11/27/2017
DALLAS COUNTY’S WEST DALLAS RSR LEAD SMELTER SUPERFUND RESPONSIBILITIES
Presented to the Dallas County Commissioners’ Court by Richard P, Sheridan, P.E., N.Y – A 14 Year Dallas Activist March 7, 2017
For nearly 20 years our town crier William Hopkins has been going to City Hall, and coming to the Commissioners’ Court to say. “PEOPLE ARE DYING IN WEST DALLAS!!!” . Mr. Hopkins has not been alone in this work. I’ve attached a list of 16 other speakers who have also spoken at city hall and here over the years.
There is no way that I can communicate in 3 minutes all of the details of the BIGGEST CASE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM in Dallas history. Therefore, I’ve attached a speech that I gave to this court in July, 2014. There is no question in my mind, with a Masters’ Degree in Environmental Engineering, that Mr. Hopkins is right, that many, many people are still dying from the lead spewed in the air in West Dallas for over 50 years.
Based on all of the information that is available, the Environmental Protection Agency has not nearly addressed the public health aspects of the RSR Superfund site, focusing almost totally on the material, on the lead contaminated soils. However, even in that area, the EPA has failed miserably. In December, 2012, the Dallas Morning News reported that about 1/3rd of the soils in West Dallas still had unacceptable levels of lead. At a meeting in West Dallas over a year ago an EPA representative was heard saying that if a resident wants their soils tested for lead, all they had to do was to contact the EPA. Now that’s what I call action…NOT!!! There are still many children…black, brown, and white(see the picture of the boy with unacceptable levels of lead in his blood)…playing in their backyards with unacceptable levels of lead. Why won’t the EPA be proactive, and go back and test the soils of every home in West Dallas? It is because some in our federal government value money more than human lives? Or is it because of RACISM, as most of the victims are black?
If the EPA has abandoned its responsibility in addressing the public health aspects of the RSR Superfund site, then the question is: DOES DALLAS COUNTY HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITY? Does the county have a legal responsibility? Certainly there is a moral responsibility, according to the Hippocratic Oath, to help save the lives of the approximate 12,000 now dying of lead poisoning in West Dallas. If Dallas County decides to take the high road, and not shirk from its responsibility in this matter, then here’s a suggested approach:
1. After the county confirms the ongoing sicknesses from lead poisoning, then the county contacts the EPA and demands that they address the public health aspects of the RSR Superfund site.
2. If they refuse, than the county would conduct an epidemiological study of the West Dallas area. In this study the MORTALITY RATE would be determined. As an example, my simple calculation found that West Dallas has a mortality rate of about 20 deaths per 1000 population. The average national mortality rate is about 8 deaths per 1000 population.
3. Once it is found that West Dallas has an unusually high mortality rate, the next step would be to measure the lead content in the bones of the people who are manifesting the various symptoms associated with lead poisoning. Lead testing of the blood is virtually useless, since the lead that may have been in the blood is virtually gone in about 2 months, because about 90% of the lead that once was in the blood is absorbed by the bones. The lead is then slowly released back into the blood over the years, with the subsequent manifestation of the associated diseases.
4. The last step is to treat all those who have been found to have unacceptable levels of lead in their bones. The most effective treatment is chelation therapy which involves the introduction of either man-made chemicals, or natural remedies into the blood stream.
Finally, who is going to pay for the total cost of this work? To me the answer is very obvious…THE EPA MUST PAY FOR IT!!! Since EPA has been derelict in its responsibility in not completing the public health aspects of this Superfund site, it is certainly very appropriate, and just that they pay for all costs.
I pray that Dallas County takes the right and moral action to help save the lives of those now dying of lead poisoning.
