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Chemicals Fill the Canal
The partially developed Love Canal became a dump, courtesy of the Hooker Chemical and Plastics Corporation, which buried over 20,000 tons of toxic chemicals there between 1942 and 1952. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/love-canal-lois-gibbs-toxic-waste -
Gibbs Discovers Chemical Effects
In 1976, the Niagara Gazette reported that some homes were experiencing chemical leaching in their basements. Gibbs’ five-year-old son Michael began having seizures, and related them back to the chemicals. Her child was attending an elementary school built on top of a 20,000 ton, toxic-chemical dump. She petitioned the school board to move Michael. But when they denied the request, she sprang into action. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/love-canal-lois-gibbs-toxic-waste -
GIbbs Takes Action
In the spring of 1978, a 27 year-old housewife named Lois Gibbs began speaking with other parents and started the Love Canal Parents Movement. https://www.fredonia.edu/academics/convocation/gibbsbio -
Evacuation of the Love Canal
Finally, in October 1980, President Jimmy Carter delivered an Emergency Declaration, which moved 900 families from this hazardous area and signified the victory of this grassroots movement.https://www.fredonia.edu/academics/convocation/gibbsbio -
Helping Across the Nation
That same year, in 1981, Louis created the Center for Health, Environment and Justice, (CHEJ) (formerly Citizens Clearinghouse For Hazardous Wastes), an organization that has assisted over 10,000 grassroots groups with organizing, technical, and general information nationwide. https://www.fredonia.edu/academics/convocation/gibbsbio