♪ ♪ FOR MOST OF US, IT'S A GIVEN THAT WE WILL HAVE FRESH AIR AND CLEAN WATER.

SADLY THAT'S NOT THE REALITY FOR EVERYONE.

STAY WITH US AS WE TALK TO MISS ARNITA GADSON ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NEXT ON "KENTUCKY HEALTH."

>> "KENTUCKY HEALTH" IS FUNDED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR A HEALTHY KENTUCKY.

>> TOO OFTEN THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE LIVE IS DISCOUNTED OR NOT CONSIDERED AS PLAYING A ROLE IN OUR HEALTH OR HEALTH OUTCOMES AT WORST OUR ENVIRONMENT AND AT MAY BE THE CAUSE OF OUR ILLNESSES AND AT BEST MAY BE EXACERBATING AN MOST OF US TAKE IT AS A BEGIN THAT THE AIR AT THAT TIME WE BREATHE, THE WATER WE DRINK AND LAND IN WHICH WE LIVE IS SAFE.

FOR MANY REASONS, DEFACT DE FACTO OR CONSEQUENCES OF EFFECTS, SOME MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE A GREATER BURDEN OF EXPOSURE THAN OTHERS.

THE LONG-TERM HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTIONS HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON LIFESTYLES, QUALITY OF LIFE AND FINANCIAL WELL-BEING.

TO DISCUSS ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION WE HAVE AS OUR GUEST TODAY MISS GADSON RECEIVED HER BA IN EDUCATION FROM KENTUCKY STATE UNIVERSITY AND AN MA IN MANAGE IN MANAGE MANY FROM WEBSTER UNIVERSITY IN ST. LOUIS MISSOURI.

SHE HAS SERVED AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY COMMISSION FOR THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE DIRECTOR UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE.

SHE IS CURRENTLY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WEST JEFFERSON COUNTY TASK FORCE AND KENTUCKY STATE AND LOUISVILLE CHAIR OF THE NAACP ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE.

MS. GADSON, AR NITA, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME.

>> HOW DID YOU GET INTO WORKING ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES GIVEN YOUR BACKGROUND IN MANAGEMENT?

>> ACTUALLY, I WAS HIRED TO MANAGE A GRANT THAT'S AT UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE.

IT WAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE GRANT.

IT WAS CALLED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE THROUGH POLLUTION PREVENTION.

THE GRANT WAS TO INTRODUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE TO THE COMMUNITY.

IT WAS STILL FAIRLY NEW AND HERE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, OF COURSE I GIVE CREDIT TO REVEREND COLEMAN WHO INITIALLY WAS TALKING ABOUT AND BROUGHT FORTH THE INTEREST IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.

HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE COMPANIES, ESPECIALLY RECOVERY ROVER TOWN AND THE POLLUTION THAT PEOPLE LIVED IN BEING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THAT AREA.

AND THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE , THERE WERE FOUR MEETINGS-- THREE MEETINGS ABOUT 500 PEOPLE ALL TOGETHER, BEFORE I EVEN CAME ALONG WITH THE REVEREND COLEMAN.

AND THEY DEVELOPED, WHAT THEY CALL AN ACTION AGENDA.

AND ALL OF THESE THINGS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT, THEIR MAJOR CONCERNS AND THEY HAD 35 RECOMMENDATIONS.

FROM THAT UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, WHICH WAS ALSO ON THIS COMMITTEE, FOUND A GRANT THAT KIND OF FIT THIS.

SO THAT GRANT THAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT WAS WRITTEN ACTUALLY FROM THE ACTION AGENDA THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY THE COMMUNITY, WHICH FIRST OF ALL IS GREAT.

SO THEY NEEDED SOMEONE TO BE THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THAT GRANT.

SO I WAS WORKING AT THAT TIME FOR SOMEONE ELSE AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT I TRY-- THAT I APPLY FOR THIS POSITION.

AND WHEN THEY TOLD ME ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, I SAID WELL MAYBE NOT BECAUSE I WASN'T AWARE OF WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE WAS.

>> LET ME STOP YOU THERE FOR A MOMENT THEN.

WHEN YOU USE THE TERM ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, WHAT ARE YOU REALLY TALKING ABOUT?

