Announcements
www.hopewell-junction-citizens-for-clean-water.org
We are pleased to announce that with the help of our friend, Fred Robbins, the Congressional Hearing is now online in two parts. We would also like to thank Supervisor Hickman and the Town of East Fishkill for not only taping the hearing, but for also playing it regularly on the East Fishkill television channel.
Congressional Hearing Part One
Congressional Hearing Part Two
Congressman Hall and Debra Hall at the Congressional subcommittee hearing April 11, 2008
A VIDEO ON OUR BEHALF
A photographer from Philipstown, Putnam County,
Russ Cusick, attended the congressional hearing this past Friday. He was moved
by our situation. So moved he created a video on our behalf. It is on you tube.
Please feel free to click this link and watch it.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=5gDyj6L0HJk
Thanks to our friend Fred Robbins, we have the audio of the congressional hearing which took place April 11 at the town of East Fishkill town hall. This hearing was held by members of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment. Congressman Hall, Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, and Ranking Member Boozman from Arkansas listened to testimonies and asked questions.
Additionally, we would like to thank all of the residents living in the Hopewell Precision Superfund site that took time out of their day to attend. EPA and others were surprised as to the amount of people that attended. We hope that the EPA will remember that five years later we are still willing to listen and learn and of course be vocal about what we need.
The hearing was recorded and will be played on channel 22, East Fishkill's Community TV station.
Congressional Hearing Recording
Congressional Hearing In East Fishkill
A field hearing will be held at 9:30 a.m. April 11 in East Fishkill town hall to
examine water pollution and cleanup in the Hudson Valley. The Hopewell Precision
Superfund Site will be discussed. Debra Hall will be testifying.
The town hall is at 330 Route 376, Hopewell Junction.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and
the Environment is holding the hearing. Congressman Hall is a subcommittee
member. He is the person who set this up.
Thank you Congressman Hall!
Please come and show your support for our
site. This hearing is very special. Your attendance is extremely important.
Almost as good as being there!
******
Hopewell Precision Health Assessment
Did you get a postcard?
On the postcard it says that if you would like a copy of the health assessment
mailed to you, please send your inquiry to the New York State Department of
Health, Bureau of Environmental Exposure Investigations, Flanigan Square, 547
River Street Room 300, Troy, NY, 12180 or email
beei@health.state.ny.us or call the NYS DOH toll-free number, 1-800-458-1158
ext. 27880.
You might want to have a copy on hand.
We are still waiting for our Health Statistics Review although the odds are
against any significant information. The study is skewed because 43% of the
people in the study have never been exposed. Something about using census
blocks.
Please remember that only the squeaky wheel gets the oil. We will ask you from time to time to squeak. Please take these requests serious. This is for your home and health.
NEWS
RELEASE: Thursday, April 26, 2007
– The EPA has honored more than 40 individuals and organizations from
Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker, Hopewell Junction resident Debra Hall and EPA Regional Administrator Alan J. Steinberg
Photo courtesy: Fred Robbins
Debra Hall, Hopewell Junction Citizens for Clean Water, Hopewell Junction, NY received the EPA’s highest public award for her efforts.
Debra has become an outspoken advocate for a number of environmental concerns including indoor air standards and well testing. Living above the contaminated plume at the Hopewell Precision Superfund site, she played a key role in getting EPA to place the site on the National Priorities List of the most hazardous waste sites. Her various public testimonies have promoted the use of specialized equipment to characterize the presence of hazardous vapors that make their way into homes from contaminated sites. She is also conservation chair of the Mid-Hudson Sierra Club and a proponent of better protective standards for the chemical TCE.
Honored to attend Debra’s
award ceremony in NYC was her husband David Hall, Dutchess County Legislators
Marge Horton, Sandra Goldberg and William McCabe; Fred Robbins of Neighbors for
a Safe Community, and
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
The following email was sent to us from a resident and activist from Endicott, NY. As many of you know, Endicott resembles Hopewell Junction in many ways. It would be beneficial for us here should this cancer study in Endicott get implemented. Please read on:
Please email Dr. Pinkerton at niocindocket@cdc.gov to ask that NIOSH a division of OSHA conduct a health study on IBM workers exposed to chemicals. I have worked five years as a workplace safety advocate to get this far. We are so close and if we get a good response, The study will be done:
Officials: Cancer
study is starting point
Results from IBM workers could lead to follow-up
investigations, scientists say
By Tom Wilber
Press & Sun-Bulletin
ENDICOTT -- A federal proposal to study cancer rates
among local IBM workers would determine whether they
suffered disproportionately from illnesses found in
nearby polluted neighborhoods, a federal official told a
community group Tuesday.
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070418/NEWS01/704180328/1001/ARCHIVE
Scientists report chemicals used in the computer
industry are more toxic than realized previously.
