Koch brothers are behind the government shutdown

[LiberalEsto]

28. Your explanation makes a lot of sense

I'm sure they (Kochroaches, Meese, etc) have multiple reasons for trying to derail affordable healthcare, but I can understand why environmental health is one of the key reasons.

The Kochroaches own lots of paper mills and sell paper products like Dixie cups. Paper mills discharge untold amounts of noxious by-products, including dioxins, into public rivers.

For example, Maryland currently has the highest cancer rate in the nation and I suspect the fact that many of us in the DC area get our drinking water from the Potomac may be a significant factor in that cancer rate.

There are paper mills and other polluters (I don't know who owns them, the Koches aren't the only people who run paper mills) upstream from the water intake points of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, which supplies a great deal of the Washington DC area's drinking water.

"The Upper Potomac River Commission operates the Westernport Wastewater Treatment Facility. The Facility treats industrial waste from a paper mill in Westernport, Maryland, as well as municipal sewage from Westernport, and Luke, Maryland, and Piedmont, West Virginia."
Link: http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/35interc/08up.html
I'm sure this wastewater treatment plant, built in 1960, is unable to remove dioxins and other chemicals from the river.

"Water quality improvements at the Westvaco Paper Mill at Luke have resulted in much improved water quality in the North Branch over the past several years." Link: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/recreational/fwhotnbrpotomac.html
I doubt they're removing dioxins and other chemicals.

And on the Shenandoah, which runs into the Potomac:
"Friday, March 18, 2011
Ox Paperboard being sued
A paper mill in Halltown, West Virginia has jeopardized human health, jobs, and water quality near Flowing Spring Run and the Shenandoah River for at least four years, releasing pollutants that cause fish kills and other environmental problems. Today, two clean-water advocates announced that they have sued the mill’s owners, Ox Paperboard, LLC, in order to stop the pollution.The advocates, Shenandoah River keeper Jeff Kelble and Potomac River keeper Ed Merrifield, have tried to work with Ox Paperboard to stop the pollution since 2009.“Ox took over a bankrupt plant that recycles cardboard, so we gave them plenty of time to turn their operation around,” Kelble says. “But we can’t overlook pollution on this scale anymore.

Thousands of people who swim and boat here are in danger, so are the jobs and health of people downstream.”“Ox Paperboard made empty promises as its pollution continued to suck the oxygen out of our waters” Merrifield says. “Four years is enough time to wait, we are now forced to take legal action.”The lawsuit, filed by local attorney Christopher P. Stroech, Esq. and Arnold & Bailey, PLLC, alleges that the paper mill has violated its pollution permit in every month of a 30 month period ending in June, 2010. The average violation for one measure of pollution was nearly 3000% more than permits "allowed.The measure, known as Biological Oxygen Demand or BOD, involves the release of organic material that sucks oxygen out of water as it decomposes. Decreased oxygen levels leads to fish kills and other environmental problems.Kelble and Merrifield have had ongoing contact with Ox Paperboard for two years prior to filing the lawsuit. In November, 2010, the Riverkeepers sent Ox Paperboard a written warning that a lawsuit would follow in 60 days if pollution concerns were not addressed.Kelble is living proof that fish kills hurt the local economy. In 2005, he closed his guide business after a string of fish kills left few fish around for catching.“The beauty of our region is found in the waters that provide drinking water, jobs, and recreation for so many people. I’m just working to protect that tradition,” Kelble says. "
Link: http://www.thecharlestowncrier.com/2011/03/ox-paperboard-being-sued.html

Known sources of Potomac River contamination

(1) PCB contamination is associated with the AVTEX Fibers Superfund Site in
Front Royal, VA.
...

(2)Mercury contamination of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River stems
from chemical processing activities at the DuPont Plant in Waynesboro, VA.
...

(3) Dioxin contamination in the North Branch of the Potomac River was derived
from effluent from a Westvaco paper mill in Luke, MD. Fish advisories were put
in place by Maryland and West Virginia in 1990. In reaction to the advisories,
Westvaco has spent 40 millions dollars putting controls in place to reduce the
level of dioxins being discharged. No remediation has been performed and fish
advisories remain in place as water quality monitoring continues.
...

"There is no question that the mercury, PCBs and dioxins will remain in the
sediments for quite some time and have the potential to be a chronic source of
contamination for local aquatic biota and source waters for local downstream
communities. "

Link:http://www.potomacriver.org/drinkingwaterdocs/dcswap/Chapter%205_redacted.pdf

Not long after I moved to Maryland in 1990, the Washington Post ran an article about the high cancer rate and pointed out that paper mill and other pollution in the Potomac might be one cause. The Post has never mentioned this since then, probably because don't want to step on any toes since they either own or contract with paper suppliers for their print editions