BOOK DISCUSSION: Great Lakes/Great Books

Now in its 10th season, Great Lakes/Great Books meets the first Thursday of the month September – May to discuss books that have the Great Lakes as setting or subject matter or that are related to water and/or the Great Lakes region. All are welcome, whether you have read the book or not! The selection for this month is Paper Valley: The Fight for the Fox River Cleanup by P. David Allen II and Susan Campbell.

About the book:

When government scientist David Allen arrived at his new job site in the 1990s, the Fox River near Wisconsin’s Green Bay was dominated by hulking paper mills, noxious industrial odors, and widespread ecological damage. Confronted by his lack of resources to force the politically powerful “Paper Valley” polluters to fix their mess, Allen proceeds against all bureaucratic odds in building a one billion dollar case against the paper company bosses. Two small but vital players, Allen along with journalist Susan Campbell were relentless in bringing the case to the public at the time. They do so again int his book — an act of radical transparency to uncover the intrigue that nearly blocked the cleanup behind the scenes at U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In a rare and major environmental win, the Fox River became the site of the largest polychlorinated biphenyls cleanup in history, paid for by the paper companies rather than the taxpayers to the tune of $1.3 billion and completed in 20202.

This true story of struggle, perseverance, and success inspires hope for environmentalists who strive to restore natural landscapes. The detailed account given in this book is meant to inspire and offer practical knowledge and solutions for those fighting similar opponents of environmental cleanup and restoration. Allen and Campbell eloquently outline the problematic bureaucracy involved in environmental cleanup efforts and reveal tactics to compel corporate entities who would dodge accountability for decades worth of contamination.