East Fishkill Mariner Volume I Issue V
Contact Information Department of Health New York State Director - John Olm Project Mgr. - J Nealon Phone 800-458-1158 x27880 Dept Environmental Conservation New York State Director - Mark Mahon Site Mgr - Dan Eaton Phone 800-458-1158 x27880 US E.P.A. Region 2 - N.Y., N.J. Director - Jeanne M Fox Phone 212-637-5000 General Counsel Scott C Fulton Phone 202-260-8040 Emergency Management Director - Edward Sulki Phone 732-906-6879 Site Manger David Rosoff Phone local - 914 687-7113 NY State Assembly District 99 Assemblyman Patrick Manning Phone 914 221-3400 NY State Senator District 99 Senator Steven Saland Phone 914 463-0840 US Congress Congresswoman Susan Kelly Phone 914 897-5200 Dutchess County Health Commisioner Michael Caldwell Director - Lee Felshin Phone 914 486-3400 Online mailing Signup		Public Meeting 11/9/2000 Two hundred residents of East Fishkill "Love Canal" showed up for an update by the DEC & EPA on the status of the project. Dan Eaton, of the DEC, identified the location of a very large septic tank containing PCE. The site at 7 East Hook Cross Road is purported to have been used from 1965 until 1975 by a sub-contractor. The chemicals used included the cancer causing silicon chiptray cleaner, tetrachlorethene. Residents questions as to how many other of these sites exist in the area were ignored. The EPA representative, Douglas Garbarini, attempted to explain the governments remedial process. When questioned as to the ability of the EPA's process to remove the chemicals from the aquifer he did not provide any insurance that it could be accomplished. EPA & DEC records from the IBM East Fishkill 1979 "spill" state emphatically that it will never be cleaned. When asked if geological mappings had been done to determine the location of the contamination he indicated that the site had been discovered by interviewing residents. When the DEC & EPA were pushed on the issue of this being the one and only site causing the contamination, they did not respond. Dr. Thomas Johnson, New York State Department of Health gave a reassuring talk on the effects of PCE exposure. He stated that the levels the residents of Shenandoah have been drinking, bathing in, and cooking with are not enough to increase the risk of cancer. I guess all the money the federal government spends on the ASTDR to investigate dangerous chemicals could be saved since our DOH can make up answers to suit their needs. When asked, Dr Johnson was not familiar with the studies in Woburn Ma. (A federal superfund site documented in the movie "A Civil Action") where the water system was contaminated by PCE and the residents recorded excessive cases of cancer. Marc Moran, Director DEC, was requested to give a status on the "Health Screening Program" demanded by residents, through their elected represenative Pat Manning, at the June 7th public meeting. Conveniently, Marc did not remember the request! Dr. Elizabeth Lewis-Michl, of the New York State Department of Health, tried to relate the "VOC Registry" project to health screening. She thinks finding our names on a computer printout will replace blood tests and Liver biopsies. Manning reminded the presentors that his original request had been cleared through the governor's office and was not open to discussion. Actually, the residents are the victims of this industrial crime and as victims should expect the State and Federal Health Departments to provide complete medical coverage for all past and present residents and their offspring. When and if the "probable responsible party", the source of the contamination, is identified all health related costs can, by law, be recovered. The forms for the VOC registry will be mailed during the week of November 13th. Residents are encouraged to fill them out, make a copy for your records, and return them to the state. The state, with all their technical e-business staff, could have provided residents with on-line forms, why didn't they is the question?. How many other PCE sites exist in East Fishkill? Considering that the DEC/EPA found the location of the Shenandoah Road Contamination by interviewing residents, a very scientific means to be sure, then the question must be asked. How many more sites, with PCE contamination, exist in East Fishkill? Drums of the chemical as well as drums of contaminated soil from the IBM Superfund site have been found in the East Fishkill landfill off Hosner Mountain Road. Schlueter Road also had the same drums as well as having been a dumping site for contaminated soil removed from the IBM Superfund site in 1981. Barrels of PCE contaminants were reported to have been found in the Wiccoppe landfill as well as around route 84. The federal ASTDR has identified this chemical as a carcinogen and states that consumption of 1 ppb for a period of 70 years will increase the risk of liver & kidney cancer. Would not then exposure to 10 times that increase the risk in 7 years? So exposure to 100 times that, daily, for 7 months has the same effect? If any of you can shed some light on other locations where either the chemicals were dumped or sub-contacting operations, using PCE existed, please send us an e-mail. Our quality of life has been taken from us and we do not want any other family to suffer from this crime. Please note: A second MTBE site was reported last week. The latest one is across from John Jay High School and includes Archway Plaza as well as several private residents. The DEC, when questioned, did not provide any information as to the "size of the plume".