Minor flood event of the Tittabawassee
River is in progress due to snow melt and rain,
For
additional information on past floods of the Tittabawassee, including pictures
of the the aftermath, visit our Flood page, click here.
The dioxin laden soil is on the move again. Residents should avoid contact
with flooded areas, especially children and pets.
Click here for graph of peak flows of
the river from the past.
MDCH Warning:, people should take
precautions when entering the flood plain: "There are some common sense steps
you can take to limit your exposure to the dioxins found in the flood plain. If
you have been playing or working in soil that could be contaminated, wash your
skin to remove any dirt. Thorough hand washing is especially important before
eating. Children playing outside should be prevented from putting toys or other
dirty objects in their mouths. Clean fill dirt can be added over contaminated
dirt in gardens, on lawns, and in play areas if dioxin contamination is known or
suspected. However, if the area is flooded after clean fill is added, the
surface soil could be recontaminated. Care should be taken not to disturb the
layer of clean soil covering the contaminated soil. Because they may be
especially sensitive to dioxins, children should not play in soil or sediment
that is known to contain elevated levels of dioxins. "
03/29/05
Death by Dioxin
Robert E.
Martin recently published an excellent article in our local "The
Review" magazine. Included is a 2002 interview with Governor Granholm
conducted before her election in 2003.
"If somebody pollutes, they
should be responsible. If you can trace it directly to that party they need to
take away whatever they put into the land & water." Governor Jennifer
Granholm
Compare
these statements to her actions in 2004 & 2005, it's a 180 degree flip flop.
"....Apparently, Granholm does not heed
her own words very well. After a protracted negotiating period with all the
parties involved, DEQ had a public process in place that was working well.
However, in June 2004, Granholm agreed to go behind closed doors with Dow
Chemical until February of this year...."
Other topics covered in the article
The ill conceived plan to dredge the Saginaw River
"...The meetings, though
open to the public, required you to be on the invitation list if you
wanted to speak. Imagine needing an invitation to speak at a meeting
held by a state agency concerning policy ( Framework) about natural
resources ( watershed) that we the people own. It's an all time low.
..."
Reinventing the wheel - Stop, we are all getting dizzy
"...Dow has dozens of
Community Groups around the country in every community they pollute.
These groups are a staple of Dow's public relations strategy and they
are most adept at mobilizing and organizing community groups. They're a
Fortune 50 company, replete with the money, PR machine and talented
people. Dow imploring the public to "help us get you involved" is as
disingenuous as the DEQ asking "who are the stakeholders?" ...
Them
with the power calling the shots
"...Because Dow has the
money and political influence they can walk right into the fray in
Lansing and fight tooth and nail to not clean up their poison and to
position themselves along side the regulatory agencies in setting the
public agenda. Three years since this contamination was discovered
and the agenda is searching for stakeholders and messaging. How sorry is
that? ..."
Dr.
Linda Birnbaum
Don't forget Dr. Birnbaum's presentation on April 13th at Swan
Valley HS --6:30 pm in the Auditorium. She is the first in a Speakers
Series - Dioxin in the Saginaw Bay Watershed. Currently, Dr. Birnbaum
serves as the Director of the Experimental Toxicology Division at
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and is the 2004-2005 President
of the Society of Toxicology. A leading authority on dioxin you will not
want to miss this presentation.
I
03/21/05
Dr Linda Birnbaum to speak at
Swan Valley High School April 13, 2005
Lone Tree Council is pleased to announce a public presentation by Dr. Linda
Birnbaum, EPA on April 13th, 2005 at 6:30 pm to take place at Swan Valley HS.
Topic: Dioxin and Human health.
Dr. Birnbaum is the current Division Director of the EPA Office of
Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory
and is considered one of the worlds foremost experts on dioxin.
The presentation is the first in a series of speakers Lone Tree is planning
for the coming months.
There are no invitations. This meeting is open and transparent for the public's
participation .
Contact Michelle Hurd Riddick of the Lone Tree Council if you have any
questions:
989-799-3313
TRW note:
Click here for a copy of
the flier, please print and share with others. Thanks
03/17/05
Citizen groups demand open and
transparent process
Pictures from Citizens
protest before meeting, click for for larger view.
