A leak discovered at Piney Point, a former phosphate plant, has caused a crisis for the local residents and the nearby ecosystem, including Tampa Bay. Officials have been draining toxic water out for around a week now with fears that if they didn’t get it under control quick a 20 foot wall of wastewater would wash over the nearby town.
The most damning part about this situation is just how preventable it was. An article wrote in 2003 warned of the dangers that this facility could pose to the local residents and environment (link). Even with this information the local Government did not act and allowed the infrastructure of the facility to continue to get worse and worse.
It’s funny how timing works, as this situation came to head right around when Biden released his infrastructure package. In light of this situation we have had to listen to Republicans tell us that this kind of spending on infrastructure is just crazy and insane, how we need to be more worried about the debt and controlling our spending. It’s a joke. The Piney Point leak and the recent Texas freeze painfully proved that investing in our country’s infrastructure is not up for debate, it is something we have to do.
We can’t let the right keep getting away with their propaganda around Government spending, we have to put a spotlight on situations like the one in Florida, something that was so preventable if we just put a little more resources into the situation. Improving the infrastructure in our country and in our communities improves the lives of everyone but some people will balk at the price of Biden’s infrastructure plan, having foolishly been lead to believe all Government spending is bad and that the free market is the best way to take care of these situations.
The reality is unchecked private companies are the exact reason stuff like this even happens in the first place. This not only makes a great cause for putting money into our crumbling infrastructure but also the need for environmental regulations on private cooperations. A private cooperation should have never been allowed to create and store this much polluted, toxic water in one place.
I am hoping everyone that lives in the area stays safe and that the local environment and ecosystem don’t get hit as hard as some fear, but more importantly I am hoping people are learning a lesson and that we can start being proactive on issues instead of painfully reactive.
Learn more:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-state-of-emergency-wastewater-leak-verge-catastrophe/
Green Buddhist 