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Welcome to www.dante7.com. The personal web site of Dante Picciano and friends.
EPA REVIEWING CANCER RISKS OF FLY ASH
September 7, 2007 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice stating that it is reviewing whether a hazardous waste label or new controls are needed for fly ash created as a byproduct of fossil fuel combustion. The EPA issued the notice seeking public comment on its review (Notice of Data Availability on the Disposal of Coal Combustion Wastes in Landfills and Surface Impoundments). The notice indicates that fly ash generated by power plants and industry and placed in landfills or surface impoundments could cause toxic water pollution and high risks of cancer if it is not properly managed. A separate notice will be issued by the U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Surface Mining, for developing standards for the placement of fly ash in coal mines. Experts have warned that stepped-up air pollution requirements will increase both the amount and potential hazards of fly ash and other wastes from coal –burning power plants. Industry generates about 120 million tons of fly ash and related wastes annually nationwide. The EPA reported that arsenic, thallium and other hazardous compounds in mismanaged landfills and surface impoundments can create serious hazards. Cancer risks from arsenic-tainted groundwater around large, wet fly ash impoundments can rise to more that 600 times the current EPA "level of concern" for arsenic. In all, the agency reported that there are risks for arsenic, barium, boron, cadmium, cobalt, lead, selenium thallium that exceed "levels of concern." I hope this information proves to be educational for the Coaldale councilman and others who believe that the hazards associated with fly ash are exaggerated. It will be interesting to see how the operators of the coal-fired cogeneration plants and the proposed coal-to-oil plant react to the information. It is obvious that this information will be putting a serious dent in the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's "beneficial use" program. For further information, you may contact Alexander Livnat, Office of Solid Waste (5306P), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20460-0002, telephone (703) 308-7251, e-mail address: livnat.alexander@epa.gov. Letter by, The following letter is from John Schickram, the write-in candidate for Schuylkill County Commissioner. John submitted the letter to all local newspapers but, to date, none has published it. GOVERNMENT WASTE
Posted - September 13, 2007 Recently, I read an article on Bloomberg.com that detailed the waste of taxpayer money at the federal level. A small South Carolina parts supplier collected about $20.5 million over six years from the Pentagon for fraudulent shipping costs, including $998,798 for sending two 19-cent washers to an Army base in Texas. The company also billed and was paid $455,009 to ship three machine screws costing $1.31 each to U.S. Marines in Iraq and $293,451 to ship an 89-cent split washer to Patrick Air Force Base in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The wasteful spending of taxpayer money is not limited to the U.S. military but is rampant throughout the federal government. In fact, the wasteful spending is rampant throughout the state and county governments. At the state level, I noticed that our roads and bridges are badly in need of repair. However, nothing is being done about these problems that impact all residents of Pennsylvania. Instead, our state government is spending our tax money for a new stadium for the Pittsburgh Penguins and for the Comcast Center in Philadelphia, not to mention the $880 million for the Philadelphia Convention Center. These projects supply hundreds of millions of dollars for the wealthy owners and little, if anything, for the vast majority of Pennsylvania residents. The owners of these businesses just happen to be significant campaign contributors to our governor. Likewise, our elected officials are wasting taxpayer money at the county level. For example, in Schuylkill County, we have spending abuses in the mental health/mental retardation program; we have unnecessary spending for consultants on county projects; and we have unnecessary administrators and assistant administrators throughout county government. We can start to correct these spending abuses by electing federal, state and county officials who will vote against such waste of taxpayer money. It is obvious to me that some current officeholders are part of the problem and we should do what we can to elect more responsible officials.
