Lois Gibbs

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Lois Gibbs, or Lois Marie Gibbs, (born 1952) is an environmental activist whose involvement in environmental causes began in 1978, when she discovered that her 7-year-old son's elementary school in Niagara Falls, New York was built on a toxic waste dump. Subsequent investigation revealed that her entire neighborhood had been built on top of that same dump, the Love Canal.

With no prior experience in community activism, Gibbs organized her neighbors and formed the Love Canal Homeowners Association. She led her community in a battle against the local, state, and federal governments. After years of struggle, 833 families were eventually evacuated, and cleanup of Love Canal began. National press coverage made Lois Gibbs a household name. Her efforts also led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "Superfund," which is used to locate and clean up toxic sites throughout the United States.

In 1980, Gibbs formed the Citizens' Clearinghouse for Hazardous Waste (later renamed Center for Health, Environment and Justice). CHEJ is a grassroots environmental crisis center that provides information, resources, technical assistance and training to community groups around the nation. CHEJ seeks to form strong local organizations in order to protect neighborhoods from exposure to hazardous wastes.

Gibbs has authored several books about the Love Canal story and the effects of toxic waste.

Her story was dramatized in the 1982 made-for-tv movie "Lois Gibbs: the Love Canal Story", in which she was played by Marsha Mason.

[edit] Published works

(1982) Love Canal: My Story. ISBN 0-87395-587-0.
(1995) Dying from Dioxin: A Citizen's Guide to Reclaiming Our Health and Rebuilding Democracy. ISBN 0-89608-526-0.
(1998) Love Canal: The Story Continues. ISBN 0-86571-382-0.