EPA Questions That Need Answers!
An Open Invitation to the Scientific Community of Haverford Township (9/1/2006)
(Based on a Presentation made to the Haverford Township Commissioners 8/7/2006)
My name is Vito Punzi, and I have been a resident of Haverford Township since 1980. I have an earned doctorate in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Environmental Engineering, I am a licensed Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and have nearly 35 years of industrial, consulting, and academic experience, with a substantial portion of my career spent dealing with environmental engineering issues.
There has been mention in the recent past that Dr. Michael Levin is an “island” whose beliefs regarding the science at the Superfund site do no represent the opinion of the scientific community as a whole. While well-informed scientists may not unanimously agree on all of the technical issues surrounding the remediation of a Superfund site, and while they may not always agree on the approach to be used to convince the EPA to take a more aggressive approach to the remediation of a Superfund site, you should know Dr. Levin and I absolutely agree that Haverford Township has the right to expect more of a clear and scientifically rigorous explanation from the Federal EPA officials who are handling the Superfund site, detailing exactly what has happened, is happening and will be occurring at the Superfund site. Simply stated, Dr. Levin and I want good science to take place at the Superfund site. I also firmly believe the Board of Commissioners want the same.
I participated as a member of the Environmental Advisory Committee in the mid-1990s and believed then the scientific information available would have supported the Township seeking a better remediation plan for the Superfund than the one selected. Mr. McGarrity among others will attest to my participation and the many presentations I made then to the Township Board of Commissioners. Since the remedial action was selected and put in place in the mid-1990s, I have chosen not to voice my opinion at Board meetings although I have remained informed and concerned since that time as to the progress at the Superfund site.
On November 17, 2005 the EPA held a community meeting within the Township to discuss the August 2005 Five Year Review performed for the site. I appeared at that meeting and made a presentation that included a number of scientific questions that were either summarily dismissed without an answer, given a superficial response, or for which I was promised responses that I never received. For the past year, there has been an ongoing dialogue within the community as to the current happenings at the Superfund site, and now a year later, much of the community and Township governance still is unaware of the contents of that report and what will be happening in the future at that site, and the Federal EPA officials have not been challenged to do what they are required by law to do.
At the August 7, 2006 Commissioners meeting, I made a suggestion that the Board of Commissioners approved that allows the formation of an ad-hoc Committee comprised of appropriately credentialed members of the scientific community within the Township (which would include private citizens, and members of Township committees such as the EAC, if they chose to participate), to develop a series of Questions regarding the current status of the Superfund site and to request the EPA provide answers in a timely manner that not only satisfy a rigorous review by the scientific community, but do so in a way that every Township Commissioner, the Township Manager’s Office, the Codes Enforcement Office and every member of the EAC, understands what is going on and can answer questions from the community and the township government in an informed manner.
| Haverford 311 |
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Board of Commissioners Meeting |
Monday, November 13 |
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