ALCOA Forced Massena Town Supervisor Joseph Gray to Write Falsely About the Work of Cancer Action NY

Dear St. Lawrence County Policy Makers and Mindful Citizens,

Massena Town Supervisor Joseph Gray recently wrote a letter to the
North Country Now news organization in which he makes several libelous
statements about Cancer Action NY. (See link to news article below.)
He states that I have deliberately misled him. This is absurd. I
made it very clear in my October 2011 presentation to the Massena Town
Board that persistent organic pollutants (POPs) exposure minimization
education was of particular importance to residents of the Town of
Massena because of the PCB exposure that they had received as a result
of living in the vicinity of the ALCOA West facility where PCBs were
disposed of in a careless manner for many years. PCBs evaporate from
contaminated sediments and soils and enter the outdoor atmosphere.
The residents of the Town of Massena have inhaled ALCOA PCBs for a
long period of time. This has imposed an unusually large quantity of
exposure upon these people. POPs exposure minimization education is
very important to them because they are at higher risk of developing
POPs associated diseases including: type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular
disease and cancer.

I suspect that ALCOA management has forced Supervisor Gray to attack
me so as to create confusion about the substantive matters of PCB
exposure and POPs exposure minimization education. ALCOA is afraid of
the truth. ALCOA wants to suppress the respiratory exposure to PCBs
issue so as to avoid being held responsible for much of the disease
burden suffered by the residents of the Town of Massena.

I brought a POPs exposure minimization resolution before the Massena
Town board many months ago as part of a campaign to obtain such
resolutions from local governments in St. Lawrence County pursuant to
motivating the St. Lawrence County Legislature to authorize the
creation of a POPs exposure minimization educational outreach program
within the St. Lawrence County Public Health Department. The Massena
Town Board hesitated to adopt the resolution because they were
concerned about displeasing ALCOA. After many town boards had adopted
POPs exposure minimization education resolutions, I decided to bring
the matter once more before the Massena Town Board. Supervisor Gray
suggested that he would revise the resolution. I agreed to this
because several towns had wanted to make small changes. In October
2011 the Massena Town Board unanimously adopted the revised
resolution.

I wrote and transmitted a news release on the subject of Massena Town
Board adoption of this resolution. I used the news release to
emphasize the significance of past respiratory PCB exposures when
addressing lifelong cancer risk imposed by cumulative POPs exposures.
I said nothing in the news release that I had not said in the Massena
Town Board meeting at which the resolution was adopted.

Supervisor Gray states in his letter to North Country Now that the
resolution I brought to the Massena Town Board was unreasonable,
promoting the position that everything caused cancer. This is false.
Supervisor Gray knows that it is false. Joseph Gray has libeled me.
I am providing a copy of the original resolution submitted to the
Massena Town Board. It is clear that Joseph Gray has spoken falsely
when one reads this resolution. It does not say anything unreasonable
about POPs exposure cancer risk. This unrevised resolution was
adopted by several town boards because it is a very good resolution.

ALCOA is using Supervisor Gray to attempt to derail the work of Cancer
Action NY. The truth is coming out now. ALCOA will learn that it
does not rule St. Lawrence County. The people rule St. Lawrence
County.

I demand an apology from Supervisor Gray and ALCOA.

joyous in Nature-Viva the Revolution,

Donald L. Hassig

________________________________________________________________________

SUPPORT OF A PUBLIC EDUCATION/CANCER PREVENTION INITIATIVE OF CANCER ACTION NY

WHEREAS, the incidence of cancer in Massena is of great concern to the
Town Board, and

WHEREAS, scientific research published in the peer-reviewed scientific
literature demonstrates the presence of dioxins and other carcinogenic
persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the food supply, and such food
supply contamination constitutes a major source of exposure, and is
thus a major contributor to cancer causation, and

WHEREAS, many citizens are unaware of the presence of carcinogenic
POPs in the food supply and steps that can be taken to decrease
exposure and thus lower cancer risk, and

WHEREAS, the problem is not isolated to Massena, but requires state
and national government actions to reduce exposure, and

WHEREAS, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are POPs, and animal
studies have shown that exposure to PBDEs imposes increased cancer
risk, and these chemical compounds are soluble in fat, and food sample
analysis has demonstrated that these pollutants contaminate all animal
fat, and education of the general public concerning the animal fat
consumption exposure route for these and other POPs, including:
dioxins, dioxin-like compounds, PCBs, and lipophilic pesticides is
necessary as a cancer preventative measure, and

