Beneath the Surface
Steve Orr of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle investigates groundwater contamination in "Danger Below." Orr reveals that for 17 years state officials failed to tell some residents of Victor, N.Y., that their water was contaminated with industrial chemicals. In the meantime, residents continued to drink the dangerous water and homes were built and sold on top of the mile-long plume of contamination with no warning to the owners. The Web package includes a great interactive timeline put together by staff artist Mark Newell and reporter Steve Orr that combines maps, audio and photos. It also has a slideshow by photographers Jamie Germano and Will Yurman and a Google map that allows readers to type in their addresses to see how close they live to a contaminated site. In response to Orr's story, the governor's environmental adviser is investigating the state's inaction and a public forum was held last night. www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070325/NEWS01/703250316/-1/archive1
I first learned about this story through the Web site of Investigative Reporters & Editors.