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OBG PRESENTS:
Love Canal – History & ObservationsDavid J. Wilson CIH (1979-2013) July 2017
AGENDAHistory to 1978
Events 1978 to 1985
Remedial Actions
Habitability Studies
Health Studies
Repopulation
Personal Observations
Reflections
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Love Canal History to 1978
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Niagara Falls, NY late 1890s
William T. Love Model City proposal
Canal to generate DC Power for Model City
Canal from upper to lower Niagara River
Canal 100 feet wide and 22 feet deep
Introduction of AC power preference killed project
Financial backers withdrew funding - Project abandoned ~1900
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William T. Love Power Canal
Canal 3,000 feet long, 100 feet wide, & 22 feet deep
Canal dug 1,500 feet from Niagara River
Project abandoned ~1900
Used for recreation until the 1940s
Hooker Chemical, US Military & City of NF used canal for waste disposal from 1943 to 1953
21,800 Tons chemical waste
Love CanalHistory…
1953 to 1972
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1953
Soil cover placed on canal
NF & NF Board of Education requested
title to property
Sold by Hooker for $1, with written restrictions
• Warning about buried chemicals
• DO NOT build on or next to the canal
Three blocks (Tier 1) constructed directly
around canal
99th Street School build 1954 on middle block
1957 School Board sold land to developer
Tier 1 total of 99 homes on first and third blocks
• 230 Adults
• 134 Children
1972 - Tier 1-4 Residential structures completed• 800 Single family homes
• 240 Low income apartments
Tier 1-4 EDA Location Map
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Tier 1-4 Building Location Map
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First & Second Blocks of Love Canal
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First Block of Love Canal
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Sheens on house basement sump water surfaces
Mid 1970sOdors detected from canal
Drums surfacing in canal area
LOV
E C
AN
AL
HIS
TOR
YCanal cover soils sinking
1976Calspan Corp. conducts survey and recommendations: Place a clay cap on canal fill area Seal house basement sumps Install tile drainage along canal
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Love Canal Events1978 – 1985
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LOV
E C
AN
AL
EVEN
TS
April 1978NF Newspaper article series on hazardous wastes
NYSDOH issues first of three orders Remove exposed drums Limit access to canal site “Other actions to abate public nuisance”
LC Residents express concern to NYSDOH
NYSDOH confirms public health hazard at LC
May 1978NYSDOH meets with LC residents
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LOV
E C
AN
AL
EVEN
TS
June - August 1978NYSDOH collects basement air samples from homes on 97th and 99th
Streets
Ring 1 homes (99) border Love Canal Ring 2 homes (124) across the street from Ring 1 homes
Test parameters Chloroform Trichloroethylene Tetrachloroethylene Chlorobenzene Chlorotoluene
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LOV
E C
AN
AL
EVEN
TS
Sample results
RING 1 RING 2
Free of Chemicals 5% 55%One Chemical 16% 30%Two Chemicals 40% 12%Three Chemicals 30% 3%> Three Chemicals 9% 0
1978 – 1980
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1978 – 1980
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1978 – 1980
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LOV
E C
AN
AL
EVEN
TS Abate pollution is upper ground water Close the 99th Street Elementary School Conduct a chronic illness study of LC residents Delineate boundary of toxic effects Determine extent of leachate migration Identify ground water contaminants Relocate pregnant women & children <2 years old who are in Tiers 1, 2 and Eastern section of 3 Do not use basements Do not eat home grown foods
August 2, 1978NYSDOH issues second of three orders
August 7, 1978President Carter orders funds to move 239 families (Tiers 1 & 2) and demolish homes
Other families told they were not at risk
1978 – 1980
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LOV
E C
AN
AL
EVEN
TS
August 1978Love Canal Homeowners Association (LCHA) established 500 Families Lois Gibbs Organizer and President
January 1979All Tier 1 & 2 residents temporarily relocated & 232 house purchase agreements signed
February 1979Health study compiled by LCHA Elevated birth defects Urinary tract disorders Study dismissed by NYSDOH Protests & letter writing NYSDOH reverses decision and agrees with results
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LOV
E C
AN
AL
EVEN
TS
February 8, 1979NYSDOH issues third of three orders Expand study areas to Tiers 3 & 4 Expand area to relocate pregnant women and children <2 years old Identify pathways of contamination via sewers & underground utilities
September 8, 1979300 Additional families temporarily moved as a result of exposures during clean-up activities
October 1979Three resident relocation programs in progress Permanent relocation of Tier 1 & 2 residents Temporary relocation 33 of 49 eligible pregnant women and children < 2 years old Temporary relocation of 91 families with illness associated with remedial construction activities
1978 – 1980
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LOV
E C
AN
AL
EVEN
TS
November 1979Site remedial construction completed, funding for temporary housing terminated by NYS
May 17, 1980EPA study reports chromosomal damage
“What we’ve done here today will like a Sesame Street picnic compared to what we’ll do then.”- Lois Gibbs
May 19, 1980LC Residents “detain” 2 EPA reps.
