Category: Dane County

Air National Guard Dane County Department of Defense Environmental health Environmental Justice F-35 PFCs or PFAS Racial Justice Toxic Chemicals Truax

Environmental group files new lawsuit over F-35 decision

March 11, 2021 Maria C. Powell, PhD

By Catherine Capellaro, Wisconsin Examiner A group seeking to halt the siting of a squadron of F-35 fighter jets at Madison’s Truax Field filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the U.S.…

Air National Guard Dane County Dane County Regional Airport Fish Starkweather Creek stormwater runoff Toxic Chemicals Truax Water Pollution Wisconsin DNR

Dane County Airport’s WPDES permit is expired and doesn’t mention PFAS. Why?

February 24, 2021 Maria C. Powell, PhD

Over two and a half years ago, June 2018, we asked DNR to include PFAS monitoring in Dane County airport’s WPDES permit, which includes requirements for regular monitoring of Starkweather…

City of Madison Community engagement Dane County East Madison Community Center Environmental health Environmental Justice Fish PFCs or PFAS Public Participation Racial disparities Racism Starkweather Creek Starkweather EJ Project stormwater runoff Toxic Chemicals Water quality Wisconsin DNR

Northside teens push for creek clean-up after new sediment tests find high levels of PFAS — again

May 28, 2020 Maria C. Powell, PhD

By Oona Mackesey-Green, Northside News (photo by Garth Olmanson) When the test results came back in February showing high levels of PFAS in the sediment at Starkweather Creek, a foot…

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PFAS, COVID and potential environmental racism

May 4, 2020 Maria C. Powell, PhD

By Brad Geyer, Safe Skies, Clean Water The draft environmental impact study acknowledged that there will be “significant disproportionate impacts to low-income and minority populations as well as children.” Although…

City of Madison Community engagement Dane County Earth Day Environmental health Environmental Justice Fish PFCs or PFAS Racial disparities Racism Risk Assessment Starkweather Creek Starkweather EJ Project stormwater runoff Toxic Chemicals Water Pollution Water quality Wisconsin DNR

MEJO and East Madison Community Center teens find significantly elevated PFAS levels in Starkweather Creek sediments

April 21, 2020 Jim Powell

Earth Day 2020: Fifty years after first Earth Day, toxic environmental pollution still pervasive (Madison, Wis.)–New PFAS results, released before the COVID 19 lockdown, show significantly elevated levels of PFOS…

Air National Guard City of Madison Dane County Dane County Regional Airport Environmental Justice EPA F-35 Fighter jets Fish PFCs or PFAS Public Participation Risk Assessment Soil contamination Starkweather Creek stormwater runoff Toxic Chemicals Truax Trump Water Pollution Water quality Wisconsin DNR

Superfund will not protect our waterways — or us — from the military’s toxic pollution

March 11, 2020 Maria C. Powell, PhD

Maria Powell, Cap Times op-ed Photo above: Starkweather Creek going through Truax Field The final environmental impact statement (EIS) on basing F-35 fighter jets at Madison’s Truax Field states that…

Air National Guard City of Madison Dane County Department of Defense Environmental Justice EPA F-35 Fighter jets PFCs or PFAS Risk Assessment Starkweather Creek stormwater runoff Toxic Chemicals Truax Water Pollution Wisconsin DNR

The Final F-35 EIS is a total sham

February 23, 2020 Maria C. Powell, PhD

The public comment process for the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for basing F-35s at Madison’s Truax Air National Guard base was not only token—it was a total sham. According…

City of Madison Dane County Fish Madison Water Utility PFCs or PFAS Public Health Madison Dane County Starkweather Creek Toxic Chemicals Truax Water Pollution Water quality

Don’t kill the messenger: City water utility spokesperson falsely accuses media of bias

January 30, 2020 Maria C. Powell, PhD

PFAS hits in Madison drinking water wells By Steven Verburg, for the Isthmus In a Jan. 16 guest column in Isthmus, a Madison city water utility spokesperson took a page…

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Madison residents increasingly alarmed by PFAS levels in local waterways

December 11, 2019 Maria C. Powell, PhD

Photo: Starkweather Creek in the Darbo-Worthington neighborhood (Maria Powell). By Steve Elbow, Cap Times Lance Green has been collecting water samples from Starkweather Creek for years. As a volunteer for…

Air National Guard City of Madison Dane County Environmental Justice PCBs PFCs or PFAS Starkweather Creek stormwater runoff Toxic Chemicals Truax Water Pollution Water quality

PFAS found in groundwater under former sewage treatment plant

May 13, 2019 Maria C. Powell, PhD

Large ditch drains from former sewage plant through Bridges Golf Course and then directly into Starkweather Creek (see above photo) MEJO’s Earth Day Starkweather Creek report highlights gaps in tracking…

Air National Guard City of Madison Dane County Environmental Justice PCBs Public Health Madison Dane County Public Participation Racism Risk Assessment Soil contamination Starkweather Creek Starkweather EJ Project stormwater runoff Toxic Chemicals Truax Water Pollution Water quality Wisconsin DNR

Report: Watchdogs not looking hard enough for public health hazards in lakes, fish

April 30, 2019 Maria C. Powell, PhD

Touyeng Xiong, MEJO Vice President, at Starkweather Creek tributary in April 2019 (Photo by John Hart, WSJ) By Steve Verburg, Wisconsin State Journal Madison and Dane County are neglecting to…

City of Madison Dane County Department of Defense Environmental Justice EPA Fish Fish Advisory Madison Water Utility PFCs or PFAS Public Health Madison Dane County Starkweather Creek stormwater runoff Toxic Chemicals Toxins Truax Water Pollution Water quality Wetlands Wisconsin DNR

MEJO Report: Starkweather Creek & Toxic Stormwater Runoff in Madison, Wis.

April 21, 2019 Jim Powell

On Earth Day, April 22, the Midwest Environmental Justice Organization released a report on its USEPA-funded Starkweather Creek Environmental Justice project. STARKWEATHER CREEK & TOXIC STORMWATER RUNOFF REPORT Pollution, governance…

City of Madison Dane County Fish Madison Water Utility PFCs or PFAS Risk Assessment Starkweather Creek stormwater runoff Toxic Chemicals Truax Water Pollution Water quality Wisconsin DNR

Madison and Dane County wait for military to test burn pits

February 24, 2019 Maria C. Powell, PhD

Photo: former Dane County burn pit at 1750 Pearson Street By Steve Verburg, Wisconsin State Journal Despite the lack of funding for a military cleanup, Madison and Dane County have…

Air National Guard City of Madison Dane County PFCs or PFAS Starkweather Creek stormwater runoff Toxic Chemicals Truax

Dane County airport burn pit contamination began in the 1950s

January 15, 2019 Maria C. Powell, PhD

PHOTO: Former Dane County airport fire pit being excavated to build a parking lot in May 2018. The County, City, DNR and DoD were aware of the contamination for at…

Air National Guard Cancer City of Madison Dane County Environmental Justice Fish Fish Advisory PFCs or PFAS Starkweather Creek stormwater runoff Toxic Chemicals Truax Wisconsin DNR

Toxic PFAS is in Starkweather Creek; will anyone test the fish?

October 6, 2018 Maria C. Powell, PhD

Fish caught by children at the mouth of Starkweather Creek in June 2018 (they did not eat the fish). A MEJO post last May linked to an Air National Guard…