Moms Fight to Clean Up Thousands of Tons of Nuclear Waste in St. Louis (Exclusive)

Moms Fight to Clean Up Thousands of Tons of Nuclear Waste in St. Louis (Exclusive)

Honored to be featured this week in @people magazine! @KarenNickelSTL and I are proud of what we have built and our fight, even though it has cost us and our family/kids/husbands so much! https://t.co/nNWjgDa6KX

— Dawn Chapman (@DawnChapmanSTL) August 15, 2024

The first warning sign was the stench that seemed to fill the air of Dawn Chapman’s suburban St. Louis neighborhood in 2012.

“You could smell burning, but there was something different about it, like jet fuel,” she says in this week's issue of PEOPLE. Her three children started to wake in the night with irritated eyes or bloody noses caused, she believes, by the caustic fumes.

By January 2013 Chapman, then a full-time mom, had discovered the source of the overpowering odor: a fire in an underground quarry at the Bridgeton Landfill about two miles from her home.

A photo taken in 1960 shows deteriorating steel drums containing radioactive residue in the St Louis area. 

State Historical Society of Missouri, Kay Drey Mallinsckodt Collection

The blaze raised fresh alarm about a decades-old issue — how much atomic waste had been stored in the region post-World War II, with some radioactive material mixing with a local creek and, separately, 43,000-plus tons of it piling up at West Lake Landfill, which is next to Bridgeton Landfill.

Article continues:

Dawn Chapman (left) and Karen Nickel wear protective masks at the West Lake Landfill outside St. Louis on June 1, 2017. 

Linda Davidson/The Washington Post via Getty

For more on Dawn Chapman and Karen Nickel's fight to clean up nuclear waste in their St. Louis suburb, pick up this week's issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday, or subscribe.

Their suburban dream was tainted by toxic remnants of the country’s wartime past. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941, the U.S. chose St. Louis as one of the places to process the uranium used in the nation’s atomic weapons program the Manhattan Project.

In the decades that followed, the resulting radioactive waste was dumped close to the city airport, and contaminants washed into nearby Coldwater. In the ’70s the waste was moved to the West Lake Landfill, amid single-family homes in Bridgeton. In 1990 the landfill was designated a Superfund site — one of the nation’s most contaminated areas.

Many residents were none the wiser. Nickel grew up in the ’60s and ’70s playing softball in the parks beside Coldwater, where years later scientists would discover Manhattan Project-era radioactive material in the soil.

Nickel and Chapman (center, in Washington, D.C., in May) lobbying for support for what they say are victims of radioactive exposure. 

Just Moms STL

“Fifteen people on my street passed from rare cancer in their 40s and 50s,” she says.

Three of her four adult children, whom she raised with husband Todd in a house less than two miles from the landfill, live with neurodevelopmental challenges, she says. And Nickel has lupus, an autoimmune disease she blames on exposure to radioactivity.

Chapman and her husband, Brian, moved to the Bridgeton area in 2000, unaware of the history. In 2002 her husband learned he had Crohn’s disease.

continues: https://people.com/is-nuclear-waste-poisoning-this-missouri-suburb-how-2-moms-teamed-up-for-answers-even-if-they-die-trying-8695532

Does $49,500,000 buy a Scientist ???

 FUSRAP "Testing" only contract bid solicitation over $49,500,000

@DawnChapmanSTL @HawleyMO @EPAregion7 @EPA dyk current FUSRAP "Testing" only contract bid solicitation over $49,500,000 ? 

i've seen the posts and comments from many StLouis people wondering if the nuclear contamination spread in the last floods #BridgetonLandfill #Coldwatercreek, in the basements, backyards, and surrounding areas. . This prompted me to review a couple of the low cost ways to test 

for radiation. Here is the ways I would test for radiation myself and not rely on other sources. Without getting all scientific in my explanation here is the 2 systems. 

radiation testing devices. 1 natural and 1 mechanical. 

A- The Mechanical devices utilize the Arduino system and can relay the findings over the air to a command center that logs and compiles the data into useable reports. These mini test stations and systems can be set up independently or in group settings. 