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LOV
E C
AN
AL
EVEN
TS Provide aid to temporarily relocate all remaining residents ~700 families Establish the Emergency Declaration Area (EDA)
May 22, 1980Governor requests and Pres. Carter issues 2nd emergency order
October 1980Federal Government evacuated all families from Tiers 3 & 4
November 1980State / federal buyout program started
Environmental Disease Registry Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980,
aka “Superfund”
May 22, 1980US Government issues new legislation to facilitate health data collection
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LOV
E C
AN
AL
EVEN
TS Create Love Canal Medical Trust Fund (LCMTF) Funding of $1 MM by Occidental Chemical Corporation Provide medical expenses for 1328 plaintiffs Covers medical problems reasonably associated with site exposure
December 1983NYS Supreme Court approves medical settlement agreement
Administer the LCMTF Court approves all expenditures Section 501 (c)(4) tax exempt status
January 1985NYS Supreme Court established not-for-profit Love Canal Medical Fund Inc.
Remedial Actions
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October 1978Barrier drains installed 12 to 20 feet depth
December 1979Leachate treatment operational Two pumping stations to one treatment tank Treat up to 200 gpm (recorded peak flows ~50 gpm)
July 19803 foot clay cap over 22 acres
June 1983Tier 1 homes and the 99th Street School demolished
REM
IDIA
L A
CTI
ON
SInstalled 170 deep & shallow monitoring wells
1978 –1980
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1985NYSDEC installed 40-acre synthetic cap covered with 8 inches soil, and grass seeded
October 28, 1987EPA ROD for temporary storage 15,000 yd³ soil 10,000 yd³ construction material
1987 – 198914,000 yd³ dredged from Black & Bergholtz creeks
September 26, 1988EPA ROD to excavate 7,500 yd³ soil from school yard for on-site treatment and burial
REM
IDIA
L A
CTI
ON
S1986-198768,000 lineal feet storm & sanitary sewers cleaned and inspected
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EPA SARA requires 5-year reviews and reports for locations that store hazardous waste on site
August 1999Last of 39,000 yd³ waste materials send out for disposal Thermal destruction Deer Park, TX and Originate Mountain, UT Landfill Grassy Mountain, UT
January 15, 2014Third review report published by EPA
REM
IDIA
L A
CTI
ON
S
2004EPA removes Love Canal from Superfund List
Currently 153 active monitoring wells 132 overburden 21 bedrock
NO ISSUESAll systems working per design
September 199293rd Street School demolished
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Habitability Studies
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1982EPA assessment of air, water & soil for future use US Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) reviews study for habitability of area DHHS determines the area is habitable, provided the sewers and drains are cleaned
August 1983EPA establishes Technical Review Committee (TRC) with reps. from EPA, DHHS, CDC, NYSDOH, & NYSDEC
December 1986 TRC adopts “Love Canal Emergency Declaration Area Proposed Habitability Criteria” using air & soil chemical substance measurement parameters
HA
BIT
AB
ILIT
Y S
TUD
IES
June 1982Congressional Office of Technology Assessment did not agree with DHHS report as the data did not support their conclusion
Love Canal Emergency Declaration Area Proposed Habitability Criteria
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Only guideline available for soil was CDC’s dioxin level of 1 ppb
Air guideline selected known site chemicals designated as Love Canal Indicator Chemicals (LCICs)
Chlorobenzene
2-chlorotoluene
4-chlorotoluene
Measured levels to be compared to similar neighborhoods outside EDA
Habitability Studies
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1986 & 1987Habitability soil sampling completed One out of 2,274 samples detected dioxin > 1ppb Sample point east of former school site detected 17 to 21 ppb
HA
BIT
AB
ILIT
Y S
TUD
IES
September 1988 NYSDOH finished five year Habitability Study EDA sections 4 to 7 designated “as habitable as other areas of Niagara Falls” Refused to declare these areas as safe EDA sections 1 to 3 designated not suitable for residences, but suitable for commercial
or industrial use
July to December 1987 Habitability air sampling completed 562 out of 606 houses sampled One house located on 98th Street in Tier 4 contained chlorobenzene at 3.4 ppb
in ground floor, none detected in basement
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Health Studies
