"As we know, there are known knowns. There are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns. That is to say, we know there are some things we do not know, but there are also unknown unknowns, the ones we don't know we don't know." —Donald Rumsfeld, Feb. 12, 2002, Department of Defense news briefing.
Some tribe members have expressed concern about the health conditions in New Orleans. I've been given the task of finding out what can be known about environmental quality in the area, post-Katrina, and reporting back to the tribe what I find.
Because clean-up is ongoing, environmental quality will change, and I expect to be making several reports over the next few months.
Right now, I am gathering sources of information and I would like to enlist your help in this part of the task. If you come across any news reports which provide sources of information, please forward these to me or otherwise let me know about them. Let me stress that such reports are not, themselves, scientific information; they are useful only if they cite actual scientific studies I am able to obtain, or if they provide links to legitimate, scientific sites which I can access. The best sources of information are those that will be conducting continuing testing in the area. So far, I have identified the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Louisiana State University and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
I will gather what I can and I will start reporting on my findings in a few days. My posts will include the sources of the information so the tribe members can assess it for themselves.
What I find may serve only to, well, muddy the waters. As Mr. Rumsfeld said, there are unknown unknowns, and some tribe members may never feel comfortable with any risk, while others may not care to have the information at all.
That said, I would also like to remind everybody that health concerns are only one factor in many which may be used to determine whether we go to New Orleans or somewhere else, and that the ultimate decision about where the 600 lb. marathon is held is up to our two chiefs, although they will be interested to hear the tribe members’ opinions on the subject.
8 comments:
I hope I don't turn out to be researcher insuffisant, or even worse, researcher criminel.
That request may actually be a lot to ask, considering that I’ll be discussing an area of the country with place-names like Plaquemines, Pointe-a-la Hache, Tchoupitoulas and Vieux Carre, not to mention pollutants with names like Chlorodibromomethane, Dichlorobromomethane, and Dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, for Pete’s sake, but I’ll do my best.
Mold count is certainly the main issue, but part of the worry expressed by the worried tribe members was the residue left from the "toxic soup" which covered parts of the Big Easy.
Yes, the whole place was/is toxic...with all kinds of chemicals, germs, molds, etc....I can't spell them, much less pronounce them. And they may still be lurking there in 2006. And I don't trust the EPA ...they haven't done such a great job in the past.
Mary
do you want me to tell you how I REALLY feel???
Mary
The testing in the area for toxic and non-toxic substances is being done mostly by Louisiana State University, as well as by EPA people, and the way it is being reported on the site I looked at yesterday is in terms of exact measures, so it's not something that can be spun one way or another.
Mold information comes from the American Association of Allergy and Immunology, not a government agency, but it is not being reported in New Orleans just yet, because the certified tester is not back, but I expect that information will be available soon. I have been able to find information for areas nearby, and I'll give my first report in a week or two.
the certified tester for NO probably isn't back yet because she got eaten by the mold or the Chlorodibromomethanes!!
Mary
Man, the mold up there in Edmond must be a lot faster-moving than what we have down here in Oklahoma City. Or maybe the stuff we've got here has been stunted by the Chlorodibromomethane. Or maybe just by the methane (I knew Tim was good for something!)
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