Environmental group files lawsuit over use of fire retardant

Air Tanker 41, a BAe-146, drops retardant. BLM photo.

There have long been concerns about what happens when airplanes dump Phostex, a mix of ammonium phosphate, emulsifiers, and colorants to fight wildfires.  The main chemical in the retardant — ammonium phosphate — is known to poison fish and other aquatic life, including vulnerable species like Chinook salmon. Now, Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics — a nonprofit that represents current and former Forest Service employees — is suing the Forest Service over its use. They allege that the federal agency has violated the Clean Water Act by dumping the flame-stopping chemicals into waterways.

LINK (via Grist)

One thought on “Environmental group files lawsuit over use of fire retardant

  1. This is obvious and the data has shown this is where we have been heading for years now. I don’t understand why this is even debatable or not common knowledge. People are either in denial or just ignorant. The data has been very clear for years now in terms of temperature rises and increases in rates of increase. What isn’t quite as clear are various feedback loops and disruption of natural cycles and processes around the globe being impacted making it worse. This is what we are starting to experience and trying to account for moving forward. It is terrifying as we are very likely see billions die later this century due to collapse of most food production and wet bulb temperatures beyond human survival.

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