It is the saddest of commentary that during the week designated by
journalists as Sunshine Week, an effort designed to emphasize open and
transparent government, that the Granholm administration has failed
miserably to deliver transparency on the Dow Chemical's dioxin contamination
of the Saginaw Bay Watershed.
The tremendous progress and
transparency on this issue came to an abrupt halt when the state went behind
closed doors for 7 months with the polluter to the exclusion of every
citizen and every other stakeholder in the watershed.
These closed door meetings were
attended by Lieutenant Governor Cherry, DEQ Administration, Dow Chemical and
their Lansing lobbyists, Jack Bailes and Bill Rustem. No citizens-----not
one. These meetings we are told are not subject to the Freedom of
Information Act.
When the regulator and the
polluter emerged from their dark corner the detailed comprehensive plan to
move forward on this issue was derailed and replaced with a nebulous 10
page FRAMEWORK agreed upon by only DOW and DEQ. No citizens---not one.
Before going into those closed
door meetings the state suspended their stakeholders group (DEQ CAP) which
included citizens, Dow Chemical, chamber of commerce, enviros, twp
officials, health department officials, fisherman and elected officials. DEQ
has never engaged their own DEQ CAP for discussion on the Dow-DEQ Framework.
This DEQ CAP was established after "focus groups" met in 2003.
But it get worse:
In tandem Dow Chemical and the
State of Michigan have now put together an invitation list of community
leaders and citizens - a list they vetted with each other. A series
of four "focus group" meetings were announced in a full page letter in local
papers, purporting to "discuss how we can best inform and involve the
broader community in the future." ( all this while ignoring the existence
of the DEQ CAP) The letter was signed by the DEQ director and a Dow
representative. The ad was paid for by Dow Chemical. In addition Dow
Chemical is paying for the meeting place, a privately owned conference
center.
But it gets worse:
Dow and DEQ each invited 15 people
from their vetted lists to attend these meetings. Other citizens may
observe but we are not allowed to speak. It's as though the waters of
this watershed are the province of Dow and DEQ only. Some of us will be
invited to other focus meetings at which time we can speak.
Since June this has been
command and control by DEQ and Dow over process, information and
planning. Citizen participation is being limited to the rules set by the two
entities with the greatest concentrations of power. It's getting harder and
harder to distinguish them............
Dow Chemical was looking for cover
and control. This administration granted both.
03/16/05
Citizen groups challenge Lt. Gov.
Cherry to restore transparent process
March 16, 2005
Dear Lt. Governor Cherry; Department of Environmental Quality Director Chester:
We are writing on behalf of several environmental and citizen groups concerned
about the Community Stakeholder meetings that were recently announced. These
meetings have been narrowly defined around the controversial Framework, and
purport to "discuss how we can best inform and involve the broader community in
the future." However, these meetings are not being sponsored by the community,
nor has the community had any role in setting them up, defining the agenda, or
determining the invitation list.
It is our understanding that the Dow Chemical Company and the Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) vetted their lists with each other to
come up with agreed upon attendees.
Further, citizens who have not been explicitly invited by the joint organizers -
Dow (the polluter) and the DEQ - are allowed only to observe, they are
prohibited from speaking. We are both angry and perplexed by this process. There
was an existing, open, participatory process in the form of the DEQ Community
Advisory Panel (CAP). The state made the unilateral decision to halt meetings of
the CAP without consulting those stakeholders. In fact, the decision to not
convene the DEQ CAP for a discussion on the Framework before venturing into
another participatory venture is disrespectful of the time and effort invested
by DEQ CAP participants.
Why is the DEQ launching an effort to involve the community by initiating a
series of tightly controlled meetings, in which Dow has an opportunity to hand
pick the participants, approve of the agenda, and then make a presentation? It
simply makes no sense if the DEQ is indeed committed to an open and transparent
process. The process makes the Granholm administration look like a puppet of the
Dow Chemical Company. Citizens are not being given equal deference. Dow has had
substantial opportunities for input, and substantial opportunities to
communicate with the public. In fact, the company took out a full-page ad to
announce the meetings. This clearly signals to the community that the company is
in charge of this "public" process. We recognize Dow is an important
stakeholder, but so are the thousands in the watershed that are impacted by its
contamination. In fact, over 1100 individual signatures have recently been
collected urging more aggressive action on the dioxin issue by the Granholm
administration.
