Most polluted places in America (real estate market, homes, tornado)

[paddy205]

At least we didn't make the list!

The Most Polluted Places in America - 1 Living Green - Your Life - MSN Lifestyle

I have to say I was surprised at the list. Pittsburgh has really cleaned up, I grew up there in the 70's-80's and its nothing like it was and the Chesapeake Bay has had Growing Greener grants and other mitigation and clean up programs and laws for years. I designed many wetlands and streambank restoration programs throughout the watershed in PA and MD from 2000-2008. No surprise about the air in CA though.

[Marc Paolella]

Picher, Oklahoma is not even mentioned. The entire town is surrounded by massive chat piles (mountains of mine waste containing heavy metals and lead dust). The mine shafts (closed in the 70's) run under the downtown, which is now beginning to collapse into sinkholes filled with poison red water. Many of the children growing up there are retarded as a result of the pollution. The entire town has been designated as failed, and all occupants are being relocated, except for a few old timers who are determined to stay until they die. To add insult to injury, a huge tornado wiped out about 1/3 of the town last year, and blew the chat piles all over creation. There is no real estate market, you can't give the homes away. Municipal services will stop soon, including public water and sewer. The result will be a ghost town, save for a few rednecks who feel it is "home". A terrible but oddly fascinating story overall.

-Marc