Consequently this made it difficult for the medical
community to link illnesses with workplace exposures
historically. Industrial Hygenists now know better, but
the dirty little secret is that Federal standards
designed to protect workers from exposure use outdated
guidelines set back in the 1960s and 70s. This robs the
employer the opportunity to make improvements and gives
a false sense of security to workers when safety
inspections are based on outdated information: Passing
an inspection does not necessarily indicate conditions
are safe in the facility according to NY States own
NIOSH safety inspector David Sylvan. Sadly this lack of
awareness translates into lost opportunities for
employers to make the upgrades that could result in
improved health, lower health care costs, reduced
workmen compensation rates, and innovative solutions:
Support an IBM worker health study by emailing Dr. Lynne
Pinkerton of NIOSH at niocindocket@cdc.gov or access
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/review/public/103/ Or mail
NIOSH Docket Office, 4676 Columbia Parkway, MS C-34,
Cincinnati, OHIO 45226
Our View of Private Well Testing
Unfortunately the private well testing law was vetoed and there were not enough votes to over ride Steinhaus' ruling. Some of the reasons why some legislators did not vote to implement this needed law were things like it is too expensive and targeted testing is better.
The cost to test is not too expensive. Even if every home with a private well were forced to test their water every year, the price still would be less than what most spend on taxes for public wells. Are these legislators saying homeowners that pay tax for water are paying too much? We still stand by our view that if you want to live in your home for 50 years without testing, that is your business. Unfortunately this statement is not far off the mark. The disclosure law allows anyone, even those living in superfund sites, to pay a $500 "penalty". Paying this "penalty" protects the seller from any responsibility.
When we hear these legislators repeating the same paragraph about how wonderful targeted testing is, we laugh. Why? Because all they say is it's science based and cheaper. No one is saying exactly what targeted testing is. How much will it cost all taxpayers of Dutchess County? Who will have to be hired to implement this work? How much do they cost for their services?
After speaking with 6 EPA and DEC scientists and hydro-geologists which deal with investigations of contaminated water, and after asking them about "Targeted Testing", the more concerned we are. None of these professionals have ever heard of it. How can this be? Yet there are legislators that support this program blindly. They will swear up and down that it is just better but how can they know this if there is no information on it? How many other issues do they do this with? That is a scary thought, isn't it? How many legislators vote simply the way the others vote without opening a book or studying an issue? It is sort of like cheating on a test and copying off someone else's paper.
People will not test for volatile organic compounds and this is a fact. With over 100 homes affected in the Hopewell Precision site for 30 years, not one home had ever tested for MTBE, TCE or TCA. If they had the authorities would have been contacted and protection would have been supplied for all the homes many years ago. This is also a fact! Think about that. Consider that about 1/2 of the homes had changed owners in these 30 years, we are talking about at least 150 families that did not even consider testing for these chemicals.
We applaud the legislators that support the mandatory private well testing law. Hold your heads up high and be proud that you were thinking about the health of the people you represent. You are even protecting the unborn!
Those legislators that voted against the law including and especially the legislator that represents our district, Mary Swartz, let it be known that you did not represent the people. You did not listen. You are out of touch about the health issues happening to your constituents. Shame on you!
We are thrilled to announce that our community showed up in full force Monday night for the NYS DOH-ATSDR Health Assessment meeting. 100 residents braved the snowy and cold night to hear what is planned for our community related to our health.
The DEC and EPA also attended the meeting so they can get information. Angela, Don, Lorenzo and Karen answered residents questions related to testing, filters, the investigation and just about everything pertaining to the site.
Most important of all Assemblyman Molinaro and Congressman Hall's District Director, Susan Spear attended the meeting. Both had met with us days before to listen to our concerns and understand what we wanted. Both Assemblyman Molinaro and Congressman Hall supported our request for a Health Statistics Review or to have our site included in the Endicott NY study.
As of today this is where we stand:
1) The Department of Health announced that we will have a Hopewell Precision Health Statistics Review. They decided this the Friday before our meeting. Therefore we do not have any specifics. They had nothing on paper.
2) The DOH wants to meet with a few residents so we can have some input about the review.
A) Who should be included in the study?
B) Do we include new residents who moved in after mitigation systems were installed?
C) Where should the boundaries start?
We need your input. This is your site.
Bill Borell and Debra Hall worked very hard getting information to help support why we need and should get a Health Statistics Review for our community. This information was explained to Susan Spear, Congressman Hall's District Director. We believe that because Ms Spear called the Department of Health Friday, January 19 asking questions about the study, this prompted the DOH to decide to do the study. We are extremely thankful to Congressman Hall's representative for making our issue a top priority and working with us to get this result.
