Boom Goes the Dynamite (mining legacy)

I was shocked at some of the things Mr. Thorton had to say about our own back yard. The ferocious hunt for rare metals that took place at the colonization of our dear state seems to have had a more lasting effect than I ever imagined. The issues of mercury, acid, asbestos and arsenic poisoning are important issues that require our attention. It's easy to turn the other way when the effects are gradual. If it doesn't have devastating and rapid effects we tend to ignore it. This time however, it is happening in our own backyard. I won't go into the emotional pleas of children's schools and fields but people are getting sick, fish is in short supply and our own homes could be a slow poison. I would suggest that more funding is given to the cause of testing for these substances and research methods on their removal. Isolate all the points of contamination and eliminate the problem as quickly, cheaply and permanently as possible. It would also be wise to organize a method of enforcement so that this might not happen again. This isn't just about saving rivers, forests and wildlife but also the lives of people and the land we call home. We need to stop waiting to react to situations and start attacking the source, making sure that they don't happen in the first place. Remove the poison for good, don't wait to cure it.