The headline is ominous: "A neighborhood in our community is contaminated and homeowners have been unaware of the potential danger." Oooooooo, freaky . . .
So begins the multimedia slide show when the D&C website link for a Sunday Special Report is clicked. At the center of the story is the former site of Dinaburg Distributing Inc., a laundry chemical seller that closed nearly 15 years ago. The D&C tag line says area residents were shocked to learn of possible groundwater and air contamination at the site. Breaking news shrouded in secrecy finally exposed to the light by the efforts of the great and powerful D&C? Not so much.
The D&C is about six years late to the game on this story. The New York state Department of Environmental Conservation actually held a public meeting regarding remediation at this site in August of 2001:
The New York State DEC and Department of Health invite you to a public meeting to discuss the former Dinaburg Distributing, Inc. property in the City of Rochester.
-snip-
The . . . site . . . has been vacant since 1995 and no dry cleaning chemicals remain in the building. The results of previous environmental investigations revealed soil and groundwater beneath the site are contaminated with trichloroethene (TCE) and tetrachloroethene (PCE) . . .
In April 1999, the basement air in two homes adjacent to the site was sampled by the owner. PCE and TCE were detected in the air . . .
The DEC used Superfund monies to install soil vapor extraction systems in 2000.
According to this information at least two homeowners were aware of the vapors and those homes, according to this report, were the only two residences that were effected.
Additional contamination was discovered in the years that followed but just because no one paid attention does not mean that no one knew. Copies of site reports are available at the regional DEC office and the Rochester Public Library (next to the porn). A Dem & Chron 2006 article even highlighted Dinaburg and its disposal of drycleaning chemicals. The D&C would like you to believe the contrary, however, as they hope that the shock and awe tactics will get you to buy a paper on Sunday.
In fact, there are numerous companies still in operation which continue to contaminate. In addition, thanks to a list from the Environmental Protection Agency, who these businesses are and what toxins they deal in are very public and very available. Where is the D&C outrage over these businesses?
The EPA Envirofacts Warehouse identifies 43 entities as polluters and classifies their type into what they are allowed to release into the environment, for example:
Domine Builders
Permitted Discharges to Water? No
Toxic Releases Reported? Yes
Hazardous Waste Handler? Yes
Active or Archived Superfund Report? No
Air Releases Reported? Yes
To compare, Dinaburg had an affirmative in only one category.
Why did the D&C chose to highlight Dinaburg? Easy - no backlash from executives of a company no longer in operation.
Granted, why it took 17 years for this site to receive full remediation is a valid one, but perhaps more pressing is why this contamination is accepted and allowed.
1 comment:
Some of photographs in the slide show of terror also featured the Davis Howland site on Anderson Avenue in the city. Also no longer in business, however, adjacent to the Village Gate.
Did you notice the soundtrack with a little Middle Eastern flair? You think maybe to heighten the fear.
So blatant, so silly.
Post a Comment