Episode 23

​Mindi Messmer is an environmental and public health scientist (Clinical and Translational Science, MS) so other parents reached out to her when local families began experiencing a tragic pediatric cancer cluster in Rye, NH 2014. Her empathy for their terribly scary situations led her to become involved as a local activist, leader, and public servant.

Mindi Messmer was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives (2016-2018) where she worked to protect public health through bills on PFAS, arsenic and lead poisoning prevention. She remains committed to cancer prevention and environmental and drinking water protection.

Mindi is the author of Female Disruptors, Stories of Mighty Female Scientists (2022), which she discusses in this interview. 

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Episode 7

Mark is the retired Bureau Director for Maine Department of Environmental Protection.  He worked to clean up  Superfund 
sites in Maine.  He speaks of many acronyms, CERCLA and the devoted and brilliant people he had the pleasure to work with through the EPA.  Since 1980, our government has been working to clean up toxic chemicals from air, water and soil in many different settings. 

Mark wants people to realize that they have the right to know if they are living near toxic chemicals so they can prepare and plan, as needed.   The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) is a great resource.

Mark thinks Mama Earth would want us all to pay closer attention to what we are buying (such as PFAS products) and using, (including our water).  He recommends comprehensively testing residential well water every two years.  For information on financial assistance to test well water in Maine, click here. 

Play audio, below: