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Friday, March 03, 2017

Environmental Disasters

A couple of years ago, I read the book Death Falls, a mystery that referenced Centralia, Pennsylvania, the town destroyed by underground coal fires.  The book wasn't great, but I did a little research at the time and discovered more information about the catastrophe that started with a fire in 1962 in abandoned coal mines, forcing the evacuation of an entire town, and that has burning underground for over 50 years.  According to experts, the fires will continue to burn for another 250 years. 


   
This morning, I saw this article about Centralia and other towns that have suffered environmental disasters.  




The other environmental disasters in the article are equally horrifying:  Butte, Montana; Picher, OK; Three Mile Island; and Love Canal.  

6 comments:

  1. I'm going to go and read that article. I remember some of these disasters and they ARE scary. I had heard those coal mine fires are still burning. I am having a hard time understanding the hard right turn this country is taking on environmental protection. Profit trumps Prudence.

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    1. Profit always leads, doesn't it? That and our own foolishness at being able to see potential problems. I remember being stunned when I read about Centralia, and the idea that the fire would burn for 250 years, spreading down the veins of coal in the earth.

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  2. Scary article! But who needs the EPA and environmental regulations? I'm truly afraid there will be more things added to the list after a certain someone leaves office.

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    1. And the damage from these disasters just goes on and on. There is no way to clean up these messes.

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  3. It's beyond sad--and beyond horrifying.

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    1. We don't seem capable of considering the effect environmental catastrophes will have on future generations, do we? We want all the benefits and conveniences, but don't anticipate having to pay for them in disasters.

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