U.S. Senate Committee on

Environment and Public Works

EPW Committee Approves Bipartisan Legislation to Address Disease Clusters Across the United States

Washington, DC – Today the Environment and Public Works Committee approved bipartisan legislation, S. 76, the Strengthening Protections for Children and Communities From Disease Clusters Act, to help communities determine whether there is a connection between “clusters” of cancer, birth defects and other diseases, and contaminants in the surrounding environment.  S. 76, which was introduced in January 2011 by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Mike Crapo (R-ID), passed by a vote of 11-7 and will now go to the full Senate for consideration. Senator Boxer said: “I am so pleased that the committee has approved this important legislation today.  Children and families in California, and across the United States, deserve to know that resources are available to them when there is any possibility of a potential disease cluster in their community. This is a step forward in investigating and addressing diseases that impact the health and well being of neighborhoods across the country.  I look forward to working with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle as we continue to move this bill through the Senate.” Senator Crapo said: “As a two-time cancer survivor, I know that we have much to learn about the causes of cancer.  Through providing resources to affected communities and facilitating a coordinated response between federal, state and local governments, this legislation will help us learn more about disease clusters in our communities.” Throughout the country, there are communities that experience unexpected increases in the incidence of birth defects, cancer and other diseases. The legislation, S. 76, is designed to: • Strengthen federal agency coordination and accountability when investigating these potential certain "clusters" of disease; • Increase assistance to areas impacted by potential disease clusters; and • Authorize federal agencies to form partnerships with states and academic institutions to investigate and help address disease clusters. S. 76 is supported by the Evangelical Environmental Network and the Trevor's Trek Foundation.  This foundation was co-founded by Charlie Smith and Susan Rosser with Trevor Schaefer, who survived after being diagnosed with brain cancer seven years ago at the age of 13. Trevor and his family have worked to raise awareness of disease clusters and their possible links to toxins in the environment, and to help build support for legislation to assist communities experiencing suspected disease clusters.  Trevor testified before the Environment and Public Works Committee on March 29^th during an oversight hearing on disease clusters and environmental health. ### Nathan McCray Majority Staff U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works   (read more...)

Testimony of

Erin Brockovich

President Brockovich Research & Consulting

Before the

United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works

On

“Oversight Hearing on Disease Clusters and Environmental Health”

