[Durham INC] Fw: S700 - Action Alert on contaminated dry cleaning sites

Mon Jun 22 10:23:54 EDT 2009

Please see below and send a quick email to the NC state legislators to request a public hearing on a bill regarding contaminated dry cleaning sites. 

Here is the complete email list:

lucy.allen at ncleg.net, mitchg at ncleg.net, pricey.harrison at ncleg.net,
cullie.tarleton at ncleg.net, alice.underhill at ncleg.net,
kelly.alexander at ncleg.net, curtis.blackwood at ncleg.net,
elmer.floyd at ncleg.net, phillip.haire at ncleg.net, pryor.gibson at ncleg.net,
verla.insko at ncleg.net, rickillian at ncleg.net,
paul.luebke at ncleg.net, grier.martin at ncleg.net, danny.mccomas at ncleg.net,
pat.mcelraft at ncleg.net, bill.owens at ncleg.net, ruth.samuelson at ncleg.net,
russell.tucker at ncleg.net, roger.west at ncleg.net, larry.womble at ncleg.net,
Rick.Glazier at ncleg.net, Marvin.Lucas at ncleg.net... 

_______________________
Here is my email/letter:

Please vote to have a public hearing on S700. All NC citizens are
asking for is a voice. On a matter that effects the public health as
much as this, it would be an insult to democracy to deny them that much.

Sincerely,

Melissa 

Melissa Rooney, Ph.D.

301 Spring Garden Drive

Durham, NC 27713

mmr121570 at yahoo.com
____________________________

More details on this issue below:
Here is what we are asking for: a PUBLIC HEARING. Attached
is a letter to Rep Pricey Harrison and an Action Alert below. Feel free to
taper it in any way that you like, and send out to as many folks you know who
might help. Please call me if you have any questions. Also, would you be
available to meet with Durham City Council members anytime today or tomorrow? 

Many thanks  -- Sue 

.............................................................. 

Action
Alert! 

Contact
your representative today to request a PUBLIC HEARING on Senate Bill 700 that
diminishes public involvement and creates additional risk from toxic dry
cleaning solvents that threaten public health and water resources in NC 

(S700 Sponsors: Pryor Gibson; Co-Sponsors:
Rick Glazier, Marvin Lucas) 

There are over 1,500 dry cleaning sites in NC currently
being assessed for causing contamination to groundwater, surface waters, and
drinking water wells. Over 200 such sites have contaminated groundwater,
surface waters, and drinking water wells.   

A growing body of evidence indicates that organochlorine
compounds – including the dry cleaning solvent known as
“perc” or perchloroethylene – are a serious threat to public
health. Chemicals used for dry cleaning are linked with causing various forms
of cancer: leukemia, breast cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer and esophageal
cancer, and reproductive disorders among both men and women.  

Toxic vapors from contaminated dry cleaning sites can
transcend walls and foundations posing additional risks to public health, and
“clean up” of a contaminated dry cleaning site can involve
additional risk to the larger community.     

S700 is poised to be heard in the House
Environment and Natural Resources Committee. S700 contains
amendments to the Dry Cleaning Solvent Clean Act (DSCA) program that strike at
the very heart of citizen involvement in decision making that impacts public
health and the environment, and citizens’ right-to-know through the
following:    

·       
S700 cuts the number of days
(60 to 30) from the publishing of the Notice of Intent (plan to “clean
up” a contaminated dry cleaning site) to start the public comment period.

·       
S700 cuts the number of days
(30 to 21) members of the public have to request a meeting and/or hearing after
the public comment period begins. 

·       
S700 cuts the number of days
(30 to 15) the Notice of Intent that will announce a public meeting and/or
hearing.  

·       
S700 removes the time-honored
tradition and requirement to post the summary of the Notice of Intent on the NC
Register.  

·       
S700 omits sending the Notice
of Intent to greater area residents who have a right to know about a
contaminated site in their community, and who may be subject to exposure from
toxic chemicals at a future date.  

