A FISH WITH CANCER RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT HEALTH OF SUSQUEHANNA RIVER

[appalachiablue]

NPR/National Public Radio the two-way

May 7, 2015

Krishnadev Calamur

Late last year, an angler caught a smallmouth bass in the Susquehanna River near Duncannon, Pa. That fish, officials from the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission said this week, had a malignant tumor. It's the first time this type of tumor has been found on a smallmouth bass in the river, the agency says.

Cancerous growths and tumors on fish are "very, very infrequent," John Arway, the agency's executive director, said in an interview.

"These cancers can be initiated by contaminants," he said.

Scientists with the state's Department of Health say there is no evidence that carcinomas in fish present a health hazard to humans, but "people should avoid consuming fish that have visible signs of sores and legions."

Catch-and-release regulations for smallmouth bass are already in place for the portion of the river where the fish with cancer was caught.

The state of fish in the river could point to broader concerns over the health of the more than 400-mile-long Susquehanna, the longest river on the East Coast. Intersex fish- male fish that carry eggs- have also been found in the river.

Sources of pollution include nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers, discharge from sewage treatment plants and unused pharmaceuticals flushed down toilets.

In 2005, scientists began noticing young bass in the river with sores and lesions, leading to increased mortality rates.

"The weight-of-evidence continues to build a case that we need to take some action on behalf of the fish," Arway said in a statement on his agency's website.

Since 2010, Arway told NPR, the agency has asked the state to put the Susquehanna on a list of impaired waterways, a move that would pave the way for a restoration plan for the river.

"The state still doesn't think it has that information," he said. But a new study is underway that will hopefully answer the question this fall." The state's Department of Environmental Protection is expected to release its 2016 list in September.

Arway says he hopes the Susquehanna will finally qualify. "We are urging them once again," he said in the statement, "to follow the science and add the Susquehanna River to the list."

The folks over at PennLive.com have been covering the Susquehanna and its smallmouth bass fishery since 2009.
**For more information, please go here:
http://blog.pennlive.com/pa-sportsman/2015/05/cancerous_tumor_on_susquehanna.html#incart_river

Full Article with Photo of FISH:
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/05/07/405027471/a-fish-with-cancer-raises-questions-about-health-of-susquehanna-river

[bananas]

1. That's a big tumor

[appalachiablue]

3. Fertilizers, nitrogen, phosphorus and other endocrine disruptors like ATRAZINE, the no. 1

Last edited Sat May 16, 2015, 11:30 AM - Edit history (1)

herbicide used in the US, second to GLYPHOSATE are directly impacting fish, frogs and other species who are developing lesions and tumors, and becoming intersex- males with eggs and females with high testosterone levels.

ATRAZINE is made by Swiss agro-chemical giant SYNGENTA and is banned in Europe since 2004 because of the harmful potential to groundwater. Herbicide and weed killer Glyphosate is in ROUND UP and its manufacturer is MONSANTO.
Herbicide ATRAZINE is heavily used for agriculture, suburban lawns and golf courses.

These and many other toxic chemicals are inadequately regulated by government agencies since the move to deregulation and pro business policies in the last 30 years. Besides these contaminants, others like bisphenol A and phthalates found in PLASTICS, are also contributing to dramatic rises in human health problems such as infertility, cancers of the prostate, breast and colon, and other chronic diseases.

FRACKING CHEMICALS that are known to get into rivers and waterways illegally and from negligence also impact the health of bays and rivers in PA and elsewhere; and animal and plant life. Birds like eagles eat the fish; it's all connected as environmentalists like pioneer Rachel Carson and others have studied. And we're obviously part of the system.

In the 2000s VP Dick Cheney pushed for the 'HALLIBURTON Loophole' on non disclosure of dangerous chemicals used in the shale oil extraction fracking industry.

