Thoughts: Education is the best possible route toward combating dangers to the public!

Source: Quest Tec Solutions

While the federal agencies are responsible for guarding the health and well-being of the public in the United States, the same agencies do not always have the health interests of the people in mind.  Of course, that sounds strange since that is what the duty they are charged with as an agency.



A recent example is in Belmont County, Ohio, the site of a newly proposed ethane cracking plant.  The plans have brought education of the associated dangers to the forefront of the discussion:

Jill Hunkler, a member of the Sierra Club, worries about the health risks associated with the proposed petrochemical facility, and she has voiced her opinion at several public hearings on the plant.

“Our main goal is to educate people on the health risks, because local authorities and agencies aren’t telling the other side of the story,” she said.

The Ohio EPA took those concerns into account and issued a modified wastewater discharge permit and an air permit for the plant.

Activists like Jill Hunkler are heroes for their perseverance to educate the public regarding the potential risks right outside of their houses.  One person alone cannot save a small town by herself.  But safety in numbers works both ways.  Large groups of homeowners and concerned citizens can reverse a decision if their collective argument presents a formidable political obstacle for a politician.



The town of Belmont County should be concerned, as noted in the excerpt above.  Especially, since after the citizens raised concern over to the addition of a new chemical plant (ethane), the Ohio EPA changed their permit from the original version.  That in of itself should be of concern to the town's citizen.



Educating the town is the correct avenue to achieve safety for one city.  The news above serves as a great example of the benefits of collective activism.  Each city in America needs Jill Hunkler advocating for a safe environment. If this was the case, then the United States might not have a significant number of SuperFund Sites which still need rehabilitation (soil remediation).  The example above serves as a benchmark for all of us to achieve in our own community.



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