River of blood exposed by Dallas Drone

A Dallas Drone enthusiast testing his camera equiped drone noticed something awry with the images he had taken.

"I was looking at images after the flight that showed a blood red creek and was thinking, could this really be what I think it is?  Can you really do that, surely not?

Whatever it is, it was flat out gross.  Then comes the question of who do I report this to that can find out what it is and where it is coming from.

Search after search and even some phone calls and I am not finding anything on who to call until I find the Nation Response Center.  With their website saying that they are "the sole national point of contact for reporting all oil, chemical, radiological, biological and etiological discharges into the environment, anywhere in the United States and its territories" this sure seems like the correct place to start.

I tried to use their web reporting pages to report this, but there were question being asked that I just did not know, so I gave up and picked up the phone.  The Coast Guard staffed 800 number was answered immediately, and I explained to the officer what I had seen and how.  I asked if I had called the correct place, and was assured that I had.  The officer took my report and asked me quite a few questions.  I then asked what was going to happen from here, and I was told that the appropriate authorities, including the TCEQ (Texas Commission on Environment Quality) would be notified.  A local investigator was dispatched within 20 minutes and onsite within another 20."

Last Thursday the EPA, TCEQ, and Texas Parks and Wildlife executed a search warrant at the Columbia Packing Company, East Dallas. The company that is celebrating 90 years in business, states on it's website, "We believe that business goes where it is invited and stays where it is well treated."

In light of the ongoing investigation the UAS pilot would rather not be named.

Texas Environmental Crimes Task Force has watched the plant for two months after they first received the information. Dallas County has also been working with federal and state investigators ever since the tip came in.

Speaking to local press, Health and Human Services chief Zach Thompson said that's what has county, federal, and state investigators so concerned. "Any time there is some type of discharge into the Trinity River… especially from an environmental standpoint, this is a real concern."

"I think they discovered a secondary pipe again is my understanding, so the question is who installed the pipe and why was it there."

Those in authority or behind a wall with something to hide may have to come up with more elaborate strategies in the future. Very simple systems have the ability to look over the fence.

Many  US citizens now fly camera equipped model helicopters, aircraft and multi rotor craft. Perhaps greater in number than those operated by the military.  Who is going to Police what is watched and by whom?

This is an example of positive use of unmanned aerial systems. In the not too distant future every journeyman  might have something in the back of his pick up that can inspect a roof, bridge or tower. Inspection drones will be like a hammer in the tool box and people won't remember a time before them.

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Original Page: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/01/river-of-blood-exposed-by-dallas-drone/

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