Amy Goodman
Amy Goodman
@DemocracyNow·3.2M subscribers·19.4K videos

Toxic Coal Ash Being Dumped in Puerto Rico, Which Already Suffers Worst Drinking Water in the Nation

Posted

March 9, 2018

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Even before Hurricane Maria struck the island nearly six months ago, the majority of Puerto Rico’s residents lived with water that violated health standards set by the U.S. law. Since the storm, residents say the situation has only gotten worse. Among the sources of potential water contamination are mountains of coal ash generated by a coalfired power plant owned by a private company called AES. For years, residents have demanded the company stop dumping toxic coal ash into their community, saying the waste is poisonous to their health and the environment. We speak with Mekela Panditharatne, a lawyer with the Natural Resources Defense Council who just returned from the island and wrote an oped in The Washington Post headlined ”FEMA says most of Puerto Rico has potable water. That can’t be true.”

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Guests & Subjects Covered

Hurricane MariaPuerto RicosAES ForMekela PanditharatneNatural Resources Defense CouncilThe Washington PostPuerto RicoDemocracy Now

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