  Tuesday, March 29, 2011 Chairman Boxer and distinguished members of the committee: Thank you for the opportunity to testify today on the issues of disease clusters and environmental health. My name is Erin Brockovich, and I am the President of Brockovich Research and Consulting.  As an environmental advocate I respond to requests for help in groundwater contamination complaints in all fifty states.  I am currently working on investigations in California, Texas, Florida, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Alabama, Louisiana, Illinois, Mississippi and Missouri.  I am also the proud mother of three children, two who are presently serving their country as soldiers in the United States Army; my son Matthew with the Tenth Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York has deployed to Afghanistan. Each month I receive 45-60,000 visitors to my website of which thousands contact me personally reporting issues ranging from environmental pollution, cancer and other diseases resulting from contamination of their property and environment, worker injuries and illnesses; and more. These inquiries come from 140 countries.  These people make up whole communities that are witnessing first-hand the harmful health effects exposure to toxic chemicals such as hexavalent chromium has on them and their families. Recently, my colleagues at Environmental Working Group detailed the widespread chromium-6 pollution in our drinking water – an issue that this committee explored earlier this year. In April 2010, the President’s Cancer Panel declared that the number of cancers caused by toxic chemicals is “grossly underestimated” and warned that Americans face “grievous harm” from largely unregulated chemicals that contaminate air, water and food (President’s Cancer Panel 2010). These communities – both large and small and in every corner of the United States – are sending out an SOS.  From Cameron, Missouri to Midland, Texas to Champaign, Illinois and unfortunately yet again in Hinkley, California, communities beleaguered by contamination need their elected leaders to listen, and to take action. Approximately 40 million Americans are on private domestic well water; a group of citizens that has fallen off the grid, unaccounted for, when it comes to understanding what might be poisoning them. Protecting the health of our children should be a top priority, yet the system for investigating and responding to these concerns is inadequate.  That is why I strongly support S. 76, “The Strengthening Protections for Children and Communities from Disease Clusters Act,” also known as Trevor’s Law for this brave young man Trevor Schaefer. Trevor’s Law will bolster federal efforts to assist communities that are impacted by potential disease clusters and will identify sources of environmental pollutants and toxic substances suspected to cause developmental, reproductive, neurotoxic, carcinogenic and other adverse health effects. In the United States, 1 in 3 people will develop cancer in his or her lifetime (CDC 2011).  As an advocate for the past twenty years I have reached an undeniable conclusion: there are simply too many cancers in this country and not enough answers.  And that’s all these communities are trying to do – get answers to the most basic questions: why is my son, who was perfectly healthy just months ago, now sick with leukemia? Why does my daughter have two brain tumors at the age of six? And why is the same thing happening to my neighbors’ kids? Mothers and fathers ask me these questions by the hundred every week. Part of the puzzle that has been missing is that there is not an agency on the ground going door-to-door talking to and identifying residents who may be affected by contamination in their area.  As a result, people have no faith in the federal government to investigate what’s making people sick in their communities, and that is why they turn to me.  But I cannot take the place of a disease registry or an official reporting program.  Trevor’s Law, S.76, however, takes steps to address this problem by strengthening federal coordination with state and local authorities in investigating the potential causes of a disease cluster.  This bill will empower communities to work with these agencies and therefore facilitate investigation and response. I am not here to play scientist, nor am I here to sling accusations or assign blame. This is not a partisan issue. Gathering the information necessary to take action protective of human health is a long and daunting task, and when it comes to the health of our children, we cannot afford to jump to conclusions. But it’s time for us to stop turning away from these communities. How many childhood brain cancers is enough for us to start getting serious about investigating the potential causes of these illnesses?  We need to be listening to community members’ concerns when they raise their hand and say something is not right in their neighborhood. You, members of this Committee, carry the voice and the will of those who elected you to serve this country.  I can tell you those voices are crying out for help.  Some of your constituents are fearful, others are frustrated; they all need your help to stay united as a community that is trying to find answers. This process needs to be transparent; I cannot stress that enough.  Not only does transparency ensure accountability but it also enables a healthy flow of communication between all involved parties, which is crucial in an investigation of a public health issue that in some cases may be linked to industrial pollution. Trevor’s Law requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish and regularly update a publicly accessible online database that provides communities important information on investigations, associated illnesses and pollutants.  This database would foster transparency. Another important factor to take into account is that just because people are exposed in one neighborhood or one town does not mean they live there forever.  