It is a sad commentary that during the week designated by journalists as
Sunshine Week, an effort designed to emphasize open government, the end result
of eight months of meeting behind closed doors is a command and control process
that is a significant deviation from the honest, open and transparent government
promised by Governor Granholm. The citizens of this watershed deserve better.
We urge you to open these meetings up to full public participation. We believe
that the public should be invited to share their perspective, whether or not
they made it on Dow's list of invitees or the DEQ's list. We also believe that
people concerned about preserving the resource, and protecting the public
health, should be given equal deference in these meetings. We urge you to
convene the DEQ CAP in the very near future for full discussion of the framework
We look forward to a reply
Terry Miller
Lone Tree Council
Gary Henry
Tittabawassee River Watch
Sue Cameron
Citizens Against Toxic Substances
03/15/05
National Wildlife Federation comments
on Saginaw River dredging
The National Wildlife Federation has issued a response to
the MDEQ request for public comments concerning the dredging of the Saginaw
River and the storage of the spoils on 281 acres of farmland adjacent to the
Saginaw River. While their response focus on PCB's, recent testing has
also revealed dioxin levels of over
16,000 ppt TEQ in the area intended to be dredged!
"Dear Mr. Saalfeld:
I am writing on behalf of the National Wildlife Federation (“NWF”) in
response to the
public notice of a proposed Water Quality Certification for the Department
of the Army’s Upper
Saginaw River Navigational Dredging Project and associated Dredged Materials
Disposal
Facility. NWF opposes the issuance of this certification by the Michigan
Department of
Environmental Quality (“DEQ”) for the reasons provided below, as well as for
the reasons set
forth in the letter of December 17, 2004, to you from Tracy J. Andrews of
Olson, Bzdok &
Howard, on behalf of Citizens Against Toxic Substances."
The comments address 2 main areas of concern and a conclusion:
1. The DEQ may not establish effluent
limitations that merely prohibit concentrations higher
than those found in the Saginaw River that are effective after March 23,
2007.
2. The DEQ may not authorize a quantification level of 0.2µg/liter for PCBs.
3. Conclusion.
For the foregoing reasons, the DEQ may not issue the draft certification.
03/11/05
Resident receives dioxin results but
says did not have blood drawn
Update: 3/13/05 The resident stating he never had his blood drawn now states he
was mistaken, his blood was sampled and he has
retracted his statements.
At last nights public meeting
presented by the University of Michigan Dioxin Exposure Study CAP, a local
resident announced he had receive dioxin blood level results from the University
last month. The problem: he never had his blood drawn for
the analysis.
Also of interest: The study proposes to use residents of Jackson County
as a control group for the Saginaw/Midland area. Levels of dioxin in
Jackson County residents will be used to compare with local residents to
determine if living by a Dow plant causes dioxin to be absorbed by their bodies.
The problem: Jackson county is home of a waste incinerator with known
dioxin output. The studies protocols provides very little information
about the Jackson area topography and it's incinerator. Dr. Garabrant says
residents who live in the plume of the Jackson incinerator may be included in
the study.
Recent studies of residents
downwind of an incinerator in New Zeeland prove that their bodies absorbed the
dioxin from the smoke plume.
It seems the study has been designed with a preconceived outcome.
Jackson residents will most likely have higher levels of dioxin than found in
the CDC studies of dioxin
background levels in other areas of the country. In the final
analysis, the U of M will conclude that local residents dioxin blood levels are
similar to Jackson County and therefore no problem exists.
f
03/04/05
Dow Community publication dioxin half
truths and distortions exposed.
