosity!
From derailment to toxic crisis The initial derailment triggered a fireball that raged near train cars filled with hazardous materials, notably vinyl chloride, a toxic, highly-flammable chemical. Fearing an explosion, emergency crews urged residents within a one-mile radius to evacu- ate. They then began to vent and burn off the vinyl chloride, creating a black plume that towered over East Palestine. A strong odor lingered weeks after the fire. People as far as 25 miles away reported symptoms such as headaches, coughing, and burning of the skin. In February 2023, a Norfolk Southern train derailed in the small town of East Palestine, Ohio, marking one of the country’s biggest environmental disasters. In the days following the crash, massive fires sent a dark cloud of toxic smoke over communities in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The public health response has been a mess, leaving fami- lies angry, confused, and scared.
Emily Wurth Managing Director of Organizing
Cover: Food & Water Watch Pennsylvania Organizer, David Pfister in East Palestine, OH. Photo by Under the Midnight Sun Photography
1 | SUMMER 2023
Crews remove contaminated soil and water in the massive clean-up effort at the derailment site. Photo by Ted Auch, FracTracker Alliance, 2023.
Family pets and wildlife fell ill or died. Toxins from the crash killed nearly 44,000 animals in local waterways and also spilled into the Ohio River, a source of drinking water throughout the region. As residents in and around East Palestine worry about their safety, experts fear that the full consequences of this environmental disaster may not appear for decades. The toxic chemicals and the toxic response People living and working near the derailment site have every reason to worry. Vinyl chloride is very toxic. Even at low levels, long-term exposure has been linked to cancer and health issues in nearly every major organ
system in the body. Moreover, burning vinyl chloride releases dioxins — a class of chemicals so dangerous that they have wiped out entire towns such as
high-profile being BP’s 2010 Deep Water Horizon oil spill. Norfolk Southern only tested within the one-mile evacuation zone even though people up to
15 miles away reported symptoms of exposure. They didn’t do the type of testing experts recommended to accu- rately assess for safety. Even worse, it was over a month after the vent and burn before they
The people living and working near the derailment site have every reason to worry. Vinyl chloride is very toxic.
Times Beach, Missouri and Love Canal, Niagara Falls. After the derailment, the Envi- ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered Norfolk Southern to begin environmental testing. But their testing was flawed in many ways. They hired CTEH — a company notorious for downplaying public health dangers after disasters caused by corporations, the most
began testing for dioxins*.
Health and Environmental Fears - continue on Page 3 >
* Chemical analysis has shown distressing levels of dioxins in the soil at East Palestine. While these levels don’t meet federal minimums to legally require an EPA cleanup, they do exceed EPA’s minimum for cancer risk by several hundred times.
FOOD & WATER WATCH / ACTION — LIVABLE FUTURE NOW | 2
You are fighting to protect other communities from toxic rail disasters Food & Water Watch and our allies have been sounding the alarm about the dangers of transporting hazardous materi- als by rail. Together, we are: • Pressuring the Department of Transportation for strong rail safety regulations and to classi- fy trains like Norfolk Southern’s as “high-hazard flammable trains,” which require stricter safety measures to operate • Calling on the EPA to ban vinyl chloride — a grave threat to public health and our land, air, and water. Thank you for fighting like you live here!
Twelve days after the derailment, residents crowd into the local high school gym for the first town hall meeting with Norfolk Southern officials. Norfolk did not show up, citing concerns of a "growing physical threat" to their employees. Photo by Ted Auch, FracTracker Alliance, 2023.
>Health and Environmental Fears - continued from Page 2
How you are helping communities affected by the disaster Residents deserve to know if their air is safe to breathe and if their water is safe to drink. And, understandably, they don’t trust information coming from Norfolk Southern or the EPA. Because of you, Food & Water Watch has been able to provide people in need with: • Free, unbiased water, soil, and indoor surface testing by part- nering with local universities
• Free whole-home air filtration by partnering with the Clean Air Council. And together, we’re urging Governors Shapiro of Pennsylvania and DeWine of Ohio to: • Fund independent environ- mental testing for all impact- ed communities • Provide medical monitoring, so all residents and first responders can learn about their exposure and health.
