“The Mercury Connection” revealed for the first time that some South Carolinians who frequently eat freshwater fish have unusually high levels of mercury in their bodies. The newspaper analyzed a massive database on contaminated fish and identified certain mercury hotspots in the state. Bartelme and Pardue then collected hair samples from people who live near these hotspots and sent the samples to a certified lab. The results showed some people ranked among the most mercury-contaminated people in the nation. The series also highlighted how state health officials are doing little to measure levels of mercury in people.
Judges’ Comments: An ambitious and laudable effort to look at the impact of an environmental health problem on the lives of people in a local community.