Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers

In July 1981, armed with new tools to measure toxic chemicals, scientists from the University of Washington showed that acid rain caused by industrial activity was causing significant harm to nearby lakes and forests. Despite the severity of the impact, the smelters were given six years to reduce their emissions. In January 1982, a dozen people were hospitalized when the Ruston smokestack near Tacoma spewed hundreds of pounds of toxic dust, including arsenic, into the air. Again, ASARCO denied responsibility. In July that same year, members of a nearby yacht club noticed an acid-based substance eating away the paint on their boats and cars. ASARCO offered the affected members free car-wash coupons.

The following year, William Ruckelshaus became head of the EPA after the former head, Anne Gorsuch, was forced to resign for her collusion with industry insiders. Rather than directly confronting the problem of the Ruston smelter, Ruckelshaus left the matter to the community, pitting ASARCO’s resources against those of smaller environmental organizations. Ultimately, the city of Tacoma opted to do nothing, and the plant was allowed to continue production. Despite this, the smelter closed in 1986, ending 600 jobs in Tacoma. In the summer of 1990, Fraser’s former Mercer Island classmate George W.