One of PG&E’s favorite arguments about the cancer rate in Hinkley, California is that it isn’t higher than should be expected.  What they fail to mention – though I do every chance I get – is that there are people who are sick that were exposed to chromium-6 in Hinkley that may have since moved out of Hinkley. If you believe the environment where you live is harming you wouldn’t you move if you have the resources to do so?  I urge all of you and the agencies to explore all tools, including social media, to ensure that all people affected are contacted and brought into the response process – not just those that are still there.   Better Coordination, Transparency and Accountability is Needed For my nearly two decades as a consumer advocate I have met and spoken with tens of thousands of Americans who have suffered the consequences when big companies pollute the water or the air in their communities.  And what you and I have known for many years, Chairman Boxer, and what you’ve worked tirelessly on for your nearly 20 years as a Senator, is that the government needs to help these people. Because of my work and because the government agencies that should be doing it have dropped the ball, in recent years I have become a kind of reporting agency for suspected disease clusters around the country.  Thousands of Americans contact me every month asking for help and telling me about unexplained diseases in their neighborhood or on their streets.  I’ve started to put together a map.  This is not a scientific sampling but simply a map of people who are reaching out to me for help because they are concerned that environmental pollution in their community has made them sick.  I believe this simple map demonstrates we need to do a better job of listening and responding to these communities including the ones I haven’t heard from. (Appendix A) This is the issue of our time – whether it is pollution in our water, our air or products we use every day.  The government must play a stronger, better role in helping all Americans.  I understand this might not be a popular position in some circles but most of my life has been about taking unpopular stands against big polluters so I’m okay with that.  Madam Chairman, Senator Crapo, I believe that your legislation “The Strengthening Protection for Children and Communities from Disease Clusters Act” will help Americans that desperately need it.  And the bipartisan nature of Trevor’s Law will send a very valuable message that clean air and clean water and healthy communities are not political issues – they are human issues.  American issues.  I will also remind the public that it was a Republican President – President Nixon – that created the Environmental Protection Agency. We need better coordination among all government agencies and I have major concerns about the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s (ATSDR) efforts to identify and deal with disease clusters.  Because ATSDR doesn’t effectively respond to citizens’ concerns they turn to anyone who will listen, including to me, to report the strange clusters or high numbers of disease in their neighborhoods and towns.  Better coordination among federal agencies that bring different expertise to the table including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ATSDR, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is necessary and appropriately addressed in S. 76. It’s also important that the federal government doesn’t just come in, run some tests and leave.  Make no mistake – the federal government must play a key role in identifying and responding to disease clusters because federal agencies have the research, response and enforcement capacity that states and localities often don’t.  But we can’t lose sight of the most important part of any effort to identify and respond to a possible disease cluster – the people themselves. That’s why I’m pleased to see that this legislation requires EPA to establish and operate Regional Disease Cluster Information and Response Centers and Teams that will, among other steps, provide expertise to the public as well as state and local officials and involve the community in investigations through participatory research initiatives.  Another important piece of the legislation is the establishment of Community Disease Cluster Advisory Committees to provide oversight over investigations and addressing causes and ensure effective community outreach and involvement.  The affected people must and will be a part of these committees.  Any response to a potential disease cluster cannot be considered successful and effective if the affected community is marginalized. Everyone believes, because of a movie, that I am an environmental activist.  I do care a great deal about the environment but my real work and my greatest challenge is trying to overcome obstacles that end up jeopardizing public health and safety; and to find ways to prevent them in the first place. I am an advocate for awareness and a person's right to know. Often times we don’t think about or understand what is happening to someone else until it affects us personally. Cancer or some chronic disease has touched all of us. And disease does not recognize our political party affiliation.  I am proud to support this bill and am proud that it has bipartisan support. The time has come for the federal government to step up and provide the expertise and resources only it can. I commend your leadership Chairman Boxer and Senator Crapo.  We must act now to help these communities who are suffering. Thank you. Sources: CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). 2011. Cancer Clusters. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/clusters/about.htm NDCA (National Disease Clusters Alliance). 2010. Available at: http://clusteralliance.org/ President’s Cancer Panel. 2010. Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk. Available at: http://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/advisory/pcp/pcp08-09rpt/PCP_Report_08-09_508.pdf Erin-Brockovich-Testimony (read more...)

