[CPEO-BIF] [Fwd: Re: Privacy vs. the public's right to know]

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

From: 	mallacci@optonline.net

On balance, anonymity is not helpful and ultimately aids the polluter.
While identification of a property may stigmatize it and result in a
negative impact on an attempted sale, the sale would be to someone else
who would probably have to unknowingly take up the nightmare of living
in the affected neighborhood.  In addition, the owner would have the
advantage of using the stigmatization to file a tax appeal for a
reduction of assessment.

Making the information public may help to keep the pressure on for the
most thorough clean-up possible.  If so inclined, the polluter is less
likely to be able to "cover up" the issue.  The public has a right to know.

MaryAnn

----- Original Message -----
From: Lenny Siegel
Date: Friday, May 28, 2010 1:50 pm
Subject: [CPEO-BIF] Privacy vs. the public's right to know
To: Brownfields Internet Forum

 > At the Rogersville, Missouri TCE contamination site, the
 > location of
 > impacted private wells is being kept private, to anonymize the
 > exact
 > locations of impacted homes. Though to my knowledge there is no
 > vapor
 > intrusion investigation underway in Rogersville, this approach
 > is
 > routinely followed at vapor intrusion investigations across the
 > country,
 > as well. In an editorial today, the Springfield newspaper
 > questioned
 > that practice.
 >
 > What do you think?
 >
 > Lenny
 >
 > *****
 >
 >
 >
 >
 > DNR should give locations of wells with TCE
 >
 >
 > Editorial
 > Springfield News-Leader (MO)
 > May 28, 2010
 >
 > Concerns over property values shouldn't trump the Sunshine Law.
 >
 > Think of it like a series of burglaries. Or sinkholes. Or lead
 > migrating
 > from an abandoned mine.
 >
 > If you lived nearby, you'd want to know as much detail as
 > possible about
 > all those problems, wouldn't you?
 >
 > The state Department of Natural Resources doesn't see it that way.
 >
 > The agency is refusing to release addresses of several wells
 > near
 > Rogersville -- even though they show the presence of a commonly
 > used
 > degreaser known to cause cancer in certain animals.
 >
 > ...
 >
 >
 > For the entie editorial, see
 > http://www.news-
 > leader.com/article/20100528/OPINIONS01/5280314/DNR-should-give-
 > locations-of-wells-with-TCE
 >
 > --
 >
 >
 > Lenny Siegel
 > Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
 > a project of the Pacific Studies Center
 > 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
 > Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
 > Fax: 650/961-8918
 >
 > http://www.cpeo.org
 >
 >
 >
 > _______________________________________________
 > Brownfields mailing list
 > Brownfields@lists.cpeo.org
 > http://lists.cpeo.org/listinfo.cgi/brownfields-cpeo.org
 >


--


Lenny Siegel
Executive Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
a project of the Pacific Studies Center
278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org


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