The Community Advisory Group (CAG) for the Newtown Creek Superfund process is meeting July 17 with the New York State Department of Health (DOH) to discuss the work needed to generate a comprehensive public health analysis for the communities around Newtown Creek.
One of the topics we need your input on is how to develop an external advisory group (involving the EPA, medical researchers, epidemiologists, and public health experts…) to validate the results of the proposed study. Do you have recommendations for experts who might advise us on this issue? If so please invite them to participate in this meeting!
NCA recently sent a letter to the DOH that summarizes the last few years of advocacy we have done on this issue. This letter outlines what we would like to see in a public health study, but a few of our central points are listed below.
+ A properly designed health study must begin with a baseline assessment of potential toxic exposures in the study area (including materials present in known plumes, at brownfield cleanup sites, known toxic releases, etc.) with some understanding of their potential cumulative and catalytic effects on public health.
+ A properly designed health study will capture diseases recommended by community members through first hand and anecdotal knowledge of existing clusters of those diseases.
+ We recommend that the study area include a half-mile radius around Newtown Creek as well as a similar radius surrounding Greenpoint Oil Spill and other hot spots.
We hope to see you at this important meeting…all are welcome!
Newtown Creek CAG meeting with New York State Department of Health.
Date: July 17, 2012, 6:00-8:00 PM
Location: LaGuardia Community College
31-10 Thomson Ave, E Building, Room E501
Long Island City, NY 11101