There is a shocking article in today's Miami Herald about a town in the Dominican Republic being plagued by terrible birth defects. The residents claim all the birth issues are being caused by coal ash that was dumped nearby by a U.S. company. The company denies it.

From the article:

A civil lawsuit filed Wednesday in Delaware charges that toxic levels of waste dumped at the Arroyo Barril port has made people nearby sick. After years of repeated miscarriages, women whose blood levels show abnormal levels of arsenic are giving birth to babies with cranial deformities, with organs outside their bodies or missing limbs.

The case highlights the debate over coal ash, an unregulated byproduct of coal energy, which when processed and recycled is used in everything from cement to the foundation for golf courses. Popular Mechanics magazine this month calls a concrete made from coal ash one of the "10 Most Brilliant Products of 2009."

It's a sad and eye-opening article, be sure to read it.