·       
S700 omits sending written notification
of the Notice of Intent to ecologically sensitive areas at potential risk of
contamination.    

·       
S700 omits sending written
notification to property owners of initial
groundwater contamination from a contaminated dry cleaning site that
could prevent additional exposures to residents from toxic vapors that have the
ability to seep though walls and foundations.    

Please
contact your representatives TODAY.   

Ask them to sponsor
a PUBLIC HEARING on S700 so that communities affected by
contaminated dry cleaning sites will have an opportunity to provide input into
decision making that will impact their health and environment. 

House Environment and Natural Resources
Committee Members 

Rep. Lucy Allen, Chair
(919) 733-5860 or lucy.allen at ncleg.net 
(Franklin, Halifax, Nash)  

Rep. Mitch Gillespie, Vice Chair
(919) 733-5862 or mitchg at ncleg.net  (Burke,
McDowell) 

Rep. Pricey Harrison, Vice Chair
(919) 733-5771 or pricey.harrison at ncleg.net (
 Guilford ) 

Rep. Cullie Tarleton, Vice Chair
(919) 733-7727 or cullie.tarleton at ncleg.net
(Ashe, Watauga) 

Rep. Alice Underhill, Vice Chair
(919) 733-5853 or alice.underhill at ncleg.net
(Craven, Pamlico) 

Rep. Kelly Alexander (919)
733-5778 or kelly.alexander at ncleg.net
( Mecklenburg ) 

Rep. Curtis Blackwood (919)
733-2406 or curtis.blackwood at ncleg.net
( Union ) 

Rep. Elmer Floyd (919)
733-5959 or elmer.floyd at ncleg.net (
 Cumberland ) 

Rep. Phillip Haire (919)
715-3005 or phillip.haire at ncleg.net (Haywood,
Jackson,
Macon) 

Rep. Pryor Gibson (919)
715-3007 or pryor.gibson at ncleg.net 
(Anson, Union ) 

Rep. Verla Insko (919)
733-7208 or verla.insko at ncleg.net (
 Orange ) 

Rep. Ric Killian (919)
733-5886 or rickillian at ncleg.net (
 Mecklenburg ) 

Rep. Paul Luebke (919)
733-7663 or paul.luebke at ncleg.net (
 Durham ) 

Rep. Grier Martin (919) 733-
5758 or grier.martin at ncleg.net
(Wake) 

Rep. Danny McComas (919)
733-5786 or danny.mccomas at ncleg,net
(New Hanover) 

Rep. Pat McElraft (919)
733-6275 or pat.mcelraft at ncleg.net
(Carteret, Jones) 

Rep. Bill Owens (919)
733-0010 or bill.owens at ncleg.net (
 Camden , Currituck,
Pasquotank, Tyrell)  

Rep. Ruth Samuelson (919)
715-3009 or ruth.samuelson at ncleg.net (
 Mecklenburg ). 

Rep. Russell Tucker (919) 715-3021
or russell.tucker at ncleg.net
(Duplin, Onslow) 

Rep. Roger West (919)
733-5859 or roger.west at ncleg.net
(Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Macon) 

Rep. Larry Womble (919)
733-5777 or larry.womble at ncleg.net
(Forsyth) 

Sponsors of House version (761): Rick Glazier (919) 733-5601 or Rick.Glazier at ncleg.net, (
 Cumberland ); Marvin Lucas (919) 733-5775 or Marvin.Lucas at ncleg.net (
 Cumberland ) 

Please call or email your representative today,
before S700 is heard in the House Committee. Please distribute this message
over your list serve, and to family and friends.   

THANK YOU for your help and support!   

Sincerely yours,  

Sue Dayton 

Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League 

North Carolina Healthy
Communities Program 

PO
 BOX 44 

Saxapahaw,
 NC 27340 

(336) 525-2003 

sdayton at swcp.com 

Our
lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that
matter.   -  Martin Luther King Jr. 

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