We ask that you direct your members to our petition

There is an urgent need to renew funding for air monitoring in Tonawanda. Current funding is set to expire in April and though the DEC has tentatively committed to extend funding past that date there must be a long term guarantee for this vital information. The Tonawanda Community Air Quality Study was initiated in July 2007 to evaluate air pollutant concentrations in the industrial area of Tonawanda.  The monitoring allowed DEC to calculate annual average ambient air concentrations, characterize the risk from specific air pollutants in the community, and evaluate the data with wind direction information.

The monitoring found five hazardous air pollutants in excess of the state’s annual concentration guidelines, including two human carcinogens: benzene and formaldehyde. Since this discovery, the Clean Air Coalition has taken steps to alleviate these risks to human health, most notably the campaign that culminated with an EPA, DEC, and US Coast Guard led raid on Tonawanda Coke and the ensuing arrest of Mark Kamholz, the Environmental Control Manager of the company. Clearly the air monitoring in Tonawanda has been essential to identifying polluters and ensuring regulatory action is taken to protect human health.

Key points from the sign-on letter:

·         We fully support and applaud the DEC’s air monitoring work in Tonawanda to date.

·         Discontinuing air monitoring in Tonawanda would send the wrong signal to polluters, namely that they are no longer being watched.

·         The DEC, EPA, and community will have no way of measuring progress without air monitoring in Tonawanda.

·         Should the DEC require financial assistance to continue air monitoring it could consider a partnership with the EPA through the Healthy Community Initiative that has designated $6 million toward improving air toxins monitoring.

·         The DEC should make a commitment to funding the air monitoring in Tonawanda at least through the end of 2012.