Transcript A CIVIL ACTION – It’s Debatable

A CIVIL ACTION – It’s Debatable
Movie Study and Gathering of
Debate Evidence
• ISSUE 6B: CASE STUDY: A CIVIL ACTION
• DID TRICHLOROETHYLENE IN GROUND
WATER FROM W.R. GRACE COMPANY CAUSE
A CLUSTER OF LEUKEMIA DEATHS IN
WOBURN, MASS.?
summary
• "A Civil Action" is a book by Jonanthan Harr, and subsequent
Hollywood movie of the same name, which documents a court trial
in Woburn, Massachusetts. W.R. Grace Company and several other
companies were accused of contaminating the drinking water,
which in turn lead to a cluster of leukemia cancers. In this case
study, we will look at a series of documents about the trial,
subsequent studies, and the EPA Superfund Cleanup to determine
the answer to the main debate question. After researching the the
original trial and subsequent studies, you will be the jury for the
retrial of this case. There are many documents in this case study,
since it will be quite time consuming to read all of them, each
student will concentrate on one or more and summarize the main
points for the other students. Then the other students can read the
summaries for the their decision about the trial.
QUESTION
• DID TRICHLOROETHYLENE OR ANY CHEMICALS
IN GROUND WATER FROM W.R. GRACE
COMPANY CAUSE A CLUSTER OF LEUKEMIA
DEATHS IN WOBURN, MASS.?
Round 1
• SUMMARY ARTICLES - EVERYONE SHOULD
READ AT LEAST THE FIRST ONE.
A Civil Action by Jonathan Harr - Short review
of the book and short summary of the case
study
• http://www.northshoreonline.com/woburn/
civlbook.htm
Round 1 ADDITIONAL SOURCES
http://www.northshoreonline.com/woburn/the
movie.htm
http://home.comcast.net/~dkennedy56/woburn.
html
http://www.northshoreonline.com/woburn/wob
urn.htm
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/evidence99/wobur
n/
http://serc.carleton.edu/woburn/index.html
Chemical Descriptions, Toxicity, and
Health Effects
TOX FAQ's / Most common chemicals
found at Superfund Sites
• http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html
GROUP WORK #1
GROUP 1
GROUP 2
http://serc.carleton.edu/woburn/issues/industrial_history.html
Use the above link:
Briefly summarize the
history of chemical
contamination at
Woburn and list several
of the chemicals found.
Use the above link:
Research two of the
chemicals to give name,
use, and toxicity. Use
links in box above to find
info about the
chemicals.
GROUP WORK #2
GROUP 1
GROUP 2
http://serc.carleton.edu/woburn/issues/industrial_history.html
Briefly summarize the
history of chemical
contamination at
Woburn and list several
of the chemicals found.
Research two of the
chemicals to give name,
use, and toxicity. Use
links in box above to find
info about the
chemicals.
GROUP WORK #2
GROUP 1
GROUP 2
http://www.northshoreonline.com/woburn/chemical.htm
Research the following
chemicals for given name, use,
and toxicity.
Research the following
chemicals for given name, use,
and toxicity.
Be sure to look at the following
as these were named specifically
in the trial:
trichloroethylene (TCE),
Be sure to look at the following
as these were named
specifically in the trial:. and 1,2trans-dichloroethylene (DCE)
1,1,1-trichloroethane, or TCA;
and chloroform.) and
Hexavalent Chromium
tetrachloroethylene
(PERC)
GROUP WORK #3
GROUP 1
Briefly, what is the nature of the
evidence for an increase in
cancer rates in Woburn.
Summarize some of the key
points USE ONLY THESE
SOURCES
GROUP 2
Briefly, what is the nature of
the evidence for an increase in
cancer rates in Woburn.
Summarize some of the key
points. USE ONLY THESE
SOURCES
http://www.northshoreonline.co http://www.vhl.org/newsletter
m/woburn/answers.htm
/vhl2000/00antric.htm
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/no
de/1401
http://www.northshoreonline.c
om/woburn/deaths.htm
GROUP 1
• What are the main conclusions of the leukemia
childhood follow up study? What chemicals may
be the cause? Consult the answers to Ques. 1b to
find out if the toxicity data for these chemicals
has been reported - if not post one or more of
them.
