Published: November 19, 2008 01:21 am      

TOWN OF TONAWANDA: DEC needs more time to study benzene data

High levels of the carcinogen benzene indeed do exist in the air in Town of Tonawanda neighborhoods to the immediate east of River Road.

However, residents will have to wait until at least April to learn what the next step is in the process toward clearing the air around their homes.

That’s what representatives from the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s Buffalo and Albany offices told a crowd of about 75 during an informational meeting Tuesday at the Sheridan Parkside Community Center.

Data collected from four DEC-installed air monitors surrounding the neighborhood from July 2007 through July 2008 is still being analyzed. An inventory of data from “major” sources, such as industry, is complete, but inventory of data from area sources such as gas stations and mobile sources remains under review.

“There’s a lot more work to be done on the data we’ve collected,” said Tom Gentile, who heads the air toxins section of the DEC’s Division of Air Resources in Albany. Gentile plans to provide another update to the public in April 2009. “If you don’t have good emissions inventory, you’re wasting time.”

Benzene was one of six compounds for which the DEC provided test results, but was the only one that state officials determined had levels that were “of concern to the community.”

Levels from monitoring stations at Beaver Island and the Sheridan Parkside water tower were just above the state’s acceptable limits. The level was higher at the Brookside Terrace station, but very high levels were found at the Grand Island Boulevard monitor.

Data collected from Brookside indicates that 16 people out of 1 million could be expected to develop cancer from benzene. The DEC threshold used to determine whether action is necessary is one in 1 million. The state is much more stringent than the federal standard, 10 cases in 1 million.

Information at the Grand Island Boulevard site, located just west of the 290-190 interchange, is still being collected because Gentile said the “information there has been interesting.”

DEC officials are reluctant to identify contributors to the high benzene levels.

Many in the audience were quick to point the finger at Tonawanda Coke, which they believe is also responsible for undesirable odors in the area. Tom Ryan said it was his understanding that Tonawanda Coke is part of a grandfather clause that exempts the company from tighter emissions standards. Gentile said that’s not true, the company must still adhere to the federal Clean Air Act.

Larry Sitzman, a representative from the Buffalo office of the DEC, said he’s visited Tonawanda Coke and is trying to determine the odor source within the plant. Overall, the company is in compliance with standards.

“They have self-regulators, but we still go out and inspect them,” Sitzman said.

Answering another question, Gentile said odors are sometimes more intense at night because there is a “mixing zone” in the atmosphere that shuts down at night, allowing the odors to be more prominent.

Tonawanda Coke is just one of six area companies that generate benzene. The others are Indek Yerkes Energy Services, Goodyear-Dunlop, NOCO Energy Corp., NRG Huntley Electric Generators and Sunoco Tonawanda Terminal.

Add area gas stations, truck terminals and exhaust from vehicles to the list, and narrowing the culprit down to one contributor isn’t easy.

“It’s hard to say who’s doing it,” Gentile said. “You don’t want to choose based on hearsay. You need a scientific basis to fortify your action.”

When the DEC hosts its meeting next April, Gentile said he hopes to be able to offer residents possible solutions. However, the strategy involved is complex. Gentile said he hopes residents will have an answer between 18 months to two years.

“I can’t promise overnight,” Gentile said. “Everything takes time.”

Tonawanda is not the only town in the United States where benzene is a problem. Gentile said there are 353 areas being monitored for benzene across the country, and not one is below the one in 1 million threshold.

Jackie James-Creedon, president of the Clean Air Coalition of Western New York, said the information doesn’t appear encouraging in terms of enforcing tighter controls.

“Here we are in a community that’s upset with the information and there’s not a darn thing we can do about it,” James-Creedon said.

Gentile said that benzene levels do exceed state guidelines, and therefore there is room for improvement.

James-Creedon said her group hopes to use its “power of community organization” to ask local companies that produce benzene as a byproduct to be “good neighbors” and initiate their own tighter controls.

The coalition recently received a $40,000 grant that will fortify its efforts. James-Creedon said the coalition will announce its plans for the funding at 11 a.m. Friday at the Kenmore-Tonawanda Chamber of Commerce.

Gentile, who has worked with James-Creedon, praised the coalition for its work.

“Improvements happen when you get involved,” Gentile said, adding that community inaction promotes maintaining the status quo. “You have to be an environmental steward.”

Overall, DEC officials believe there is no reason for residents to believe that nearby industry is causing severe health problems. But they stressed the data still needs to be studied.

“I would say there’s no imminent threat right now,” Gentile said.