>> WELL, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT DISPARITIES.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT HAVE TO BE HIVE HOIF THAT ARE EXPOSED TO CHEMICALS AND EXPOSURES, EMISSIONS MORE THAN SOMEONE ELSE IN THE SAME AREA.

SO WE ARE BASICALLY TALKING ABOUT THE DISPARITIES THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO LIVE WITH WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH THE AIR, THE WATER AND THE SOIL.

SO IT WAS-- A REPORT WAS DONE AND I BELIEVE YOU HELPED ON SOME OF THOSE REPORTS, THAT TALKED ABOUT THE NUMBER, THE CANCER, IN WEST LOUISVILLE, DIABETES, HEART DISEASE AND UPPER RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES.

THEY WERE FOUND TO BE MUCH HIGHER IN WEST LOUISVILLE.

THE ESTIMATE OF CANCER, I BELIEVE WAS HIGHER INEST LOUISVILLE, BUT THE DEATH RATE WAS HIGHER IN WEST LOUISVILLE AND THIS WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE EXPOSURES TO THE EMISSIONS FROM RUBBER TOWN.

>> THE WIND BLOWS IN ALL DIRECTIONS, WATER FLOWS THROUGH EVERYBODY.

HOW IS IT THAT YOU HAVE CERTAIN COMMUNITIES HAVE HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS OF PROBLEMS THAN OTHERS?

>> IN THIS CASE, BECAUSE THEY WERE ADVERSELY AFFECTED, BY THE CHEMICALS.

WHEN YOU LIVE THERE, I MEAN THE CHEMICALS DISBURSE AS WE GET FURTHER OUT.

AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM.

IT WASN'T REALLY THE EXPOSURE HERE WAS MUCH GREATER.

IT WAS LIKE HAVING A STEAM POT ON THE STOVE, YOU KNOW.

IF YOU ARE CLOSER TO THE STEAM, YOU ARE GOING TO GET BURNED.

YOU GO IN THE OTHER ROOM, YOU ARE NOT ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE STEAM.

SO THIS IS KIND OF SOMETHING LIKE BEING, OR LIVING IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE COMPANIES.

>> YOU USED THE TERM RUBBER TOWN.

WHAT DOES THAT ACTUALLY MEAN.

>> RUBBER TOWN IS THE AREA IN SOUTHWEST JEFFERSON COUNTY, 10 TO 12 COMPANIES.

I SAY THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE ALWAYS BOUGHT.

BUT THESE COMPANIES, OF COURSE, THEY ARE SFON RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING RUBBER.

IF WE GO BACK INTO THE 40S, THEY WERE BUILT TO SUPPLY THE RUBBER FOR THE WAR.

AND THEN THEY WERE BOUGHT PRIVATELY.

SO NOW THERE ARE MANY OTHER THINGS THAT THEY DO.

PAINTS, RESINS, PLASTICS, YOU NAME IT.

THEY PROBABLY DO IT.

THEY DO THINGS FOR THE SPACE, THE SHUTTLE THAT GOES IN SPACE.

>> SO WHEN THESE COMPANIES WERE PUT WHERE THEY ARE NOW, WAS THIS A POPULATED AREA?

OR WAS IT A FAIRLY EMPTY AREA?

>> IT WAS FAIRLY EMPTY.

IT WAS FAIRLY EMPTY.

THIS PARTICULAR AREA AT THIS TIME, THERE WERE NOT A LOT OF BLACKS THAT LIVE THERE HAD BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING THE 40S.

THERE WERE NOT A LOT OF BLACKS THAT ACTUALLY LIVED THERE.

SO WHOEVER WAS THERE REALLY GOT THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF EXPOSURE, WHICH WE ALSO LATER DID A LITTLE THING TO FIND OUT IF WE COULD FIND SOME OF THESE FOLKS THAT HAD MOVED OUT THAT LIVED THERE.

AND OF COURSE WE DID FIND THAT MANY OF THEM, MOST OF THEM HAD HEALTH IMPACTS.

>> DID THE POPULATION MOVE AROUND THOSE FACTORIES ONCE THE FACTORIES WERE ALREADY ESTABLISHED?

>> MANY DID.

MANY DID.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE HAVE THE TRANSFER OF WHITES IN WEST LOUISVILLE OUT AND BLACKS IN WEST LOUISVILLE IN.

