Members of the grassroots environmental advocacy group Save Our Backyards Western New York are demanding President Donald Trump and Governor Kathy Hochul immediately add more than 1,000 properties to the federal and state Superfund lists, respectively, to prioritize their remediation.
That was just the first of several points presented Friday afternoon in a busy online news conference covering multiple updates by homeowner and advocates whose properties are among those surveyed as part of the Niagara and Erie County Radiological Assessment, or NECRA.
This week, one of those property owners, Lexi Hawk, learned the results of testing conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency at her Town of Niagara residence. Michael Ketterer, who grew up in North Tonawanda and is a retired chemistry professor at Northern Arizona University, reviewed 18 soil samples taken from the property. He explained that five of the samples show “what could reasonably be considered extreme elevations” in radionuclides thorium-232 and uranium-238.
“These radium, thorium, and uranium activities are very high compared to guidelines used by the EPA, the Department of Energy, and different states at many sites that contain naturally occurring radioactive material,” Ketterer said. “The materials represent several types of hazards: radon inhalation, direct gamma irradiation, and ingestion or inhalation of alpha-emitting radioisotopes coming from contaminated soil or dust. In addition to that, we should consider the chemical toxicity of uranium, which is independent of its radioactivity. Uranium is indeed a toxic heavy metal.”
Hawk spoke after Ketterer, expressing heartbreak in learning more details about samples taken back in July, but were given to her only this week. She explained she bought her home when she was 19 years old. Hers is one of four households whose occupants have been relocated.
She remains especially worried about her young child’s health.
“She's just three years old. We found out that little girls are the most susceptible group to radiation, and I think about her even just last year, jumping in the piles of leaves, crawling around the grass, picking flowers for everybody, just being a little girl, we had no idea what she was standing right on top of,” Hawk said. “We have a dog that would eat the grass and dig holes and bury her toys, and now those memories just hurt. They used to make me smile. Now I just feel sick to my stomach.”
Their home is chemically contaminated, now their child’s school is being tested
One of the other revelations during Friday’s news conference was that families of children enrolled at Catholic Academy of Niagara Falls received a newsletter from school officials informing them of scheduled radioactive testing on the school grounds. WIVB-TV in Buffalo first reported on the newsletter.
Among the families who received it were Daniel and Jocelyn McKiernan, who already are demanding relocation from their 99th Street home after toxic chemical sludge was found in their backyard earlier this year.
“Within that newsletter, tucked nicely between a cookie raffle and an art contest, some sort of nomenclature, was a health and safety section with a mission statement that screening had showed elevated levels. No one was at risk, but showed elevated levels that required them to come back when no one was at the school. And if anyone saw the areas taped off or people in hazmat suits to not be worried, and that our kids were safe,” Daniel McKiernan said.
Jocelyn McKiernan, meanwhile, stated that when she came to the school Friday morning seeking more information, she was turned back by a security guard.
“We are absolutely disgusted that when we tried to get transparency from our son's school, we were met by a security guard who is more concerned about our family speaking to the news rather than the health and safety of our children, the staff, and the parents, or even himself,” she said.
BTPM News requested a comment from Catholic Academy administrators. A spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, responding on their behalf, shared the text of an update sent to families.
“As I shared with you in the newsletter, we are cooperating fully with federal and state officials who will be conducting additional screening and will communicate at the earliest stage the findings resulting from this process,” that message reads in part. “Again, we have been assured that there is no health risk to the school community. That said, please be assured that we share your concerns and will provide you as much insight and clarity as we can, and as soon as federal and state officials provide the same to us.”
The diocese also issued the following statement: “We welcome the ongoing testing by the EPA and NY DEC, given that the health and well-being of children and teachers of Catholic Academy of Niagara Falls, their families and the broader community are our highest priority. We were encouraged that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) confirmed that the initial screening does not indicate any health threat. The additional screening will hopefully continue to confirm that the health and safety of the community is not at risk. Naturally, we will cooperate fully with federal and state officials and communicate as thoroughly with the community as this situation requires.”
Some remain skeptical, including Niagara Falls environmental attorney Christen Civiletto, who attended the school as child, when it was known as Prince of Peace. She said radioactive anomalies were first discovered at the school in 1984.
“In fact, there was a mobile gamma scanning survey that was done that identified a number of anomalies across Niagara Falls and the Niagara Falls region. One of them was at Prince of Peace,” Civiletto said. “I had found documents along these lines in the early 2000s, and I was concerned because this is my elementary school as well, and our church at the time. I called the authorities and I asked them, ‘is this remediated?’ Because I'm looking at these numbers, and they're four to almost nine times above background levels, and that's in the report itself. I'm not an expert on nuclear things by any means. I was told it was remediated, and apparently has not been.”
The diocesan spokesperson added it will share the results of this additional testing and will schedule a session with EPA and state Department of Environmental Conservation officials and Catholic Academy families “at the earliest opportunity to review and discuss the findings.”
Frustrated homeowners and families demand relocation, addition to Superfund lists
EPA and DEC officials have scheduled their next NECRA public hearing for Tuesday, Nov. 10, from 4 to 7 p.m., at the Calvin K. Richards Senior/Youth Activity Center in Veteran's Memorial Community Park in the Town of Niagara.
Carolyn Johnson has been temporarily relocated from her home, one of the more than 1,000 properties surveyed. But she’s reliving the nightmare of previously living in a Love Canal home. She feels government officials have not done enough to assure the safety of more affected residents.
“It's making me sick to my stomach that they can just stand by and allow this to continue. They only moved four of the families out of this neighborhood. There is numerous people there still with children,” she said.
“It's immoral. It's sickening. It's just despicable. I mean, enough is enough. They need to do something and take this seriously. We more than qualify for state Superfund and federal Superfund, but they need to put us on the Superfund and relocate everybody and get everybody to safety.”
Hawk said she won’t go back to her home. She’s upset the government has not yet moved other families from their homes.
“How much more worse does it need to get before they finally do something about it? My neighborhood is scared. There's more than just my house,” Hawk said. “Why is it just me and three others that were temporarily relocated? It's scary, and I feel like they're not doing enough to protect the people that are still in their homes.”
