[CPEO-BIF] Questions lingers about indoor air pollution near Brooklyn, New York's Gowanus Canal

[Lenny Siegel <LSiegel@cpeo.org>]

TWO MONTHS AFTER NEWS ABOUT INDOOR AIR POLLUTION IN GOWANUS CANAL AREA, QUESTIONS LINGER
Residents, officials and experts remain divided on the quality of indoor air at Gowanus businesses like Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club

By Mary Cunningham
Brooklyn Magazine (NY)
May 10, 2023

On a recent Thursday night, dozens of Gowanus residents filtered into the gym of P.S. 372 for a “Community Availability Session” hosted by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The scene resembled something of a science fair, with tables and info posters lined around the perimeter of the room. But instead of kid scientists behind the tables were DEC reps in green polos, there to discuss the 49 sites in Gowanus that are part of the Brownfield Cleanup and State Superfund programs. On one of the walls hung a bright red banner with “Respect and kindness for all!” written across it in bold black lettering.

Almost an hour into the event, everything seemed to be going according to DEC’s plan, when Joseph Alexiou, author of “Gowanus: Brooklyn’s Curious Canal,” took to the center of the room to face off with department officials.

“The DEC does not want a Q&A style session here because it will cover up the lies about the amount of coal tar under the ground,” he said, getting progressively louder as he went on. “I am tired of these meetings where you don’t just answer our goddamn questions.”

The crowd formed a circle around Alexiou and the DEC officials to watch the minutes-long encounter. “Why are you building here?” one person said. “Have a real meeting,” added another.


…

For the entire article, see
https://www.bkmag.com/2023/05/10/two-months-after-news-about-indoor-air-pollution-in-gowanus-canal-area-questions-linger/

—

Lenny Siegel
Executive Director
Center for Public Environmental Oversight
A project of the Pacific Studies Center
LSiegel@cpeo.org
P.O. Box 998, Mountain View, CA 94042
Voice/Fax: 650-961-8918
http://www.cpeo.org
Author: DISTURBING THE WAR: The Inside Story of the Movement to Get Stanford University out of Southeast Asia - 1965–1975 (See http://a3mreunion.org)

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