TESTIMONY FROM PUBLIC SCHOOL 65 QUEENS
OZONE PARK, NEW YORK
Katie Acton
Parent Advocate
To introduce
myself, I am Katie Acton, residing at 103-23 105th Street, Ozone
Park, Queens, NY 11417. I am married
with two daughters, ages 9 and 3.
Kaylyn Acton-Chadee, my nine-year old attended PS 65Q located at 103-22
99th Street, Ozone Park, NY 11417.
The principal is Mrs. Iris Nelson and can be reached at (718)
323-1685. The school falls under the
NYC Department of Education, District 27, superintended by Mr. Matthew
Bromme. Kaylyn was in fourth grade last
school year.
In May of 2002,
the Queens Forum published an article regarding the possible toxic condition
involving a subsurface plume of TriChloroEthylene that is located beneath the school and the immediate
environs. Several concerned parents did
come together to get answers to the unanswered. Since that time, the NYCDOE has retained external testers to test
the quality of air inside the school.
The results are doubtful. In
July if 2002, further tests were conducted outside the school involving the
groundwater and the soil. The results
were very alarming in that they were way above the “acceptable” limits.
Other events
have happened during this period. PS
65Q was suddenly labeled a “Title I” school and parents were offered to have
their children transferred to better performing schools within the
district. Those applications were
distributed in June 2002. The response
was negative for transfers at that time.
Transfers were suddenly approved in September 2002, right before school
reopened.
The NYCDOE met with parents
three times since May 2002, with the last meeting being on 08/29/2002. At the last meeting I attended, Congressman
Anthony Weiner was kind enough to appear on our behalf. He raised important
issues on the growth of the plume and it was confirmed that the plume is
growing and will grow upward. The
delegates also indicated that some measures were being taken to clean up the
environment. One involved the
installation of an air evaporating mechanism to release the pressure build up
below the school.
Another critical issue was
the financing of the clean up. It was
disclosed that negotiations were in progress with the Mother Company of the
dumpers of the TCE. Why must innocent
children and the school public and the community wait on the selfish concerns
of others to clean up such a potential hazardous condition. Classes are also held in classrooms located
in the basement, whose walls separate the inside from the positive TCE soil on
the outside.
Even though Kaylyn is no
longer a student there, she was affected.
She developed asthma. Since the
TCE was unveiled, parents have come together and disclosed that their children
have also been suffering from sudden onset asthma and persistent headaches. There have also been some cases of cancer
and that a teacher has since passed away from
Testimony form PS65Q Page 2 09/30/02
cancer. Her demise was held a secret for 2 weeks
until the school population was informed.
I think that the problem is
not just restricted to the school alone, but the entire surrounding
neighborhood of which the “transferred” parents still reside. It is with deep sadness that I have to
document that the Members of the Board of the Parents Association at PS65 have
not been supportive in this matter.
Instead of acting as a liaison between the parents and the school
authorities, they choose to do otherwise – nothing. My persistence in the matter is one to have the relevant
authorities start the clean up immediately, and the confirmation that our
community’s children are in a fairly safe environment. We, the residents/parents believe that City
and State Agencies need to get involved and do what is ethically and morally
correct.
The agencies represented were:
1.
NYSDEC
– New York State Department of Environmental Conversation
2.
NYSDOH
– New York State Department of Health
Peter Constantekes
Donn E. Hettrick, Sanitary
Engineer? 800-458-1158 X 27880
3.
NYCHMG
– New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
4.
NYCDOH
– New York City Department of Health,
Chris D’Andrea, Industrial
Hygienist 212-788-4290
Gary Krigsman MD, DOH Physician
for District 27
5.
NYCDOE
- New York City Department of Education,
David Klasfield, Deputy
Chancellor of Operations
Bernard Orlan. Director,
Environmental Health and Safety
Testimony form PS65Q Page 3 09/30/02
Another representative was
Mr. Davis Harrington, Field Engineer.
The agency he represented was not clear. He can be reached at 518-402-9564. He was involved on the drilling of the wells for sampling
surrounding the school. ATC Associates,
Inc was retained by the NYCDOE to perform the air testing inside the
school. Their representatives were
present at all three meetings, but did not address the meeting.