"I have told the White House - and this is upon your approval -
that we will allow the two EPA representatives to leave, but if we do not have a
disaster declaration Wednesday by noon then what they have seen here today is
just a Sesame Street picnic in comparison to what... (cheers drown her out) Love
Canal residents are tired of being sensible and reasonable in dealing with these
turkeys because they're not listening to us. We know that they only respond to
<---?> people, and people who do things and take the law into their own
hands. Upon approval of the residents of Love Canal, we let these two
representatives go to demonstrate that we mean business but we're not going to
be radical; but if we don't get something on Wednesday, White House'd better
watch the hell out."
- Lois Gibbs, May 19, 1980
I visited the canal area at that time.
Corroding waste-disposal drums could be seen breaking up through the grounds of
backyards. Trees and gardens were turning black and dying. One entire swimming
pool had been popped up from its foundation, afloat now on a small sea of
chemicals. Puddles of noxious substances were pointed out to me by the
residents. Some of these puddles were in their yards, some were in their
basements, others yet were on the school grounds. Everywhere the air had a
faint, choking smell. Children returned from play with burns on their hands and
faces.
–Eckhardt C. Beck (EPA Administrator for Region 2, 1977 – 1979)