Why the EPA, Superfund is so important

When I was around 5 years old, I was convinced that the milk my parents bought at the local Swiss Farms came from cows living in the field behind the store. I once mentioned these cows to my parents, who chuckled at my naivete. No cows grazed in that field, and for good reason: the ground was full of toxic chemicals, dumped by a wood treatment plant decades ago. I have since learned that this is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund site, where government funds help to remediate soil made toxic by industrial activity. On Saturday, April 22, I will be at the March for Science to support the longstanding role of publicly funded science in the EPA’s cleanup efforts at this site and hundreds like it.

My passion for science goes back a long time, and was nurtured by my parents at an early age. While at Haverford Middle School I became involved with the Science Olympiad team, and by high school was a captain. I went on to study physics at the University of Pennsylvania, and am now at MIT pursuing a PhD in neuroscience. Science has become deeply important to me as a way to better understand the world’s complex problems and natural beauty, but also as a foundation of our society. Science is what gives us the comforts of modern life. It provides the energy to power our homes and keeps us from dying of minor infections. It is what gives our military an edge and keeps our soldiers safe. It even allows us to explore questions about where we came from and where we fit in the cosmos.

I will be at the March for Science in Washington, D.C., because without the support of the federal government, and citizens, the EPA would not have been unable to address the toxic soil issues in Havertown. Since cleanup has began, the EPA has removed tons of sludge and ensured that people living near the site are no longer exposed to any hazardous waste. While work to treat groundwater and soil is ongoing, the containment and careful monitoring of the waste has allowed for recent construction projects near the site. A new YMCA was safely constructed on a nearby lot. In the past year, a new storage facility has been built on the very field where I once thought cows lived. The revitalization of the area around the site is a testament to the success of the Superfund. Without it, the full scale of the pollution might have never been known. Many families might have been exposed to dangerous chemicals, and toxic vapors could have leaked into the YMCA.

I will march for science because, as shown by the EPA’s efforts in Havertown, public support of science has enormous pay-offs down the road. The National Institutes for Health (NIH) funds research on diseases that take far too many lives each year, like cancer and Alzheimer’s. The Department of Energy (DOE) is a leading force in keeping the United States a leader in the physical sciences, having funded the work behind over 100 Nobel Prizes during its existence. And of course, the EPA keeps us safe from pollution and informed about environmental changes. These and other federal agencies all play a critical role in making this country great. Every tax dollar spent on them pays off many times over through the innovative technologies and jobs that can only come from basic research.

In times like these, it is important to remember that support for science is patriotic, and must not be a partisan issue. The EPA was created by in 1970 by Richard Nixon, a Republican. Both political parties have long histories of supporting scientific research, a minor expense compared to the massive federal budget. Science as a whole does not have a political agenda; its only loyalty is to the truth. Having met and worked with many scientists, I can say that almost all of them only want to make the world a better place through their work.

I will march because science is key to remaining a vibrant nation. I hope you will join me at either the march in D.C. or the one in Philadelphia.

In times like these, it is important to remember that support for science is patriotic, and must not be a partisan issue.