"In November 2004, Dow distributed a
Community Update filled with distortions and half truths about dioxin. It
was one of Dow's most blatant efforts to date to minimize the risks associated
with dioxin. We were told by DEQ management that a response was being prepared
but it never came to fruition. The last we heard it was sent to the Governor's
communications people and never returned. It is with absolute impunity and with
no apparent fear of reprisal from the state that Dow continues to shamefully put
communities and our natural resources at risk." Michelle Hurd
Riddick, Lone Tree Council
The MDEQ analysis comments where evidently leaked and posted on a
list-server, TRW did not receive
an actual copy of the MDEQ document and we have no information concerning the
author(s) or how the document was obtained.
Click here to view a chart which provides
a direct comparison between the Dow publication statements and the alleged MDEQ
analysis which points out the distortions and half truths of the Dow PR machine.
02/24/05
Sportsman to appeal to Governor
TIRED OF DIRTY FISH IN DIRTY WATER, SPORTSMEN TO ASK GRANHOLM
TO HELP CLEAN THE SAGINAW RIVER AND BAY
An effort
to recruit the sports fishing community in the battle over Saginaw River and bay
water quality has environmental group leadership pleased at the out pouring of
concern.
Brian Weber, outreach worker for the Lone Tree Council, a watchdog group active
on dioxin and other issues linked to bay water quality said today, “He couldn’t
keep the pen in his hand, fisherman couldn’t sign up fast enough.”
What they were signing was a petition to Governor Jennifer Granholm urging her
to take a more forceful stand on plugging the sewage being dumped in area
waters, more aggressive action on Dow’s cleanup of dioxin, and making a clear
commitment to protecting coastal wetlands. .....
For groups wanting copies of the
petition or information, contact Brian Weber at (989) 892-4356 or Terry Miller
at (989) 686-6386
02/24/05
Dow / MDEQ Framework & U of M Dioxin
study based on questionable science
A
comprehensive review of the
Dow/MDEQ "Framework"agreement was recently published by David
Linhardt, a former Dow Chemical Engineer. In this 22 page document, Mr. Linhardt analyses the agreement in the following context:
Impact on City of Midland
residents
Impact on Tittabawassee River
residents
Framework Deficiencies-City
of Midland
Framework
Deficiencies-Tittabawassee River
University of Michigan Dioxin
Exposure study deficiencies.
The
analysis includes a historical review and correlation of Dow waste treatment
methodologies to Tittabawassee River flooding as well as correlations of
Midland's neighborhoods to prevailing winds and Dow plant processes. A
number of maps, graphs, and tables of data illustrate his conclusions.
The
analysis of the U of M Dioxin Exposure study focuses on two main defects:
Children were excluded from
the study
To all parents, the detection of high dioxin levels in the bodies of
adults is one thing; the
detection of high levels of dioxins in the bodies of their young
children is yet another. It
is believed that the U of M study team and the sponsoring company may
have fully
understood this distinction when excluding children from the study.
Only a single location will
be sampled to characterize dioxin levels on portions of the property not
adjacent to the residence.
It is not known, at the present time, if the U of M study will attempt
to correlate dioxin
blood levels with dioxin levels at the single location distance from the
residence. Based
on the wide variation of dioxin levels that can occur on the same
property, it is very likely
that there will be no correlation. Without a correlation between body
burden levels and
soil dioxin levels, the DEQ may be reluctant to request extensive
cleanup of riverside
properties. Lack of a correlation may be an asset to The Dow Chemical
Company as it
defends itself against the lawsuit filed by some riverside residents.
TRW
Note: The U of M did not make the protocol of their
study public
until 3/8/05, which is 9 months after the start of the study.
Reports from a number of residents contacted by the U of M report
irregularities which indicate the protocol was being developed and modified
on the fly. This is "sound science"?
Visit Mr.
Linhardts website, www.dioxinspin.com
for complete details of his analysis as well as many others which illustrate the
deficiencies and deceit of other Dow sponsored junk
science projects.
02/23/05
Public meeting concerning Saginaw
River Dredging
PUBLIC NOTICE OF A MEETING TO DISCUSS ISSUES RELATED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE
ARMY’S UPPER SAGINAW RIVER NAVIGATIONAL DREDGING PROJECT AND ASSOCIATED DREDGED
MATERIALS DISPOSAL FACILITY.
