Easter, Oak Cliff and the Ogallala Aquifer

A couple of things on my mind this morning: One-the very real possibility that an area in west Texas will become dumping ground for "low level" (?) radioactive waste that will be TRUCKED or transported across the country and laid to rest atop a Texas aquifer.* A hearing will be held in Austin in a few days to air concerns.
One citizen asked, "Just what is low level radiation." Answer-Everything that is not high level radiation. ...As if we could tell the difference!
This could be a serious problem for not only would radioactive dust surely blow across the dusty plains, a major aquifer would be tainted by eventual contamination. Oh well, if it's "low level," what's the problem?
Second, you may have noticed today's Dallas Morning News carried an editorial on South Dallas-how the Southern sector has not received the aid to development that was expected.
South Dallas, including Oak Cliff-synonymous with Oak Cliff is, of course, south of the Trinity River. What a history Oak Cliff boasts! In my grandparents day, it was -at least in North Oak Cliff-a haven for families with new homes and amenities like Lake Cliff Park and the huge swimming pool lake with amusement park, strong churches and schools, high moral standards, and a convenient street car system to take folks to stores and movie theatres on Jefferson Blvd and to several nearby churches. My mother described an idyllic childhood in Oak Cliff, recalling that her life was Cliff Temple, Rosemont School, elocution and violin lessons, a pony ride down Montclair, and ice cream at the drug store with soda fountain on Davis St. My grandfather crossed the river to work; but home was neighborly, safe Oak Cliff, where children congregated on large, cool cement front porches at night in summer and listened to parents read books aloud-probably classics -then had again ICE CREAM delivered by a guy on a bicycle! Life on the desirable "cliffs" was good; but low river bottom land housed poorly regulated industry, so Oak Cliff and Southwest Dallas also suffered and still suffer today the effects of serious soil and water contamination. Polluted land-in the calculus of cities-means low prices, even worthless land, occupancy of crumbling dwellings by the poor, and
decaying abandoned facilities.

So, when we talk about renewing the southern sector of Dallas, do we address the land quality and the skeleton of past industry that is so unattractive? Or do we ignore that and spend millions on new projects that will exist alongside decay from the past?
It's an interesting question. Personally, I would begin with remediation of land, believing that clean land attracts clean business, which leads to jobs and development of safe neighborhoods.
Historic building such as churches and schools and homes "of the period" should always be preserved and restored; with buildings repurposed as offices or public facilities, possibly and very desirably, housing. Some structures need to be rebuilt or removed.
Yes, this costs money; but we are paying money now without solving our problems.

Today, as we think about Easter, new life for South Dallas and for its people is a concern we can share. That...and demanding Texas NOT become the nation's toxic waste dump site for radioactive waste of any level.
Happy Easter, Christians! Because God raised His Son, He can raise us to work for peace, justice, healing, and opportunity for all people.

* For more info on the waste and aquifer crisis: See http://www.savetheogallalaaquifer.com/ The Olagalla underlies eight states and is vital to humans and business. It is being depleted and not recharged at present, and must be managed carefully to continue to provide water for several central US states. This aquifer has enough problems already with depletion and should not be contaminated!