RACHEL CARSON (1907-1964), marine biologist with the US Bureau of Fisheries, was right about the damage and destruction of life and ecosystems from synthetic pesticides and DDT in the 1940s-1960s. Her 1962 classic book, "Silent Spring" was read by President Kennedy in 1963. She endured and died from breast cancer in 1964. Her 1951 work, "The Sea around Us" is remarkable, I'm reading it now.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/24/AR2009082403051.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrazine

See Halliburton Controversies & Environmental Issues:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halliburton

*SUSQUEHANNA RIVER*
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susquehanna_River

[appalachiablue]

5. All's not ok with life in our toxic environment- for fish, birds, plants, water, air, soil & us-

[CrispyQ]

6. The rich think they are immune from all this,

but when we've contaminated our entire planet, where will they go? They may have a bigger cushion to soften the fall, but they are going down with the rest of us.

This is where one quarter ahead thinking gets you, vs. seven generations.

[appalachiablue]

7. Maybe they protect themselves with water filters, organic food grown on their farms

and access to the best quality medical care. But how do you defend yourself from all air, water, soil, food and infectious diseases unless you live in a bubble. *Atrazine, the widely used killer herbicide used in the US is also is permitted in Australia. Even though Swiss-made Atrazine is banned in the EU, somewhere in this material it's noted that this has been got around by developing another herbicide product for use in Europe- as corporations are known to do.

Last January (2015) the Head of the Annual (Global Elite) Economic Forum (Robt. Johnson?) in DAVOS, Switzerland said hedge funders and corporations would have to leave the US and places like England if matters (protests) got too bad.
Many wealthy, esp. financiers have already purchased private large homes, farms and airstrips for their Gulfstream jet aircrafts that can seat 20-30 people-- in NEW ZEALAND, if and when things get too uncomfortable.
There was an OP about this Davos Economic Summit and comments about leaving on DU, and also a video of the official discussing matters. I was astounded. They are many steps ahead and have massive resources.

There are also immense underground bunker 'cities' for the uber rich, and giant MULTI-HOME SHIPS for the superwealthy that can cruise around the world to avoid unrest, taxes and pollutants (I presume). Many of the residences on these immense aircraft carrier plus size floating ship communities are 6,000 sq. ft. This is not crackpot, conspiracy fear stuff, I've seen a bit of it in the news and Thom Hartmann has mentioned it a couple times, very mildly.

[CrispyQ]

15. Oh, I don't think it's crackpot stuff at all, but it's still just a bigger cushion.

I believe that we are beyond the point of no return on the environment. When the eco-system reaches a point where it no longer supports us, the 1% will suffer too. I don't know if our entire species will go extinct, but there is going to be a massive die off & the 1% will no longer be able to maintain their excessive life styles. They are arrogant beyond belief & taking the entire ship down with their greed. They may be the last ones to feel it, but things are going to change radically, even for them.

[appalachiablue]

16. Many people think the course is set as you describe, and so do I. The elites may find

a way to isolate themselves from the worst of the turmoil for a while, on their mega ships or self sustaining colonies in New Zealand, but eventually they won't be able to avoid or correct the fouled air and oceans and the climate disasters.

Perhaps they think advanced technology which will be theirs to control will come to the rescue- that's uncertain and arrogant if it's the case. These sociopathic, greedy and self focused humans are a bad lot. I wish a prevention or treatment for them could be developed, but the problem is hardly acknowledged and they're the ones in charge of resources and research, for the time being.

[CrispyQ]

17. You have stated perfectly, the thoughts that I've had.

These sociopathic, greedy and self focused humans are a bad lot. I wish a prevention or treatment for them could be developed, but the problem is hardly acknowledged and they're the ones in charge of resources and research, for the time being.

[FLPanhandle]

12. +1

Sometimes I think humans are the worst thing to happen to the environment since that dinosaur killing comet.

[appalachiablue]

13. Amen. I've unfortunately come to that realization in the last year or two.

[Koinos]

2. Fracking Chemicals

have been dumped in the waterways of Pennsylvania and have shown up in the Susquehanna River, even as far as Baltimore.

[appalachiablue]

4. Unfortunately yes. It's a Toxic Environment we live in! See #3.

[Koinos]

8. And then they sell us the same water in bottles.

Making the earth into a cesspool and toxic waste dump -- all to enrich the usual suspect billionaires.

[appalachiablue]

9. +100. They also profit $$ from the money we pay when we get sick from the toxins

through health insurance policies, medical treatment and Big Pharma. It's a win, win global Death Racket!

Or, as Stephen Colbert said, "Your Meth dealer is also your Dentist."

And when it's uninhabitable the superwealthy will leave the toxic dump land for the High Seas or Underground Living, as described in my other post-

[Koinos]

10. No matter what we do, they eventually get everything we have.

They don't want 90% of the wealth; they want it all.

By the way, Ralph Waldo Emerson is one of our favorite writers.

[appalachiablue]

11. Being in the 'extraction' business that's their expertise, any natural resources, human

resources and anything that can be sold for profit! Maybe they can't buy our SOULS- the ones who don't sell out anyway. ~ Emerson is wonderful ~

[appalachiablue]

14. Washington Post* "Why a Smallmouth Bass with a Rare, Cancerous Tumor has PA officials worried"

"WHY A SMALLMOUTH BASS WITH A RARE, CANCEROUS TUMOR HAS PA OFFICIALS WORRIED"

Washington Post
Speaking of Science, By Abby Ohlheiser
May 5, 2015

>SNIP<

The Washington Post also took a look at the smallmouth bass in the (Susquehanna) river in 2013 noting that some wildlife experts consider the species to be a,

