From the Guerrilla News Network
“Recent evidence suggests that increased breast cancer incidence in the Long Island counties of Suffolk and Nassau, as well as Westchester County north of New York City, is related to radiation-contaminated drinking water. This is due to radioactive contamination of the Croton River watershed reservoirs; the watershed is located only about five miles downwind to the northeast from the Indian Point nuclear plant that has released radioactive fission products since the early 1960s.”
Cross-applying this conclusion from Indian Point to the Hunters Point watershed, we will see the same result in the surrounding communities. Decades of radioactive waste, washed into the Bay daily through broken tidal gates and leaking storm drains at the Shipyard, created a watertable that is surely carrying radiation. As with the Croton River in New York, some of this waste was carried away and became the bottom of the Bay.
This piqued my interest. Obviously, it has the environmental impact thing written all over it, with a dash of environmental classism, two of my favorites! However, at our recent Americorps meeting, we had a member of an affordable housing coalition group talk about how great the purchase of this land was (they sold it for a dollar). I’m dubious now, and at least a little concerned about whether or not building on this would be safe. The other side of it is that in the city, the problems with housing are legendary. The cost of living here is
100% more than the average in America, and nearly no one can afford to own a house, renting is only marginally easier for those with families. Should they be denied affordable housing alternatives to satisfy some enviromentalists’ fears? I’m not sure. There’s a solution, but I don’t know what it is.
justinª