Forward Township Fly Ash Slide
Palm Sunday was my first day at the Sixth Presbyterian Church in Squirrel Hill. When I told people where I was from, several of them immediately remarked, "That’s where they have the landslides!" I then told them that the landslide had occurred along my favorite jogging route.
I have a few jogging routes I really like, but Rostosky Ridge Road is my favorite. For one thing, I can get to the Monongahela River and back home in six miles only by jogging the length of Rostosky Ridge Road. In addition, Rostosky Ridge Road has the steepest, longest hill you can imagine in this part of the country. I think I’m the only person in Forward Township brave enough to jog up it. It was one of my great achievements in jogging when I could jog clear up it without stopping.
This winter, the small neighborhood at the very bottom of Rostosky Ridge Road was inundated by a toxic fly ash slide. It was the main news story in Pittsburgh for several days. Fly ash is a byproduct of coal processing. At some point in the past, this byproduct was dumped in a landfill at the top of the hill. It broke loose this winter, burying the small neighborhood in several inches of the black, poisonous muck. The Department of Environmental Protection did a so-called "cleanup." The first time I jogged down to see it, I couldn’t get through, because the cleanup was in progress. I talked to one of the residents who was shoveling the muck out of his driveway. He was very sick from it. It apparently contains cadmium and arsenic. Residents were warned that it was even more toxic to breathe it in once the weather warms up and it turns to dust. I was used to these friendly people, their children, and their dogs. They greeted me and encouraged me when they saw me out jogging. I brought treats to their dogs. I felt very concerned for them. It pained me to think of adults, children, and pets living in these conditions.
Another advantage of Rostosky Ridge Road is that it is the shortest way to Monongahela—4 ½ miles for me. If I take my car to the garage, this is the shortest walking route for me to retrieve my car. Shortly after the "cleanup," I had to walk through the area on the way to Monongahela to get my car. As I walked through this quarter-mile stretch, just by breathing the air, my mouth had a metallic taste in it. I couldn’t imagine what it must be like for people and animals to have to breathe this in 24/7! What terrible health problems will people have years from now after living in the midst of this fly ash slide?
Yesterday, I left the car in Monongahela and jogged up River Hill, where the slide started. It’s still roped off with police tape. There is a big black gouge in the hillside where the slide broke off and tumbled down the hill. Today, I walked through the affected neighborhood on the way to get my car. The yards are still covered in black, toxic muck. It has been 60-70 degrees and sunny. Kids come home from school and can’t play in their yards, can’t wade in the creek. They can’t use their swing sets because they are covered in fly ash. Some cleanup!
I have a few jogging routes I really like, but Rostosky Ridge Road is my favorite. For one thing, I can get to the Monongahela River and back home in six miles only by jogging the length of Rostosky Ridge Road. In addition, Rostosky Ridge Road has the steepest, longest hill you can imagine in this part of the country. I think I’m the only person in Forward Township brave enough to jog up it. It was one of my great achievements in jogging when I could jog clear up it without stopping.
This winter, the small neighborhood at the very bottom of Rostosky Ridge Road was inundated by a toxic fly ash slide. It was the main news story in Pittsburgh for several days. Fly ash is a byproduct of coal processing. At some point in the past, this byproduct was dumped in a landfill at the top of the hill. It broke loose this winter, burying the small neighborhood in several inches of the black, poisonous muck. The Department of Environmental Protection did a so-called "cleanup." The first time I jogged down to see it, I couldn’t get through, because the cleanup was in progress. I talked to one of the residents who was shoveling the muck out of his driveway. He was very sick from it. It apparently contains cadmium and arsenic. Residents were warned that it was even more toxic to breathe it in once the weather warms up and it turns to dust. I was used to these friendly people, their children, and their dogs. They greeted me and encouraged me when they saw me out jogging. I brought treats to their dogs. I felt very concerned for them. It pained me to think of adults, children, and pets living in these conditions.
Another advantage of Rostosky Ridge Road is that it is the shortest way to Monongahela—4 ½ miles for me. If I take my car to the garage, this is the shortest walking route for me to retrieve my car. Shortly after the "cleanup," I had to walk through the area on the way to Monongahela to get my car. As I walked through this quarter-mile stretch, just by breathing the air, my mouth had a metallic taste in it. I couldn’t imagine what it must be like for people and animals to have to breathe this in 24/7! What terrible health problems will people have years from now after living in the midst of this fly ash slide?
Yesterday, I left the car in Monongahela and jogged up River Hill, where the slide started. It’s still roped off with police tape. There is a big black gouge in the hillside where the slide broke off and tumbled down the hill. Today, I walked through the affected neighborhood on the way to get my car. The yards are still covered in black, toxic muck. It has been 60-70 degrees and sunny. Kids come home from school and can’t play in their yards, can’t wade in the creek. They can’t use their swing sets because they are covered in fly ash. Some cleanup!
posted by Theodosia @ 9:49 AM
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