NOW MANY PEOPLE SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY BUILT THE FACTORIES BECAUSE THE BLACKS WERE THERE BUT THAT'S KIND OF NOT THE WAY IT HAPPENED.

>> GOTCHA.

THERE IS AN OLD EXPRESSION: ONE'S ZIP CODE SHOULD NOT BE A PREDICTOR OF A PERSON'S HEALTH AND HEALTH OUTCOMES MORE THAN YOUR GENETIC CODE.

IS THIS ONE OF THESE CASES WHERE YOU CAN KIND OF LOOK AND SAY HEY, SOMEBODY WITH THIS ZIP CODE IS GOING TO HAVE CERTAIN PROBLEMS?

BECAUSE YOU MENTION PEOPLE WHO USED TO LIVE AROUND THE RUBBER TOWN AREA BUT MOVED AWAY, STILL HAD PROBLEMS.

>> THEY HAD WHAT I CALL DILUTED PROBLEMS, YOU KNOW.

[LAUGHTER] WHAT IS IMPORTANT-- YOU CAN FIND-- IF WE GO EVEN TO THE EXTREME, IF YOU HAVE-- AND I USE MYSELF.

IF YOU HAVE WILLER JIS AND-- IF YOU HAVE ALLERGIES AND YOU MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE AND YOU ARE NOT EXPOSED TO WHATEVER THAT BROUGHT THAT ON, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE ALLERGY TO THAT EXTREME.

THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ZIP CODES AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY THE RELATION CHANGED WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE NUMBER OF CASES OF CANCER AND ASTHMA AND ALL THE REST IS NOT THAT GREAT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY AS IT IS, AND THAT'S HOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, AND YOU ACTUALLY SEE THE FACTS, YOU SEE THIS.

BECAUSE THERE IT IS STATISTICALLY.

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE SAID THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS AND THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS BUT WHEN I CAME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, I JUST WOULD NOT NECESSARILY ACCEPT THE FACTORS THAT MAYBE IT'S WHAT YOU EAT, IT'S WHERE YOU RUN IF YOU RUN AT ALL OR YOU DON'T RUN OR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU FIND THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS IN OTHER AREAS, PEOPLE, EVERYBODY IS NOT RUNNING, EVERYBODY IS NOT EATING THE BEST FOOD AND YOU STILL HAVE PEOPLE WHO SMOKE, YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT DRINK.

NOW WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT-- AND OVERWEIGHT.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THEY DON'T HAVE RUBBER TOWN.

>> GOTCHA.

SO THAT MAKES IT-- NOW WE HAVE OTHER FACTORS.

WE HAVE FORD OUT ON CHAMBERLAIN LANE.

THEY'RE A VERY LARGE POLLUTER AND WE HAVE MSD, WE HAVE THE ELECTRIC COMPANIES, THE UTILITY COMPANIES.

THANK GOODNESS WE'VE GOTTEN RID OF-- WE DIDN'T BUT THEY'RE GONE-- THE COMPANY THAT WAS OVER IN INDIANA, AND IT ESCAPES MY MIND RIGHT NOW, BUT IT WILL COME BACK TO ME.

>> WHEN IT DOES, YOU LET ME KNOW.

SO THIS RAISES AN INTERESTING POINT.

BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE THESE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS MAY BE A CAUSE OR MAY EXACERBATE PARTICULAR PROBLEMS.

SO HOW AWARE-- AND PUT IT THIS WAY, IN YOUR EXPERIENCE, HOW AWARE IS THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM ABOUT THIS?

ARE WE DOING A GOOD ENOUGH JOB IN CAPTURING THIS DATA TO SAY THIS MAY BE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THESE PARTICULAR AREAS MAY BE IMPACTED AND MAY HAVE SOME OTHER PARTICULAR PROBLEMS?

>> WELL, NO.

THESE COURSES, I UNDERSTAND, ARE NOT TAUGHT IN THE MEDICAL CURRICULUM.

YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES, ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.

THIS IS MORE ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH SIDE.

AND WHEN DOCTORS-- AND I CAN'T-- YOU CAN'T BLAME THE DOCTORS BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE CURRICULUM.

WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS PROVIDE A WAY FOR THE DOCTORS IN THEIR BUSY SCHEDULE, TO BE ABLE TO INFORMED AND EDUCATED AND ACCEPT THAT WHEN THEY DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THESE PARTICULAR AREAS, YOU KNOW, THEY AUTOMATICALLY KNOW THIS PERSON MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO SOMETHING IN FOUR, 12, 11, 16 AND PART OF THREE, THEY'RE NOT EXPOSED-- >> THOSE ARE ZIP CODES FOR THE LOUISVILLE AREA.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THEY'RE NOT EXPOSED TO AND I DON'T KNOW THE ONES IN ST.

HE OR SHE HOPEFULLY WOULD THINK THE MINUTE THEY SEE THE ZIP CODE, OKAY, HOW LONG DOES A PERSON LIVE THERE?

THEY LIVE THERE HAD MOST OF THEIR LIFE.

SO THEY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO THE BENZINES AND ALL THE OTHER EXPOSURES.

ONE THING THAT PEOPLE DON'T TALK ABOUT ARE THE NUMBER ARE CARS.

WE DON'T DEAL WITH THAT.

WE COME AROUND-- WHEN I WAS WORKING WITH THE STATE, THAT WAS ONE THING I WAS TRYING TO GET THE DIVISION FOR AIR QUALITY, WOULD THEY BE CURIOUS IN ACTUALLY PUTTING SOME MONITORS AROUND THE HIGHWAY.

AND THE WHOLE THING TO IT IS THAT THEY WERE NOT THAT INTERESTED BECAUSE THEY SAID WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING WHEN WE FIND IT.

AND WE BASICALLY KNOW WHAT IS THERE BUT WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

SO I THOUGHT, WELL, I GUESS NOT, I GUESS YOU CAN'T TELL PEOPLE.

TODAY ONLY HALF THE PEOPLE DRIVE TO WORK ON 264 GOING AROUND THERE.

BUT IT IS AN ISSUE BECAUSE WHEN 264 WAS BUILT, THERE ARE NO BUFFERS, AND YOU SEE THAT.

WHEN YOU GO AROUND AND YOU GO THROUGH THE WEST LOUISVILLE, THERE ARE NO BUFFERS.

>> WHAT DO YOU MEAN BUFFERS.

>> WALLS?

BASICALLY WALLS.

AND IF YOU GO IN EAST LOUISVILLE, YOU SEE A LOT OF BUFFERS THAT IS BETWEEN THE HIGHWAYS AND THE RESIDENCE.

>> I THOUGHT IT WAS FOR SOUND.

>> THEY'RE ALWAYS FOR EXPOSURES.

>> REALLY?

HOW DO THEY WORK?

>> WELL, THE EXPOSURES, THEY JUST DON'T-- WHAT THE CARS PUT OFF THE EMISSIONS, THEY JUST KIND OF STOP THEM A LITTLE BIT.

NOW THAT WAS MY EXPLANATION.

SO I MAY BE TOTALLY WRONG.

BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER THAT EVEN IF THEY WERE JUST FOR SOUND, THEY'RE ALSO BUFFERING THE EXPOSURES FROM THE VEHICLES.

AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT WAS EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN THEY BUILT 264.

>> SO, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE SAYING A LONG TIME AGO WE MEASURED BLOOD PRESSURE, PULSE, TEMPERATURE AS PART OF THE VITAL SIGNS.

THEN WE GOT, WE NEED TO ADD PAIN AND THAT BECAME, WE GOT INTO THE OPIOID PROBLEMS.

BUT ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT WE NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB IN LOOKING AT THE REVIEW OF SYSTEMS THAT WE ALL HAVE TO FILL OUT NOW BEFORE YOU GO SEE A DOCTOR, GO ONLINE, YOU FILL OUT ABOUT YOUR FAMILY HISTORY AND ALL OF THIS.

YOU ARE SUGGESTING THAT WE THEY'D TO SAY YOUR ZIP CODE NEEDS TO GO IN THERE ALSO?

>> YES.

>> PART OF THAT REVIEW?