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality announces a public meeting
at 7:00 p.m., March 1, 2005 at Saginaw Valley State University, Performing Arts
Center, Recital Hall, 7400 Bay Road, University Center MI 48710. (Parking is
available in lot J1.)
DEQ staff will present the overall regulatory framework for the facility and
status of DEQ permits. The meeting will allow the public an opportunity to
informally discuss all aspects of the project with DEQ and Corps of Engineers
staff.
Information Contact: David A. Hamilton, Land and Water Management Division,
at 517-335-3174, or e-mail: hamiltod@michigan.gov.
02/18/05
God did not put dioxin in our bodies
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency the average level of dioxin found in the general U.S. population
is at or near the level
that can be linked to adverse
health effects observed in both
animals and
people. The EPA
interprets this to mean that there is little or no "margin
of exposure," meaning that we are nearly "full" and that any additional
exposure of dioxin can result in
adverse health effects.
Dioxin is not a normal constituent of the
human body and we should not accept that there are normal levels of this
contaminant in our bodies or those of our children.Please remember this when dioxin
blood samples come back and Dow Chemical tries to tell you
these are normal, average or within guidelines. Pregnant woman, children and the
developing fetus are the most vulnerable............don't accept Dow's dioxin as
a normal part of their lives or bodies.
The above is an excerpt from the latest TRW / Lone Tree Dioxin Update,
click here
02/18/05
Contamination of public process as big a deal as contamination of watershed
While both the Free Press and Bay City Times call on the public to get
involved and scrutinize the process from this point forward it remains troubling
that every editorial comment has failed to admonish the state for going behind
closed doors with the polluter to conduct the business of the people over
resources we own.
History does repeat itself. Whether it was the EPA in the 1980’s, the Engler
administration in the 1990’s or the Granholm administration in the 21st
century, regulatory agencies and politicians are always willing to grant Dow
Chemical a dark corner to hide in, away from the public, the light of day and a
full scientific vetting and debate over dioxin. Dow Chemical is happiest
operating in the sphere of vague regulatory language like the recent agreement
with DEQ; a plan that permits them to be flexible and commits them to nothing
substantive.
As citizens are permitted back into the process we can only
hope that it's permanent and not contingent on whether Dow or their legislators
and apologists are content with how things are going. The people's place at the
table is always first and foremost and it doesn't matter where any resident of
this watershed lines up on the issue. An open transparent process and the chance
to hear all sides of the issue from all viewpoints is imperative if we are to
arrive at a sustainable solution to this contamination. Transparency in
government should be sacrosanct but it was sacrificed by many and tolerated by
others because secrecy benefited their economic or political agendas. Is Dow
Chemical a stakeholder? Yes. But the deference and privilege given Dow
demonstrates the ongoing and every increasing power of corporations over both
political parties and the democratic process. The contamination of Michigan's
largest watershed is a big deal but so is the contamination of public process.
After years of the public information control freaks in the Engler/Harding
DEQ it was with great relief and enthusiasm that we heard Governor Granholm's
inaugural address in January 2003 calling for public participation:
................ And now that the door has been opened, my friends, you must
come in. All of you. Come into the halls of government.
In light of recent events I am not so sure this invitation didn't come with a
few caveats. Needless to say our enthusiasm has been dampened! The shape and
format of upcoming public meetings regarding this issue will be extremely
telling. We can only hope it will not be the command and control of information
and participation that we witnessed in 2004. Cautious optimism is in order. But
we do have a responsibility to be engaged and I encourage everyone to attend
public meetings held by the state. Just show up. It's your backyard and your
watershed. Be heard and offer up suggestions and ideas which can move this issue
along. The Saginaw Bay Watershed is our home and the quality of its natural
resources are paramount to our economic and physical well being.
The above is an excerpt from the latest TRW / Lone Tree
Dioxin Update, click here
02/16/05
State to warn outdoorsman of dioxin
risk
The State wants to more outdoorsmen to be aware of the dangers of dioxin
contamination. A new program seeks to educate hunters and fishermen on how to
select game from areas of elevated dioxin levels.
The toxic chemical is found in the soil and river sediment along the
Tittabawassee River in Saginaw County. It was a byproduct of manufacturing
processes at Dow Chemical's Midland operations. Critics worry that dioxin
exposure can lead to health problems like cancer.
