May 7th, 2008 #125
Dioxin Update #124
Lone Tree Council and TRW
Dioxin Update #124
May 7, 2008
www.trwnews.net
TITTABAWASSEE RIVER WATCH
… united for the protection of our homes, health, and river from the effects of dioxin.
Contact:
- Carol Chisholm 989-790-4836
Cell 860-3510- John Taylor 989-781-2950
- Kathy Henry 989-401-1762
- Pat Bradt- 989-7536036
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MAY 7 2008IMPACTED RESIDENTS WANT ANSWERS ABOUT FIRING OF ADMINISTRATOR GADE
Residents living on rivers contaminated with Dow dioxin call on their legislators for answers
Letters were sent today to Saginaw Bay Watershed’s federal legislative delegation calling upon them to initiate investigations into the firing last week of Region V Administrator Mary Gade. Residents living along the highly contaminated Tittabawassee and Saginaw Rivers are some of the watersheds most impacted residents as a result of the chemical companies releases to the river.
Administrator Gade told the Chicago Tribune she was fired because of aggressive enforcement against Dow Chemical for their dioxin contamination. Beginning last spring Region V issued orders under CERCLA demanding Dow Chemical initiate cleanup of some the highest concentrations of dioxin in the nation. “ There is no doubt in our minds that Ms Gade is gone because she dared challenge Dow Chemical” said John Taylor who has high dioxin levels on his property. “ We want answers. We didn’t always agree with Ms. Gade, but we found her sincere and concerned about the well being of river residents.”
Most recently Region V initiated an investigation and soil sampling along a stretch of homes where high levels of dioxin were found. “ Residents are calling on our Congressman and Senators to get to the bottom of Ms Gade’s dismissal ”, said Pat Bradt a Saginaw River resident. In their letter to elected officials, residents have said enough is enough. “ We have watched Dow manipulate legislators, local officials and the Governor in Michigan for too many years”. They are now apparently calling the shots at the federal level and we want to know why?
Tittabawassee River resident, Carol Chisholm, said residents are tired of the decision-making going on behind closed doors and political wrangling that denies them a legitimate voice and hinders cleanup. “ We pay tax-dollars and expect those agencies who work for us to respond. We deserve a reason and rationale for why the administrator is gone. She made good things happen. We want to know how our elected officials feel about Ms. Gade being canned”.
Letters were faxed yesterday and residents are hoping their plea does not fall on deaf ears in Washington. Visit www.trwnews.net to track the response
Letter to delegation below :
TITTABAWASSEE RIVER WATCH
… united for the protection of our homes, health, and river from the effects of dioxin.
- The Honorable Carl Levin
United States Senator
FX: (202) 224-1388- The Honorable Debbie Stabenow
United States Senator
FX: (202) 228-0325- The Honorable Dale Kildee
United States Congressman
FX: (202) 225-6393- The Honorable Bart Stupak
United States Congressman
FX: (202) 225 4744- The Honorable Dave Camp
United States Congressman
FX: (202) 225-9679May 6, 2008
Dear Senators Levin and Stabenow, Congressmen Kildee, Stupak and Camp;
As property owners of the Tittabawassee/Saginaw River's floodplains, we were shocked, and extremely disappointed to hear of Region 5 EPA Administrator Mary Gade's resignation.
Particularly because she cited the Dow Chemical dioxin clean up here in Michigan as the reason for her dismissal.
Under Ms. Gade’s guidance, EPA finally seemed to be on the right tract after decades of inaction in addressing the Saginaw Bay watershed's dioxin contamination brought on from over a century of Dow polluting our communities and watershed.
We have literally had no voice in Dow contaminating our homes, land, and bodies from local, state and federal government, and community leaders, until Ms. Gade stepped up to the plate. Her actions gave us hope for a better future.
What's become of this country when politicians cast aside concern for residents health and well being that are living in the highest level of dioxin contamination ever recorded in this country? Higher levels than Love Canal and Times Beach, Missouri. Not to mention that this is the Great Lakes, and Lake Huron where the contamination continues to spread further with each year of inaction.
We have been warned by regulators not to eat many of the fish and wild life, and to wear dust masks when mowing our yards because of Dow’s dioxin. We have also been advised not to let our children and grand children play in contaminated areas, in other words, our yards, because of the extremely high levels found here.
Enough is enough.
We plead to all of you to investigate and make right the forced resignation of Mary Gade by our federal government. It seems the only concern until Ms. Gade's authority has been for the polluters. That is unacceptable, outrageous, and a very sad statement and outlook on what the politics of this country have become.
Sincerely,
- John Taylor
Thomas Twp- Kathy Henry
Tittabawassee Twp- Carol Chisholm
Saginaw Twp- Pat Bradt
Zilwaukee Twp ( Saginaw River resident)
More coming soon!
Michelle Hurd Riddick
Lone Tree Council
2421 Kipling
Saginaw, MI 48602
(989) 799-3313
michdave@aol.com