>> YES, I THINK IT IS AND I'M SURE SOMEBODY WILL SAY, YOU THOUGH, THEY'LL LOOK AT THIS AS YOU KNOW, AN ISSUE THAT MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T DEAL WITH, YOU KNOW, BUT THE WHOLE THING TO IT IS I'VE ALWAYS ADVOCATED THAT THERE SHOULD BE ANOTHER FORM THAT WHEN YOU FILL OUT, YOU UPDATE YOUR FORM, THAT IT HAS ON THERE, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU EVER WORKED IN A FACILITY, YOU KNOW, DID YOU EVER-- BECAUSE YOU HAVE ON THERE HOW MUCH SMOKING DO YOU DO.

SO THAT LETS PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THAT BUT NOBODY IS ASKING ABOUT DO YOU LIVE NEAR A CHEMICAL FACILITY?

SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT EVEN KNOW IT BUT MANY PEOPLE DO.

AND THEY MAY NOT KNOW WHAT THEY'RE EXPOSED TO, BUT THEY KNOW THEY'VE LIVED NEAR A CHEMICAL FACILITY AND THEN I THINK THAT WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, THE PROJECT THAT WE ARE TRYING TO WORK ON IS LOOK AT THESE EXPOSURES AND WE PUT SOMETHING TO IT TO ADD TO IT TO GIVE IT MORE INFORMATION SO THE DOCTORS CAN SAY, I KNOW ONE THING WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT IS MERCURY EXACERBATES PARKINSONS.

IF I'M A DOCTOR AND I SEE SYMPTOMS OF PARKINSON'S, DO I THINK LET'S TAKE A MERCURY TEST AND SEE HOW MUCH MERCURY IS IN THAT PERSON'S BODY?

MAY NOT BE ANY BUT CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THAT IS ONE THING THAT AT LEAST HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT, THAT SHOULD LEAD UP TO OTHER THINGS, YOU KNOW, WELL, WHAT ABOUT BENZINE.

>> YES.

>> HOW MUCH DOES THAT EXACERBATE ANYTHING THAT A PERSON MAY HAVE?

AND I THINK THAT DOCTORS MAY FIND THAT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON OR THEY HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT THEY REALLY-- THEY KNOW THE ANSWER MEDICALLY, WHAT AIM AM I TRYING TO SAY, NOT CLINICALLY, HELP ME OUT WITH THE DIFFERENCE HERE, BUT IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.

AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO, WE ARE USING-- PARK DUVAL IS ONE OF OUR PARTNERS ON THIS GRANT.

AND WE ARE USING THE DOCTORS THERE BECAUSE WHY?

THEY'RE SITTING RIGHT IN THE HEART OF AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AREA.

I WISH WE COULD GET NORTON'S, YOU KNOW, TO ALSO, SINCE THE NEW HOSPITAL THERE, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD BE A WONDERFUL SOURCE TO GET PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS.

>> YOU MENTION THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING HERE LOCALLY IN LOUISVILLE WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

BUT I IMAGINE THE SAME KIND OF DISCUSSION IS TAKING PLACE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE.

>> THEY ARE TO A CERTAIN DEGREE, BUT IT'S DIFFERENT.

YOU LOOK AT COAL, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE LOOKING AT WATER QUALITY.

YOU ARE LOOKING AT-- OUR MAIN THING HERE FOR POLLUTION IS AIR.

WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PFAS THAT IS IN THE WATER WHICH IS ALL OVER.

THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

THE TASK FORCE NOR THE NAACP, WE ARE NOT REALLY LOOKING INTO THAT.

AND I SAY WHAT I DO IS I USE MY PARTNERS THAT I KNOW ARE REALLY DIGGING.

SO I GET THAT INFORMATION AND WE COLLABORATE WITH THAT.

>> YOU MENTION ABOUT THE POLLUTANTS COMING OUT OF CARS AND YOU WERE TOLD WHY MEASURE IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT WHICH SOMETIMES IS A GOOD IDEA BUT I WOULD THINK SOMETIMES I LIKE TO KNOW STILL WHAT IS GOING ON.

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT MEASURING AIR QUALITY ANYWAY?

>> YOU USE A MONITOR.

>> YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT MY NOSE?

I SMELL SOMETHING?

>> WELL NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT, LET ME TALK ABOUT SMELL MY CITY.

WHICH IS AN APP THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT ON YOUR PHONE.

