NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — A family and a national environmental group will hold a news conference Wednesday to demand protections for residents and voluntary temporary relocation while state investigators probe potentially contaminated material found at a property near Love Canal.
The Center for Health, Environment & Justice and homeowners Jocelyn and Dan McKiernan are scheduled to speak at 9 a.m. Oct. 28 at the gates of Love Canal on Colvin Boulevard. The meeting follows a revised investigation work plan dated Oct. 26 for the parcel at 1026 99th Street and the adjoining lot at 9903 Black Creek Drive.
The investigation plan includes a site-specific health and safety plan that identifies potential chemical hazards and outlines protective equipment, exposure controls and decontamination procedures for environmental workers, the group said.
The McKiernans have said they discovered industrial-looking fill materials while excavating their backyard earlier this year. The advisory lists the materials as ash, graphite rods, metal or slag and electrical components found beneath about four to six inches of topsoil.
CHEJ and the McKiernans are asking state and federal officials to explain what precautions are being taken to protect residents during the investigation, to allow voluntary temporary relocation for people who want it, and to evaluate whether the discovered material might be associated with historical Love Canal contamination or other industrial disposal.
Speakers at the Wednesday event will include Jackie Medcalf, executive director of CHEJ; Jocelyn McKiernan; and Dan McKiernan.
The advisory says the health and safety plan addresses potential exposures to metals and other contaminants. It does not include an assessment of health risk to residents; CHEJ and the family say they want a comprehensive investigation and clear protections while work continues.
