Maria C. Powell, PhD, Author at Madison Environmental Justice

While unfunded, exhausted, and beleaguered Madison citizens slog for years begging city, county, and state agencies, and the U.S. military, to do more about the forever PFAS chemicals and a…

City of Madison Community engagement Environmental health Environmental Justice Madison Metro NEPA Oscar Mayer Public Participation Racial disparities Risk Assessment Toxic Chemicals Vapor intrusion Wisconsin DNR

Victory!! No Metro Bus Barn at the Poisoned Oscar Mayer site

February 3, 2021 Maria C. Powell, PhD

Oscar Mayer site in 1947 (photo from Wisconsin State Journal) Victory for Madison’s Northside! Madison’s Metro Transit authority has abandoned plans to buy the northern part of the highly-contaminated former…

Dane County Regional Airport Environmental health Environmental Justice PFCs or PFAS Starkweather Creek Toxic Chemicals Truax Water Pollution

How much PFAS is oozing down Starkweather Creek from Dane County Regional Airport & Truax base??

February 1, 2021 Maria C. Powell, PhD

Starkweather Creek flowing through the Darbo Worthington neighborhood, about a mile south of the airport and military base. See readable map here. Please contact info@mejo.us for reports with data depicted…

Madison Water Utility

DNR orders new plan to stop spread of PFAS at Madison airport after experimental treatment fails

January 27, 2021 Maria C. Powell, PhD

Starkweather Creek flowing from the Dane County Regional Airport By Chris Hubbuch, Wisconsin State Journal The Department of Natural Resources says an experimental technology has failed to keep so-called “forever…

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Oops! We poisoned the “Giants Among Us”–the Yahara lakes

January 22, 2021 Maria C. Powell, PhD

MEJO’s Jim Powell and Touyeng Xiong teach kids how to put bait on fish hooks at the Olbrich Park fishing pier on Lake Monona, summer 2018. Sadly, they couldn’t eat…

Air National Guard City of Madison Environmental Justice F-35 Fighter jets Fish Inequality Military Poverty Privilege Racial disparities Racism Starkweather Creek Toxic Chemicals Truax

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s forgotten “giant triplets” alive & well in Madison, Wisconsin

January 18, 2021 Maria C. Powell, PhD

From Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1967 speech, “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence”: “I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the…

Economic justice Inequality Poverty Racial disparities Racial Justice Racism

My Father, Martin Luther King Jr., Had Another Dream

January 18, 2021 Maria C. Powell, PhD

By Martin Luther King III, New York Times If he saw the issues of poverty and income inequality that exist today, he would be greatly disappointed. See video of Martin…

Cancer City of Madison Community engagement Environmental health Environmental Justice Madison Metro Oscar Mayer Public Participation Racial disparities Risk Assessment Starkweather Creek TCE Toxic Chemicals Vapor intrusion Water Pollution

Madison Northsiders say NO to Metro Bus Barn!

November 22, 2020 Maria C. Powell, PhD

By Madison Northsiders No Bus Barn is the Northside community’s voice for better land use at the previous Oscar Mayer site. We are dedicated to place-making in this new era…

City of Madison Community engagement Environmental health Environmental Justice Fish Madison Gas & Electric Oscar Mayer PFCs or PFAS Racial disparities Risk Assessment Starkweather Creek Starkweather EJ Project stormwater runoff Toxic Chemicals Truax Wastewater Treatment Water quality

Utility to build over toxic sludge at former sewage plant on Madison’s Northside

November 13, 2020 Maria C. Powell, PhD

Above: Burke sewage plant “trickling filters” built around 1916. Photo from Wisconsin Historical Society ******* One of Madison’s long-standing corporate powerhouses, Madison Gas & Electric (MGE), plans to build a…

City of Madison Environmental health Environmental Justice F-35 Fighter jets Ho-Chunk Oscar Mayer Privilege Racial disparities Racism Toxic Chemicals Truax

Development disparities: Madison’s classist, racist beginnings are alive and well in 2020

September 10, 2020 Maria C. Powell, PhD

Photo: Oscar Mayer in 1947 (Wisconsin State Journal archives) ********** Flying in the face of its stated commitment to racial equity and social justice, Madison is as racist and classist…

City of Madison Environmental Justice Oscar Mayer Racial disparities Racism Toxic Chemicals Wisconsin DNR

Madison alders approved city’s first environmental justice policy this summer–without knowing it

September 4, 2020 Maria C. Powell, PhD

Dane County and Madison have some of the worst racial disparities in the nation. Elected officials vow time and again to fix things, but when there’s a choice between doing…

City of Madison Environmental health Fire fighting Fish Advisory Madison Gas & Electric PFCs or PFAS Starkweather Creek Toxic Chemicals Water Pollution

Firefighting Foam Action in Wisconsin

August 11, 2020 Maria C. Powell, PhD

From International Fire Fighter Vicki Quint Water contamination issues from PFAS are creating pressure on the fire service to make changes in toxic AFFF products. PFAS contamination of drinking water…

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Faith Leaders Oppose F-35 Fighter Jets

August 3, 2020 Maria C. Powell, PhD

A full-page ad appeared in the Wisconsin State Journal on July 29, 2020 – speaking against the F-35 fighter jets for reasons of social and environmental justice, and world peace.…

City of Madison Community engagement Racial disparities Racism

Madison Juneteenth rally today

June 19, 2020 Maria C. Powell, PhD

Madison Juneteenth rally Friday, June 19th, 7pm at Olin Park Read Natalie Yahr’s Cap Times article about the history of Juneteenth Day and the Madison event here and below. ********…

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Police brutality and environmental injustices are connected

June 11, 2020 Maria C. Powell, PhD

(Image from The Nation) MEJO condemns the brutal killing of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer–and commends Black Lives Matter, other racial justice activists, and all…

Clean Lakes Alliance–Madison’s Darling Corporate Greenwashers