Jerry Summers
The recent announcement that the cost of removing hazardous lead from eight (8) designated residential areas has increased slightly from the year 2011 from 25M to 113.5M (more to come?) on November 6, 2023 by two public troubleshooters at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) came as no surprise. (Remember other ongoing costs projected price increase (ex. Chickamauga Dam Lock.)
After allegedly carefully proclaiming that “60 foundries have disappeared and liability with them” (sorry Class Action lawyers) it was announced “that spent foundry sand (with lead) sits up to two feet deep on top of the native Chattanooga clay—and it is a veneer!”
Thus we get to the origin of the word and possible application to the future health of anyone exposed to lead in the EPA Southside Chattanooga lead site that includes the increasing population eras of Alton Park, Cowart Place, East Lake, Highland Park, Jefferson Heights, Oak Grove, Southside Gardens, and Richmond.
In the days of homegrown gardens and self mowed lawns foundry sand with its lead content was nourishing topsoil.
The term “veneer” was first introduced in 1702 and an international dictionary collectively defines the word as a “facing, cover, coating, surface, façade, front, pretension, display.”
(It is beyond the scope of this article to question the sufficiency of the investigation, removal or potential effect on the health of anyone within said eight (or other) residential areas.)
However it should be respectfully suggested that anyone living in the aforementioned areas of the “re-imagined” industrial areas that develops a medical condition that might be linked to lead (or other toxic chemicals and substances) exposure should inform any medical provider (doctors, nurses, hospitals, etc.) of that contact.
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You can reach Jerry Summers at jsummers@summersfirm.com