Thanks to Katie Lane for a recent Facebook post that chronicles her work to verify rumors that a crew will descend on Pacific City later this month to film a
Thanks to Katie Lane for a recent Facebook post that chronicles her work to verify rumors that a crew will descend on Pacific City later this month to film a
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Melissa DeWoskin will never know whether the toxic forever chemicals from her contaminated private well in West Lakeland Township played a role in her daughter s developmental disabilities.
The what-ifs and unknowns are difficult and all the money from Minnesota s $850 million settlement with 3M Co. over the groundwater pollution from the man-made chemicals won t change that. Your instinct as a mother is to blame yourself, DeWoskin said, choking back tears. Did I expose myself to something?
The township is a hot spot for contamination from the man-made per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances called PFAS. The toxic nonstick chemicals, manufactured by Maplewood-based 3M, are linked to a host of diseases and don t break down in the environment. They ve polluted more than 150 square miles of groundwater across southern Washington County, affecting the drinking water of 14 communities and more than 170,000 Minnesotans.
Our own Neskowin, Nestucca Sandlake Watersheds Council is recruiting water quality monitoring volunteers. No experience is necessary, training is provided. The assignment requires a commitment of three to five hours, once monthly and a vehicle to transport oneself to and from remote collection sites and to deliver water samples to the Watershed Council office in Pacific City. If you are interested in participating as a volunteer, or if you have additional questions, feel free to contact Caleb Mentzer, Outreach and Project Development Manager, at assistant@nestuccawaters.org or by phone at 541-513-2604.
Remember that whales are migrating this winter, as always, and can be viewed from shore most days if we know what to watch for. This year s winter whale watch week (traditionally the week between Christmas Day and New Year s Day along the Oregon Coast) will not include volunteer staff and the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay is closed, all do to Covid-19 precautions. We re encourage