Friendswood Blog Post 3: City Hall and EPA

Friendswood Blog Post 3: pgs. 63-94

1. Discuss the perception of City Hall officials to Lee.  How do they treat her?  What quotes support this?  Are they fulfilling their responsibility to protect?  

2. Discuss the response of the EPA to Lee.  What is their response to her?  What quotes support this?  Are they fulfilling their responsibility to protect?


City Hall

            Lee portrays the councilmen as the typical public official who puts up the facade of  having  compassion for and interest in civilians, when really they are just engulfed in their own agendas and self interest. Lee sees through the pretense of the councilmen. At the beginning of the city hall meeting, the lead councilmen is said to be  "surveying them all from above with that thin smile"(87). Lee is constantly dismissed by the mayor and council--"It was rare that she managed to get her concerns on the agenda anymore, but during the time set aside for other business at the end, she could usually say a few things about her research before adjournment, and maybe two or three out of thirty people would listen"(87). Lee is not granted ample time to be heard by those who are in position to serve others. The mayor expresses his frustration with Lee because she is the only one that actually wants him to show accountability for the state of Rosemont--" We're very familiar with your work...And we've established that there was no container on the site the day after you supposedly took those photographs"(90). The council out-rightly discredit Lee's evidence and ignore their duties as leaders of the town--it is easier and convenient to build on a lie rather then dig up the truth.

EPA
            One would think that the EPA--an institution with one of their primary goals being to 'protect human health and the environment' would go to any length to assure the lives of  the citizens in Friendswood are secure; even if that meant obtaining outside evidence, administering extensive test, or admitting to an error. Innocent lives should be considered undeniably more pressing than the value of a property. The representative of the EPA at the City Hall meeting in Friendswood, Ms. Dawson, was shocked that anyone would dare attempt to combat her decree of safety in Rosemont. As Lee began to present her compiled evidence, she was met with disapproval from Dawson-- "The women held up her hands to stop her, 'Excuse me?'"(89). Dawson responded as if challenging authority was treason. As if  someone simply stating that the Rosemont site was not a threat to human life is supposed to hypnotize Lee like it did the rest of the councilmen. When asked to provide an address other than that of the general EPA, Ms. Dawson was reluctant in her demeanor.  She "held her face very still, then calmly blinked her eyes. 'I will do that'"(90). Dawson grudgingly agrees to examine the evidence Lee presents. Although Lee is passionately attempting to save the lives in her community, her efforts are viewed as a burden to the lackadaisical individuals who should be concerned, as it is the main goal of what is supposed to be their livelihoods.



The following video is an interview with a former employee and whistle blower of the EPA. The interviewee tells of the unethical practices of the EPA.

Works Cited:

Steinke, Rene. Friendswood. Riverhead Books.

“US Environmental Protection Agency.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/.