B- The Natural testing device is a plant that can be placed in an area where suspected nuclear radiation is present. The nuclear radiation will affect the plant in different ways and cause amoralities in the plants appearance, growth, flower, and reproduction systems 

Both of the testing systems will work in water, soil, and air. 

The costs of these systems is well under the $70,000 handheld spectrum analyzer system that will provide on the spot readings from soil and water samples. @EPAregion7 has one of these testers and a local salesperson

has offered in the past to demonstrate this tool in action. With the tool for sale, rent or lease. 

Hello @HawleyMO @RepAnnWagner @DawnChapmanSTL @stlpublicradio @Teamsaintlouis3 @StLouisAmerican @tonymess 

$49,500,000 Just for Testing. cost-plus task order W912P921F0260 

Here is My Warning. Let me get some testing tools and I will test this whole god blessed city and north county. I WILL PROVE HOW MUCH NUCLEAR CONTAMINATION IS EVERYWHERE. 

Everyone else wants to pussyfoot around. I will PROVE IT WITH EPA recognized devices and THEN CLEAN IT UP. 

@threadreaderapp unroll please and thankyou 

I just learned who holds that $49.5M contract. 

Every Picture Tells a Story 

Leidos oversees the testing of FUSRAP sites in St. Louis for the Army Corps. But 

its main gig is spying for the U.S. intelligence agencies, with zillions in contracts 

from the DOD, CIA, NSA and Hom… 

https://firstsecretcity.com/2017/06/25/every-picture-tells-a-story/

? 

The FAKE NEWS misdirection Nuclear campaign to hide the facts has been going on for years. h/t @PostDispatchbiz

systembuster 

@stlsystembuster 

Oct 24, 2022 • 11 tweets • stlsystembuster/status/1584366426626088960 

I would like to appeal to the logical area of the brain for a moment. We know we're under attack by the state. Rather than expend our energy debating the precise nature of each tool being used to murder us, I suggest we focus our attention and talk about the only peaceful way out https://t.co/2I6l0V6h3h

— Roadtoserfdom (@roadtoserfdom3) March 3, 2023

Westlake Landfill Testing Update

Dawn Chapman uploaded a file.

We have some more great news to share with you all! 

EPA and the Responsible Party at West Lake are FINALLY finished with all the testing that is designed to locate all the previously unknown areas with radioactive waste on the landfill. There is now an updated map that EPA will be posting as well as two meetings the agency will host shortly in the next three months. We have entered the final phase right before the clean up, which is designing the plan for where to start and where to finish. EPA would also like to host another listening session so they can hear from you all what the impact of this site has been and what things you want and need. The are genuinely looking for your input so they can design their meeting and make sure they are meeting your needs for how to inform you about things having to do with the site and clean up moving forward. We are hoping to see these meetings in February and March-possibly beginning of April. Please be sure to let us know if there is a way we can help you access this meeting either in person or online. Our EPA TASK coordinator has stated that they could also help accommodate with childcare needs/ activities for the event. It's been a busy week with meetings between multiple agencies for multiple sites in our region. The one thing that appears to be the same between all the agencies and sites is that community engagement and direct interaction with agencies has had made the difference on getting these agencies to consider different plans, testing locations etc. Direct community involvement going forward is going to be critical at our site and others! The moms extend this invite to those of you on this page who care about these issues. Whether you lived in the areas decades ago, live here currently, have friends and family who live here now, or just care about the horrific situation that has been allowed to plague this region for over 70 years. No degrees or advanced degrees are required! While Karen Nickel and I have worked for over 10 years now to establish communications with this agency and help guide this process, this issue does not belong to just us and we are not, nor do we desire to be the only ones who have direct access to the agencies who make the decisions. While we are happy to take your questions back to the agencies, we also want to make sure you have the ability to reach out directly and ask them your questions. Look for invitations going forward to get more one on one time and be involved with working groups to be posted soon.