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December 20, 1983Lawsuit by 1,328 LC residents against Occidental Chemical Corporation settled for ~$20 million
HEA
LTH
STU
DIE
S
1995USDOH for EPA received a $3 million settlement with Occidental Chemical Corporation to fund follow-up health studies US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to administer studies ATSDR selected NYSDOH to conduct the study
1996NYSDOH developed ‘Love Canal Follow-up Health Studies” Background Community Report Mortality Community Report Cancer Study Community Report Reproductive Outcomes Community Report Blood Serum Investigation Community Report
NYSDOH LOVE CANAL FOLLOW-UP HEALTH STUDY:
Background Community Report
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Population basis were residents (or their children) interviewed 1978-1982 by NYSDOH (6,181)
One fourth were children in 1978-1980
Equal number of residents who lived or moved away from LC 1978-1982
Used residence distance from the canal to estimate exposures
Interviews 1978-1982 collected personal data, such as vocations and tobacco / alcohol use
Health data compared to three groups
• NY State (excluding NYC)
• Niagara County
• Love Canal residents
NYSDOH LOVE CANAL FOLLOW-UP HEALTH STUDY:
Mortality Community Report
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FINDINGS
No differences in rates or overall causes of death when compared to other groups Some differences in causes of death, (i.e. suicide or accidents) Increase in heart attacks when compared to NYS but similar to Niagara County
Records 1979 – 1996 for 6,029 former residents
Deaths compared to the three population groups
1979 – 1998
Observed vs “Expected” Deaths in Love Canal Group
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NYSDOH LOVE CANAL FOLLOW-UP HEALTH STUDY:
Cancer Study Community Report
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FINDINGS
No differences in rates or overall causes of death when compared to other groups
Records 1979 – 1996 for 5,052 former residents
Deaths compared to three groups
NYSDOH LOVE CANAL FOLLOW-UP HEALTH STUDY:
Reproductive Outcomes Community Report
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FINDINGS
No differences in patterns in births outcomes for most mothers Increase in pre-term births and low birth weights Suggestion of increases in congenital malformations in boys and fewer boys
when babies conceived when mothers were in EDA
Babies born to LC women 1960 – 1996
People who lived in site 1960 – 1980
NYSDOH LOVE CANAL FOLLOW-UP HEALTH STUDY:
Blood Serum Investigation Community Report
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Test for and measure serum levels of 8 chemicals identified in soil & water samples, also called Love Canal Indicator Chemicals (LCIC)
Identify samples as originating from children or adults when serum was collected
Determine any relationship with deaths or cancers
Study objectives
Samples collected 1978 and 1979 and frozen till 1999
Samples matched to 648 residents
292 samples usable and permission obtained
81 samples from deceased residents, no permission needed
Tested between 1999 and 2004
Sampling
NYSDOH LOVE CANAL FOLLOW-UP HEALTH STUDY:
Blood Serum
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Residents separated into categories to look for patterns based on residence location (Tier) and chronology
Eight categories
1942-1953
Canal open
1954-1980
Canal closed
Open canal Tiers 1&2 Children Tiers 1&2
Open canal Tiers 3&4 Children Tiers 3&4
Closed canal Tiers 1&2 Adults Tiers 1&2
Closed canal Tiers 3&4 Adults Tiers 3&4
Health Studies
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LCIC % of samples Low Mid High
(parts per billion)
1,2,4-trichlorobenzene 97% 3.3 73 6,300
beta-hexachlorocyclohexane 94% 8.6 77 7,300
1,2-dichlorobenzene 86% 6.4 130 1,800
gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane 49% 2.3 17 1,200
1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene 28% 1.3 38 450
delta-hexachlorocyclohexane 5% 8.4 110 250
alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane 4% 2.5 6.7 17
2-chloronaphthalene was not detected in any samples
Chemical Levels According to Where People Lived (midpoint)
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Residence Chemical Type (in parts per billion in blood fat)
1,2,4,TCB
1,2DCB
BetaHCH
Tier 1 477.3 150.3 78.7
Tier 2 316.5 225.3 83.3
Tier 3 42.2 76.7 76.3
Tier 4 34.5 44.4 80.5
Lived at Love Canalbefore blood draw
48.7 70.3 64.3
NYSDOH LOVE CANAL FOLLOW-UP HEALTH STUDY:
Blood Serum Findings
