{"id":8948,"date":"2014-05-13T15:34:59","date_gmt":"2014-05-13T19:34:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=8948"},"modified":"2014-05-13T15:43:27","modified_gmt":"2014-05-13T19:43:27","slug":"test-now-to-protect-our-children-waycross-citizens-group-to-ga-epd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2014\/05\/test-now-to-protect-our-children-waycross-citizens-group-to-ga-epd.html","title":{"rendered":"Test now to protect our children &#8211;Waycross citizens group to GA EPD"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\r\nWaycross citizens have not ceased trying to get answers since\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/12\/epa-ga-epd-and-southeast-health-in-waycross-about-seven-out-superfund-epa-2013-11-14.html\">\r\nthey first met with GA EPD in November<\/a>. -jsq\r\n<blockquote style=\"font-size:100%\">\r\n<p>\r\nFor Immediate Release:\r\n<br>\r\nSilentdisaster.org Meets with Judson Turner, Director of Georgia EPD\r\n<br>\r\nMay 12, 2014\r\n<br>\r\nBy: Silentdisaster.org, a citizens group in Waycross, Georgia\r\n<p>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/chronicle.augusta.com\/news\/metro\/2012-10-01\/environmental-regulators-adapt-leaner-budgets\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none\" src=\"http:\/\/aug-cdn.com\/sites\/default\/files\/imagecache\/story_slideshow_thumb\/11597567.jpg\"><\/a>\r\nAfter over a year of delays and disappointments, Members of\r\nSilentdisaster.org Group met with Judson Turner, Director of EPD on\r\nMonday, May 5th to discuss the harmful chemicals found in the\r\nWaycross area which the group believes points to CSX as the source\r\nof the community&#8217;s toxic contamination which is killing local\r\nresidents. With several children having died and a new childhood\r\ncase being reported, the Members of Silentdisaster.org want\r\nimmediate action to protect the children from environmental\r\nexposure.\r\n<p>The list of\r\nchemicals found in soil and water tests include <!--more--><a href=\"http:\/\/chej.org\/\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none;\" src=\"https:\/\/fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net\/hprofile-ak-prn2\/t1.0-1\/p200x200\/10252044_10152001758040764_7940394878090954206_n.jpg\"><\/a>\r\n<strong>Trichloroethylene (TCE), <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gaepd.org\/Documents\/lpb_leadpaint.html\">Lead<\/a>, Mercury, Methylene Chloride,\r\nAcetone, 1-4 Dioxan, and Benzo(a)pyrene<\/strong>. Toxicologist and scientists with the\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/chej.org\/\">\r\nCenter for Health and Environmental Justice<\/a>\r\nhave been helping Silentdisaster by reviewing documents and testing\r\nresults. Based on the finding Silentdisaster.org requested the\r\nfollowing immediate actions be taken to prevent further sickness and\r\nto protect the people of Waycross:\r\n<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ware.k12.ga.us\/schools\/ruskin\/\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none;width:300px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ware.k12.ga.us\/schools\/ruskin\/images\/ruskin.jpg\"><\/a>\r\nWater testing at both public school systems &mdash; the Ruskin\r\nElementary School (3\/4 mile from the west end of CSX property) and\r\nthe Ware County High School (1\/8 mile from the CSX contaminated\r\nLPABS\/OEH CSX RCRA sites).\r\n<li>\r\nVapor intrusion testing at both public school buildings d.\r\n<li>\r\nIf any chemicals are identified in either media, the state will\r\nimmediately respond with clean water supplies and vapor intrusion\r\nmitigation system.\r\n<li>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/uga.edu\/gm\/ee\/index.php?\/single\/2013\/12\/2020\/\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none\" src=\"http:\/\/uga.edu\/gm\/ee\/images\/support_photos\/new_faculty_tour-30394-242_thumb.jpg\"><\/a>\r\nWater testing beginning at the edge of the CSX property site every 8<small><sup>th<\/sup><\/small> of a mile around the perimeter\r\nand then out every 8<small><sup>th<\/sup><\/small> of a mile until no CSX chemicals are found.\r\n<li>\r\nVapor intrusion testing at every other home around the perimeter of\r\nthe CSX site.\r\n<li>\r\nIf chemicals are found that immediate vapor intrusion mitigation\r\nsystems are installed.\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>\r\nAfter Silentdisaster.org members made their request known to Mr.\r\nTurner, Mr. Turner referred to\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.gaepd.org\/Documents\/lpb.html\">\r\nMr. Cowns, Chief of the Land\r\nProtection Division<\/a>, regarding the CSX contamination who insisted\r\nthe CSX contamination was contained to CSX property OR properties\r\nthey had purchased. Silentdisaster provided the State with a list of\r\nall the chemicals found along with the corresponding excerpts from\r\nCSX documents related to the CSX releases of each chemical. The\r\nmapped testing locations represented areas to the north, south, and\r\nwest of CSX property. Silentdisaster insisted that it was not\r\npossible for the contamination to be contained on CSX property\r\nbecause\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/10\/csx-groundwater-contamination-in-waycross.html\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none\" src=\"http:\/\/farm8.staticflickr.com\/7434\/10127072885_1b9183f0a9_m.jpg\"><\/a>\r\n<strong>ALL<\/strong> of the various testing locations had the <strong>SAME<\/strong> chemicals as released by CSX and therefore, logic would\r\nreason that there must be a link between CSX and the chemicals found\r\nin the community. Silentdisaster members also told the Director,\r\nthey thought the State&#8217;s testing had skirted the real issue of\r\ngroundwater and vapor intrusion which are causing most of the health\r\nissues. Mr. Turner told Mr. Cowns, &lsquo;he needed an\r\nexplanation&rsquo; and Mr. Turner said, he would get back with the\r\nSilentdisaster members but they needed time to look into it.