DETROIT – Local mothers gathered Sunday to protest the dumping of hazardous fracking waste into the Detroit water system.
The protest was organized by Detroit-area moms and the Coalition to Oppose the Expansion of U.S. Ecology.
“I’m beyond angry,” Valerie Blakely said. “I’m terribly concerned for my family and my community and the people who live here.”
Protestors say nearby factories want to increase the amount of waste that can be dumped into the water. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is reviewing the request.
“I think at this point in time, MDEQ is choosing what side they’re on,” Blakely said. “I think they did it in Flint and they’re trying to do it here.”
The group began their 12-hour protest at 6 a.m. at the corner of Georgia and Mt. Elliot streets.
“I was born and raised on Georgia Street,” Mark Covington said. “I have an urban farm and I help feed people. I’m concerned it could affect the food that I grow.”
The group is planning a larger protest on May 26 outside the MDEQ building in Detroit.
“This is just the beginning,” Blakely said. “We’re absolutely not going to stop. We’re not going to allow them to expand.”