Do You Live in a Disease Cluster?

A report from the National Resources Defense Council underscores the threat of exposure to chemicals in the environment. But you can take steps to protect yourself.

By Joanna Poncavage RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—“The tip of the iceberg” is how reproductive biologist Sarah Janssen describes 42 disease clusters in 13 states where people are sick with cancer, birth defects, or other chronic illnesses. Janssen is a senior scientist with the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and a coauthor of the new report, “Health Alert: Disease Clusters Spotlight the Need to Protect People from Toxic Chemicals.” Only one of those clusters has been linked to a cause: In Libby, Montana, asbestos contamination of vermiculite mines resulted in a high rate of malignant and respiratory diseases. Elsewhere, connections are less clear. The tiny state of Delaware (nickname: Chemical Capital of the World) has eight clusters of cancer, but state investigators rarely looked for chemical exposure or environmental links, according to Janssen. “We thought this report would highlight the need for toxics reform because many of these communities are disproportionately impacted by chemical contaminants,” says Janssen. “A lot of these diseases are on the rise. The question is why, and at the moment we are not doing a very good job of asking that question,” says Terry Nordbrock, executive director of the National Disease Cluster Alliance (NDCA, ClusterAlliance.org), also a coauthor of the disease cluster report. But attempts to answer that question are in the works. Introduced in January by Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Michael Crapo (R-Idaho), Senate Bill No. 76, "Strengthening Protections for Children and Communities From Disease Clusters Act," is also known as “Trevor’s Law,” named for a childhood cancer survivor. "This bill will make sure the government agencies are working together, along with the affected communities. You put data together, and you can really start putting the puzzle together," says Nordbrock. And in April, Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) introduced the Safe Chemicals Act, a bill to reform the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act. In spite of this 35-year-old law, only about 200 of the 84,000 chemicals in commerce today have been tested for safety. Reform of the law would shift the burden of proof for safety from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the chemical industry. How to Protect Yourself The NRDC and the NDCA plan to identify additional disease clusters investigated or confirmed since 1976. In the meantime, to see if you’re living in an area at risk, see the disease cluster report, or the NDCA’s disease cluster and hotspot map. “Whether you live in a disease cluster area or not, bio-monitoring has been showing that even newborn babies in a non-polluted area have 200 different contaminants in their bodies,” says Nordbrock. Here are some other ways to take action against unhealthy chemical exposure, whether from large-scale contamination or small, everyday sources: • Assess your area. To find out what might be toxic in your backyard, visit the EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory Program, and search by zip code for industries or facilities reporting release or management of toxic chemicals. The EPA’s Superfund Sites Where You Live page lists thousands of locations of uncontrolled hazardous waste and their clean-up progress. • Make healthy choices. Entire books have been written about everyday chemical exposure, and how to protect yourself and your family from toxins that are finding their way into your bodies, but strategies are similar: Choosing organic food whenever possible can reduce the load of pesticides in your body. A filter can remove chemicals from your household water. Air filters, including better air-conditioner filters, and more frequent dusting and vacuuming will reduce particulate-borne contaminants in your home, especially if you live close to a freeway or refinery. Low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint is always advised to improve indoor air quality. • Kick toxic chemicals out of the house. For more on chemicals used in everyday products, and how to avoid toxic chemicals at home, at work or in schools, visit the NRDC’s Smarter Living pages. Create your own green cleaners so you can keep your home clean without adding to your body's chemical load. Not sure where to start? See our stories 5 Household Toxins You Should Banish from Your Home and 7 More Household Toxins You Should Banish from Your Home for suggestions. • Cut back on plastics. Harmful chemicals like phthalates and BPA can leach into your food and beverage, so use non-plastic containers for food storage. Never heat any food or drink in plastic (that includes microwave meals with plastic packaging). It's impossible to avoid all plastic—even we couldn’t stay entirely plastic free—but eliminating unnecessary plastic makes good sense. • Demand a change. Cofounded by the NDCA, Safer Chemicals Healthy Families offers more health tips, and ways to help promote toxic-chemical reforms, including contacting legislators and congressmen. “Don’t be shy about contacting members of both parties,” says Nordbrock. source (read more...)

Do You Live Near a Disease Cluster? Of 13 States Reviewed, 42 Disease Clusters Found

Posted by Paul Napoli March 31, 2011 4:24 AM March 30, 2011 Researchers are urging Congress to act after studying thirteen states and finding 42 disease clusters. The report entitled Health Alert: Disease Clusters Spotlight the Need to Protect People from Toxic Chemicals is by researches of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and National Disease Clusters Alliance (NDCA), both nonprofit, public interest organizations. It illustrates that disease clusters are occurring in the U.S. and that state and local governments need help and funding from federal agencies to determine the cause of these diseases affecting groups of citizens. Researchers focused on only thirteen states, Texas, California, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, Delaware, Louisiana, Montana, Tennessee, Missouri, and Arkansas, chosen on the basis of occurrence of known clusters in the state, geographic diversity, or community concerns about a disease cluster in their area. Other states may also have disease clusters. “All of these disease clusters have been confirmed or are currently undergoing an official investigation, though in most cases the cause of the cluster is unknown,” the report said. A disease cluster is an occurrence of a certain disease in a group of people, an area or period of time that is higher than the expected number of cases, or the norm. Exposure to environmental toxins such as asbestos or certain chemicals has caused some disease clusters. One of the most famous disease clusters is in Libby, MT, where a mine supplying 80% of the world’s vermiculite was from an ore source contaminated with asbestos. Asbestos contamination of the town from mining operations was widespread and residents developed asbestos exposure related health conditions such as mesothelioma, lung cancer and pleural disorders. The EPA cleanup of asbestos in Libby, started in 1999, is still in progress. Another example of a disease cluster is respiratory diseases among rescue, recovery and debris removal workers exposed to toxic dust at the World Trade Center site after 9/11. Report author Dr. Gina Solomon, MD, MPH, a Senior Scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council and Director of the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency Program, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works yesterday about the organizations’ report. Dr. Solomon highlighted just a few of the 42 disease cluster findings in her testimony: • Birth defects in Kettleman City, California, including twenty babies born over less than two years with birth defects, and four children born with birth defects so severe that they have since died, in this town of only 1,500 people. • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease) – a very rare disease – in Herculaneum, Missouri, a town affected by a major lead smelter and decades of pollution. • Multiple sclerosis (MS) in Wellington, Ohio, where residents are three-times more likely to develop MS than in the rest of the country, a disease whose causes are unknown but are thought to involve a combination of genetic and environmental causes. • Polycythemia Vera, a rare and severe blood disorder, with four cases occurring on one road in Eastern Pennsylvania. • Birth defects in Dickson, Tennessee, a striking cluster that was identified by a non-profit organization called Birth Defect Research for Children, created by the mother of a child with birth defects, which gathers information about birth defects nationally, links families, and works with scientists to identify patterns that require investigation. • Male breast cancer, childhood cancer, and birth defects in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. More than 60 men who lived on that base have been diagnosed with male breast cancer – an extraordinary and alarming finding which is almost impossible to occur by chance alone, and one which deserves urgent attention. “These people have suffered through illness and uncertainty, hope and disappointment,” said Dr. Solomon. “They have fought for answers, and in most cases, have not received them. It’s not too late for these communities and others like them. There’s still an opportunity to improve and systematize our approach to disease clusters so these communities get the attention they need and maybe also the answers they seek.” The National Resources Defense Council and National Disease Clusters Alliance want stronger environmental regulation of chemicals, better enforcement of regulations, and laws requiring chemical manufacturers to ensure the safety of their products. They say the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 has failed to protect the environment and health of the public from dangerous chemicals. “Of the approximately 85,000 chemicals on the market today, an estimated 62,000 were ‘grandfathered’ in without any testing requirements under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA),” Dr. Solomon told the Senate Committee. In January, Senators Boxer (D-CA) and Crapo (R-ID) introduced S. 76 - Strengthening Protections for Children and Communities from Disease Clusters Act, called “Trevor’s Law,” that will require the EPA to develop and implement a disease cluster response program. source (read more...)