YOU CAN JUST GO IN THERE AND ANY TIME YOU SMELL ANYTHING, YOU CAN GO IN THERE AND REPORT IT TO AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT OR MSD.

AND SO THAT IS HOW WE, AS PEOPLE CAN BE A PART OF LETTING PEEP KNOW OR LETTING-- LETTING THE REGULATORY AGENCIES KNOW THAT SOMETHING IS GOING ON.

>> TELL ME OTHER WAYS BESIDE MY FACTORY SENSES.

>> THE MONITORS DO THE JOB.

THEY ACTUALLY DO THE JOB.

AND IF WE HAVE THEM THERE, ITSELF TASK FORCE DO MONITORING IN WEST LOUISVILLE FROM 2000 TO 2013.

AND WHEN WE FINISHED OUR FIRST YEAR, THAT'S HOW WE GOT THE INFORMATION ENOUGH TO WHERE WE COULD SIT DOWN MAYOR ABRAMSON WAS THE MAYOR AT THAT TIME AND HE WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL IN BRINGING IN THE NEW REGULATION PROGRAM AT THAT TIME WE HAVE NOW.

HOPEFULLY IT WILL STAY, WHERE THE REGULATIONS ACTUALLY WERE MORE STRICT THAN THE STATE AND E.P.A.

AND THEN AFTER 10 YEARS STUDY OF THE STRATEGIC TOXIC AIR REDUCTION PROGRAM, ONCE WE LOOKED AT IT OVER A 10-YEAR PERIOD, WE SAW THAT REDUCTIONS HAD COME DOWN BY 85%.

>> REALLY?

>> YES.

>> ARE WE STILL SEEING A REDUCTION IN THE LEVELS?

>> WE ARE SEEING IT CONSTANT AND THERE ARE REDUCTION.

NOW I HAVE TO SAY-- I HAVE TO TALK ABOUT ONE COMPANY IN PARTICULAR AND THAT'S AMERICAN SYNTHETICS.

MICHELIN.

NOW THEY HAVE PUT IN A $55 MILLION PROJECT TO WHERE THEY WILL TAKE DOWN ALL OF THEIR COAL FIRED EQUIPMENT AND PUT IN GAS.

THAT SHOULD BE ANOTHER 20% REDUCTION.

SO, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS WE ARE SEEING THAT AND THE STAR IS STILL IN FORCE, SO YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING THE PERMITS, EVERYTHING HAS TO FOLLOW.

IT HAS TO FOLLOW THE STAR PROGRAM.

>> WE ARE SEEING SOME PUSH BACK FROM LEGISLATURE HERE IN KENTUCKY ABOUT GETTING AWAY FROM COAL POWERED THINGS.

THEY WANT US TO, THEY SEEM TO WANT US TO CONTINUE TO USE COAL POWER FOR ENERGY AND FOR THESE OTHER THINGS.

>> WELL, BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT ARE OFF LINE AND I'LL GET MYSELF IN TROUBLE IF I TRY TO NAME THE MANY FACILITIES THAT ARE OFF LINE.

BUT WE DO HAVE COAL FACILITIES.

LG & E HAS TWO GOAL FIRED THAT THEY'RE TAKING OFF LINE TO NATURAL GAS.

BUT YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE TO HOLD THIS.

>> SO TELL ME, WHAT IS THE WEST LOUISVILLE COMMUNITY TASK FORCE?

TELL ME HOW THAT WORKS.

>> THE JEST JEFFERSON COMMUNITY TASK FORCE IS 501c3-- >> I'M SORRY, I MISSPOKE.

APOLOGIZE.

>> NOBODY CAN GET ALL THAT.

IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING LEFT OUT.

BUT WE HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR-- OR SINCE 2000 AND ACTUALLY THESE ARE THE SAME FOLKS THAT WORK WITH REVEREND COLEMAN.

REVEREND COLEMAN DECIDED, AFTER A WHILE, THAT HE WANTED TO MOVE ON TO OTHER THINGS.

NOT THAT HE DIDN'T CONTINUE WORK HERE, BUT HIS INTEREST GREW AT ANOTHER POINT.

WELL, WHEN IT DID, THE PEOPLE THAT HAD WORKED SO HARD TO GET THIS ACTION AGENDA TOGETHER, THEY SAID WELL WAIT A MINUTE, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T JUST STOP.