Posted - September 20, 2007 Senate Bill 142 is entitled "Establishing the Biosolids Land Application Study Commission." The bill is sponsored by Senator Jim Rhoades (R- 29th District) and co-sponsored by Senator Ray Musto (D-14th District). Our personal experiences have taught us to be suspicious of any environmental legislation from Rhoades or Musto. We must be extra suspicious when both are sponsors. This bill seeks to establish a committee to "conduct a study relating to the application of biosolids to land in this Commonwealth, including whether such application is harmful to the environment or public health." Biosolids are defined as sewage sludge. There are 19 positions on the committee and all are given to political appointments or members of groups having an interest in sludge dumping. For example, one position is given to the Secretary of Environmental Protection. In this example, the position is both a political appointment and a member of a group having an interest in sludge dumping. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) is a prime sponsor of sludge dumping in the state. Other political positions are given to the Secretary of Health, Secretary of Agriculture, the director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the executive director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. The Pennsylvania Senate and the House of Representatives leadership also appoint two positions each. The Governor appoints ten positions for members having an interest in sludge dumping: Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Pennsylvania Coal Association, Pennsylvania State Grange, Citizens Advisory Council, a biosolids generator, a statewide watershed association, a municipal wastewater manager, Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities, and Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors. Several of these groups are worthy of note. Every member of the Citizens Advisory Council is a political appointment and many of its members have strong industry ties. Most statewide watershed associations receive funding grants from the PA DEP or other state agencies. There are no positions on the committee for people impacted by the sludge dumping but there is a position for the Pennsylvania Coal Association! Furthermore, and there are no independent scientists or health professionals on the committee. The bill is designed to create a committee to whitewash the environmental and public health dangers of sludge dumping. There is zero objectivity on this committee. The committee will conduct its study and give a clean bill of health to sludge dumping. We are willing to bet that this bill was written by industry lobbyists and given to Jim Rhoades with instructions to introduce. Several industry groups, including the Pennsylvania Coal Association, are contributors to Jim Rhoades's campaigns. We are fond of quoting Abraham Lincoln who said, "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time." Senator Rhoades cannot fool us anymore. Senate Bill 142 is legislative garbage and we want all the people to know it. The Senator should remember that there are a lot more people in the 29th District who are being harmed by exposure to sewage sludge than there are political appointments or members of groups having an interest in sludge dumping. FREE ENTERPRISE VERSUS CORPORATE WELFARE
Posted - September 24, 2007 The dictionary defines free enterprise as an economic system in which private business operates in competition and largely free of state control. Free enterprise is another term for capitalism. In contrast, corporate welfare is defined as government support or subsidy of private business, such as by tax incentives. Corporate welfare is really socialism for the elite. We have been taught that free enterprise or capitalism is the reason for the economic success of the United States over the past two centuries. However, there is much evidence to show that the free enterprise system is dying and that the corporate welfare system is thriving. Here is how the system really works: A politically connected company makes some campaign contributions to some politicians and in return the politicians provide loan guarantees or other support or subsidies for the company. Free enterprise is not part of the present system. It is corporate welfare for the friends of the politicians. PPL is a publicly traded utility. The company has record profits and its stock is near an all-time high. Not content with record profits, PPL is raising consumer rates now and is planning on additional rate increases by as much as 30 per cent when government caps are removed. In June, PPL sent a letter informing the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission that it may apply for a license for a third nuclear reactor at its Susquehanna plant. By any standard, PPL is thriving economically. Now we learn that PPL will not build the third nuclear reactor unless the U.S. Congress provides government loan guarantees for the construction. PPL claims that without the guarantees it will not be able to secure the necessary financing. WMPI Pty, LLC is a company planning to build a coal-to-liquid fuel plant in Schuylkill County. The company proposes to turn waste coal into oil but two things stand in its way. First, the U.S. Department of Energy must determine the extent of the project's potential adverse impact on the environment and second, the company is seeking loan guarantees from the government for the $800 million project (see Gasification plants wait on subsidies: www.republicanherald.com. Corporate welfare is alive and well. Governor Ed Rendell has proposed an alternative energy plan for Pennsylvania. Part of the plan would provide $106 million for venture capital, grants and loans for the expansion of energy companies and $500 million for clean energy projects, such as burning waste coal! The Rendell plan is nothing more than a new subsidy program, doling out corporate welfare payments to politically connected corporations and throwing taxpayer money at inefficient or unproven solutions. The free market should be allowed to dictate practicable solutions, not government subsidies for politically connected companies. We can end the corporate welfare system by voting out all incumbents, the politicians who created the system for their corporate contributors. We have the power if we would just use it. We must do three things. First, we must register to vote and get our friends to register to vote. Second, we must then vote on Election Day and third, we must vote out all incumbents, the politicians who made the corporate welfare laws. If we do these three things, we can begin to take back our system of government from the politically connected corporations and return it to the people. Mike Polyak DEPT. OF HEALTH COVER-UP OF POLYCYTHEMIA VERA STUDY BEGINS