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Residents closest to canal had highest LCIC levels
Distance from canal to estimate exposure was valid for some LCICs
Highest serum levels of beta-HCH had somewhat higher rates of death & cancer
No relationship between serum levels of 1,2,4-TCB and 1,2-DCB for rates of death or cancer
Not sure that overall finding results are valid based on small number of cancers and deaths in 373 persons sampled
Repopulation
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September 1988NYSDOH finished a five year Habitability Study Portions of the former LC neighborhood were “as habitable as other areas of Niagara Falls” Refused to declare these areas as safe
REP
OP
ULA
TIO
N September 15, 1989Protests in Albany concerning moving people back to Love Canal area
January to April 1990 Meetings & protests to block resettlement of Tier 4 area
August 15, 1990Tier 4 area renamed Black Creek Village and 9 homes available for sale Tier 4 Tier 3 West, between 92nd and 93rd Streets
November 28, 1990 First family moved into new home
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REP
OP
ULA
TIO
N
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REP
OP
ULA
TIO
N
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Home sales slow as regional banks unwilling to provide mortgages
REP
OP
ULA
TIO
NApril 1992FHA agrees to provide mortgage insurance
June 22, 1994Occidental pays NYS $98 M for cleanup expenses
January 1995Occidental subsidiary Glenn Springs Holding assumes operations of waste treatment plant
Occidental pays $129 M to Federal government to cover cleanup costs $101 M costs $28 M interest
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REP
OP
ULA
TIO
NJuly 1998 EPA requests Niagara Falls to demolish the 63 remaining homes in the EDA
2004EPA removes Love Canal from Superfund List
2005Final law suit from initial site activities resolved (private settlement)
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REP
OP
ULA
TIO
N
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REP
OP
ULA
TIO
N LOVE CANAL RELOAD
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Sixteen sewer repair projects conducted, no contamination detected
REP
OP
ULA
TIO
N January 2011Sewer pipe rupture project at Colvin Blvd. & 96th Street Trench dug 50 feet long and 20 feet deep Exposes trichlorobenzene (TCB) in soil NYSDEC states not new leakage from landfill NYSDEC states TCB was result of a soil site missed in previous cleanup
November 2013Black Creek Homeowners identify adverse health effects, such as miscarriages, cysts, tumors, and lung disease Multiple families sue Occidental for $113 M Center for Health, Environment, & Justice located in Falls Church, VA (Lois Gibbs organization)
returns to area to join activists
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REP
OP
ULA
TIO
N
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REP
OP
ULA
TIO
NFebruary 201414 additional lawsuits ~1,000 plaintiffs Occidental Environmental engineering firms Environmental cleanup firms Plumbers
October 2, 2015NYSSC Appellant Division Dismisses part of lawsuit Restored full plaintiffs' complaint against 8 defendants Now need pre-trial discovery hearing Outlook is for a prolonged litigation process
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REP
OP
ULA
TIO
N April 2016 Orange substance oozing from soil at Niagara River dock area
May 2016Sewer backups with deposits/residues in basementsEPA and Niagara County DOH state no concern
July 2016Grass fire (30x50 yards) on Love Canal landfill site
For Real?
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Personal Observations
Personal Observations
June 1978: Phone call request from Stephen C. Kim, NYSDOH
Miniature Infra-red Analyzer (MIRAN) for VOCs
Calibrate for benzene detection
June 14 to 16, 1978 at Love Canal Site
Survey team members NYSDOH and NYSDEC
Measurements in ~10 houses, 99th Street School, and on landfill
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MIRAN Unit
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Back yard gardens
Personal Observations
Sump pump sampling
Basement wall construction
Black line
Above ground pool
Landfill surface
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Summation meeting
•Cinderblock
•Poured concrete
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Reflections
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To whom or what does one assign blame for the Love Canal incident?
A William T. Love
B Hooker Chemical
C City of Niagara Falls
D Niagara Falls Board of Education
?
OBG PRESENTS:OBG | THERE’S A WAY
Thank you!68
