One problematic theme I encountered throughout my research is that of the powerful wealthy company polluting the environment while sacrificing the health and quality of life of the community surrounding its facilities. The lobby power, and perhaps kickbacks, of the industrial giant puts it above the control and regulation of the local or state government. Pollution and destruction are tolerated with- out penalty. When an abnormally dangerous situation occurs, like a spill or an explosion, the industrial giant refutes the severity of the incident, often gives misinformation to the press outlets, and creates legal stalemates for those seeking retribution for their undeserved misfortune. Federal government usually only gets involved after the damage is done to provide some mandate for clean-up, yet loose oversight of the clean-up process.
Dow has been operating its Midland, Michigan plant since 1897. The plant now spans 1,900 acres, serves as the company’s international headquarters and is the biggest employer in the county. Their wealth and influence in the city, county and state runs deep. The amount of dioxins (highly toxic chemicals that are a byproduct of industrial processing, a.k.a mutagens, and suspected carcinogens) spilled into the Saginaw River by the company exceeded EPA limits twenty-fold. When the company downplays its fault and shirks its responsibility for poisoning the community, who will ensure that proper justice is served?
A sincere thanks to my anonymous contact, Michelle Hurd Riddick and her husband Dave.
lyrics
If you don’t know what’s been put into the Saginaw River
And you can’t tell what’s gone into the Midland ground
And the people that put it there don’t want to tell you how poisonous it is And the people you put in charge don’t care to make them do right by you
Yet the state says you can’t eat the fish or you’re 4,000 times as likely to ingest a carcinogen But according to the press, there’s nobody fishing and the company says there is no threat
The state department has admitted the danger is beyond debate
The EPA knows all about the hazards that dioxin creates
And yet Dow hid the facts and dangers from the folks they contaminate
And neither of the governing bodies have made the company pay just restitution
And you can’t tell if your safe, cause the state says screening comes out of your pocket and not the company’s And you can’t sell your place, that’s even if you owned it, and if you rent you have almost no say
How is a city’s biggest corporate sponsor also the city’s biggest polluter?
Dow company’s recent toxic spill is the most severe in this country’s history
It’s over a thousand times higher then the federal government’s action level
The state’s declared that 22 miles of the floodplain’s now a hazardous wasteland
Yet their court won’t rule a judgment on the case of the 2,000 folks
That’s been tied up since the beginning of the decade
And you can’t afford to complain if you fear they’ll take your job and they control the city you live in
And you can’t tell if your safe, cause the state says screening comes out of your pocket and not the company’s But according to the press, there’s nobody fishing and the company says there is no threat
credits
from this land,
released January 1, 2009
Additional Musicians: Jack Ohly – bass; Candy Riotta – Vocals
Nora Brown continues to bring nuance and resonance to her modern interpretation of Appalachian folk and bluegrass on her latest LP. Bandcamp New & Notable Aug 30, 2022
Bright and skipping songs that foreground the sound of the banjo and fingerstyle guitar in music that feels timeless. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 5, 2020
Sweet harmonies & strummed melodies; the duo delve into decades-old folk, jazz, and country to find a timeless kind of love and connection. Bandcamp New & Notable May 23, 2018
The haunting new record from Canadian folk artist Avi C. Engel bridges old and new traditions with a minimalist approach. Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 24, 2024
Beautifully played and full of moving vocal performances, the Bay Area singer/songwriter's latest is a stellar work of art. Bandcamp Album of the Day Feb 3, 2023
The Alabama duo's fifth album exults in dusty Americana, showcasing rich vocal harmonies alongside blissful folk instrumentation. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 31, 2024
