By Theodora Filis For more than 20 years, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) under-reported the amount of radiation found in drinking water provided by communities all across Texas. As a result, health risks to people consuming the water have been underestimated in many water systems where radioactive contaminants are present. The TCEQ regulates water systems for compliance with federal safe-water drinking regulations. However, back in November, it was discovered that the state regulating agency consistently took radiation readings it received from the water testing lab run by the Department of State Health Services and lowered the "official" radiation readings reported by the independent lab. This helped some utilities avoid radiation violations that could have forced them to clean up their water decades ago. E-mails and documents, released under an order from the Texas Attorney General to KHOU-TV, show the agency was attempting to help water systems get
It is imperative we all pay attention to the impact of our collective and personal actions on the environment. During the next decade, our global community will be unable to deal effectively with the formidable environmental challenges posed by decades of environmental mismanagement. There are many environmental issues I write about in this blog, some will scare you, and it is my hope, these articles will give you a reason to question and search for answers.