Great Lakes Study Mired in Politics: Author

Scientist says feds didn't like pollution report, reassigned him

By Katherine Thompson, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 18, 2008 7:52 AM CST

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Great Lakes Study Mired in Politics: Author — Part of the BP Refinery waste water treatment includes clarification tanks, clarifiers with a total capacity of 5.7 million gallons of water. Shown here is the clarifier overflow Tuesday Nov. 13, 2007 in Whiting, Ind. Three months ago, the London-based oil company said it would scrap the Whiting refinery's... (Associated Press)

A report suggesting industrial contamination in the Great Lakes poses health threats to residents is being suppressed by the feds, says study author Chris De Rosa, who also claims he was demoted because of his findings. The study found 230,000 "vulnerable" people are living in polluted areas, but the government cited concerns with methodology, reports the Washington Post.

Peer reviewers involved with the study are crying foul because, as one says, "All science has limitations, but to stress the limitations at the expense of getting this kind of information out to the research community is not in the public interest at all." A House committee is investigating the reassignment of De Rosa, who was also involved in publicizing health concerns with FEMA trailers. (More environment stories.)

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