Dec 01, 2005 — Akwesasne Mohawks who live on the reservation near Massena filed a class action lawsuit against Alcoa and General Motors Wednesday. The suit alleges toxic chemicals the companies dumped in St. Lawrence River decades ago have caused a myriad of health problems for thousands of people. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

Jul 28, 2004 — Shipping on the St. Lawrence Seaway reopened at 6:20pm yesterday as officials work to remove a grounded tanker barge from the river near Alexandria Bay. The barge was carrying liquid calcium chloride, a kind of salt. Some 12,000 gallons of the chemical escaped into the river before the leak was stopped. As David Sommerstein reports, Vicki Garcia of the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation says the Canadian owned tug boat Salvor was pushing the barge downriver early yesterday morning when the tug's steering malfunctioned.  Go to full article

Oct 20, 2003 — A toxic waste dump in St. Lawrence County will get the next stage of a clean-up this week. Federal contractors will install a filter to clean up contaminated groundwater at the Sealand Restoration landfill in the town of Lisbon. But as David Sommerstein reports, neighbors see the work as too little, too late.  Go to full article

Aug 29, 2003 — A controversy is smoldering in the St. Lawrence County agricultural community. After years of opposition, the county Farm Bureau is considering a resolution supporting a ban on the open burning of trash. Supporters say farmers could take the lead in abolishing a practice that could poison their products. Critics say a ban would hurt farmers already reeling from low milk prices. As David Sommerstein reports, the outcome could have statewide implications.  Go to full article

Aug 14, 2003 — Twenty years ago, the federal government declared General Motors toxic waste dump by the St. Lawrence River a Superfund site. That designation made it a high priority for cleanup. But a stand-off between the company and the nearby St. Regis Mohawk Tribe has left small amounts of PCBs still seeping into the river. General Motors wants to contain and monitor the chemicals forever. The tribe wants GM to truck them away. This week, General Motors is digging up contaminated soil to convince the tribe that their solution works. As David Sommerstein reports, the sides are still far from agreement.  Go to full article

Apr 18, 2003 — A poll released Thursday finds a majority of voters are very concerned about the most dangerous toxic chemicals, like mercury, dioxin, and PCBs. Environmentalists see the poll as a mandate for elected officials to pass laws removing the chemicals from air and water. David Sommerstein has more.  Go to full article

Mar 04, 2002 — David Sommerstein talks with biologist and author Sandra Steingraber. She's spent more than two decades linking rising cancer rates to pollution in our air, our water, and our food. In 1959, the year Sandra Steingraber was born, 25 percent of all Americans could expect to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes. Today that number's risen to 40 percent.  Go to full article