Wednesday, January 19, 2005
JEREMIAH STETTLER THE SAGINAW NEWS
The state Department of Environmental Quality today will provide its first glimpse into closed-door negotiations with Dow Chemical Co. over dioxin cleanup in Saginaw and Midland counties.
Talks between the two parties have dragged almost three months past their disclosure deadline of Oct. 31, leaving residents without a public report since negotiations began last June.
DEQ Director Steve Chester will speak personally about the nature of the discussions.
The report is long overdue, some residents say.
"The foot-dragging that has been going on is unacceptable, and the people deserve some answers," Tittabawassee River resident Kathy Henry wrote in a letter to the state agency.
"Do you have any idea what it feels like to live in the contamination, only to be shut out from any kind of information about what is going on, or the intentions of the state, month after month after month?"
State officials repeatedly have defended the talks, saying the quality of discussion with Dow is more important than a deadline.
Bill Egerer, founder of the Midland Matters coalition, has backed the state agency month after month. That hasn't changed.
"If time and negotiations are leading toward a sustainable solution based on science, then take the time you need," he said. v
© 2005 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.