Niagara County residents and area advocates are pursuing new actions because of concerns about radiation in the area.
Attorney Christen Civiletto has worked with many area residents in recent years on toxic pollution cases. New York Department of Environmental Conservation reports of radiation are part of a larger pattern, she said, which is why she has plans for a database documenting 89 hazardous waste sites.
“People will be able to look at their street, look where they live, and look at these 89 different sites and make their own assessments. I think that's what's been missing for so long," she said. "There's not been transparency from DEC from New York State about the dangers that Niagara Falls and Niagara Falls area residents have been exposed to.”
It’s still too early to panic, State Assemblymember Angelo Morinello said. Instances like Love Canal warranted an extreme response, but others, like rumors of radioactive slag several years ago in the area, had less reason for concern, he added.
“Once you determine the extent and the degree, then you have to determine who is liable. Who do you go back on? What caused this?" he said. "But in the meantime, you're working towards securing the safety of the citizens, the residents, and those that could become affected by it.”
One point that has drawn frustration from community members is requiring them to sign a waiver before any testing, which is standard practice, according to the DEC.
But the waiver’s language is too broad and could be used to clear the department, New York and the US EPA of any liability, Civiletto said.
The DEC says there is minimal health risk for public areas or right of ways, but residents say the worry is their own homes. Carolyn Johnson had private testing done on her property, since she did not want to sign a DEC waiver.
“I don't really know where is a safe place to go. They're talking about relocating us, possibly temporary," she said. "I don't know, but to where is the next place they're going to send us? What's in that property?”
Johnson adds that there are large patches of radiation in her front and back yard, which she is afraid could also be a risk when people visit.
BTPM News has reached out to the DEC for further explanation about the waivers, as well as level of risk to residents.
Sierra Club Niagara Chapter Volunteer Chairperson Janet Lenichek was among several people who spoke at a recent event in Niagara. There already is a history of harmful substances causing issues for area residents, she said.
“Both Erie and Niagara County have suffered from various types of pollution, whether it's industrial or, in this case radioactive, related to government projects and other things," Lenichek said. "We just learned about the radioactive pollution that's present in the town of Niagara neighborhood right here.”
Morinello already has had conversations with the New York Department of Environmental Conservation after news last week of radioactive materials detected in the Niagara County soil. How the DEC has handled the situation so far shows credibility, he said.
“The DEC, in my estimation, has been completely transparent. They have not tried to hide it." Morinello said. "They've sent notices to the individuals that could become affected. They are out there testing.”
Civiletto's research into the region's history led her to create a book about The Falls' own past hazardous waste sites, titled Thundering Waters: The Toxic Legacy of Niagara Falls.
