Takeaways from AP's report on how Duck Valley Indian Reservation's water and soil is contaminated

OWYHEE, Nev. (AP) — The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Indian Reservation have long grappled with contaminants embedded in the land and water.

For decades, the tribes suspected that widespread illness and deaths from cancer are tied to two buildings owned and operated by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. Fuel, herbicides and other chemicals spilled onto the dirt floors of the now-shuttered or demolished structures.

Earlier this year, the BIA discovered a decades-old document with a passing mention of Agent Orange that suggests the government might have been more involved in contaminating the land than previously known, this time around the irrigation canals. The community is still waiting to get answers.

Owyhee is the sole town on the reservation where snow-capped mountains loom over a valley of scattered homes and ranches, nearly 100 miles (161 kilometers) from any stoplights. Bookended by deep Nevada canyons and flat Idaho plains, the valley is home to “Sho-Pais,” whose ancestors were confined there by the federal government.

For generations, the legacy and livelihood of residents have centered around raising cattle year-round. Many of the 1,800 or so residents still use the same medicinal plans and practice the same ceremonies as their relatives buried under them.

Representatives from the BIA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency visited the reservation as recently as Aug. 7 to talk about the contamination and review the report that mentioned Agent Orange. Action can't come soon enough for tribal members who say the federal government's past cleanup attempts have lacked urgency and direction.

“People are dying. And I don’t know what they’re waiting for,” said tribal Chairman Brian Mason.

Historically, most of the environmental dangers at Owyhee have been traced to two BIA buildings that have since closed or been demolished.

Back in 1985, at the now-abandoned irrigation shop, some 8,000 gallons of heating oil leaked from a pipeline next to a two-lane highway that acts as the area's main road. Samples taken from sump, soil and floor drains around the building revealed a mix of the hazardous chemicals that were stored inside, including waste oil, arsenic, copper, lead and cadmium, along with the two herbicides that make up Agent Orange.

Racheal Thacker, a pesticides and solid waste technician with the tribes, said residents at the time were likely unaware of the dangers related to handling the chemicals stored there. Back then, she said, the workers employed by the BIA didn’t have the expertise or resources to identify pollutants in the ground.

In 1995, the EPA ordered the BIA to stop discharging gasoline, batteries and other fluids onto the dirt floor of the maintenance building, saying the practice was improper, threatened the groundwater supply and could endanger tribal members’ health. The disposal practice had long-lasting effects. The building has since been demolished and is fenced off.

In its statement to the AP, the BIA said it has extensively studied the soil and groundwater on the reservation since 1999 and cleaned up wells used for drinking water. The agency also said any petroleum in the soil is safe and it’s working with the tribe on other remedial actions.

To the community, there's a clear link between past contaminants and the pronounced number of cancer cases and other illnesses.

Mason validated those beliefs in an announcement earlier this year. He stood at a podium and declared — without caveats — that the BIA further poisoned the tribes' land. Agent Orange chemicals were sprayed extensively by the canals, he said, and demanded the government take quick action.

Health experts say it’s nearly impossible to say with certainty that the environment factored into cancer diagnoses and deaths — especially without robust data.

The tribal health clinic has logged more than 500 illnesses since 1992 that could be cancer, and is trying to break down the reservation's data to determine what were the most common types. A switch in recent years from paper to electronic filing means the records are likely incomplete.

Even if the BIA is able to account for the time, frequency, concentration and volume of herbicides sprayed on the reservation, that wouldn’t be enough to prove a cause, experts say. Genetics, lifestyle and other factors often combine to form a diagnosis.

“Bottom line is it’s really, really complicated even to establish among things we already sort of know about,” said Lauren Teras, the senior scientific director of epidemiology research at the American Cancer Society.

Mason has called for a study that would give tribal members a better idea of the extent that chemicals could have been sprayed, and the effect on the tribes’ land and its residents. He said that might provide tribal members a pathway to seek payment from the federal government.

Shoshone-Paiute tribal Chairman Brian Mason speaks from his office, March 15, 2024, in Owyhee, Nev., on the Duck Valley reservation which straddles the Nevada-Idaho border. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

A horse grazes in a field on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation that straddles the Nevada-Idaho border on Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Owyhee, Nev. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Shoshone-Paiute tribal member Tanya Smith Beaudoin holds photos of her father, who died from cancer, at her home in Owyhee, Nev., on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation on March 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Shoshone-Paiute tribal member Michael Hanchor visits his mother’s grave, March 15, 2024, in Owyhee, Nev., on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation that straddles the Nevada-Idaho border. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Tribal members gather in a gymnasium to pay their respects to Marvin Cota, who died from cancer, during a memorial service in Owyhee, Nev., on March 14, 2024, on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation that straddles the Nevada-Idaho border. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Tribal members gather in a gymnasium to pay their respects to Marvin Cota, who died from cancer, during a memorial service in Owyhee, Nev., on March 14, 2024, on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation that straddles the Nevada-Idaho border. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