\r\nSilentdisaster members reminded The Director of all the children who\r\nhave died and all the people sick.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ware.k12.ga.us\/schools\/wchs\/\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ware.k12.ga.us\/schools\/wchs\/images\/wchs.jpg\"><\/a>\r\nSpecifically, regarding the water testing at the schools, Mr. Turner\r\nsaid drinking water was a priority for the State and they would\r\nverify the source of water at each school and review the water\r\nresults for the City and County wells that supply the schools water.\r\nMr. Turner agreed to provide the group with a copy of these reports\r\nby Friday, May 9<small><sup>th<\/sup><\/small>,\r\na date which has now come and gone without\r\nSilentdisaster members receiving reports.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nMembers of Silentdisaster voiced their concerns over past testing\r\nmethods and specifically, that the State&#8217;s testing failed to measure\r\nfor contaminants at levels lower than the Federal Standards called\r\n&lsquo;Maximum Contamination Level&rsquo; (MCL) for drinking water. High\r\nreporting levels were also used to measure for chemicals in the soil\r\ntests. The State &lsquo;resampled&rsquo; the wells after members of\r\nSilentdisaster accused the State of hiding true health risks behind\r\ninadequate testing, but the results of the &lsquo;resampling&rsquo; have yet to\r\nbe released. The State had written letters to local residents\r\ntelling them their water was &lsquo;safe&rsquo; even though they had not been\r\ntested to &lsquo;Federal Standards&rsquo;. Silentdisaster pressed the State for\r\nthe most recent well water testing results which they agreed were\r\nready but they said they needed to notify the home owners first. Mr.\r\nTurner again agreed to have the results to the group by May 9<small><sup>th<\/sup><\/small>\r\n(another report not yet received by members of the group). Regarding\r\nthe &lsquo;high reporting limits used for soil testing&rsquo;, Mr. Turner said\r\nthey did not realize there was a problem with the soil testing and\r\nwould look into it by Friday, May 9<small><sup>th<\/sup><\/small>.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2013\/09\/aquifer-and-well-contamination-miles-from-waycross-seven-out-superfund-site.html\">\r\n<img decoding=\"async\" style=\"float:right;border:none;width:300px\" src=\"http:\/\/www.ec.gc.ca\/eau-water\/6A7FB7B2-4406-4C62-A1D7-C980DDFAF247\/a5f8e.gif\"><\/a>\r\nRegarding the vapor intrusion testing for the schools, the State\r\nsaid they usually don&#8217;t do vapor intrusion testing without knowing a\r\ncontamination plume is present under the area being tested, so the\r\nState said they would get back with the members on May 9<small><sup>th<\/sup><\/small> after\r\nreviewing the latest water testing results. Silentdisaster members\r\nhave not heard from the State on this matter either.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nThe members of Silentdisaster.org believe these tests are\r\nimmediately necessary for the safety of the children in our area and\r\nanything less would be a violation of EPD&#8217;s duty to protect the most\r\nvulnerable of our citizens, it&#8217;s children.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-size:90%\">\r\n<em>\r\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.Silentdisaster.org\">\r\nSilentdisaster.org<\/a>\r\nand the citizen&#8217;s\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/SilentDisaster\/\">\r\nFacebook page &lsquo;South Georgia&#8217;s\r\nsecret killer&rsquo;<\/a> is a local citizens group concerned with the on-going\r\nenvironmental toxins that are causing health problems in our\r\ncommunity and are committed to efforts that will remove residents\r\nfrom contaminated area if desired, compel the clean-up of affected\r\nproperties by companies polluting, and call for adequate medical\r\nresources and information that would assist in the restoration of\r\nthe health of residents affected by these toxic chemicals. For more\r\ninformation contact Joan Tibor McNeal at 912-281-6897 or Nihlia\r\nGriffin at 912-2884668.\r\n<\/em>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Waycross citizens have not ceased trying to get answers since they first met with GA EPD in November. -jsq For Immediate Release: Silentdisaster.org Meets with Judson Turner, Director of Georgia EPD May 12, 2014 By: Silentdisaster.org, a citizens group in Waycross, Georgia After over a year of delays and disappointments, Members of Silentdisaster.org Group met [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[41,32,478,449,55],"tags":[292,8701,8718,7650,8702,12,7,8715,7649,8772,8767,6,8727,2597],"class_list":["post-8948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health-care","category-pollution","category-solid-waste","category-transportation","category-water","tag-ga-epd","tag-georgia","tag-health-care","tag-judson-turner","tag-lake","tag-lowndes-area-knowledge-exchange","tag-lowndes-county","tag-pollution","tag-silentdisaster-org","tag-solid-waste","tag-transportation","tag-valdosta","tag-water","tag-waycross"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p585fK-2kk","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8948","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8948"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8948\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8957,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8948\/revisions\/8957"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}