Elevated benzene levels and other air quality concerns presented last month by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation could soon be under review by the Erie County Health Department.
After reviewing data that showed the area has substantially higher than normal rates of the carcinogen benzene in the air, Legislator Michele Iannello told the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York she’d work to get the health department involved. On Thursday, she took the first step in that process by offering up a resolution to have the health department review the DEC’s findings.
Co-sponsored by Majority Leader Maria Whyte, D-Buffalo, who represents the nearby Riverside neighborhood, the resolution suggests that a health study be undertaken to determine if the air quality is affecting the health of Kenmore, Tonawanda and North Buffalo residents. Specifically, the lawmakers hope to see if instances of cancer in the neighborhoods adjacent to the industrial polluters along the River Road corridor is higher than the average in Western New York.
“What we want to do is bring in the appropriate parties to see, now that we have these documented levels, at what point the health department gets involved,” Iannello said. “If this is that point, we need to know what the next steps will be.”
The resolution was sent to the Health and Human Services committee for further discussion.
The legislature also made a unanimous attempt to postpone a $5.3 million payment to New York State, due in March. The intergovernmental transfer payment has been a sticking point in budget talks, with neither County Executive Chris Collins nor the legislature including it in the document.
Collins is planning negotiations with the Erie County Medical Center to eliminate the expense, but there are no guarantees. Whyte said the legislature is hopeful the state will reschedule the payment for 2012, since there are equal payments already due in 2010 and 2011.
“Who knows, Madame Chair, what they’ll do,” Whyte said addressing Chairwoman Lynn Marinelli, D-Town of Tonawanda. “But there’s no harm in asking.”
Contact reporter Daniel Pye at 693-1000, ext. 158.
Local News
December 4, 2008
ERIE COUNTY: Legislature looks into air quality concerns
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