Gerald Williams, Partner, Williams Cedar LLC, says President Joe Biden’s action to lower the levels of “forever chemicals” to a bare minimum at which it can be measured will mean safer, cleaner drinking water for everyone and will force public water utilities to constantly maintain their infrastructure so that the water supply does not become tainted again.
(more…)The City of Chicago, IL, has filed a lawsuit against a number of major oil companies over the “catastrophic consequences” of global climate change. The suit alleges that the companies knew of the potential disastrous effects of climate change for decades, but deliberately hid this knowledge in order to bolster their profits. This has caused substantial damage to the city, in the form of extreme weather phenomena that are likely to harm Chicago and its residents for years to come.
(more…)One year after a major train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, new regulations to improve train safety have been slow to pass. While people seemed to believe the issue was urgent at the time, both legislators and executives have not seemed eager to introduce new laws or practices that would reduce the risk of derailments. Unfortunately, the number of trains derailing has only gone up over time, showing how important safety measures are in preventing potentially deadly accidents.
The One Year Anniversary of the East Palestine Accident
It has been about one year since a major train derailment occurred in East Palestine, Ohio, which occurred on February 3 at around 8:55 PM. The train belonged to Norfolk Southern, one of the largest rail shipping companies in the United States, which has shipping lines that go across 22 states. The company faced significant criticism in the wake of the derailment after serious safety issues were found, indicating the accident may have been preventable.
Lingering Environmental Consequences of the Derailment
The derailment caused a major spill of toxic chemicals into the environment, including vinyl chloride, benzene, and ethylene glycol, which are chemicals used in various forms of industrial manufacturing. This resulted in an environmental disaster that killed large amounts of local wildlife and may have lasting effects on the nearby population. Cleanup of the area is ongoing, but progressing slowly.
Legislators and Executives Slow to Act
While both legislators and executives pledged to work to strengthen safety measures in the wake of the derailment, actual progress has been slow. Both state and federal legislators have not seemed eager to tackle the subject, and executives at Norfolk Southern do not seem to have made any major reforms to improve safety. As a result, safety records seem to have only gotten worse over the past year, not better.
Growing Concerns Over Increasing Numbers of Derailments
In fact, the number of train derailments occurring has only increased over the past year, not decreased. With regulators struggling to get new measures passed and executives unwilling to improve safety standards on their own, this trend is likely to only get worse over time. In many cases, it may fall to victims of these disasters to seek justice through private litigation.
Williams Cedar is a law firm dedicated to helping clients with personal injury, environmental law, and civil rights cases. We specialize in assisting clients who have been injured due to exposure to environmental toxins, including veterans and their loved ones. If you need legal assistance due to toxic exposure or other related matters, please give us a call at our New Jersey and Pennsylvania offices at (215) 557-0099, or visit our contact page.
The United States Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments in February on an emergency petition to stay a rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that could have a significant impact on emissions regulations across the country. This rule, known as the “Good Neighbor” rule, is intended to limit air pollution that is blown by the wind from one state to another. However, plaintiffs in the lawsuit argue that the rule poses unreasonable regulatory burdens on downwind states, and are seeking to have the rule stayed.
(more…)A recent study from St. Louis University found that a cave system located in Missouri had microplastics located in its water and sediment, despite being off limits to people for three decades. This alarming find shows just how pervasive the contamination of microplastics has become, and that even areas ostensibly untouched by humanity can still be polluted. This raises questions of just how extensive microplastic contamination is, and what might need to be done to address it.
(more…)In a lawsuit that has been described as a “gamechanger” for climate and environmental law, a group of young adults from Montana have successfully sued the state for violating their constitutional right to a healthy environment. The suit is based on the theory that the state’s environmental laws, particularly with respect to fossil fuels, violated the state constitution, which guarantees its citizens a “clean and healthful environment.” Environmental activists are hoping that this will be the first of many similar lawsuits to help curtail climate emissions around the country.
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