Erin Brockovich to Testify on Disease Clusters; Pushes for Pollution Law

Erin Brockovich is once again doing what made her famous. Erin is going after the big corporations and their pollution. This time around, Brockovich's targets are the newly discovered disease clusters found in 13 U.S. states. Eight of those states are also part of the America's "diabetes belt." During a meeting on Tuesday with the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Erin expressed her concern over the disease clusters and the need for senators to pass a law documenting them. Brockovich said, "Thousands of Americans contact me every month asking for help and telling me about unexplained diseases in their neighborhood or on their streets." These are fears that any person would have when they see their friends and family dying or becoming sick from the same symptoms and diseases. A bill sponsored by Sen. Barbara Boxer of California and Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho has been proposed. The bill titled Trevor's Law will "increase coordination, transparency and accountability when federal agencies address potential disease clusters." Currently there are 42 disease clusters which have been identified in 13 states since 1976. Scientists expect that number to rise but have not been able to figure out the root cause of the breakouts. The disease clusters found involved birth defects, several forms of cancers and several different life threatening and chronic illnesses. Hopefully, Erin Brockovich will be able to garner the support of the senators to her cause because disease clusters are something that affects everyone. If pollutants are to blame then they need to be regulated in a stricter manner so that people don't die from them. Companies have a bottom line which is usually money. However, a life should always be considered more precious than a few dollars. source (read more...)

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CRAPO WELCOMES IDAHO’S TREVOR SCHAEFER TO D.C. Testifies before Senate hearing on cancer clusters Washington, D.C.   – The hard work of a McCall-turned-Boise resident was on display today in the nation’s capital, as a Senate committee took up the issue of cancer clusters.  Boisean Trevor Schaefer and his mother, Charlie Smith, have founded the “Trevor’s Trek” Foundation in an effort to bring attention to the possibility of environmental causes for cancer clusters nationwide.  The clusters are defined as an area of above-average cases of human cancer diagnosis, and Trevor is a survivor of brain cancer. At the request of Trevor and his mother, Idaho Senator Mike Crapo agreed to cosponsor legislation which could expand the research into cancer clusters.  The legislation, named “Trevor’s Law” (S. 76), was originally introduced last year by Crapo and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-California).  The legislation received a hearing before the committee today, with Trevor and author Erin Brockovich testifying in favor of it. “After surviving and recovering from this grueling ordeal, Trevor decided that he wanted to help children with cancer, and so in 2007 – along with his mother Charlie - he founded Trevor’s Trek Foundation,” Crapo said in his opening statement.  “Through raising awareness and research funds and providing mentoring services for young cancer survivors, the Foundation is a shining example of how the selfless actions of individuals can make a real difference in the lives of those in need. “I appreciate the opportunity for this committee to take a closer look at the issue of disease clusters,” Crapo added. “While we have heard quite a bit about them through books and movies, we have not had a detailed discussion about them here in the Congress.  Thanks to the efforts of people like Trevor and Charlie, we will.  Today’s hearing begins that discussion.  I look forward to hearing from our experts about the scientific research behind the causes of disease clusters; the coordinated response between the federal, state and local governments; and any other information that may be helpful to us.” Trevor’s testimony brought Senators a personal look at the issue.  “Senators, nothing is quite so lonely as being a child with cancer,” he said. “Lying in a hospital bed and sitting in a chemo chair getting chemotherapy treatments and blood transfusions while other kids are outside playing ball and riding bikes isn`t exactly the childhood I, or any of us, had in mind.  Our growth and social advancement may be stunted, but in other ways we are forced to become mature beyond our years: learning to be patient and resilient, and becoming courageous warriors fighting our own battles without any armor.”