We look forward to working with both Congressman Hall and Assemblyman Molinaro in the future. We would like to mention that Assemblyman Molinaro left Albany late the evening of our meeting and drove through very bad weather to make sure to be here. Assemblyman Molinaro assured us he wants to stay in the loop and will be contacting the DOH to get more information on their plans for our review.
Our comment period ends February 23, 2007. Your comments are still important and we need your input.
If you are a resident or interested party and would like to receive updates please send your email address to:
IMPORTANT!
Our information is now on the
New York State Department of Health web site.
Click this link to read the health assessment:
Hopewell Precision Health Assessment
You can also get a copy sent you you upon request by calling the department of health toll free at
1-800-458-1158, Extension 27870 or email them at
December 30, 3006-Residents Bill and Nellie Borell, Pam Manning and Debra Hall attended congressman-elect Hall's meet and greet which was held at Wingdale's American Legion Hall. John Hall was given a binder containing information pertaining to the site. Congressman-elect Hall promised to make our site and Public Health Assessment a priority after January 4th when he begins his term. We look forward to continuing our representation at the congressional level.
PHOTO BY NELLIE BORELL
The Vapor Intrusion Team
of the Interstate Technology & Regulatory
Council has published two documents. Both may be downloaded as PDF files
from http://www.itrcweb.org/gd.asp. They serve as a national
introduction and intermediate technical guide to the issues involved in
investigating and mitigating vapor intrusion.
Vapor Intrusion
Pathway: A Practical Guide (3 MB, 173 pages)
Vapor Intrusion
Pathway: Investigative Approaches for Typical Scenarios
(1.6 MB, 52 pages)
The Hopewell Junction Citizens for Clean Water would like to welcome Becky Mitchell as our representative at the New York State Department of Health. Bridget Callahan will no longer be the person to contact with your health questions. You can call Becky at 1-518-402-7880 or email her-BEEI@health.state.ny.us.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has an online database which can tell you about environmental spills in your area. We counted approximately 6400 "known" spills on the database which took place in Dutchess County from 1983 to the present. Every town in Dutchess County is affected. The Hopewell Precision Superfund site is not included on the database. The deliberate dumping of thousands of gallons of a possible cancer causing carcinogen, Trichloroethylene (TCE), took place during the 1970's.
The EPA became aware of the dumping only because a letter was sent to them October 1979 from an ex Hopewell Precision employee.
How many other spills in Dutchess were never reported? We will never know. Which is just one more reason mandatory private well testing makes sense.
Research and discover what known and "unknown" chemicals were "spilled" in your town.
Spill Incidents Database Search
Inorganic Supplement To Well Testing Presentation
NYS Assembly Vapor Intrusion Report!
The NYS Assembly's Committee on Environmental Conservation says that the guideline for TCE vapor intrusion should be .02 micrograms per meter cubed. Read the report at
ANTICIPATED REPORT FROM WASHINGTON DC
EPA is told to go ahead and promulgate new water standards for TCE as per National Academy of Science recommendation. EPA Vindicated On Deadly Widespread Contaminant , National Academy of Science
VOC REGISTRY OPEN FOR ALL IN THE HOPEWELL PRECISION SUPERFUND SITE
The Department of Health is reaching out to residents living in the Hopewell Precision Superfund site. They want us to enroll and participate in the Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Registry. For those of you that joined in 2003, you are being asked to fill out a follow-up questionnaire. Up until now approximately 40% have chosen to participate. Not only are they asking residents with water contamination to enroll, but they have recently extended enrollment to include residents whose sub slab or indoor air was tested and found to contain VOCs. Our group had fought for residents with vapor intrusion to be included and we are very glad they have extended the registry.
PLEASE, if you received the VOC Registry form in the mail, with a complementary pen too, fill out the paperwork and send it back. Join the registry. By participating in the registry you will be providing valuable information that will help the NYSDOH evaluate the potential health risks that may be associated with community exposure to VOCs'. IF YOU DID NOT GET THE FORM PLEASE CALL MEGAN MELDRUM at 1-800-458-1158 ext. 27950 or 1-518-402-7950.
The only way for this project to be a success is for us to join and continue participating!
It has been over three years!
Many residents in the Hopewell Precision Superfund site have known about our contamination for over 3 years. Contaminated homes continue to get discovered because the plume is moving. These newly contaminated residents should call these attorneys which are representing many in the community for legal advice.
Environmental attorneys Williams, Cuker & Berezofsky represent many victims who live or have lived at the Hopewell Precision Superfund Site. After three years you lose your chance for compensation. Contact them for information:
Their phone # is 215-557-0099
You can also read their website at http://www.wcblegal.com
Do you want your Dr. to have information about TCE?
If the answer is yes, all you need to do is contact Becky Mitchell at the NYS Department of Health. She has information packet's which can be mailed to you or directly to your physician.
Phone (518)402-7880
Email BEEI@health.state.ny.us