US Attorney files environmental contamination suit against Memphis property owner
“Clean air and safe drinking water are basic building blocks for a healthy and just Memphis,” said Kevin Ritz, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. “More than 20 years after the last dry cleaners on this property shuttered, residents are still living with toxic gases in the soil and water above the level considered safe by federal standards.” (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)
For decades, two parcels in the 3500 block of Southern Avenue were leased to successive dry-cleaning businesses, which allegedly disposed of chemicals on the property — less than a mile from a well that pumps drinking water to Shelby County.
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation United States Attorney Kevin Ritz superfundKeely Brewer
Keely Brewer is a Report for America corps member covering environmental impacts on communities of color in Memphis. She is working in partnership with the Ag & Water Desk, a sustainable reporting network aimed at telling water and agriculture stories across the Mississippi River Basin.
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