FIGURE 54.3 Love Canal, New York. Love Canal became a symbol of hazardous chemical pollution in the United States in the 1970s. Lois Gibbs, with no prior experience in either environmental science or activism, became a spokesperson for the neighborhood of Love Canal and is widely credited with bringing national attention to her community, including the elementary school that had been constructed on top of large quantities of hazardous chemical waste. Gibbs is currently the executive director of the Center for Health, Environment and Justice.
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