The EPW Committee will continue consideration of the legislation before bringing it up for a vote before the full Committee.  Once cleared by the Committee, the bill will be sent to the Senate floor.  There is no current timeline for full Senate consideration. source (read more...)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Erin Brockovich, a U.S. consumer health advocate whose life story was the basis for an Academy Award-winning film, urged senators Tuesday to pass a law to document disease clusters in the United States. A disease cluster is an unusual number of health events, such as reports of cancer, grouped together in a time and location, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Brockovich, who came to prominence investigating the prevalence of cancer cases in Hinkley, California, said she has become an informal reporting agency for those who worry that something in their immediate environment is a health hazard. "Thousands of Americans contact me every month asking for help and telling me about unexplained diseases in their neighborhood or on their streets," Brockovich told the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. She offered a map of the United States and Canada she said she put together by plotting these calls geographically, showing calls from almost every U.S. state and several Canadian provinces. "This is not a scientific sampling but simply a map of people who are reaching out to me for help because they are concerned that environmental pollution in their community has made them sick," Brockovich said. Sen. Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat who chairs the committee, co-sponsored a bill meant to increase coordination, transparency and accountability when federal agencies address potential disease clusters. Boxer said U.S. childhood cancer rates have increased by more than 20 percent from 1975 through 2007, and that while the exact causes is not always known, "two often-discussed factors are genetics and environmental causes." The bill, also co-sponsored by Sen. Mike Crapo, an Idaho Republican, is known as Trevor's Law, named for Trevor Schaefer, a 21-year old survivor of brain cancer from Boise, Idaho. Schaefer, who testified at the Senate hearing, and his family have created a foundation that has been fighting for better investigations into the causes of cancer clusters. A study by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the National Disease Clusters Alliance reported 42 disease clusters in 13 U.S. states, showing incidence of numerous types of cancer, birth defects and other chronic illnesses. Julia Roberts won the Academy Award for best actress for her portrayal of Brockovich in the 2000 movie "Erin Brockovich," which focused on the advocate's work as a paralegal with residents of Hinkley. In that case, 660 Hinkley residents sued the utility PG&E for damages from groundwater contaminated with the chemical hexavalent chromium. The plaintiffs received a $333 million settlement in 1997. (Reporting by Deborah Zabarenko; editing by Anthony Boadle) source (read more...)

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"Having cancer at such a young age made me often wonder, 'Why me?'  While receiving my treatment of radiation and chemotherapy (for 14 months) I witnessed so many children also battling this horrific disease.  I began to wonder, 'Why them?'  Childhood cancer has risen 67.1% in the past two generations.  Fetuses, infants and children are more vulnerable to the toxic effects of chemicals from environmental exposure."

• On January 25th, 2011 U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D) of California and U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R) of Idaho as lead co-sponser introduced the "Strengthening Protections for Children and Communities From Disease Clusters Act" S.76 also known as Trevor's Law.  Bill S.76 calls for an improved process to address and investigate cancer and disease clusters throughout the U.S........ (Trevor's Law) (Press Release) (Senator Boxer's Press Release)

For more information on toxins and childhood cancer clusters please visit the following links. FACT- Families Against Cancer and Toxins NDCA- National Disease Cluster Alliance SCHF- Safer Chemicals Healthy Families NRDC- Natural Resources Defense Council (read more...)