Booklist raves, Paper Valley "is a compelling human-interest tale on
par with Erin Brockovich and Jonathan Harr's A Civil Action."
When government scientist David Allen arrived at his new jobsite 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 $1 billion 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 in this book: an act of radical transparency to
uncover the intrigue that nearly blocked the cleanup behind the scenes
at US Fish and Wildlife, Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources,
and the US 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 taxpayers, to the tune of $1.3 billion, and
completed in 2020.
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.
Paper Valley is printed on recycled paper.
