AFRO Staff Writer

msayles@afro.com

Longtime scientists Lewis Ross Brown and Shamira A. Brown created Virginia Environmental Action Network (VEAN) to help individuals and organizations apply for environmental grants and to raise awareness about pressing ecological issues in local communities.

Shamira A. Brown (left) and Lewis Ross Brown are creators of the Virginia Environmental Action Network, an organization they established to address ecological hazards and to support organizations applying for environmental grants.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Lewis Ross Brown

With environmental issues increasingly sidelined at the national level, the pair are moving forward with a new program to monitor local waterways for contaminants that are toxic to community members. They believe their findings will help to hold government officials accountable for enforcing environmental protections.

“The state of Virginia needed an unbiased, detailed water pollution and quality analysis program designed to combat the ever-growing pollution problems caused by harmful algal blooms, organic and inorganic pesticides, organic waste and heavy metals,” said Shamira A. Brown. “Lewis and I felt that the creation of VEAN would be the answer to the water pollution issues from these contaminants. Additionally, we feel that VEAN will be able to make sure federal regulations, like the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Act, are followed throughout the state of Virginia— a duty that the EPA does not do nor has a desire to do under the new administration.”

Two priority areas for the scientists are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These man-made, persistent and toxic chemicals have been widely used to resist heat, water and oil, making them ideal for products, like non-stick cookware, firefighting foam and waterproof fabrics.

PFAS and PFBs enter waterways through industrial discharge, firefighting foam runoff, landfill leakage and wastewater systems that can’t filter them out. Once in the water, these chemicals can persist for years without breaking down, accumulating in fish, wildlife and, eventually, human bodies through drinking water and food consumption.

“Generally speaking, PFAS chemicals are known to interfere with human immune systems in a negative manner, rendering humans exposed to them with a very weakened and compromised immune system,” said Shamira A. Brown.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are two prominent PFAS. Shamira A. Brown explained that exposure to PFOA can result in significantly elevated cholesterol levels and changes in liver function. Exposure to PFOS leads can increase the risk of several types of cancer, including kidney, testicular, anal, breast and prostate. She said there is also a strong connection between PFOS exposure and changes in hormone levels in men and women between the ages of 16 and 67.

PCBs can also cause a range of health problems.

“Furthermore, we have shown that high exposure levels of PCBs can induce severe liver and kidney damage in humans, as well as developmental effects in children born to mothers with high PCB exposure levels,” said Shamira A. Brown.

The researchers will also be analyzing waterways for lead, arsenic and mercury. They will also collect tissue samples from fish and birds. They plan to publicize the information and to enable community members to learn more about the hazards these contaminants pose to both environmental and human health.

A special focus will be put on aiding underserved communities, who typically bear the brunt of environmental harms.

“We’re going to hold meetings where people can tune in and ask all of the questions they want to ask. We are going to come to your community to help because that’s our job,” said Lewis Ross Brown. “If we don’t help, nobody is going to help us.”

Lewis Ross Brown’s background is in environmental toxicology, researching how exposure to pesticides and chemical pollutants affect living organisms and, in particular, humans. Shamira A. Brown specializes in environmental chemistry and oncology.

The pair met when they were paired up for a biological research project while attending Dillard University, a historically Black college in Louisiana. They previously worked with the Louisiana Environmental Action Network before coming to D.C. to work for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

They left the government agency during the 47th president’s first term, as he sought to reduce support for the EPA and roll back protections for the first time. Now that he is back in office, they are also stepping up to support scientists and researchers who have lost their jobs or fear they may be terminated.

“The biggest fight we have on our hands right now is getting these federal workers to work again and back to doing the things that they love to do, which is to help our society,” said Lewis Ross Brown. “When he laid those people off, it was nothing short of stupid because it’s going to cost a lot of money to build that government agency back up.”

The researchers are helping to connect displaced federal environmental workers with consulting jobs. Lewis Ross Brown noted that these positions offer flexible hours and wages that exceed those from government jobs.

They have set up a hotline for people who are in need of employment. Individuals can call 703-594-2302 for help. Once they must submit a current resume, they will be connected with a range of consulting opportunities.

As the 47th president and his administration continue to defund climate initiatives and research, Lewis Ross Brown and Shamira A. Brown are uneasy. But, through VEAN, they plan to hold institutions accountable for their environmental impact.

“Under the Trump administration, we are mainly concerned about the elimination of research grants in the sciences, especially medical, environmental health, toxicology and chemistry,” said Shamira A. Brown. “Trump’s inane and insensitive gutting of research grants at the federal levels and his asinine policies targeting HBCUs and other colleges who don’t agree with his outdated, moronic policies are enough for anyone to be concerned. VEAN will stand up to these antiquated, outdated policies.”