This is a post that was received at The Lobby at Dallas South - our discussion board (join now!). The post was sent in by Lincoln Allen.

Since his original message, I've e-mailed Lincoln a.k.a. Toxic Texas, and checked out the stories that he links to at the bottom of the post.  Please read this post, which raises a very important issues in our community regarding potential enviromental racism. 

Posted by Lincoln Allen

Environmental Racism - Toxic Contamination in Dallas, Texas, USA

I am writing about Hamilton Park, a predominately low-income Black community in North Dallas, Texas.  Contamination has been discovered within the soil of Hamilton Park. The nearby streams, Cottonwood and Floyd Branch, are devoid of life, no fish, no animals, no insects.

The sides of the streams are collapsing due to the lack of vegetation and roots to hold the soil in place. Some residents had reported catching deformed fish in the stream until suddenly one day all the fish died.The contamination is less than one half mile from the Hamilton Park Elementary School. There are also foul odors and fumes coming from the factory and polluting the air.

The toxic contamination came from leaking underground storage tanks from the Texas Instruments semiconductor chip factory nearby. TI knew about their leaking tanks since 1983 but didn't remove the tanks and contaminated soil until 1993. TI initially denied that there was contamination from their factory, then when faced with the test results admitted that there was contamination but stated that the contamination was not harmful to the residents.

The toxic chemicals discovered in nearby soil include -

1,1,1,2- Tetrachloroethane 1,1,1-Trichloroethane 1,1,2-Trichloroethane 1,1-Dichloroethane 1,1-Dichloroethene 1,1-Dichloropropene 1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene 1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane 1,2-Dichlorobenzene 1,2-Dichloroethane 1,3,5-Trimethylbenzene 1,3-Dichlorobenzene l,4-Dichlorobenzene 2-Butanone 2-2-Dichloropropane 2-Chlorotoluene Benzene Butyl Acetate Chlorobenzene Chloroethane Chloroform (Trichloromethane) Chloromethane cis-l,2-Dichloroethene Dibromochloromethane Dichlorodifluoromethane Ethyl Benzene Heptane Hexachlorobutadiene Isopropanol Isopropylbenzene Methylene Chloride n-Butylbenzene n-Propylbenzene Naphthalene p-Isopropyltoluene

"Hot spots" of methylene chloride, dichloroethene,  tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, and vinyl chloride  were identified.

The residents of the Hamilton Park community have reported many instances of health problems. Dizziness, drowsiness, skin irritation, tremors, breast cancer, kidney problems, sinus problems, cancer, and many other illnesses. 

Almost all of the residents have reported respiratory problems, some very severe. Many residents have already died. Many of those who have died had spent much time planting and working in the soil outside their homes. There are many vegetable gardens in the community.   

The City of Dallas, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Environmental Protection Agency, Dallas [former] Mayor Laura Miller, Dallas Councilman Bill Blaydes and several Texas legislators have already been contacted and declined to take any action to assist the residents.   Texas Instruments has denied that it contaminated the property in Hamilton Park. However, the chemical tests have measured gases (vapor intrusion) within the homes. TI's indifference to the illnesses and suffering of the residents is appalling.

Would TI have taken action if this had been an affluent White neighborhood? Like they did when they cleaned up their contamination in Attleboro, MA (89% White)?   

Please see news story at

http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2007/04/30/story1.html

http://houston.bizjournals.com/houston/othercities/dallas/stories/2007/04/30/story1.html

http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/othercities/dallas/stories/2007/04/30/story1.html