Despite official reassurances that residents can safely return to salvage their belongings, the NRDC warns that the soil in New Orleans is dangerously contaminated with toxins.
"Environmental advocates charged Thursday that government regulators were failing to warn the public about contaminants, including heavy metals and banned pesticides, left behind in the soil by Hurricane Katrina's flood. Some of the most contaminated sites, the Natural Resources Defense Council said after reviewing government tests and conducting their own, are in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward, which was opened to the public for the first time Thursday so residents could try to salvage their belongings.
"But Gina Solomon, who led the research team, said residents could become ill by inhaling or touching contaminated sediment. Long-term risks could include cancer, neurological disease and reproductive-system ailments, she said...The Natural Resources Defense Council said its tests revealed traces â€" and high levels, in some cases â€" of a slew of toxins, including arsenic, lead, banned pesticides and mercury.
"'This isn't an isolated problem,' Solomon said. 'It spans the entire city, every area where the floodwaters touched...'"
FULL STORY: Safety of Soil Is Disputed

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

End Human Sacrifices to the Demanding Gods of Automobile Dependency and Sprawl
The U.S. has much higher traffic fatality rates than peer countries due to automobile dependency and sprawl. Better planning can reduce these human sacrifices.

Seattle Transit Asked to Clarify Pet Policy
A major dog park near a new light rail stop is prompting calls to update and clarify rules for bringing pets on Seattle-area transit systems.

Oregon Bill Would End Bans on Manufactured Housing
The bill would prevent new developments from prohibiting mobile homes and modular housing.

Nashville Doesn’t Renew Bike Share Contract, Citing Lost Federal Funding
The city’s bike share system, operated by BCycle, could stop operating if the city doesn’t find a new source of funding.
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