A Civil Action: book by Jonathan Harr 1995

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A Civil Action book by Jonathan Harr (1995)
film (Steven Zallian director 1996)
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Appearance of leaves Lowell Ma May 30
1868 May 30, 2005
AJC 3/20/08
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Well G online 1964 Well H online 1967
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Well G online 1964 Well H online 1967 Wells
taken Out of operation In 1979 Numerous Citizen
complaints About smell, taste
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WR Grace Plant used Trichloroethylene (TCE) as A
degreaser
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WR Grace Plant used Trichloroethylene (TCE) as A
degreaser During trial Employees Admitted Dumping
TCE Out back
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John J Riley Managed Riley Tannery
formerly Owned it Beatrice Foods Bought it c.
1978
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Riley never Admitted Using TCE But they
Routinely Dumped Chemicals Into a Settling
pond
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And liquid Was ultimately Dumped In
Boston Harbor Through Sewage Pipes 2nd
largest Polluter Of the harbor
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15 acre site Next to Tannery Contaminated With
various chemicals
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Houses show Some? Locations Of childhood leukemia

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Woburn Had 36,000 Residents In 1970 28
cases Childhood Leukemia 1964-mid 80s
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4 x normal rate
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Aquifers are porous and permeable aquitards are
not
Groundwater flows
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Contaminants Move as Part of A plume
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(No Transcript)
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Safe Drinking Water Act (1974, Amended 1986,
1996) Regulates all Public water Supplies gt25
people)
Tannery production Well gt 500 ppm TCE
183 ppm TCE
267 ppm TCE
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Safe Drinking Water Act (1974, Amended 1986,
1996) Regulates all Public water Supplies gt25
people)
Tannery production Well gt 500 ppm TCE
183 ppm TCE
267 ppm TCE
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Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA Administered By
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Tannery production Well gt 500 ppm TCE
183 ppm TCE
267 ppm TCE
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SWDA Establishes Maximum Contaminant Levels
(MCL) in Drinking water
Tannery production Well gt 500 ppm TCE
183 ppm TCE
267 ppm TCE
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For TCE The MCL Is 0 ppm
Tannery production Well gt 500 ppm TCE
183 ppm TCE
267 ppm TCE
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Net result Grace settled for 8 million dollars
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Net result Grace settled for 8 million
dollars Each family received several hundred
thousand dollars
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Net result Grace settled for 8 million
dollars Each family received several hundred
thousand dollars Schlichtmann went bankrupt
(since recovered)
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Net result Grace settled for 8 million
dollars Each family received several hundred
thousand dollars Schlichtmann went bankrupt
(since recovered) Beatrice, Grace and 3 other
landowners paying Millions of dollars for site
cleanup under Superfund
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Net result Grace settled for 8 million
dollars Each family received several hundred
thousand dollars Schlichtmann went bankrupt
(since recovered) Beatrice, Grace and 3 other
landowners paying Millions of dollars for site
cleanup as a Superfund site 1980 (reauthorized
1986, 1994) Comprehensive Environmental Response
Compensation Liability Act Superfund law
current owner can be Forced to clean up site
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Lesson Prevention is key
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• More info
• http//www.elmhurst.edu/chm/onlcourse/chm110/issu
  es/issue6B98.html
• Website for Chemistry class at Elmhurst
• College, CE Ophardt professor