Toxic and potentially radioactive wastewater from storage ponds in Manatee County, Florida have begun leaking, and an evacuation order has been issued as there is now an “imminent threat” of collapse of the containment area. This toxic water is being pumped into the fragile ecosystem of the Tampa Bay, but what officials are unable to pump out is expected to inundate hundreds of homes in the immediate future. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins explains what’s happening.

Farron Cousins is the executive editor of The Trial Lawyer magazine and a contributing writer at DeSmogBlog.com. He is the co-host / guest host for Ring of Fire Radio. His writings have appeared on Alternet, Truthout, and The Huffington Post. Farron received his bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of West Florida in 2005 and became a member of American MENSA in 2009. Follow him on Twitter @farronbalanced