Why We Need to Ban Vinyl Chloride
Scan this QR code to read more about the dangers of vinyl chloride.
fwwat.ch/NeedVCBan
ON THE GROUND
David Wants You to Remember the Derailment Disaster
Food & Water Watch Pennsyl- vania Organizer David Pfister grew up in Beaver County, Pennsylvania — right across the state border from East Pales- tine, Ohio. His parents live 15 miles from the Norfolk Southern derailment site. David says, “It’s been rough. Nothing is compelling Norfolk Southern to tell the truth about
releasing toxins. We need proper regulatory structures to hold them accountable.”
I don’t want this to be a forgotten situation and there to be adverse health effects for people ten years down the line.
Organizer, David Pfister. Photo by Under the Midnight Sun Photography
3 | SUMMER 2023
DONOR SPOTLIGHT Buddy Dreas Fights Like He Lives Here by Giving Monthly Please introduce yourself to our readers. I’m Buddy Dreas, a retired deep-sea diver. I worked in oil fields as a diving consultant, salvaged wrecks, and hunted treasure in waters all around the world. I currently live in New Orleans, Louisiana. How did you hear about Food & Water Watch, and what motivated you to make your first gift? Food & Water Watch found me in 2019 when my 12-year-old neighbor showed
Left: Buddy Dreas' diving school graduation photo from 1978 / Right: Buddy at a 1980s project to salvage World War I German Battleships.
saying Corexit was safe. Despite proof that Corexit is highly toxic, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) still approves it for use in oil spills. Big Oil and Government… this is what we're up against. If you were talking to someone about giving to and getting involved with Food & Water Watch/Food & Water Action, what would you tell them? I would tell them that Food & Water Watch is a knowledgeable group of passionate envi- ronmentalists fighting on our behalf for the welfare of humanity and our planet. Without their dedication to education, truth, and social justice, we wouldn’t have a voice. Because I give, when they fight like they live here, so do I. What gives you hope for the future? I’d love to see students worldwide start their own version of “The Starfish Kids” as an after- school program that will lead to all schools incorporating climate change into their curric- ulum. I hope kids unite to become a force for climate change awareness. I received my first Food & Water Watch flyer with a US map showing current and potential fracking sites… It resonated with me immediately — I’ve been a monthly donor ever since.
me a copy of her climate change homework. As I read it, my inner voice said, “It’s time to learn more.” Two days later, I had ten kids at my house writing down all they knew about climate change. We called our group “The Starfish Kids.” That same day I received my first Food & Water Watch flyer with a US map showing current and potential fracking sites. It was titled, “What you need to know: frightening facts about fracking.” It resonated with me immediately — I’ve been a monthly donor ever since. How do issues Food & Water Watch works on impact where you live and the world around you? In 2010, British Petroleum’s (BP) Deepwater Horizon exploded, causing the biggest oil spill in US history. I was scheduled to oversee a dive job in an oilfield eight miles north of Deepwater soon after the blowout. That was canceled due to safety concerns. I was lucky. After the blowout, thousands of fishermen, unemployed because of the spill, worked in the clean-up effort, exposing themselves to a chem- ical oil dispersant called Corexit. Many of them broke out in rashes, coughed up blood, and had respiratory issues. Some suffer to this day. I learned later that not only did BP lowball the volume of the spill, they also lied to workers
FOOD & WATER WATCH / ACTION — LIVABLE FUTURE NOW | 4
New Report on the Water Crisis in California
Things You Can Do to Protect Our Water from PFAS
Good news for drinking water! In March, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first federal, enforceable limits on six types of PFAS to make our drinking water safer. PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down in the environ- ment, are everywhere — found in everything from food packing to non-stick pans — and are a widespread contaminant in our water. Health risks include cancer and immune and reproductive system harm. Because of you, Food & Water Watch fights every day to ensure that every person has access to safe, clean, affordable, public tap water. These PFAS limits are just the beginning. Here are three things you can do now to ensure safer drink- ing water for everyone.
In Tombstone Territory, Michael Torres’ home well has run dry. His community is surrounded by big agribusinesses growing water-intensive crops.
Despite this year’s heavy rain and snow- fall in California, a long-term ground- water crisis continues throughout the Central Valley. Our new report, “ Fighting for the Human Right to Water in Tombstone Territory, California ,” features stories from a community near Fresno, where home water wells have dried up. The area is dominated by industrial farms growing water-intensive crops like almonds, and they are drilling deeper and deeper for ever-scarcer water. Shallower residential wells can’t compete, and are running dry. “Water is a human right, not a commod- ity to be bought and sold for profit,” said Food & Water Watch California Director Chirag G. Bhakta. “Families are forced to go without water because they can’t afford to drill deep wells the way big agribusiness can. The Governor must immediately address corporate water abuse and cut back water allocations for thirsty crops.”
