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- Info
The poisoned well: New strategies for groundwater protection
| Author: |
Jorgensen, Eric P., ed |
| Date: |
1989 |
| Periodical: |
Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund. Washington, DC: Island Press |
| Abstract: |
This book is designed to help citizens to help themselves. This book is based on the idea that the best way for citizens to protect their health is to go out and wage their own fight against groundwater contamination. People can make a difference if they know how to use the legal and other tools that are available to them. The primary focus of this book is advice about how to use the various federal laws and programs that can affect groundwater quality. There is no comprehensive federal groundwater protection scheme, but there are many laws and programs that can be used to protect groundwater quality. The discussion of these programs is directed toward the citizen who is neither a lawyer nor a scientist and it communicates the information about these programs that anyone who wants to use them needs to know. This book is split into four parts, each with a different purpose. Part I contains basic information about groundwater, how it is contaminated, how you might be affected, and how to find out whether your groundwater is polluted. Read Part I to lay the foundation for the suggestions for action made in later chapters. Part II describes in a general way the nuts and bolts, of using the laws. It explains how to obtain information from the government, how to work with administrative agencies, and how to use the courts. It also provides some basic advice about organizing and using nonlegal political tools as part of an overall strategy. Part III gives step-by-step advice about using specific federal programs. It is organized primarily by the potential sources of groundwater contamination, such as underground storage tanks or injection wells, but it also describes the programs generally applicable to a variety of potential sources. This part is the heart of the book and is designed to provide specific suggestions for action. Part IV summarizes state and local programs. It is organized to parallel the structure of Part III, but it provides more general information about the types of state and local programs in existence and how citizens can use them. |
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