[Durham INC] FW: Clarification: Contaminated Dry-Cleaning Sites

TheOcean1 at aol.com TheOcean1 at aol.com
Thu Jun 25 17:49:17 EDT 2009


 
 
Barry
 
You're probably right, made the comment mostly in response to the "There's  
a couple hundred children within that potential plume range", since I don't 
 think those kids are in danger.... at least not from the plume.
Rabid foxes might be a more immediate concern.
 
But mainly wanted folks to be aware of the movement underway by the dry  
cleaning industry to shorten the notification period. That might indeed be an  
immediate concern.
 
Frankly it just toasts my buns to see an industry waging such a battle,  
because who is on the other side to defend? Generally the corporations are  
organized, can hire attorneys, etc. while the citizens who do object to the  
shortening of notification, don't even know where to contact other concerned  
citizens.
 
That is exactly why I felt this issue is INC turf.
 
How much opposition should that industry expect from other cities that have 
 no organization like InterNeighborhood Council?
 
Our only other line of defense is that of our elected officials.  
Fortunately Mike Woodard seemed more than casually interested, for which we all  
should be thankful.
 
All that just to say we have two things to be concerned about, the plumes  
and the industry itself.
 
Bill
 
In a message dated 6/25/2009 3:23:24 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
bragin at nc.rr.com writes:

for what  it's worth, i have received a couple of emails from John Powers 
at NC  Department of Environment and Natural Resources in response to my 
query about  participation in the program. They are copied below, in reverse 
chronological  order. 

I don't think anyone is overreacting to this, Bill. Just asking  for 
clarification about a potential carcinogen in our drinking water, and the  
programs that are currently in place to remediate this situation, which i  think 
it's fair to say, virtually no one on the list knew about before this  week. I 
am so far satisfied with the level of communication from the  state.

Barry Ragin

===============

Mr. Ragin, 

The  site is called Model Laundry (032-0007).  I am checking with the 
Inactive  
Hazardous Sites Program to see if they have assigned it a priority ranking  
and 
will get back to you on that this afternoon. 

Thanks, 
John  

-----Original Message----- 
From: bragin at nc.rr.com  [bragin at nc.rr.com] 
Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 9:21 AM 
To: Powers,  John 
Subject: RE: [Durham INC] FW: Clarification: Contaminated  Dry-Cleaning 
Sites 

Thanks for the response. Can you clarify which site  is not participating 
in the 
voluntary program, and where they stand on the  "priority list for 
cleanup"? 

thanks, 
Barry Ragin 
---- "Powers  wrote: 

============= 
Mr. Ragin, 

The Dry-Cleaning Solvent  Cleanup Program that I oversee is a voluntary 
program 
that persons  responsible for dry-cleaning contamination can participate 
in.  If  
they elect not to volunteer or withdraw from the program, their site is  
referred 
to the Inactive Hazardous Sites Program within the Division of  Waste 
Management 
where they will be placed on a priority list for  cleanup.  Here, they will 
be 
required to clean up the site at their  own expense.  The site may also be 
screened by the Federal Superfund  Program if significant threat is posed 
to 
human health or the environment  and the responsible party will also be 
required 
to pay for cleanup if it  qualifies for that program. 

Thanks for your question. 

John  Powers 

---- TheOcean1 at aol.com wrote:  

=============



There is a need for quick reaction, but  not to dig up parking lots.

Definitely think we should NOT over react  to this.
Rather doubt folks standing at the bus stop next to the  Trinity  
Park/Northgate Site, are in any danger, any more than the  employees of the 
 Bank were 
long ago, and then a Men's clothing store  for many years, and  later a 
church, all operated on that site  without much difficulty. 

But we do have a right to know, and we've  asked for information, and  
answers seem to be  forthcoming.

Transparency is the objective, but I don't see too much  urgency in the 
need 
to react to the 12 sites in question, specifically.  

What requires our instant attention is a movement underway from the  dry  
cleaning industry, to shorten the notification time. I'm  speaking from a 
great 
lack of information, don't know what the current  "notification period" is, 
but  doubt we'll be served well by  shortening it.

Just don't think we need to worry about the kids playing  near the old  
Scott's and Robert's site off Washington, after all,  the site that brought 
this  
into focus was a dry cleaning  establishment that operated 35 years ago.

The urgency as I see it, is  not permitting any changes in this particular  
law until we better  understand the problem at hand. (and remaining calm 
while we  do  that)

Just my two cents,

Bill Anderson


In a message  dated 6/24/2009 10:44:44 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,   
forchange at earthlink.net writes:

Thanks  for the information  from all. 

To add to Barry's concerns which I  share, it seems  from the map that the 
'certified' site right across from    Central Park School for Children may 
be 
'decertified' if the owners don't  sign  on. 

"DSCA Site ID 320011Scott And Roberts Dry Cleaners Site  Status: On  
HoldProject Manager: Dianne ThomasThis site is on hold.  It will be 
decertified  if 
petitioner refuses to sign new Assessment  and Remediation  Agreement."