TV 6 News, Lansing MI
02/9/05
Are we doomed to let Dow repeat it's
misinformation campaigns of the past?
New Feature: The Hebert Chronicles
Diane Hebert has spent over 25
years raising public awareness about the hazards of dioxin contamination and
battling pollution issues, many of which are linked to the Dow Chemical
Company. In 2003 she received the
Petoskey Prize for
Environmental Leadership. Visit the Hebert Chronicles page to
view items of interest that Diane has shared with others over the years.
A few of the topics
A snapshot of birth defects in
Midland County,
1995
Health studies in Midland Michigan, 1985
Public comments on Dow injection wells, cancer in residents, dioxin
sludge on crops, 2002
Top EPA dioxin expert resigns, Midlanders never
fully informed of risks, 1985
Interesting article & radio
broadcast from the Great Lakes Radio Consortium
For years, a big chemical company has been
negotiating with government officials on cleaning up an area
contaminated with dioxin. Environmentalists say Dow Chemical has used
its power and influence to drag out the talks. The chemical company has
agreed to plan for some kind of clean-up… but it's still not clear how
far that clean-up will go. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium's Rick Pluta
reports:
You can listen to the broadcast at the GLRC site:
www.glrc.org
01/24/05
Press Release: Groups Criticize Dow-Granholm Dioxin Deal
*Monday, January 24, 2005*
More information:
Michelle Hurd Riddick Lone Tree Council 989-799-3313
James Clift Michigan Environmental Council 517- 256-0553
Groups Criticize Dow-Granholm Dioxin Deal
Leading citizens and environmental groups today sharply criticized an
agreement between Dow Chemical Company and the Granholm Administration,
saying it fails to deliver a cleanup of dioxin contamination in the
Saginaw Bay basin.
“This agreement is a failure,” said Michelle Hurd Riddick, a Lone Tree
Council member who lives in the basin. “It’s promoted as
results-oriented, but the only result will be further delays, more
studies, and it does little to protect the health of residents.
“Dow’s dioxin contamination is a public health threat, economic mess and
Dow needs to start cleanup now. We are terribly disappointed. We know
Governor Granholm cares about children, dioxin’s most vulnerable
population. And kids are not guinea pigs who should be forced to await
more years of testing and data collection by Dow Chemical.”
“All this agreement promises is a house cleaning, some lawn services and
more studies,” said James Clift, Michigan Environmental Council Policy
Director. “It doesn’t even rise to the level of a short-term fix. It’s
no fix at all and, in fact, moves us backward on a public health issue
of monumental importance. Instead of imposing cleanup deadlines, it
focuses on Dow’s strategy of more study, more public relations, more
delay.”
In December, the Lone Tree Council, Michigan Environmental Council,
Clean Water Action, Ecology Center, CACC and Sierra Club outlined a
seven-point set of criteria to guide dioxin cleanup by Dow. The groups
Monday, along with the Tittabawassee River Watch, Citizens Against Toxic
Substances, Environmental Health Watch and PIRGIM, said they would
continue to pressure Governor Granholm on Dow’s dioxin contamination.
Riddick and Clift noted that the Dow-Granholm deal agreement derails
dioxin cleanup timelines and initiatives previously outlined by the
Department of Environmental Quality. And the new agreement fails to meet
any of the environmental groups’ cleanup guidelines, they said. The
guidelines are:
1)Will the final goal of any cleanup result in rivers that we can swim
in, fish in, and know are safe as drinking water sources?
2)Will the public have a strong, direct role in ensuring a comprehensive
cleanup is undertaken?
3)Will the cleanup begin immediately? Are the most contaminated areas
that affect public health and Michigan’s waters being cleaned up first?
What is the specific cleanup schedule?
4) Will the current lawful cleanup standard of 90 parts per trillion be
used?
If not, what scientific basis exists for using a standard less protective?
5) Will contaminated soils and sediments be removed using methods,
procedures and containment sites that ensure dioxin poisons will not be
reintroduced into our neighborhoods by the next major flood event?
