Lone Tree Council and TRW

Dioxin Update

November 5th , 2004 # 26

http://www.trwnews.net/

October 31st Deadline Passes


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Heidi Hansen
November 4, 2004 517-335-6397

Statement from Lt. Governor John D. Cherry
on Progress of Talks with Dow Chemical Co.

LANSING - Lieutenant Governor John D. Cherry today released the following statement regarding the ongoing talks between the Granholm Administration and Dow Chemical Company to address the dioxin contamination in the Midland, Saginaw, and Tittabawassee River region:
"We continue to have productive talks with Dow, and have made progress toward an agreement, which is much more important than a deadline. We will continue to hold talks as long as progress is being made toward an outcome that all parties concur addresses the dioxin contamination. There will be no new deadline set as we move forward with our talks. We fully intend to keep the public informed of progress in these discussions, and any potential agreements reached through the discussions will be available for public review and comment before being finalized."

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Behind the formal framework of these "negotiation" is a serious breakdown in the civic process and public health protection. We can all agree there are times when private meetings are needed to address concerns of various interested groups or stakeholders. A cooling down period in June may have been needed but it is unacceptable for this closed process out of the public and media's view to continue into its fifth month.

Dow Chemical is not the only stakeholder in this process. People living in Dow's dioxin everyday of their lives deserve to be part of this process. Taxpayers supporting public parks and the citizens as the rightful owners of these natural resources are being denied, until after the fact, a place at the table. It is important how our government chooses to conduct our business. Divisive issues like the contamination of watershed belong in the public arena because they are about public health, resources and democracy.

The interim response activities (IRA's) , defined by law and required by Dow's license are intended to protect public health. Lansing needs to issue those IRAs or answer why they are not being released. The public health protections addressed by the IRAs have no business resting in limbo while these negotiations with the polluter go on and on and on and on.........

More later,

Michelle Hurd Riddick

Lone Tree Council

 

Source: Lone Tree Council /TRW

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 source organization's web site link is listed above. The Newspaper / Media page of our site contains an extensive archive of media articles dating back to January 2002. The Newspaper / Media page may be accessed by scrolling down to the bottom of the CONTENTS section and clicking on the Newspaper/Media link.