• Start here:
• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childhoodl
eukemia.html
• Use other sources if needed
Group 2
• What are the main conclusions of the
leukemia childhood follow up study? What
chemicals may be the cause? Consult the
answers to Ques. 1b to find out if the toxicity
data for these chemicals has been reported - if
not post one or more of them.
• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childho
odleukemia.html
• Use other sources if needed
Group 1 & 2
• Summarize various aspects of the trial.
• After the first summary, groups should work to fill
in more details to the summary rather than just
starting from scratch each time.
• Points to look for –
– What did they have to prove about the water from the
wells?
– What proof was needed?
– What errors were made?
– What did the experts say?
– What evidence contradicted the facts that the
chemicals came from W.R. Grace? (next page for links)
Links
• http://home.comcast.net/~dkennedy56/wobu
rn_trial.html
• http://home.comcast.net/~dkennedy56/wobu
rn_harr.html
• http://serc.carleton.edu/woburn/issues/ruling
s.html
Group 2
• Summarize the trial and evidence from the point
of view of W. R. Grace. What are the differences
in the interpretation of the evidence? What
evidence points away fromo WR Grace as being
the cause of contamination in the wells?
• Who really should have been sued along with the
companies?
• FIND LINKS ONLINE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
– CITE your sources
Group 1
•
Find sources to determine the significance of the U. S. Geologic Survey study about
the Aberjona River as a source of contamination of the well water? Also look for
the relevant evidence and contention in the Take Two by Dan Kennedy
•
•
CONVERSATION:
"Schlichtmann's shortcomings were never more obvious than in the testimony of
his poorly prepared lead witness, George Pinder, a nationally recognized
hydrogeologist whose role was to explain how contaminated ground water
beneath the Beatrice and Grace properties flowed into the drinking-water wells.
Pinder put forth a bizarre theory that the wells couldn't have drawn water from
the heavily polluted Aberjona River, on whose banks they had been drilled, yet
could readily pull water from the Beatrice property, on the other side of the river
and some distance away. Facher easily -- and brutally -- exposed Pinder's
testimony as erroneous. Harr, in A Civil Action, describes Pinder's mistake as an
honest one, and I believe him. But at the time, Pinder came off as someone who
had been caught concocting a tale to benefit his client. ***(Government tests later
revealed that the wells pulled about 40 percent of their water from the river, but
that a considerable quantity of toxins from beneath the Grace and Beatrice
properties had nevertheless found their way into the wells.)***“
Group 1
• As a result of the trial the area became a
Superfund site.
• What has or is being accomplished by the
remediation of the Superfund sites?
• Source
http://yosemite.epa.gov/r1/npl_pad.nsf/51dc4f1
73ceef51d85256adf004c7ec8/25001afe0850c69a
8525691f0063f701!OpenDocument
Group 2
• How are the problems of Superfund sites being
corrected?
• What chemicals are being removed from the ground
water?
• Source
http://yosemite.epa.gov/r1/npl_pad.nsf/51dc4f173cee
f51d85256adf004c7ec8/25001afe0850c69a8525691f00
63f701!OpenDocument
Group 1
• As described in this article, what are the lessons to
be learned from this case study?
•
SOURCE
• http://home.comcast.net/~dkennedy56/wobur
n_tnr.html
Group 2
• Comment on the accuracy of the movie to
actual events. What can be learned from this
case?
– SOURCE
• http://home.comcast.net/~dkennedy56/woburn_realst
ory.html
OTHER SOURCES
•
•
•
•
•
•
WEB MD
US CDC
MED WEB
US GEOLOGICAL ASSOC
ERIN BROKOVITCH (www.brockovich.com)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Civil_Action
INDIVIDUAL RESPONSE
• In a FREEWRITE Essay style response,
• Using a minimum of THREE sources (Cited),
• Write 4-6 paragraphs to support your answer to the following:
•
DID TRICHLOROETHYLENE IN GROUND WATER FROM W.R. GRACE
COMPANY CAUSE A CLUSTER OF LEUKEMIA DEATHS IN WOBURN,
MASS.?
• NOTE: Answer as a jury would using and considering the information and
evidence presented in the GROUP work and in the movie.
• DUE: __________________ 2014
Source List
• All sources derived from one location:
• http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/onlcourse/ch
m110/issues/issue6B98.html#deb