From The New York Shitty Inbox: Public Meetings For Newtown Creek Superfund Site

A lady named Laura writes:

Please see the NYSDOH notice I’ve attached, along with my comments to the agency.

For me, this is one of the most important meetings I will ever attend.

The New York State Department of Health is coming to Greenpoint and Long Island City to present their public health assessment related to the Newtown Creek Superfund process.*

Their documents can be found at this link  http://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/investigations/newtown/index.htm And folks can still submit comments until May 4th. (Emphasis mine.— Ed. Note)

You’ll see that the agency is assessing the state of our community health (past and present ) in terms of direct contact with the creek, and in terms of the current way of assessing the effects of chemical exposure on our community. That’s not acceptable! Community residents have long complained about our poor environment and the effects it has had on our community. We all know that the chemicals pouring into the Newtown Creek, started on shore in our community. A sewage treatment facility, oil plumes, chemical plumes,  multiple waste transfer stations, a municipal incinerator, pvc manufacturers and other facilities lined the Newtown Creek. Most are still there.  Community members have become ill as a result.

My mother, father, and their dog all died of brain disease. A human case of CNS lymphoma, a human case of progressive supra nuclear palsy, and a canine case of encephalopathy, were not looked at in terms of a possible chemical exposure. There’s something wrong with that.

Now is your opportunity to speak up and demand environmental justice.  Please attend this important meeting.  Demand a real health study and changes in how the agency looks at chemical exposure in our community.

I’m asking family, friends, and community to come out and speak up.

May 14, 2012
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
LaGuardia Community College
Conference Room E-242
31-10 Thomson Avenue
Long Island City, New York 11101

May, 24, 2012
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Polish National Home (AKA: The Warsaw)
261 Driggs Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11222

*The document features such startling revelations as the following:

• Eating fish and crabs taken from Newtown Creek could harm people’s health, due to the chemical contaminants. *Women under 50 years old and children under 15 years old should not eat any fish or crabs from these waters. Others should follow the State Health Department advisories for eating fish and crabs taken from this and other waterways.
• Swimming, scuba diving and wind surfing (with full body immersion) could harm people’s health, due to biological contaminants and physical hazards (underwater debris, commercial boat traffic).
• Canoeing, kayaking, boat touring and catch-and-release fishing are not expected to harm people’s health, if people use precautions (properly washing their hands) to avoid swallowing biological contaminants from surface water.