Sami Reindeer Herders Battle To Keep Arctic Culture
"Long winters in -30C temperatures they can handle, but now Norway’s indigenous people are fighting to protect ancient reindeer grazing land from development".
Source: Guardian, 02/22/2016
People & Population
Maine Law Hid Threats to Public from Oil Trains
Maine passed a law in 2015 that allowed railroads to keep oil-train routing information from the public — over the governor's veto. In the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting's Pine Tree Watchdog, Dave Sherwood reports how the provision was a bait-and-switch.
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Failure to Disclose Lead Threats in Drinking Water: Widespread Problem
Bad as it is, the Flint drinking water disaster is hardly uncommon. Even though the law requires authorities to tell the public of dangerous levels of lead in drinking water, they often don't.
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"Residents Of Minority Communities Decry Dumping Of Toxic Coal Ash"
"Evoking the contaminated-water crisis in Flint, Michigan, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights showed concern and compassion Friday for residents of polluted communities who maintain they are victims of environmental racism."
Source: Center for Public Integrity, 02/08/2016
"Feds Forcibly Removed Black Occupiers From Wildlife Refuge In 1979"
"The group's anger was a slow burn. But after decades of being ignored by federal authorities, its members decided to take a very public stand against what they saw as an unjust land grab by the U.S. government."
Source: Portland Oregonian, 02/04/2016
"Sweden's Indigenous Sami People Win Rights Battle Against State"
"Sweden’s nomadic reindeer herders have won a 30-year battle for land rights in a court case that has seen the state accused of racism towards the country’s only indigenous people."
Source: Guardian, 02/04/2016
"U.S. Lawmakers Chastise Officials At All Levels Over Flint Crisis"
"U.S. lawmakers criticized environmental officials at a hearing on Wednesday for not acting sooner when they saw a report that drinking water in Flint, Michigan was polluted with dangerously high levels of lead."
Source: Reuters, 02/04/2016
Group Issues Data Map Showing Poor, Minorities Face More Toxic Risks
Based on a variety of data sources, the Center for Effective Government's new map and database shows that "people of color and poor residents are significantly more likely to live near dangerous chemical facilities than white and non-poor residents" in the U.S.
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Flint Hearing Raises Freedom of Information Concerns
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's openness has been a major issue throughout the crisis of contaminated drinking water in Flint, which has caused lead poisoning of some children. One aspect of the openness issue is the ability of agency employees to speak with journalists; another is unfulfilled FOIA requests.
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"Poor, Minorities Carry The Burden Of Frack Waste In South Texas"
"Poor, heavily Hispanic neighborhoods shoulder a disproportionate fracking wastewater burden in Texas' booming Eagle Ford".
Source: EHN, 02/03/2016
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