SO ONCE IT WAS-- ONCE THE GRANT WAS WRITTEN, THEN AFTER WE CONTINUED, I THOUGHT THEY NEED TO BE A 501c3.

BECAUSE THAT MEANS THEY HAVE THEIR OWN-- THEY CAN RULE THEIR OWN.

AND SO I, ALONG WITH, AT THE TIME COMMISSIONER DARYL OWENS IS ONE THAT PROVIDED US WITH THE MONEY, TO WRITE THE 501c3.

AND SO WE HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THAT CAPACITY SINCE THAT TIME AND, OF COURSE, THE FIRST THING WE HIT, I TOLD THE COMMUNITY GROUP, I SAID WE CAN'T DO IT 35 RECOMMENDATIONS.

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO START WITH.

AND AIR WAS WHAT THEY STARTED WITH.

>> CAN WHAT YOU DID HERE, BE REPLICATED IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WHICH WILL?

>> IT CAN BE REPLICATED WHEREVER-- >> HOW DOES SOMEBODY GO ABOUT DOING THAT.

HAVE YOU BEEN CONTACTED OR TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE?

>> THIS WAS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> REALLY?

>> YES.

THE STAR PROGRAM, IT WAS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND.

SO UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, THEY SENT ME TO DIFFERENT AREAS TO ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT THIS.

I WAS REQUESTED TO GO TO DIFFERENT AREAS, DIFFERENT E.P.A.

REGIONS TO TALK ABOUT THE STAR PROGRAM AND HOW IT WAS DONE.

THE DIFFERENCE HERE, I THINK, GIVES US MORE, IF YOU WANT TO SAY CLOUT, IS THAT WE HAVE A LOCAL AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT.

MANY AREAS DO NOT HAVE A LOCAL.

THEY HAVE THE STATE AND THAT'S ALL THEY HAVE.

SO IN THE EVENT-- AND I'VE TRIED TO KEEP THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT PEOPLE SOMETIMES GET MAD AT THEM BECAUSE OF PERMITTING OR, YOU KNOW, WHAT EVER THEY THINK THEY SHOULD DO, BUT I CONSTANTLY SAY, YOU KNOW, WE MUST MAKE SURE WE MAINTAIN THE ORGANIZATION.

IF WE DON'T, OUR STANDARDS WILL CHANGE.

THEY'LL GO AWAY BECAUSE THEN NOW WE WILL BE UNDER THE STATE AND THEY'RE NOT AS STRICT.

>> ARE YOU HOPEFUL THAT WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE CHANGES AND WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIG OBSTACLES?

>> WELL RIGHT NOW WHERE WE ARE NOW, I THINK WE HAVE DONE-- THIS IS MY STORY.

WE HAVE SWEPT THE HOUSE OUT.

WE'VE REDUCED THE EMISSIONS SO WE'VE CLEANED THE HOUSE.

>> YES.

>> OKAY.

,000 WE WORK ON THE PEOPLE-- NOW BEE WORK ON THE PEOPLE INSIDE THE HOUSE.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE COME UP WITH THE DOCTORS AND BEING ABLE TO DIAGNOSE, BEING ABLE TO COMPARE SOME THINGS.

BEING ABLE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, YOUR CONDITION, LET'S LOOK HERE.

OKAY, I SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU LIVE HERE AND YOUR EXPOSURE TO THIS IS THIS.

AND IT DOES MIRROR THIS.

AND SO NOW WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DOCTORS KNOW WHAT TO DO ONCE THEY RECOGNIZE IT AND THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND THAT'SER WITH WE ARE RIGHT NOW.

>> TELL ME ABOUT THE COOPERATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT, INDUSTRY AND WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO.

>> WELL, THE GOVERNMENT ISN'T DOING-- I CAN'T SAY THEY'RE NOT DOING BECAUSE E.P.A.-- I MEAN OUR GRANT WAS THROUGH E.P.A.

>> WHAT ABOUT LOCAL, STATE AND LOCAL?

>> WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING.

I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING.

ONCE THE MONITORING STOPPED, AND THE MONITORING ACTUALLY WAS SPONSORED THROUGH THE KENTUCKY DIVISION OF AIR QUALITY.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT PROVIDED THE MONEY.

