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A4 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 23 July 2022
Feds: Illegal dumping in Houston may violate civil rights

WASHINGTON (AP) — The During the first six months
Justice Department said of the year, Houston resi-
Friday it is investigating il- dents called the city's 311
legal dumping in Houston, line more than 5,400 times
including dead bodies and to complain about ille-
medical waste, that offi- gal dumping, The Houston
cials said is plaguing Black Chronicle reported. That's
and Latino neighborhoods nearly as many complaints
in the nation's fourth largest as recorded in all of 2021,
city. the newspaper said.
The investigation will be led "It's a huge problem across
by the department's civil the entire city,'' city council
rights division and will ex- member Martha Castex-
amine whether city police Tatum told the paper.
and other departments Castex-Tatum blamed
discriminate against Black much of the illegal dump-
and Latino residents in vio- ing on landscaping and
lation of federal civil rights construction crews or land-
laws. Besides bodies, items lords clearing out recently
dumped in majority Black vacated apartments. Be-
or Latino neighborhoods in- sides tires and mattresses,
clude appliances, furniture, other items frequently
tires, mattresses and even Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Kristen Clarke speaks at a news conference at the De- dumped include air condi-
vandalized ATM machines, partment of Justice in Washington, on Aug. 5, 2021. tioners, water heaters and
Assistant Attorney Gener- Associated Press major appliances, she said.
al Kristen Clarke said at a The federal inquiry follows a
news conference Friday. industrial sites. hood in northeastern Hous- spent millions of dollars to complaint by Lone Star Le-
"Illegal dumping is a long- Illegal dumpsites not only ton. Residents frequently fight illegal dumping, Turn- gal Aid, a nonprofit advo-
standing environmental attract rodents, mosquitos complain about illegal er said, adding that the cacy group that helps low-
justice issue, and like many and other vermin that pose dumping there, Clarke said. problem is overwhelmingly income residents in Texas
other environmental jus- health risks, but they can Houston Mayor Sylvester caused by third parties and Arkansas on a range
tice issues, it often dispro- also contaminate surface Turner said Friday he was who do not live in the af- of legal issues, including
portionately burdens Black water and make neighbor- "stunned and disappointed fected neighborhoods. landlord-tenant disputes,
and Latino communities,'' hoods more susceptible to to learn about the investi- The Houston City Coun- foreclosures, disaster re-
said Clarke, who heads the flooding, Clarke said. They gation" by the Justice De- cil doubled the maximum covery and environmental
department's civil rights di- also can lower property partment. fine for illegal dumping to justice.
vision. values, harm quality of life "Despite the DOJ's pro- $4,000 last year, the maxi- Rep. Al Green, D-Texas,
The investigation is the first and even reduce expect- nouncements, my office mum allowed by state law, whose district includes
publicly announced envi- ed lifespans, Clarke and received no advanced no- Turner said. The city also southwestern Houston,
ronmental justice action other officials said. tice,'' Turner said in a state- has installed surveillance blasted what he called
since Attorney General "No one in the United States ment, calling the investiga- cameras to catch and a "rush-to-judgment an-
Merrick Garland created should be exposed to risk tion "absurd, baseless and prosecute individuals and nouncement" by Justice
an office of environmental of illness and other serious without merit.'' businesses responsible for il- without notifying the city
justice within the agency in harm because of ineffec- Turner, who is Black, said legal dumping and encour- or local members of Con-
May. The new office is fo- tive solid waste manage- the city sets a priority to ages city residents to call gress. His office "fully sup-
cused on "fenceline com- ment or inadequate en- combat illegal dumping, 311 to register complaints. ports the city of Houston
munities" in Houston, New forcement programs,'' she "a practice that we agree Mary Benton, a spokes- and Mayor Turner's efforts
Orleans, Chicago and said. disproportionately plagues woman for Turner, said Fri- to ensure all Houstonians
other cities that have been The Houston investigation Black and Brown commu- day she was "not aware live in a safe and healthy
exposed to air and water will focus on Trinity/Houston nities in Houston and many of" dead bodies being environment,'' Green said
pollution from chemical Gardens, a predominantly municipalities throughout dumped anywhere in in a statement released by
plants, refineries and other Black and Latino neighbor- the country.'' The city has Houston. Turner's office.q

Police: 3 fatally shot at Iowa state park; gunman also dead

By RYAN J. FOLEY and nal Investigation said in a the park, a children's sum- state. Officials did not say A search of online court
MARGERY A. BECK statement. mer camp on the grounds if Sherwin had a permit. records in Nebraska and
Associated Press Officers found three peo- and the campground. Using a plane to help Iowa did not produce any
Three family members ple fatally shot in a tent at Once the evacuation was search the area, law en- record of prior criminal be-
were shot to death while the campground, division complete, the only reg- forcement later found havior.
camping in a state park in assistant director Mitch istered camper not ac- Sherwin dead from a self- Autopsies on Sherwin and
eastern Iowa Friday, and Mortvedt said. counted for was 23-year- inflicted gunshot wound the victims were sched-
the suspected gunman The three victims were old Anthony Sherwin, Mort- in a wooded area of the uled to be performed over
died of a self-inflicted gun- related, Mortvedt said. vedt said. park. Sherwin came from the weekend, Mortvedt
shot wound, police said. He did not provide their "He was known to be Nebraska, and investiga- said, and more information
Officers responded to re- names or ages, explain armed. That of course tors don't believe he had would likely be released
ports of the shooting at how they were related or heightened our awareness any prior relationship with based on those findings.
the the Maquoketa Caves provide a motive for the as well," Mortvedt said. the victims, Mortvedt said. The park, which remained
State Park Campground killings. Iowa allows people with Mortvedt said he could not closed Friday, is about 50
before 6:30 a.m. Friday, Officials immediately permits to carry firearms say whether Sherwin had a miles (80 kilometers) east
the Iowa Division of Crimi- evacuated everyone from virtually anywhere in the criminal record. of Cedar Rapids.q