I have downloaded the file and uploaded it to my google storage files here is the link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-GCs7DWIauJXcCK6PYFLNH3Ies18ndya/view?usp=sharing

Westlake Landfill update

Radiation Testing Contract StLouis FUSRAP

@cureworks @WULF_HEMP_SEED i was amazed at the cost of this service: It is requested that the current $49,500,000 maximum contract amount be increased by $unknown to allow the cost-plus-fixed-fee task order W912P921F0260, St Louis FUSRAP pic.twitter.com/GFiohGfQXL

— StLScotty (@StLScotty1) August 3, 2022

Development of Microcontroller-Based System for Background Radiation Monitoring https://t.co/Y1aCsmF9Bx #arduino #radiation tester

— StLScotty (@StLScotty1) August 3, 2022

@TeamSaintLouis that $49,500,00 contract
that allows the cost-plus-fixed-fee task order W912P921F0260, St Louis FUSRAP
project, currently underway- would seem to buy Scientist who maybe not telling the truth. https://t.co/ZnDEVrND0a Which Govt Agency is fixing the books? @EPA

— systembuster (@stlsystembuster) November 17, 2022

Guest Scotty, from St. Louis - Electro-Phytoremediation Process 8-22-2016

Updated information after phone conversation with person planning phytoremediation project to use hemp to phytoextract toxins from soil.

Is this the video you mentioned? https://youtu.be/pVVWcd9bXrA  the video below explains why not everyone should be able to do this UNTIL the system is proven safe.

   I am not afraid of exposing corruption and shortsightedness everywhere I find it.  

I'll be doing another radio interview this coming week sometime about the electrohemp system.

Lonnie Simpson is interviewer. She's anti nuke, understands plight of downwinders being exposed to contamination and all the health issues.

She mentioned the latest stuff I've pieced together that is wanted by Dept of Defense in re to uranium is dangerous for my safety. I'm not worried or scared and I'm going to share this to the world. (In addition to I have found a buyer in the health industry for the decontaminated material)

If you researched EPA suggestions you'd realize they have a goal of turning toxins into cash to offset remediation costs.  My end disposal options do this in 2 or more ways. Instead of the costly glass infusion you mentioned.

https://www.epa.gov/risk/calculating-preliminary-remediation-goals-prgs

Preliminary Remediation Goals for Radionuclides (PRG)

FYI: Paul with Fungi Perfecti informed me: mushrooms will decontaminate nuke rads, but mushrooms still need to be picked up and disposed of [or else the contamination will be reintroduced back into the environment].

Here's the info I shared with the World Wide Hemp group I'm a part of.


 https://facebook.com/HempEnvironmentalForum/?

Lonnie also clued me in on the grant writer who won't consider the organic remediation disposal vs nuke ind suggestions.


It should be pretty interesting interview. She's hip to the nuke ind tactics / shortsighted activist etc.


Fyi: i am not going to mention your name or location but I am going to expose what I feel is shortsighted science because you won't or haven't researched a true solution on this issue.


I'll send more info when we hash out an interview time and where to view it.

Peace,
Scotty

Phytoremediation Raft Remove Toxic Pollutants Water

The following photos are examples of where ElectroHemp Phytoremediation Raft designs can be designed to remove any number or combination of toxic pollutants found in water sources from Bridgetown and Westlake Landfill this would stop the pollution from entering the Public Water Supply, as pointed out by Alex Cohen.

The above 3 photos courtesy Environmental Activist and Humanitarian Alex Cohen- https://m.faceboAlex Cohen.
ElectroHemp Phytoremediation Rafts Remediation Example for decontamination of water.

ElectroHemp Phytoremediation Rafts

ElectroHemp in Top 40 BALSA Foundation StLouis startup assistance

Dear BALSA Grant Applicant- Electro Hemp, 

Good news! We are writing to let you know that your application has successfully passed our preliminary screening and is now being evaluated by a panel of reviewers. 

We had over 70 applications this BALSA Grant round, and your application was one of the top 40 which went on to the review stage. After the reviews are finished we will select the BALSA Grant finalists. 

We will provide feedback from reviewers and let you know if you’re a finalist within two weeks. Please note that all finalists will be required to attend one pitch practice session in late February 2018, as well as the awards ceremony during March 2018. 

More details to come. Congratulations again on making it to the review stage and best of luck in your business endeavor. With best wishes, The BALSA Foundation Team

Our Mission and Vision

“The BALSA Foundation’s mission is to promote social equity and prosperity in the St. Louis region by empowering first-time entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses. We fulfill this mission by (1) maintaining an online, step-by-step guide to starting a business, (2) providing free feedback from experts to anyone with a business idea, (3) providing cash grants, mentorship, and donations of professional services to first time entrepreneurs who need and will benefit from them the most.

