Erin Brockovich Investigates Hexavalent Chromium Contamination in Midland, Texas

Here is a link to the story and video from the CBS News Early Show. Remember the contamination of Hinkley, California? Here is just a few items from the article.

The process is becoming "very daunting very quickly" because there are more homes affected than originally believed.

"I never thought I'd see another Hinkley, California," Brockovich told CBS News in Midland, “but I’m afraid I might be wrong." Hexavalent Chromium, Brockovich said, is now being found in significant amounts in the water of over 40 homes in Midland. "The only difference between here and Hinkley," Brockovich said, "is that I saw higher levels here than I saw in Hinkley."

Brockovich said the immediate concern for people in the contaminated areas is for their children.
"The children have so many unexplained problems," she said. "I sat down with a family ... and it was actually really heart wrenching. Their 7-year-old child has stomach tumors. They’re very concerned that he had an unusual cancer ... and (the mother) is so frightened what the future holds for that child." She added, "...In the long term (residents are) all terrified that they could come down with cancer."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/06/10/earlyshow/main5076625.shtml

Brockovich claims to have evidence that oil drilling activity is to blame.
http://permianbasin360.com/content/fulltext/?cid=44001

Here is another news article that appeared in the Houston Chronicle today
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6524761.html

Here is some info on Hexavalent Chromium and the Oil and Gas Industry from Dr. Jerry Michael Neff, Marine Biologist and Ecologist. This information was from an article that was published in 2000. Before the "Halliburton Loophole" and exemption from the Clean Water Act of 2005. Since the O & G Industry doesn't have to tell us what is in the drilling and fracking fluids anymore.....
http://www.offshore-environment.com/wasteenvimpact.html

"The most toxic drilling muds are those that contain high concentrations of hexavalent chromium, diesel fuel or surfactant. (Neff, J. M. 1987. op. cit. p.520)"