BUT THE POLITICAL POWERS THAT BE FELT THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DO THAT ANYMORE AND AFTER 2013-- NOW LET ME TELL YOU.

THIS WAS FUNNY BECAUSE EVEN WHEN THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT TAKING IT DOWN, EVEN INDUSTRY SAID NO, DON'T TAKE IT DOWN.

BECAUSE THEY WERE ACCUSTOMED TO COMPARING WHAT THEY WERE SEEING TO OUR REPORTS.

SO AS LONG AS THEY STAYED WITHIN THE LIMIT, THEY KNEW THEY WERE OKAY AND WOULDN'T BE FUSSED AT, IF YOU WANT TO SAY.

AND SO IT WAS A COMBINED EFFORT, ACTUALLY, FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM THE POWERS THAT BE, YOU KNOW, TO SAY WE WANT TO KEEP THIS POLITICAL POWER, LOCAL REGULATORY POWER AND INDUSTRY IN THE COMMUNITY.

>> SO DO YOU HAVE INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES WITH YOU ON THE TASK FORCE NO YOU?

>> NOT NOW.

I HAD, WHEN WE STARTED, THE FIRST, GOOD LORD, PROBABLY 10 YEARS, WE HAD INDUSTRY AT THE TABLE AT ALL TILES.

NOW SOME PEOPLE PUSHED BACK AGAINST THAT, EVEN REVEREND COLEMAN, HE PUSHED BACK AGAINST THAT.

AND THAT MAY HAVE BEEN THE REASON WHY HE LEFT.

HE HAD MENTIONED THAT.

BUT THE WHOLE THING TO IT, AS I ALWAYS SAID IS THAT MY GRANDMOTHER USED TO SAY KEEP YOUR FRIENDS CLOSE AND ENEMIES CLOSER.

I DIDN'T CONSIDER THEM AN ENEMY BUT I DID-- THEY DID REPORT TO US THE THINGS THAT WERE HAPPENING DID WE CHECK IT?

OF COURSE WE CHECKED IT AND WE USUALLY HAD AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT AT THE TABLE ALSO FOR EVERY MEETING THERE WAS INDUSTRY, THERE WAS AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT.

WE HAD POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVE AND THEN ENGINEERS.

THAT WAS THE GOOD THING.

WE BROUGHT EVERYBODY TO THE TABLING.

I DON'T CARE HOW MAD YOU WERE AND I WOULD ALWAYS SAY WE DEAL WITH ISSUES.

WE DON'T DEAL WITH PEOPLE.

>> YET COMMUNITY PEOPLE, TOO, RIGHT.

>> OH YES.

>> PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE AREA OR OUTSIDE?

>> BOTH.

>> YOU IF YOU COULD HAVE YOUR WISHES TO BE ON YOUR TASK FORCE, WHAT GROUP IS MISSING RIGHT NOW.

>> DOCTORS.

>> SO YOU DON'T HAVE DOCTORS THAT-- >> I DON'T HAVE DOCTORS BUT I DO HAVE-- I HAVE TWO Ph.D.s THAT ARE-- THEIRS IS PUBLIC HEALTH.

>> BUT DON'T HAVE ANY PRACTICING CLINICAL DOCTORS.

>> DON'T HAVE ANY DOCTORS.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

AND THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE A GREATER APPRECIATION OF WHAT CHEMICALS MAY BE GETTING INTO YOUR AIR, WATER AND SOIL AND THAT YOU NOW HAVE A START ON HOW TO GO ABOUT IDENTIFYING THEM AND HOPEFULLY WORKING TOWARDS REMOVING THEM.

IF YOU WISH TO WAS MUCH THIS SHOW AGAIN OR ARCHIVED VERSION OF PAST SHOWS PLEASE GO TO ket.org/HEALTH.

IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT ABOUT THIS OR OTHER SHOWS WE CAN BE REACHED AT KYHEALTH AT ket.org.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON THE NEXT "KENTUCKY HEALTH" AND I HOPE YOU TAKE SERIOUSLY YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IN HELPING CLEAN THE ENVIRONMENT.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> "KENTUCKY HEALTH" IS FUNDED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR A HEALTHY KENTUCKY.