Our vision is a St. Louis community that embraces first time entrepreneurship as a gateway to social change.

The BALSA Foundation 

ElectroHemp BioRad Remediation Pilot Study Discussion

-------
Discussions have begun about a Pilot Study Location for the ElectroHemp BioRad hazardous waste removal system. Stay Tuned for more details and see the announcement at the Hemp Environmental Forums Facebook page

#phytoremediation with #electrokinetics speeds up the toxic removal process. < this is nothing new. > But what is new is the organic disposal system for the toxic plants that eliminate Long Term Nuclear Waste Storage! Rememeber its our Tax Dollars that pay for this. Eliminating this part of the nuclear waste storage will save the USA Taxpayers multi-million dollars.

ElectroHemp BioRad Remediation Pilot Study Location Discussion https://t.co/mAySxxTJtW #WestlakeLandfill #NuclearWaste #Remediation

— Scotty (@StLHandyMan) September 19, 2017

Also shared to LinkedIn

ElectroHemp BioRad LinkedIn Post Notice

8/15/17 Letter MO DNR, Politicians, Reporters, et al

MO DNR Employees, Politiicians, Reporters, et al

ublicnoticenpdes@dnr.mo.govcontact@dnr.mo.gov, environmental.education@dnr.mo.gov, mowaters@dnr.mo.gov, envirolab@dnr.mo.gov, hazwaste@dnr.mo.gov, soils@dnr.mo.gov, cleanwater@dnr.mo.gov, drinkingwater@dnr.mo.gov, mining@dnr.mo.gov christopher.nagel@dnr.mo.gov communications@dnr.mo.gov Senator Claire McCaskill Michele Kratky  Mariah Chappel Nadalcc: Tony Messenger StL Post Dispatch

RE: 2 part email- Storm Water Permit MO-0122771

Part 1: Missouri Resident, St. Louis Voter. Part 2: Problem and Economical Solution Examples

This is my 3rd contact with the MO DNR. I'd like to remind everyone that the Team and I are willing to offer any assistance needed to assist in containing and contolling the polloution from the landfill. I am not going to give up helping my neighbors as I will partly be helping myself in an act of self preservation to avoid becoming a Cancer Cluster Statistic. Scotty

Part 1: As a MIssouri Voter:

I am continually shocked at the continued lack of remedial action at the Westlake Landfill. MO DNR own documents prove the contamination is spreading outside the landfill. MO DNR cannot continue to deny the facts.  Letting the pollution reach the city sewers and the Missouri River, as it is currently happening in addition to allowing the leechage pumping system to drain into the city sewers as the numerous photos show and were tracked by Residents of the community, is a total disregard for the Health of the residents in the Region.

Part 2: Problem

"Stormwater from just outside the fence line of the West Lake Landfill complex, the dumping ground for Manhattan Project-era radioactive waste, contains a variety of radioactive isotopes, according to test results released late last month by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The sampling of stormwater overflow, conducted on April 30 as heavy rains pounded the region, found levels of alpha particle activity that exceed the threshold allowed for drinking water. Uranium, radium and gross beta readings all registered within acceptable limits for drinking water, which the department used as a comparative baseline because of its stringent standards. StLouis Post Dispatch " https://dnr.mo.gov/bridgeton/docs/20170430StormWaterResults.pdf

**Important** Radioactive Alpha particles found by the State of MO DNR in Storm Water from this past...

Solution Examples:

"Plants as Water Protectors" 

Toxins can be cycled from the water inexpensively with plants in a process called Phytoremediation.

2: Riparian Buffer Zone Examples in Real Life St.Louis Locations. 

Location 1:

Location 2: IKEA 

The above images were used as examples in a remediaiton information packet called: Plants as Water Protectors information series.

Article 5- Phytromediation Rafts with Electrokinetics

Article 4- Plants as Water Protectors

Article 3- Citizen Science Phytoremediation Research StLouis

Article 2- St Louis IKEA Phyto Buffer Zone pt2
Article 1- IKEAs lesser known environmental project