Tell the EPA to regulate all PFAS Regulating six PFAS chemicals is just a start. Urge the EPA to regulate the entire class of PFAS chemicals and reject any calls to weaken these standards! fwwat.ch/RegulatePFAS Tell President Biden to ban PFAS altogether PFAS contamination is growing across the country. Urge President Biden to step in and fight back against corporate polluters and ban the entire class of PFAS! fwwat.ch/BanPFAS Tell Congress to pass the WATER Act The WATER Act will help communities repair broken water systems and tackle health crises, like PFAS and lead pipes. Urge your members of Congress to
See Our New Report
Scan this QR Code to read "Fighting for the Human Right to Water in Tombstone Territory, California"
co-sponsor the WATER Act! fwwat.ch/SupportWATERAct
fwwat.ch/fighting-for-water
5 | SUMMER 2023
YOUR FOOD & WATER WATCH AT WORK
ACTION SHOTS!
Less than two years ago, together, we banned gas hookups in new buildings in New York City. Now we celebrate another triumph by banning gas hookups in new buildings throughout New York State with the passage of the All-Electric Buildings Act .
With this new law requiring electric-only power, New York will significantly reduce air pollution, move closer to meeting its climate goals, and set a powerful exam- ple for the rest of the country. Together we’ll carry this momentum into urgent fights against fossil fuels across the country.
Earlier this year in March, Food & Water Watch members and supporters gathered outside New York Governor Hochul’s office in Albany to support the All- Electric Buildings Act.
FEATURED VICTORY
water pollution — a first in 15 years! Its decision came in response to a lawsuit Food & Water Watch filed in 2021. The study will help the EPA determine whether and how to strengthen regulation of this dirty industry. Food & Water Watch Legal Director Tarah Heinzen says, “For decades, EPA’s lax rules have allowed for devastating and widespread public health and environmental impacts on vulnerable communities across the country. This is a critical opportunity for the agency to
finally obtain crucial informa- tion about the true scope of factory farm water pollution.”
See More of Your Impact!
Together we’ve made incredible strides toward sustainable food, clean and affordable water, and a livable future for all. Scan this QR code to see more of your investment at work.
Waste lagoon at an industrial hog farm
In late January, the Environ- mental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would begin a study of factory farm
fwwat.ch/summer23wins
FOOD & WATER WATCH / ACTION — LIVABLE FUTURE NOW | 6
UPCOMING EVENTS
Switch to EFT Giving for Greater Impact! Did you know that making your monthly gift directly from your
JOIN US FOR Livable Future LIVE!
Livable Future LIVE! is our monthly virtual education series featuring the latest environmental news and sharing what you can do to protect our food, water, and climate.
JULY 19, 3 PM ET Creative Activism: Using Art to Protect Our Planet SEPTEMBER 13, 7 PM ET Perilous Bounty : A Conversation About Farm Policy with Author Tom Philpott
JUNE 21, 3 PM ET How Microplastics Affect Our Health & Environment AUGUST 19, 3 PM ET The Colorado River Basin: Water Security in the West
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A gains t A ll Od d s
returns this fall for a 2-day hybrid event! October 11, 2023 Virtual Conference 3:30 – 5:00 pm ET October 12, 2023 Reception in New York City 6:00 – 8:30 pm ET
Celebrate our incredible community of activists and learn how you can protect our planet!
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foodandwaterwatch.org Food & Water Watch is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that educates and advocates for safe food, clean water, and a livable climate. Gifts to Food & Water Watch are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. foodandwateraction.org Food & Water Action is our affiliated 501(c)4 nonprofit that mobilizes people to win campaigns that builds political power. Gifts to Food & Water Action Fund are not tax deductible.
MISSION Our food, water, and climate are under constant assault by corporations who put profit over the survival of humanity. They have seized control of the very institutions that were built to protect us. We mobilize people to reclaim their political power, hold our elected officials accountable, and resist corporate control — ensuring we all have the essential resources we need to thrive. This is a fight we must win because this planet is the only one we get.
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