Wednesday, May 12, 2004
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MIDLAND -- State regulators are making it clear they believe the city and Dow Chemical Co. must deal with dioxin cleanup.
Despite city officials' efforts to postpone soil testing until the Department of Environmental Quality justifies its residential cleanup standards, sampling is to take place this summer.
City officials estimate that 8,800 homes and 21,300 people -- nearly half of Midland's population -- could be affected by DEQ regulations and Dow cleanup requirements. Previous results show dioxin likely exceeds the state standard of 90 parts per trillion as far as two miles from Dow's plant.
The city wants a health study to determine whether dioxin exposure has affected the community. It also wants the DEQ to note in advance what remediation actions it will require and at what levels.
The goal of the city is to keep properties from "environmental limbo," City Manager Karl Tomion said.
Otherwise, he added, "We would end up with a tainted and permanently stigmatized community."
Terri Johnson, a spokeswoman for Midland-based Dow, said the company understands the city's uneasiness.
"The city has to take these actions as they affect the citizens," Johnson said. "We have to follow the regulatory process."
Midland officials have hired environmental consultants Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber Inc. of Grand Rapids and lawyers from Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone PLC of Lansing to help communicate with regulators.
DEQ Deputy Director Jim Sygo says Midland property owners likely will have to comply with a "facility" label that will require them to disclose information about contamination to potential buyers.
That is the same label the state agency has applied to residents in the Tittabawassee River floodplain dealing with dioxin contamination. More than 300 plaintiffs are suing Dow over the contamination. The lawsuit seeks damages for lost property value and establishment of a medical monitoring trust fund.
Dioxins are highly toxic byproducts of manufacturing and incineration systems. They may cause cancer, birth defects and other health problems in humans. t
© 2004 Saginaw News.
For additional articles like this one, go to the Tittabawasse River Watch web site www.trwnews.net for complete coverage of the Tittabawassee River Dow Chemical dioxin contamination saga. . The Newspaper / Media page of our site contains an extensive archive of media articles dating back to January 2002. The source organization's web site link is listed to the right of the article, visit often for other news in our area. The Newspaper / Media page may be accessed by scrolling down to the bottom of the CONTENTS section and clicking on the Newspaper/Media link.