A coalition of community, environmental and faith leaders on Nov. 6, 2026, called for the Town of Niagara area to be added to the federal Superfund program after the release of EPA soil-test results from the home of Lexi Hawk and Trevor Bradley.
The coalition, including Save Our Backyards WNY, said the results showed elevated levels of radioactive materials and other chemicals. It called for testing and possible relocation efforts involving more than 1,000 properties, an elementary school and the McKiernan property.
Michael Ketterer, a retired Northern Arizona University chemistry professor and environmental radioactivity researcher, said he reviewed EPA results from 18 soil samples at the Hawk property.
“Five of the 18 soil samples exhibit what could reasonably be considered extreme elevations in the radionuclides thorium-232 and uranium-238,” Ketterer said. “Thorium-232 is elevated by a factor of 60 to 200, compared to the normal Earth’s crust, while the uranium-238 activities in the same samples are elevated by factors of 10 to 40.”
He said the radium, thorium and uranium levels were high compared with guidelines used by the EPA, the Department of Energy and states at sites containing naturally occurring radioactive material. He said the concentrations could pose hazards involving radon inhalation, gamma radiation and the ingestion or inhalation of radioactive material from contaminated soil or dust.
“People need to be kept away from this radioactive sand material, and this sand material needs to be kept apart from people,” Ketterer said.
The coalition said EPA and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation withheld the results for more than three months and provided them to one family two days after Election Day. It also said residents at more than 1,000 other properties had not received written results for tests conducted as early as July.
Hawk said she received the EPA results after the delay and was concerned about the effect of contamination on her family.
“I am terrified and devastated about how highly radioactive my property is,” Hawk said. “These soil sample results put the terrifying truth into black and white, and there’s no more denying it!”
Carolyn Johnson, whose family was relocated and is awaiting written test results, said residents need protection and accountability from state and federal agencies. Debbie Walk, who is awaiting test results, said she had used an independent radiation detector and questioned whether all potential hotspots on her property had been tested.
Kellie Motyka and Jackie Linkowski, whose families were relocated and who are awaiting written results, also described concerns about the testing process and delays in receiving information. Linkowski said her home had been tested for thoron in July and that her family was still waiting for the results.
Jocelyn McKiernan, who is seeking relocation from a property near the Love Canal waste site, said her 4-year-old son attends Prince of Peace Elementary School, which is being tested for radioactive contamination. The coalition said a 1986 federal aerial survey identified the school as a radioactive hot spot.
McKiernan said she was escorted from the school after asking to speak with the principal about the contamination concerns.
“We are absolutely disgusted that instead of transparency for the parents we were met with a security guard more concerned about our family speaking to the news rather than the health and safety of the children, the staff, the parents, and even himself,” McKiernan said.
Attorney Christen Civiletto, author of Thundering Waters: The Toxic Legacy of Niagara Falls, said federal and state authorities had known about radiological contamination at the school, formerly Prince of Peace, for 42 years. Civiletto said contamination levels there were as high as nine times background and that authorities told her in 2006 that the site had been remediated.
“It is time for accountability. Enough is enough,” Civiletto said.
The Rev. Merle Showers, a retired United Methodist clergy member and leader in the Interfaith Climate Community of Western New York, also called for government action and said residents should not have to ask officials to protect them from potential hazards.
