The New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) are holding public meetings to discuss the recently released Newtown Creek Public Health Assessment. These agencies are looking at environmental information from the Newtown Creek Superfund site and how it relates to public health.
A message from NCA Board Member Laura Hoffman:
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/ And folks can still submit comments untilnewtown/index.htm May 4th.June 15!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.
The meetings will be held on:
Monday, May 14, 2012
7:00 to 9:00 pm
LaGuardia Community College
31-10 Thomson Ave
Long Island City, NY 11101
Conference Room E-242
Thursday, May 24, 2012
7:00 to 9:00 pm
Polish National Home/Warsaw
261 Driggs Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11222
*****The public comment period has been extended. Comments on the draft Public Health Assessment are encouraged and should be sent to the Department of Health by June 15, 2012.
Please return your completed comment form to:
New York State Department of HealthBureau of Environmental Exposure Investigation
Flanigan Square
547 River Street, Room 300
Troy, NY 12180-2216
Fax: (518) 402-7859
To obtain copies of any of these documents, either email us at documentcomments@health.state.ny.us or call us at 518-402-7880.