Love Canal Tragedy Research Paper

Home is normally a place where one can relax and recount the day’s events, but tragically, in the case of one growing New York town, residents become slowly poisoned by invisible carcinogens. What parent would willingly purchase property atop a former chemical dumpsite, and allow their child to attend a school where risks of cancer were prominent? The answer is complicated, especially since local authorities downplayed the dangers. Once health risks arose, citizens were left with worthless homes and ailing children. Although the Love Canal tragedy was a sorrowful event, a few bright spots prevailed. For instance, legislation to prevent such an incident from occurring in the future was enacted, and community activism regarding environmental …show more content…
Nevertheless, in December of 1995, one hundred and twenty nine million dollars in settlements were paid by the Occidental Chemical Corporation--formerly Hooker--reimbursing cleanup costs, hospital bills, etc. (“Settlement”). While the Niagra Falls School Board got away fundamentally scratch-free, despite their obvious negligence. One of the few positive attributes of the Love Canal disaster could be found in the increase in community activism. Prior to this event, the United States had not experienced a man-made disaster. Due to the government’s non-existent response, men, women and children crowded the streets of Love Canal demanding relocation and resettlement. A core group organized during this period was the Love Canal Homeowners Association (LCHA). Led by Lois Gibbs, the organization, composed of residents, took extreme measures to get their voices heard. “At one point, residents burned effigies of Jimmy, Rosalynn, and Amy Carter (who was 10 years old at the time)” (Smith). The people were speaking their minds, and not holding back. The gloves were

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Love Canal Tragedy Research Paper