Protecting the Moapa Band of Paiutes from coal ash. The Moapa Band of Paiutes are a Native American Tribe living in southeastern Nevada. Their community lies just a few thousand feet from (and frequently downwind of) NV Energy Company’s Reid Gardner Power Plant. The ash from this coal fired plant is disposed in a series of fills. The windy dry conditions create clouds of ash that periodically inundate the Moapa community. Many residents believe that numerous illnesses are connected to their exposure.
Coal ash cloud inundates Moapa Reservation in Nevada.
Henry S. Cole has been retained by the Earthjustice (Sierra Club Legal group) to advise their group and the Moapa Paiutes Environmental Department’s on a sampling and analysis program to determine potential exposure of community members.
Aamjiwnaang First Nation / petrochemical air pollution, Sarnia, Ontario. Dr. Cole currently serves as an expert witness representing members of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation, in a suit brought by Ecojustice challenging the Ministry of Environment’s failure to consider the cumulative impacts of the many refinery and chemical plants located in Sarnia’s chemical alley in its issuance of permits. The Aamjiwnaang land is surrounded by petrochemical plants with large emission rates of dangerous chemicals.
Photo from upper floor balcony in Sarnia, Ont. shows multiple petrochemical and refinery plumes blowing toward the Aamjiwnaang First Nation
Protecting residents of the Mega-Gas Station imposes health risks on Maryland community. Costco is about to open a new store at the Westfield Mall in Wheaton, Maryland. No problem. But it wants to build a very large gasoline station (16 pumps, 12 million gallons/year) immediately adjoining a suburban community (Kensington Heights). Several community organizations have retained Dr. Cole to serve as an expert witness before the Montgomery County Planning Board, Hearing Examiner and Appeals Board. His testimony focuses on the potential air pollution impacts of the gas station and associated vehicle traffic and a critical review of Costco’s air modeling study.
