[CPEO-IRF] South Weymouth (MA) -- No Ecological Risk??????????

[Lenny Siegel <lennysiegel@gmail.com>]

From: DCatbird37@aol.com

The following was sent to involved Environmental Protection Agency 
regulators in response to the unjust approval of a recent Navy finding 
of "No Ecological Risk" in categorizing a toxic stream downstream from 
multiple "Superfund" designated sites on the former South Weymouth Naval 
Air Station. It is my firm contention that our "Protectors" are 
unleashing morally irresponsible Public Environmental Health Burdens on 
an in most part unknowing, former host community, public.

Subject: No Ecological Risk??????????
From: DCatbird37@aol.com
Date: Thu, 23 Aug 2007 15:37:35 EDT


Hello,
    I've just finished reading the handout Mike Bromberg brought me 
from the last RAB meeting. Had I been there, I would have been hard 
pressed not to become unruly.

    This approval of environmental and ecological soundness is just 
plain wrong and how the Federal Environmental Protection Agency doesn't 
see this clearly is beyond me.

   Does the Agency employ capable biologists to take a look at the 
rudimentary studies that have been performed?
   As a local amateur naturalist, I can say the "Tissue Samples" map of 
collected biological receptors is in itself, a page in the presentation 
that was given, that illustrates completely how this Ecological Risk 
Assessment fails the public.

   The West Branch of Frenches Stream study is completely irresponsible.

   With the exception of two pickerel, all living test 
subjects(amphibian,invertebrate, and mammal) were collected upstream of 
the WestGate Landfill(WGL) Superfund site. I'm not really surprised as 
subjects of study would be very hard to find downstream of WGL.

   Perhaps you were satisfied with the two, in all probability very 
young, redfin pickerel.
   The map "Tissue Samples" shows the collection site of the first 
pickerel right at the outlet of Thompson's Pond in Abington, where I 
have firsthand knowledge, a pickerel population exists.

   The pickerel located in Frenches Stream were without doubt in the 
toxically degraded Frenches Stream because the pair ran up there to 
escape hungry, older half-siblings and parents. It is well known 
pickerel can become very cannibalistic when crowding occurs. Thompson's 
Pond has evidently reached a population dynamic that forces some young 
into escape. Unfortunately for them the only escape route is the outlet 
east to the degraded Frenches Stream. The second fish found  what 
appears to be a couple hundred feet downstream from the Thompson''s Pond 
outlet, can easily be explained to me by the tenacity of the pickerel, 
who not only swims fast, but is known capable of tolerating very acidic 
water conditions(PH=3.8).

   All this Ecological Risk Assessment shows me, is how irresponsibly 
it was conducted.
  " No Ecological Risk". A preposterous finding !

   Please insist on further studies downstream of WGL.

   Bryan etal, this is pure injustice. Please rectify it.

                        thank you,

                        Dave Wilmot
                        Abington, Ma.






--


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 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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