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The Safe Side of the Fence

World War II's Manhattan Project required the refinement of massive amounts of uranium, and St. Louis-based Mallinckrodt Chemical Works took on the job.

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Botamina

This artical taliking about new jersey urban water quality. Now CSO finding a solution to that hazard. It allready taken substantial steps toward reducing or ending overflows. This “solids and floatables” control is an example of system optimization,This also has reduced the amount of trash getting dumped into waterways via CSO outfalls.

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Botamina

Air pollution is a huge issue nowadays, and it has a side effect on people's health as well. Air pollution divided into different type of pollution (Climate Change, Toxic Pollutants,  Protecting the Stratospheric Ozone Layer, etc). Each one of this hase a negative effects on public health. First Climate Change,  it is expected to lead to more intense hurricanes and storms, heavier and more frequent flooding, increased drought and that lead to death or injuries. Second Toxic Pollutants, it basically causes cancer, "EPA’s most recent national assessment of inhalation risks from air toxics12 estimated that the whole nation experiences lifetime cancer risks above ten in a million, and that almost 14 million people in more than 60 urban locations have lifetime cancer risks greater than 100 in a million." (EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency, para 41). 

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rramos

One process to consider is that alot of Newark Environmental and Public Health laws had not been changed since the 1950's, so that allowed for continuing of neglegence over the course of history in terms of environmental justice. Other social processes that might have played a part is race and class. Low-rise and dense housing for low-income and minority civilians have become major victims of careless industrialization.

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rramos

A process is placed that allows for social justice to take place in the development phase. 

"Commercial and Industrial developers have to go through the following process when proposing for a building: 

  1. Reference the city’s ERI and prepare a checklist of pollutants
  2. Submit checklist and development application to the city
  3. Checklist goes to the Environmental Commission
  4. Checklist goes to the Planning or Zoning Board (where appropriate)

The public has full access to this checklist to weigh in on it and make their voices heard." 

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rramos

The first point that peaked my interest is when Dr. Nicky Sheats brought up the real world example of a powerplant that was placed in the Ironbound District. It's an example of how government standards don't reflect or align with individual standards. I thought this was interesting to see how the people didn't have their due justice in deciding to have a polluting plant in their neighborhood. The other fact that caught my eye is that Newark zoning laws, previous to being updated in 2012, had been grandfathered in since 1954. This goes to show the complete lack of awareness for public health that has resided in New Jersey's History. The last point that truly shaped this article is how steps were being taken to prevent environmental justice issues. Commercial and Industrial developers have to go through the following process when proposing for a building: "

  1. Reference the city’s ERI and prepare a checklist of pollutants
  2. Submit checklist and development application to the city
  3. Checklist goes to the Environmental Commission
  4. Checklist goes to the Planning or Zoning Board (where appropriate)

The public has full access to this checklist to weigh in on it and make their voices heard."