Posted - September 26, 2007 The following newspaper article appeared in the Pottsville Republican-Herald on September 26, 2007. Release of polycythemia vera findings on hold State Department of Health wants opportunity to examine data. By Shawn A. Hessinger Saturday was supposed to be PV Day, as in polycythemia vera. However, a tentative public meeting to release findings from at least 72 reported cases of a rare blood disease in Schuylkill, Carbon and Luzerne counties by the federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry, a sister agency to the Center for Disease Control, has been delayed. "Bottom line the release will not be until some time in October," Vince Seaman, a toxicologist with the federal agency, said on Monday. The disease causes an increase in the production of red blood cells and a cause has not yet been determined. A tentative meeting planned for 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at Best Western Genetti Inn & Suites, Hazleton, will not be held. State officials said Tuesday release of data by the federal agency would be "premature" until the Pennsylvania Department of Health was given the opportunity to examine the data. "The department just wanted an opportunity to adequately review the information," spokeswoman Stacy Kriedeman said. Concern over the disease arose in June 2004 when a Carbon County environmental group reported that three people and possibly a fourth had contracted the disease locally. The cases were reported along Ben Titus Road, Rush Township, rekindling concern about the environmental and health impacts of a nearby controversial Superfund site. Although declassified in 2001 from the federal Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund list of the nation's most serious uncontrolled or hazardous waste sites, the former McAdoo Associates site, just off Route 309 south of McAdoo, still concerns local residents. Before its closure by federal officials in 1979 for a variety of environmental issues, the site, a little more than a mile north of Be n Titus Road, operated as an industrial recycler, extracting metals from waste sludge. However, between 1981 and 1982, federal authorities removed 6,790 drums of hazardous waste from the property and critics and community leaders allege other hazardous wastes were also dumped into underground mine workings beneath the site. Federal authorities agreed to look into concerns related to Polycythemia Vera specifically in September 2006 after meeting with environmental advocates and health professionals who shared collected data and concerns over the issue. But Seaman said in December no documented cause for the disorder has yet been determined, making it hard to draw such connections between the disease and the environment. Among data collected were blood samples from 90 percent of those interviewed to attempt to identify a genetic marker indicating a mutation believed to trigger the disease, said Seaman. He said efforts will also be made to use information provided during interviews with subjects to determine whether they share a common environmental exposure or other factor that might account for the disease. That will include the use of Geographic Information System technology to determine whether those afflicted share any geographic commonalities that might explain the illness. An earlier story indicated that 25 cases of polycythemia vera were expected in the study and that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) actually found 97 cases or almost four times the expected number of cases. We are now hearing that the ATSDR will be reporting 72 cases or almost a tripling of the number of expected cases. Obviously, either number is alarming. The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) doesn't want the results of this study made public. First, the PA DOH failed twice to detect an almost tripling or quadrupling of the incidence of polycythemia vera in this area. The PA DOH issued reports on September 20, 2004 and January 18, 2006. Second, such results, on the heels of the recently released coal ash study http://www.pennnet.com by the Clean Air Task Force and EarthJustice, casts serious doubts about Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's "beneficial use" program for coal ash. We are hearing that the heads of the Pennsylvania Department of Heath and the Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) are meeting in State College to discuss ways to dismiss the results of the polycythemia vera study. Our sources tell us that the PA DOH and the PA DEP will try to blame exposure to radon gas in this area as the cause for the increase in the number of cases of polycythemia vera. Since radon is a naturally occurring gas, industry cannot be blamed for the problem. However, radon exposure will not fly as an out for the PA DOH or the PA DEP. We have enough data that strongly indicate that radon gas is not a significant factor for the cause of the increase in polycythemia vera. We will wait until the PA DOH and the PA DEP come out with their ridiculous radon theory before we release our information. Stay tuned for more information on the PA DOH cover-up of the polycythemia vera study. |
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