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Southeastern University sidelines scientist who exposed toxic metals in Lake Maurepas
Posted on 8/1/25 at 11:25 am
Posted on 8/1/25 at 11:25 am
The Southeastern Louisiana University scientist who discovered alarming levels of toxic chemicals in Lake Maurepas was abruptly removed from her research position this week without explanation.
“This documentary was supposed to be about our results from the past three years ago,” Emami said. “It’s like they are wiping me out of the picture.”
quote:Emami said she received a vague email Monday from Kyle Piller, a biology professor and director of the Lake Maurepas research effort, saying he “terminated” her from the project. He did not include any explanation for the decision and gave a similarly vague response Wednesday when she asked why, according to emails Emami shared with the Illuminator.
Fereshteh Emami, an analytical chemistry professor who served as a principal investigator on the Air Products Lake Maurepas Monitoring Project, was officially removed from the project on Thursday but is still employed by the university. Southeastern’s chemistry department has moved Emami into a full-time teaching role and will not allow her to continue the research she has been doing for the past three years, she said.
quote:For the past three years, Emami led a team of researchers who analyzed 400 water and sediment samples collected from multiple locations and depths in the lake from June through December 2023. The results, which were recently published in two scientific journals, set off alarm bells in communities around Lake Maurepas.
“Your continued involvement is no longer in the best interest of the Air Products Lake Maurepas Monitoring Project,” Piller’s email stated.
quote:Right after the Illuminator published an article about Emami’s work in June, she said Southeastern’s communication officials told her to check with them before speaking with journalists in the future. On Monday, just before she learned of her removal from the research project, Emami said a campus media crew was scheduled to film her work for a university-sponsored documentary. The Lake Maurepas project director canceled the shoot, she said.
The samples showed dangerously high levels of heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, nickel, copper, and manganese. The researchers also detected high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, both major components of fertilizers.
“This documentary was supposed to be about our results from the past three years ago,” Emami said. “It’s like they are wiping me out of the picture.”
quote:We need Erin Brockovich down here
University administrators say Emami’s removal from the Lake Maurepas research work was a routine adjustment.
19
Posted on 8/1/25 at 11:29 am to BowDownToLSU
State lied about the lakes being cleaned up for decades? Color me shocked, damn you.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 11:31 am to BowDownToLSU
Even Erin brockovich got replaced by a foreigner
Biden’s America
Biden’s America
Posted on 8/1/25 at 11:35 am to BowDownToLSU
quote:
Fereshteh Emami
quote:
Emami developed new methodologies that traced many of the pollutants to industrial and agricultural activities along the Blind, Tickfaw and Amite rivers that feed into Lake Maurepas. The heavy metal concentrations found in the lake are similar to those detected after breaks in the waste containment levees at the Atlantic Alumina (Atalco) facility in Gramercy last year. Atalco’s toxic metals — which also included arsenic, cadmium and lead, among others — ended up in drainage ditches that flow into the Blind River Swamp of Lake Maurepas.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 11:58 am to BowDownToLSU
We have a chemical company lobbyist in charge of the EPA chemicals division now, and we are very likely to do away with IRIS, the only independent chemical risk research body in our government.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 12:19 pm to BowDownToLSU
quote:
The Southeastern Louisiana University scientist who discovered alarming levels of toxic chemicals in Lake Maurepas was abruptly removed from her research position this week without explanation.
What I picture from behind the scenes of this decision:
Posted on 8/1/25 at 12:27 pm to LegendInMyMind
I don't need a scientist to tell me Blind/Amite/Tickfaw Rivers, and Lake Maurepas are polluted.
Just look at all the development just during the last 25-30 years.
During heavy rains you'll notice an amazing amount of garbage floating down the Amite starting at Port Vincent. For Christ sakes would you please tie up your old broken fridge to a tree before high water takes it!
Just look at all the development just during the last 25-30 years.
During heavy rains you'll notice an amazing amount of garbage floating down the Amite starting at Port Vincent. For Christ sakes would you please tie up your old broken fridge to a tree before high water takes it!
Posted on 8/1/25 at 12:29 pm to BowDownToLSU
Our clown governor probably had a say in it. Same with the UL guy retiring immediately earlier this week.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 1:00 pm to BowDownToLSU
And somehow these metals from decades of pollution by the locals and upstream farmlands, will be blamed on Air Products by the locals.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 1:14 pm to TigerTatorTots
quote:signed Air Products employee
And somehow these metals from decades of pollution by the locals and upstream farmlands, will be blamed on Air Products by the locals.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 1:28 pm to BowDownToLSU
Am I wrong?
Posted on 8/1/25 at 1:33 pm to BowDownToLSU
I just raised the mummy by reading her name out loud
Posted on 8/1/25 at 1:42 pm to BowDownToLSU
Well this seems fishy
Posted on 8/1/25 at 2:21 pm to andwesway
quote:
Our clown governor probably had a say in it.
Was coming here to say this has Jeff written all over it.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 2:53 pm to BowDownToLSU
She gave a little fodder for the opposition, but what she found has been there for decades. SLUs problem is probably she when a bit rogue with her shite and didn't coordinate release with others on the project. This stuffs been known about, the SLU project just documented it well.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 2:57 pm to BowDownToLSU
So a university which takes a whole lot of money to monitor environmental conditions puts aside a professor for giving a warning and expects to not account for stifling the exposing of contamination?
Step up and tell us about the science in a credible manner and submit the results for peer review.
Failure to do this is a not reassuring choice.
Seems like they should expect to take a credibility bath over this situation.
Might be time to seek another watchdog organization.
Sad, because I like Southeastern.
(corrected awkward wording by adding "choice" where it had been omitted.)
Step up and tell us about the science in a credible manner and submit the results for peer review.
Failure to do this is a not reassuring choice.
Seems like they should expect to take a credibility bath over this situation.
Might be time to seek another watchdog organization.
Sad, because I like Southeastern.
(corrected awkward wording by adding "choice" where it had been omitted.)
This post was edited on 8/3/25 at 5:36 pm
Posted on 8/1/25 at 5:37 pm to Rabby
5M tons/yr of CO2 Air Products intends to pump under Lake Maurepas will form 15.5 Billion pounds of Carbonic Acid when it leaks into the lake, turn it acidic, and kill all marine life. Our tax dollars are funding this scam and our politicians are getting their palms greased by Air Products.
But Air Products has been granted limited liability and will make $millions.
They say they will monitor the water but have no way to stop the leaks when they occur.
Don't get me started!
But Air Products has been granted limited liability and will make $millions.
They say they will monitor the water but have no way to stop the leaks when they occur.
Don't get me started!
This post was edited on 8/2/25 at 11:40 am
Posted on 8/1/25 at 5:57 pm to BowDownToLSU
Read her published paper. It's nothing new. She found out there is a lot of shite floating down the rivers as the traverse Livingston Parish. It's literally shite from people and cows etc. much of it probably from south Livingstonites taking a crap in the back yard.
Posted on 8/1/25 at 5:58 pm to BowDownToLSU
quote:I could have told you this
The samples showed dangerously high levels of heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, cadmium, nickel, copper, and manganese. The researchers also detected high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, both major components of fertilizers.
Anyone with a brain cell knows the entire watershed is a polluted shite hole
Posted on 8/1/25 at 6:01 pm to Camijoe
quote:where they think all the meth labs that got washed out in 2016 ended up?
She found out there is a lot of shite floating down the rivers as the traverse Livingston Parish. It's literally shite from people and cows etc. much of it probably from south Livingstonites taking a crap in the back yard.
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