Clarification of what makes a  'certified' vs not  'certified' site more or 
less active--or toxic  for that matter--would be  welcome. 

There's a couple hundred  children within that potential plume  
range--certified or  not.

Thanks,
Mary Wible-Brennan  



-----Original  Message-----
>From: Barry Ragin   <bragin at nc.rr.com>
>Sent: Jun 24, 2009 10:22 PM
>To: INC  INC  <inc-list at durhaminc.org>,  john.powers at ncdenr.gov
>Subject: Re:  [Durham INC] FW:  Clarification: Contaminated Dry-Cleaning  
Sites
>
>"Just  to clarify (as stated in the site update) one of  the 13 sites  
>(032-0007) _was_ in our cleanup program but was removed  when the  
>property owner refused to cooperate with the   program."
>
>I confess that i don't always get it when people  talk  about property 
>rights, but how is it possible that a  property owner  can opt out of a 
>program like this? Doesn't this  kind of   contamination often extend 
>beyond the property  line to affect  groundwater that other property 
>owners draw from  their own wells? Is  it just a coin toss whether you 
>live next to  someone who chooses to  participate or not when it comes to  
>having con-carcinogenic  groundwater?
>
>Barry  Ragin
>
>Hester, Rick  wrote:
>>
>> Here is  the website that Burt received that  shows you all of the sites 
 
>> in North Carolina.  The  interactive map is very easy  to use.  Please 
>> read the  response from John  Powers.
>>
>>   
>>
>>  http://www.ncdsca.org/welcome.htm 
>>   
<https://exchange.ci.durham.nc.us/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.ncdsc
a.org/welcome.htm>
>>
>>    
>> */Rick Hester/*
>> *NIS Manager*
>>   *Neighborhood Improvement Services*
>> *560-1647 x 236   Office*
>> *730-6349 Mobile* 
>>
>>   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>    
>>
>> *From:* Powers, John   [mailto:john.powers at ncdenr.gov]
>> *Sent:* Wednesday, June 24,  2009  4:11 PM
>> *To:* Rauch, Burton
>> *Cc:* Meyer,  Billy;  Butler, Jack
>> *Subject:* Clarification: Contaminated  Dry-Cleaning  Sites
>>
>>   
>>
>>  Burt,
>>
>>   
>>
>> Just to clarify  (as stated in the site update)  one of the 13 sites 
>> (032-0007)  _was_ in our cleanup program  but was removed when the 
>> property  owner refused to  cooperate with the program.  There is a 
>>  chance it will  come back in if property ownership changes and the new  
>>  owner wants to participate.  So technically, there are 12  sites  that 
>> are now in the program.
>>
>>    
>>
>> John
>>
>>    
>>
>> *From:* Powers, John
>> *Sent:*  Wednesday,  June 24, 2009 3:48 PM
>> *To:* Burt Rauch   (Burton.Rauch at durhamnc.gov)
>> *Cc:* Meyer, Billy; Butler,   Jack
>> *Subject:* Contaminated Dry-Cleaning   Sites
>>
>>  
>>
>>   Burt,
>>
>>  
>>
>> Attached is  the  site status update.  Annual reports for our program  
>> can be  viewed at the following  link:
>>
>>   
>>
>>   http://www.ncdsca.org/welcome.htm
>>
>>    
>>
>> There are actually 13 contaminated sites in  Durham  County that are now 
>> in our cleanup program.   Please let me  know if you have any  questions.
>>
>>   
>>
>>  Thanks,
>>
>>  John
>>
>>   
>>
>> /John Powers  <John.Powers at ncdenr.gov   <mailto:John.Powers at ncmail.net>>/
>>
>>  /Head,  Special Remediation Branch/
>>
>> /NC DENR -  Div. of Waste  Management - Superfund Section/
>>
>>  /(919)  508-8470/
>>
>> // 
>>
>>  /E-mail  correspondence to and from this address may be subject to the  
>>  North Carolina Public Records Law and may be disclosed to  third  
parties./
>>
>>   
>>
>>   
>>
>>   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>   Email correspondence to and from this sender is subject to the N.C.   
>> Public Records Law and may be disclosed to third   parties.
>>
>>   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>   _______________________________________________
>> Durham INC  Mailing  List
>> list at durham-inc.org
>>   http://www.durham-inc.org/list.html
>>     
>_______________________________________________
>Durham  INC  Mailing   List
>list at durham-inc.org
>http://www.durham-inc.org/list.html

_______________________________________________
Durham   INC Mailing   List
list at durham-inc.org
http://www.durham-inc.org/list.html






**************Shop  Popular Dell Laptops now starting at $349!  
(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222031056x1201446063/aol?redir=htt
p:%2F%2Fad.dou
bleclick.net%2Fclk%3B215910283%3B38350812%3Ba)







**************Shop Popular Dell Laptops now starting at $349! 
(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222031056x1201446063/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fad.dou
bleclick.net%2Fclk%3B215910283%3B38350812%3Ba)
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.deltaforce.net/mailman/private/inc-list/attachments/20090625/4ac8c589/attachment.htm>


More information about the INC-list mailing list