More than a dozen witnesses presented their views, concerns
and objections during a four-hour special hearing that focused on
chemical vapor contamination.
The hearing, at the Endicott Visitor Center, was conducted by the
state Assembly's Standing Committee on Environmental Conservation.
At issue is the state and federal governments' efforts to oversee
and force the cleanup of industrial pollution sites.
In Endicott, industrial chemicals have contaminated the ground
and spread under a large portion of the downtown area.
While the village's drinking water has been ruled safe to drink,
the state Department of Environmental Conservation in August ordered
IBM Corp. to accelerate steps to clean the solvents coming from its
former North Street operation.
IBM also has installed ventilation systems in homes and buildings
where chemical vapors have been detected. Meanwhile, federal and
state agencies continue several studies and evaluations to determine
whether the public health has been affected by pollution.
But for Bernadette Patrick of Endwell, who represents a committee
called Citizens Acting to Restore Endicott's Environment, more work
needs to be done in the Endicott clean-up effort.
Patrick called on state officials to press for expanded testing
of homes for chemical contamination in areas abutting the identified
contamination area in Endicott.
About 480 properties have been affected in Endicott.
Patrick urged the state and EPA to adopt a stricter standard for
the chemical trichloroethylene (TCE).
"It is your fiduciary duty to ensure that this community and
every community nationwide be protected from vapor intrusion
stemming from soil and groundwater contamination caused by
industries that jeopardize our health and well-being," Patrick said.
Debra Hall, a resident and community activist from Hopewell
Junction in Dutchess County, said chemical-contamination problems
remain troublesome to her and her neighbors. Her community faces a
chemical pollution threat similar to Endicott's.
Hall also pointed to conflicting pollution criteria between state
and federal agencies, adding that their differing numbers on TCE
make it "very hard to feel confident about what constitutes a safe
guidance number."
Hall said she is angry that the federal Environmental Protection
Agency's planned adoption of chemical air pollution standards for
TCE, first proposed in 2002, now is not expected until 2006.
"This is too important to keep putting off," she said.
"Government needs to complete this assessment and do the right
thing. Make true guidelines and standards, not for money reasons,
but for health reasons."
Denis Callinan of East Fishkill, also in Dutchess County, was
equally adamant in demanding stricter state environmental
guidelines.
While Callinan did not address the committee, he said after the
hearing, "We're looking for the state to establish standards that
are consistent throughout the United States."
Joseph Graney, Binghamton University assistant professor of
environmental geochemistry, proposed that new methods be found for
cleaning up pollution. Methods in use now include venting chemical
vapors into the atmosphere and a "pump and treat" method to cleanse
contaminated groundwater.
Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-Hurley, who has pushed for an increased
cleanup effort in Endicott, said the state environmental and health
agencies need to take an aggressive stance in cleaning up pollution
sites.
"Progress is now being made, but the public must remain involved
to make sure this site remains a priority," Hinchey said of the
Endicott-IBM pollution site.
IBM spokesman Todd Martin, who did not speak at Monday's hearing,
pointed out IBM has been involved in a continuing remediation
program overseen by the state DEC.
Martin said the company has undertaken an extensive public
information program with meetings and newsletters; installed
hundreds of ventilation systems in homes in Endicott; offered a
financial settlement package to affected Endicott property owners;
and given the village $2.1 million, which is being used to install a
chemical air stripper at a village water well and to hire an
environmental consultant.
Both state Assemblyman and committee chairman Thomas DiNapoli,
D-Great Neck, and Assemblyman Patrick R. Manning, R-East Fishkill, a
committee member, said the hearing focused attention on the need for
the state to take a strong stance in the chemical cleanup effort
across New York.
Manning said the Legislature likely will pursue legislation that
will mandate stricter environmental standards.
DiNapoli said similar hearings may be held in the East Fishkill
area and other areas where airborne chemical pollution has been
detected.
