Letters to the editor

Save environmental agencies

I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio in the 1940’s and 50’s. The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company’s slogan was “Best Location in the Nation.” I’m sure that was true for Standard Oil, Republic Steel, Cleveland Cliffs Shipping and the many smaller heavy industry companies in the area. The Cleveland I knew as a kid was a healthy center of American manufacturing, much like Pittsburgh and Detroit were then. The wealth Cleveland’s heavy industry generated supported a world-renowned symphony, fine museums, and the acclaimed “Emerald Necklace” greenway parks.

However, in 1969 the dark side of Cleveland’s vibrant industry came to national attention. The Cuyahoga River caught fire. Debris and spilled petroleum on the river had caught fire before, but the nation’s growing