InDepthNH.org, published by NH Center for Public Interest Journalism

Ani Freedman Champions Merrimack

Ani Freedman investigated the impact of “forever chemicals” polluting groundwater, soil and surface water in Merrimack, New Hampshire and tied it to Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics, which supplies materials for construction and industrial work. That sort of reporting is not easy, one judge said. “The science can be hard to explain. Corporations responsible for the pollution won’t talk or tell the truth. And, it’s essential to tell the personal stories of impact, to humanize the issue,” the judge wrote. “But, Ani Freedman does a good job getting to the bottom of this complex story. It’s a good example of the kind of accountability journalism that gets lost when newspapers shutter and the kind of reporting that nonprofit news organizations can do to enable residents to tell their stories and speak truth to power.”

Read the Winning Work

Saint-Gobain’s Controversial Air Permit Approved by NHDES

State Rep: Saint-Gobain Leaves, But Health Impacts of PFAS Are Here to Stay

Saint-Gobain Denies NHDES Requests for More Sampling of PFAS-Contaminated Sites