School teacher Sherry Crutcher, right, hugs Terri Ann Cota at a memorial service for Cota's father, Marvin, on March 14, 2024, in Owyhee, Nev., on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation that straddles the Nevada-Idaho border. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

A cemetery in the town of Owyhee, Nev., on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation is pictured on March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

An irrigation canal is shown in Owyhee, Nev., March 13, 2024, on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation that straddles the Nevada-Idaho border. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Water flows through a culvert at an irrigation canal on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation, March 13, 2024, in Owyhee, Nev. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Shoshone-Paiute tribal member Tanya Smith Beaudoin stands along an irrigation canal that she grew up swimming in, on March 14, 2024, in Owyhee, Nev., the only town on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation that straddles the Nevada-Idaho border. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Homes on the Duck Valley Indian Reservation that straddles the Nevada-Idaho border are shown on March 14, 2024, in Owyhee, Nev. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

The Duck Valley Indian Reservation sign stands on March 15, 2024, in Owyhee, Nev. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

The Duck Valley Indian Reservation that straddles the Nevada-Idaho border is shown on March 15, 2024, in Owyhee, Nev. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

ATLANTA (AP) — Freddie Freeman hit a three-run homer against his former team and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat Atlanta 9-0 on Monday night, dropping the Braves out of a playoff position.

Shohei Ohtani was 0 for 4 with a walk and a pair of run-scoring grounders that increased his RBIs total to 108. He did not hit a home run or steal a base during the series, remaining at 47 home runs and 48 steals as he tries to become the first 50-50 player.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed four hits and two walks in four innings, throwing 72 pitches in his second start since returning from a right arm injury — up from 59 on Sept. 10.

“We've tried to take our time with him and make sure he is at full health and built him up the right way,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It is a shot in the arm and he knows how valuable he is to our club. These last two starts, I feel like we have a good foundation and we are almost to the point where we can just let him go.”

The Dodgers extended their scoreless streak to 15 innings and pitched their 13th shutout.

NL West-leading Los Angeles (89-61) began the night 3 1/2 games behind second place San Diego. The Dodgers scored nine runs on just four hits for the second time since 1906: The other was on June 4, 2021, also at Atlanta.

After losing the first two games of the series by a combined 16-3, the Dodgers outscored the Braves 18-2 over the last two.

“When you start off a series like this at the end of the year and you want to play well and drop the first two, to come back and respond, I thought that was big by the team,” Freeman said. “I’ve played a long time and that was probably one of the weirdest offensive games I’ve been a part of.”

Atlanta (81-69) dropped one game behind the New York Mets (82-68) for the NL's third wild card spot. The Braves were 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position, including 0 for 10 against Yamamoto.

Los Angeles took advantage of seven walks, a hit batter and a wild pitch. Miguel Rojas was 1 for 1 with two walks, a steal and three runs scored.

“He really exemplifies what I expect in a ballplayer,” Roberts said. “Tonight, he won a ballgame for us.”

Max Fried (9-10) gave up three runs and two hits in six innings

Fried threw a run-scoring wild pitch in the first after Rojas walked, advanced on a grounder and stole third. Rojas' run-scoring single and Ohtani's RBI grounder boosted the lead to 3-0 in the fifth.

Freeman capped a six-run seventh with his 22nd homer after Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández drove in runs.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Dodgers: C Austin Barnes was placed on the 10-day IL with a left big toe fracture. C Hunter Feduccia was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... RHP Joe Kelly (right shoulder inflammation) rejoined the team in Atlanta and could be activated while the team is in Miami this week.

Braves: 2B Ozzie Albies (wrist) is scheduled to play second base for Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday and Wednesday. If that goes well, he could rejoin the Braves in Miami on Friday.

UP NEXT

Dodgers: RHP Bobby Miller (2-4, 8.17) will open a three-game series in Miami on Tuesday night against Marlins RHP Darren McCaughan (0-0, 7.06), starting a stretch of six games against last-place teams.

Braves: Rookie RHP Grant Holmes (2-1, 3.49) faces Reds LHP Brandon Williamson (0-0, 2.08) to start a three-game series at Cincinnati on Tuesday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani watches a pitch go by called strike in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, left, tags second base before Atlanta Braves shortstop Orlando Arcia, right, can get the ball in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani checks the scoreboard from the dugout in the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani watches the scoreboard before his turn at bat in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates in the dugout after Freddie Freeman hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman swings in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman celebrates in the dugout after hitting three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández celebrates in the dugout after Freddie Freeman hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)