Lone Tree Council P.O. 1251, Bay City, Michigan 48706 (Fighting for
environmental justice since 1978) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Michelle Hurd Riddick: 989-799-3313
December 31, 2009
Cell: 989- 327-0854
Terry Miller (989) 686-6386 cell: 989-450-8097
ENVIRONMENTALISTS APPLAUD EPA ON YEAR-END DIOXIN GUIDELINES
Draft Dioxin Numbers of 72 ppt in Residential Soil More Protective of Human and
Environmental Health The Saginaw Bay Watershed group, Lone Tree Council, long
associated with raising the issue of dioxin contamination in the Great Lakes Bay
Region, is singing the praises of EPA administrator Lisa Jackson. In what
environmentalists are saying is the ‘best end of the year environmental news’ in
awhile, they are acknowledging that the Obama Administration has taken the
unprecedented step of updating the risk assumptions of dioxin. The EPA announced
today its draft interim preliminary remediation goals for cleanup of dioxins in
soil. The EPA’s current remediation goals of 1,000 parts per trillion (ppt) for
residential soil and 5,000 to 20,000 ppt in commercial/industrial soil, have
long been criticized as not protective of human and environmental health. The
EPA, in several local meetings, promised the community new clean up goals before
the end of the year. After an evaluation of state standards, and the science of
dioxin, it has honored that commitment. The new EPA guidelines for dioxin in
soil are 72 ppt for residential land uses and 950 ppt for commercial/industrial
soils. These numbers are interim pending the release of the dioxin reassessment
next year. “This is a wonderful New Years’ present,” said Michelle Hurd Riddick
of the Lone Tree Council. “We knew if the science and not the politics was
properly evaluated, the EPA would come back lower than Michigan’s 90 ppt for
dioxin in residential soils. The EPA numbers are far more protective of human
health, and we would like to personally thank Lisa Jackson for doing what no
other EPA administrator has done – apply the science, look at public health and
do what is right for communities and their natural resources”. “Dioxins may
cause a large number of different health effects, like cancer and reproductive
effects” according to the EPA’s press release. “Dioxins are of concern because
they are the result of combustion, and are absorbed from the air into the food
chain where they can stay for many years.” “After some disappointing end of the
year news on global warming efforts and coal plant approvals, this is the best
end of the year environmental news,” said Lone Tree chairman, Terry Miller.
“Hopefully fewer people will be exposed to dioxin, and our valley can begin the
process of a long overdue cleanup and began to heal.”
For additional articles like this one, go to the Tittabawassee 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.