Michigan's Department
of Environmental Quality and the Department of Community Health
Are Attempting to Suppress Vital Scientific Information about
Dioxin Levels in Midland.
|
For
Immediate Release:
January 22, 2002
|
Contact:
Dave Dempsey (517) 487 9539
or Diane Herbert (989) 832-1694
|
Documents
LANSING
- A Freedom of Information
Act request has uncovered documents that show that Michigan's
Department of Environmental Quality's Director (DEQ), Russ
Harding and James Haveman, Director of the Department of Community
Health (MDCH), are attempting to withhold key draft recommendations
made by the federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). The ATSDR public health assessment was conducted
last year at the request of environmentalists concerned about
the levels of dioxin released by the Dow Chemical Company
plant in Midland, MI.
Dave Dempsey of
the Michigan Environmental Council (MEC) said he has also
received documents that indicate that Director Harding has
"personally intervened" to override the recommendations
of his own staff scientists as well in order to weaken the
state's dioxin standard.
"Director Harding
is seeking to ignore the preponderance of scientific evidence
which is driving the United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) to toughen standards to protect the public from
dioxin in order to benefit Dow Chemical Company," says
Dempsey. The Ecology Center's Director of Environmental Health,
Tracey Easthope argues that "Harding's actions on this
matter are a betrayal of the public trust."
The MEC along with
the Ecology Center, the Lone Tree Council, and Environmental
Health Watch warn that Harding's meeting today (January 22,
2002) with James Haveman, Director of the Department of Community
Health, (DCH) is a further attempt to suppress the recommendations
of the ATSDR.
The organizations
are calling on Harding and Haveman to use today's meeting
to demonstrate a new commitment to the people of Midland and
the state by responding to the recommendations of DEQ staff
scientists, and to the weight of scientific evidence. They
are asking them to tighten dioxin standards in accordance
with scientific evidence and:
* Release the
staff recommendations made in the ATSDR assessments of health
risks in Midland.
* Act on the recommendations in accordance with the duty of
public health protection.
* Cease to interfere with efforts to sample areas downstream
of the Dow Midland facility to determine dioxin levels.
* Refrain from weakening dioxin cleanup standards to benefit
corporation rather than the public that you are sworn to protect.
* Directors Harding and Haveman are being urged to take these
actions in order to help restore public confidence in their
agencies.
The Michigan Environmental Council,
based in Lansing, is a statewide coalition of over 50 environmental,
public health, and faith-based organizations working together
to protect the environment. Based in Ann Arbor, the Ecology
Center is a regional, environmental organization which works
for clean air, safe water and environmental justice. The Lone
Tree Council of Bay City works for the environmental quality
of the Saginaw Bay watershed. Environmental Health Watch is
a community-based group in Midland, MI.
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