"CANARY IN THE COALMINE" for potential water pollution.

~~~~
FULL ARTICLE, SEE *COMMENTS RE RELEASE OF CHEMICALS SINCE FRACKING BEGAN IN *2005

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/05/05/a-susquehanna-river-angler-caught-a-smallmouth-bass-with-a-rare-cancerous-tumor/

*In 2005, the NPR article notes that scientists began seeing sores and lesions on young fish, the same year that fracking was begun in the area, according to several commenters to the Washington Post article above.

[MadrasT]

18. People swim in that river.

It is huge for water sports in the area between York and Lancaster counties.

When I was younger, I swam and waterskiied in it many times.

Eek.

[appalachiablue]

19. I can believe people people swim in the Susquehanna like the fish and other wildlife

have done for ages- what's natural. The pollution of our rivers, tributaries, bays and lakes by industrial chemicals in the last 30 years of deregulation and pro business policies is enormous. Like water, the same is true for soil, air and food. *I expanded this reply to your comment for any interested readers of this serious subject.

Much is unknown by the larger public because of corporate owned Media, and policy changes and little to no regulation and oversight of industry by our regulatory agencies the EPA, FDA, and USDA (like the case with the banks). Federal and state agency regulators are often staffed and headed by industry insiders, like MONSANTO corporate lawyer MICHAEL R. TAYLOR who was appointed head of the FDA in Jan. 2010 by President Obama.
Agency funding is sometimes inadequate resulting in budget cuts, lower staffing and oversight.

I. FRACKING
Many Americans think our government is corrupted by money and private sector influence in many respects, especially the lack of safety regulation of our water, soil, air and food. There are approximately 80,000 chemicals in the environment, only about 5 of which are regulated in the US.
-In 2005 VP Dick Cheney pushed through the "HALLIBURTON LOOPHOLE" to prevent disclosure of chemicals used in hydraulic gas FRACKING.

Between the recent use of FRACKING chemicals in hydraulic drilling for gas, and ATRAZINE, the No. 1 Herbicide for agriculture and residential lawn care that is a known endocrine disruptor, it's becoming clear that our environment, especially water is turning into a toxic stew that's resulting in lesions, cancers, infections and intersex abnormalities in fish and frogs, and cancers and other health problems in humans.
_________

Info. from the 'Comments Section' at the end of the 2015 WASHINGTON POST article *Link Below.
-Comment No. 1: Information that was conspicuously absent from the story: "officials started noticing lesions on local bass in 2005, Arway said." Please connect the dots a little here. 2005 is essentially when hydraulic FRACTURING for shale gas began in the Susquehanna Watershed.
-The SUSQUEHANNA was named one of America's "Most Endangered Rivers" in 2011 due to impact of FRACKING, largely from a massive spill that year into the tributary, Towanda Creek by Chesapeake Energy.
-Since 2005, one can find a list of contaminants associated with shale gas FRACKING that have made their way into the River. Is it any wonder the fish get cancer when they swim in a dumping ground for poorly regulated Fracking.

ARTICLES:

-Washington Post, May 5, 2015, "Why Smallmouth Bass with a Rare, Cancerous Tumor has PA Officials Worried" By Abby Ohlheiser
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/05/05/a-susquehanna-river-angler-

-Truthout, Feb. 12, 2014, "Time to End the Cheney-Halliburton Loophole", By Thom Hartmann :
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/21828-time-to-end-the-cheney-halliburton-loophole

-Energy and Environment Publishing, Jan. 29, 2015, "HYDRAULIC FRACTURING: Senate Votes to Keep "Halliburton Loophole"; Regulation Stays with States" By Mike Soraghan, E&E reporter.
http://www.eenews.net/stories/1060012514
_________

II. ATRAZINE
From the 2009 Washington Post article below and Wiki. Higher levels of Herbicide ATRAZINE are found in drinking water and may pose a health risk. ATRAZINE is the No. 1 Herbicide used in the US. It is made by Swiss agro-chemical giant Syngenta but is banned in Europe since 2004 due to the risk of groundwater contamination. Atrazine is a known endocrine disruptor that causes reproductive deformities, hormonal problems and cancers.
-Spikes of Atrazine are found in the water supplies of MIDWESTERN and SOUTHERN TOWNS in agricultural areas, where the Herbicide is applied to the vast majority of CORN, SORGHUM and SUGAR CANE fields.
Atrazine is also used on suburban lawns, golf courses and in other residential and commercial areas.

ARTICLES

-Washington Post, August 25, 2009, "Higher Levels of Herbicide (ATRAZINE) Found in Drinking Water May Pose Health Risk", By Kari Lydersen
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/24/AR2009082403051.html

-Wiki, ATRAZINE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atrazine

-Reuters, April 25, 2013, "Heavy Use of Herbicide ROUNDUP Linked to Health Dangers" By Carey Gillam
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/25/roundup-health-study-idUSL2N0DC22F20130425



TOP HERBICIDE WEED KILLER PRODUCTS No. 1 and No. 2:

*ATRAZINE* by SYNGENTA

*ROUNDUP* with Glyphosate by MONSANTO

[KamaAina]

20. I didn't know the Susquehanna flowed through Springfield

[appalachiablue]

21. Great looking fish there! the nuclear power plant mutant, eek. Wherever the 'Simpsons'

Springfield is, KY or MO or more than 50 other Springfields in the US, the Susquehanna River may not flow there- but fracking chems and atrazine are around because of widespread use throughout the US.

Fishing is for real different than my childhood and growing up. Bass, trout, flounder, grouper, stripers and others were plentiful (and normal! ). Chesapeake Bay crabs were $5.00 a bushel way back.
What a toxic world-

[KamaAina]

22. Springfield, VT won a competition

but Matt Groening once gave a shoutout to Springfield, OR.

[appalachiablue]

23. I'd tend to go with Oregon cuz of Groening-

[appalachiablue]

24. CORPORATIONS POLLUTE, PASS ALONG THE COST OF THE TRASH THEY DON'T CLEAN UP

AND THE DISEASES AND MEDICAL PROBLEMS TO THE RESIDENTS, AND POISON NATURAL LIFE.

THAT'S CALLED 'EXTERNALIZING COSTS'-

CORPORATIONS GET THE PROFITS, BUT PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT PAY THE PRICE OF CONTAMINATION, DESTRUCTION AND DISEASE