My daughter Kylie says SHE shall be the first woman President, and I certainly believe that is possible, if she lives long enough to run.... and her older sister Grace doesn't beat her to the job. You win either way - they are socially conscious!

Those reading realNEO who are real old-time Tremonters will know or remember Kylie's mother, Sharon Dowhaniuk Roulet - Roman's little girl - real Ukranian family... Baba still lives overlooking Mittal... barely. Guido is dead.

Sharon asked me to submit her testimony to the EPA about MCCO, in case she can't get a sitter for the hearing, and I'm sure the realNEO community will be moved by her words as well. I certainly appreciate her words of support for me, as they come so rare here. Thanks Cheri.

Good afternoon:

My name is Sharon Roulet and I was born on September 10th, 1977 at Metro health medical center. I was raised in a home approximately 1 mile away at 2531 Scranton Rd. I was born the middle child with 2 brothers. In the early 80's Tremont was not one of the safest areas to have a family. My father worked at LTV steel and for the city of Cleveland. We were of the lower class. Even though my father worked hard we did not have the money to move elsewhere.

As a child, my brothers and I spent our days playing in our yard. We would swim, ride our bikes and make mud pies like most children do. Some days I remember waking up and asking my Mom, “what smells”. She would reply “well honey that is the steel mill.” My nose will never forget the awful smell. The stench of burning, rotten eggs.

As an adult I now have 2 children of my own and live on the other side of the steel mill in the Old Brooklyn area. I still wake up some mornings, when the wind is right, and smell that horrible stench. I have now had to be the Mom that answered the question of “What's that smell”

For decades these plants including MCCO have been allowed to fill our “clean air” and soil with enough pollution to cause great harm. The lead levels that are in my soil and my father's soil in his yard in Tremont are outrageous.

Back before my time Lead levels in paint were found to be hazardous to humans. Since then the paint process has changed. The government forced Sherwin Williams and other companies to comply with what they call “safe levels.” If the government could step in then and prove that it is harmful and need not be used, then why can't they step in now.

We Clevelanders have allowed these multi-billion-dollar companies to poison us and our children. Why, I ask you? Would you use lead paint in your infant nursery now. No! Then why are these companies allowed to pollute our air, our soil, our children.

There is a coal burning plant operating within arms reach of were you stand. Is this safe for us. Take a deep breath and wonder.

I wonder why the government hasn't stepped in sooner. I wonder what is a “safe level.” I wonder if the extensive health issues my children and myself have faced were caused by these corporations.

Do you not wonder the same?

My ex-husband Norm Roulet is trying to find out this answer for me, our child, and you. He is collecting all the data, proving the unsafe levels of poisons. Taking the information to our local government, to try to make a change. For this he is being called a Villain.

The villains are the people elected to protect us, to stand up for us, who sit and do nothing. Turn a blind eye... maybe even profit from the whole process. They are the evil ones.

Meanwhile I have had 2 major surgeries this year. My oldest child suffer from asthma, my baby suffers from multiple ear infections and pneumonia. I have laid awake next to my child some nights just to make sure she is breathing. The medical bills, the fear of illness or even worse, death. While we all just sit here and watch this go on in our own yards.

So I say take a deep breath, Think of what just entered your body, wonder if it's safe. If you think the answer is no, then stand up and do something about. Help us help our communities. Make them a safe place to live and breath. Help us put blame where blame is due.

Cc: norm [at] realneo [dot] us