6) Will the dioxin cleanup agreement be legally enforceable? What, if
any, impact will it have on other existing cleanup agreements between
Dow and the state? What are the consequences if Dow or the state fail to
comply with the agreement?
7) Will the cleanup agreement protect economic growth, public enjoyment
and sustainable development along the riverfront into the future? Or is
it a short-term fix that leaves pollution behind for future generations
to deal with?
Dioxin, one of the most toxic chemicals know to man, has been discovered
in the Saginaw Bay watershed in numbers as much as 80 to 125 times the
level deemed safe for Michigan families. Yet families in Saginaw Bay
watershed living in three counties along the 58 miles of dioxin
contaminated rivers leading to Lake Huron are once again told by the
state of Michigan that they must wait for a cleanup. While the
Granholm-Dow agreement confirms Dow’s responsibility for the
contamination, cleanup implementation will continue to languish for
years because of Dow’s manipulation and political power.
01/21/05
Dow/MDEQ final framework to address
dioxin contamination issue available
The MDEQ has released the final version of it's "framework" agreement with
Dow Chemical to address the extensive dioxin contamination of Midland and
watershed downstream thereof. The large 73 page pdf document is
available on the MDEQ website
www.michigan.gov/deqdioxin or
click here.
Below is an excerpt from page 1. We have not had time to analyze the
agreement, more to come.... If you have any comments or observations, send
them to info@trwnews.net
FRAMEWORK FOR AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STATE OFMICHIGAN AND THE DOW
CHEMICAL COMPANY PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF FRAMEWORK
This Framework for a proposed agreement between the State of Michigan
("State") and
The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") (collectively "the parties") establishes the
path
forward to achieving three goals:
(1) Ensuring that certain immediate actions will be initiated to address
government and public concerns about the presence of dioxins/furans in
the City of Midland and in and along the Tittabawassee River;
(2) Creating a defined process for moving forward to address remaining
concerns regarding these areas and the Saginaw River and Bay by
ensuring that ecological and human risk reduction and restoration projects
can be implemented that provide environmental protection and meaningful
local environmental and public benefits, including enhancement of
ongoing regional economic development efforts; and
(3) Providing a structure for Dow to resolve with finality potential
government claims arising from various historical releases.
01/20/05
Dow/MDEQ announce framework to address
dioxin contamination issue.
The
MDEQ and Dow announced they
have reached agreement on the framework to address the Dow dioxin contamination
of the Midland, Tittabawassee River, and Saginaw river and bay.
No details have been provided, until then consider the following:
Contrary to media coverage,
the details mentioned so far are interim measures, NOT cleanup measures.
That means that Dow is going to have to do a lot more. These measures do not
address clean up or resolution of the ongoing contamination that occurs
every time there is any flooding. So even the interim clean up of the
properties will not be lasting, and that will not be resolved until the
river is cleaned up.
In our opinion,
"You can put fresh soil on people's yards for a hundred years, but it's not
a solution," "This is just putting on a Band-Aid that's going to be
ripped off when it floods again," Kathy Henry, TRW.
01/14/05
An open letter to State Representative John Moolenaar:
Tittabawassee River Watch has recently learned
that legislation is being drafted to lift the facility designation off of the
Tittabawassee River flood plain, and to change language in real estate
disclosure laws on property contamination at the time of sale.
Although these are real concerns for the city of Midland, and realtors trying to
sell houses along the Tittabawassee River, the implications state wide if such a
bill passed could be devastating for the entire state of Michigan. To encourage
people to lie about toxic chemicals to unsuspecting buyers is not in the publics
best interest.
We ask that you consider the following letter to a Tittabawassee River resident
from Andrew Hogarth, Chief of Remediation and Redevelopment Division, Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality before attempting to introduce legislation
of this nature.
See newspaper articles for information dating back to January 2002. Click here
Tittabawassee
River Watch www.trwnews.net
The tremendous progress and
transparency on this issue came to an abrupt halt when the state went behind
closed doors for 7 months with the polluter to the exclusion of every
citizen and every other stakeholder in the watershed.
Dr. Birnbaum is the current Division Director of the EPA Office of
Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory
and is considered one of the worlds foremost experts on dioxin.
