Baffled == I am once again disappointed in the typical American's habit of ignoring systemic problems until they arrive literally in their own backyards.
Do you write your congress critters about them?
Maybe you do and you are very engaged in pollution sites.. but I would be surprised.
Everyone responds to local events more than remote ones. I don't care if the other side of the US has wildfires nearly as much as when the wildfires are close enough for me to smell them.
People are self interested.