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by John McCaslin, Inside the Beltway
“The biggest environmental problem in the world today is not global warming. Not even close.”
So writes Thomas Rooney, president of Insituform Technologies in Chesterfield, Mo., the world’s largest sewer, oil and water-pipe repair company. He’d read our item this week on Christopher C. Horner’s new book, “The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming and Environmentalism.”
“The biggest environmental problem…in America makes 3.5 million people sick every year. Researchers at [University of California at Los Angeles] and Stanford say the number is even bigger,” Mr. Rooney writes. “That problem is, of course, broken sewer pipes polluting waterways, swimming areas and drinking water all over the world.”
The Environmental Protection Agency reported 73,000 sewer spills in the United States last year, he says, adding that the reason for the “epidemic” is simple: Most sewer pipes were built 60 or more years ago – but meant to last 50 years.
“Cities are neglecting them. And people are getting sick,” he says. “We’ve seen more bad pipes than anyone. But no one is connecting the dots. It’s the largest – and most ignored – environmental problem in America.”
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