Are they sending food? Clothing? Boats? Perhaps holding a membership donation drive?
Nope, while many folks are still stranded on roof tops, Greenpeace has decided to contribute something far more valuable: A demand letter to the EPA.
Unfipping believable...
----------------------
Source:
www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/hurricane-katrina/letter-to-the-enivornmental-prGreenpeace letter to the Environmental Protection Agency
August 30, 2005
Stephen L. Johnson, Administrator
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460
Dear Mr. Johnson,
[snip]
On behalf of our members and the victims of hurricane Katrina, please respond to the following inquiries concerning the EPA’s emergency response and preparedness:
1. In your capacity as administrator, please describe EPA collective actions prior to Katrina to ensure that there were no unregulated releases of hazardous substances from the petro-chemical industry located in the hurricane’s path.
2. Did the EPA consider or issue any waivers and/or agreements to allow releases of regulated pollutants into the environment from these plants either before or during hurricane Katrina's arrival? Furthermore, please describe in detail any communications from petro-chemical facilities requesting permission to release regulated pollutants into the environment.
3. Please describe EPA rules and procedures regarding the open burning of debris or structures damaged during the hurricane. In particular, please outline EPA plans to monitor the release of dangerous pollutants, such as dioxins and furans from such unregulated burning.
4. As you know, the EPA currently suggests that people clean their homes and boil water before drinking following a flood o rhurricane. Subsequently, please explain EPA plans to conduct comprehensive testing of local drinking water (private wells and public drinking water systems) for toxic chemical contamination as well as EPA plans for testing the soil of communities and flood waters that will likely contaminate soil, ground and surface water.
In the interest of public health, we would appreciate a response to this request as soon as possible.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Rick Hind, Legislative Director
Greenpeace Toxics Campaign
cc:
Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
Senator James Jeffords (I-VT)
Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Senator David Vitter (R-LA)
Representative John Dingell (D-MI)
Representative Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
United States Coast Guard
Federal Emergency Management Agency