The Saginaw News February 27th, 2005

Editor, The News:

There has been no real progress in addressing the dioxin contamination in our watershed. Why, for seven months of closed door sessions with the state Department of Environmental Quality and Dow Chemical, was there no public input? It is unconscionable that the polluter has become the mediator between the state regulatory division and the residents.

Dow Chemical posted fourth quarter profits of 1.03 billion, up from $929 million in the same quarter a year ago, and all it can do is clean/dust our homes (maid service), apply new topsoil (lawn service), or buy us new door mats.

This framework is in no way a cleanup. It is irresponsible. This pollution needs to be cleaned up and the river dredged. All of the contaminated sediments need to be properly disposed of and not to be placed in a slurry pit in any flood plain.

This framework is a failure because it doesn't clean up dioxin. It is a failure of our public officials because the state DEQ Director Steven Chester and Gov. Granholm caved into Dow Chemical.

The Governor can do better. This framework has digressed from where we were. Once again I see more studies and more delays.

No one wants to sacrifice our families, our properties, our rivers and the Saginaw Bay.

Granholm needs to have Dow Chemical abide by the law and clean the dioxin up.

Vito Damore

James Township