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Town Board for the Town of
Massena, meeting on the date of , does hereby
commend the organization CANCER ACTION NY for its efforts to raise
awareness about the problem, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Board calls upon its elected
officials at both state level and federal level to use their influence
to help educate Americans on the subject of the cancer risk imposed by
consumption of animal fat, all of which is contaminated with
carcinogenic POPs, and recommends that the educational outreach
described herein be configured such that: (1) the National Institute
of Environmental Health Sciences is made responsible for review of the
scientific literature for the purpose of finding scientific knowledge
that can be utilized in the creation of cancer prevention messages for
the general public; (2) the National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences is made responsible for producing public education pieces
that clearly set forth the cancer prevention knowledge discovered in
the literature review; and (3) the State and County health departments
are made responsible for disseminating the public education pieces to
the residents of their jurisdictional areas, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Town Board encourages its citizens to
be mindful of the dangers of carcinogenic substances in our
environment and supports initiatives that will promote the health and
happiness of its constituents.

________________________________________________________________________

Massena supervisor says town duped by local cancer activist

http://northcountrynow.com/news/massena-supervisor-says-town-duped-local-cancer-activist-042989

—
Donald L. Hassig, Director
Cancer Action NY
Cancer Action News Network
P O Box 340
Colton, NY USA 13625
315.262.2456
http://www.canceractionny.org

Mohawk Leading POPs Exposure Minimization Revolution

Dear Green Party Voters and Comrades,

Please find below an opinion piece that I have submitted to the Watertown Daily Times, North Country This Week and Indian Time. St. Lawrence County is poised to become a leading entity in addressing the matter of POPs contamination of the Earth. If you are interested in taking action to build public interest in this issue, I would love to strategize with you. On Friday, August 19th, I conducted a public educational outreach on the embankment overlooking the GM Powertrain Super Fund Site. During the course of an hour and a half, many drivers on State Route 37 read my message, “POPs Cause Cancer”. The honking horns and fists raised in the air created an exciting good vibe.

joyous in Nature,

Donald L. Hassig

Dear Editor,

The month of August has given us a beautiful series of change driving events. On August 11th, 2011, Larry Thompson, a primal Mohawk resident of Akwesasne took action to focus public attention on the continuing presence of PCBs on the GM Powertrain Super Fund Site located adjacent to and West of the Mohawk reservation. PCBs and other industrial wastes disposed of in an illegal industrial landfill during the 1960s contaminate an approximately 12 acre portion of the site. US EPA decided that capping was a satisfactory remedial action for this toxic waste dump. The cap consists of a layer of synthetic material and approximately 18 inches of mineral material.

The primal Mohawk of Akwesasne are opposed to the decision to leave the wastes of the industrial landfill on the site. It is their position that the land is Mohawk land and the hazardous waste must be removed. Larry Thompson drove a backhoe onto the site and began excavating the industrial landfill. He dumped some of the hazardous waste into a railroad boxcar thus demonstrating his determination to bring about the removal of all of the hazardous material. Mr. Thompson was arrested and charged with several counts including two felonies. A grand jury is being convened to try him in St. Lawrence County Court.

The Thompson action has created a situation in which the St. Lawrence County Legislature is now expressing recognition of its responsibility for protecting the health of people who are receiving exposure to PCBs emanating from that site. As a preliminary step in providing this protection, the County Legislature has requested that EPA provide documentation of the process whereby the decision was made to cap the landfill.

The GM Powertrain Super Fund Site PCB exposure controversy that has now begun to boil presents a wonderful opportunity for the people of St. Lawrence County and the Mohawk reservation to become involved in persistent organic pollutants (POPs) exposure minimization. Focus on GM PCBs will facilitate the growth of public awareness concerning total POPs exposure, which includes: (1) respiratory exposure to PCBs that evaporate from contaminated sites, (2) oral exposure to POPs resultant from drinking St. Lawrence River water and (3) oral exposure that takes place via consumption of animal fats, all of which are contaminated with a large number of POPs. Those who understand total POPs exposure are empowered to minimize their exposure by restricting consumption of all animal fats and choosing to drink bottled water. Removal of the hazardous wastes that contaminate the GM Powertrain Super Fund Site is the only way to minimize respiratory POPs exposure.

The timing of Mr. Thompson’s action is perfect. Cancer Action NY had just completed a several year project of educating town and county policy makers on the subject of POPs exposure cancer risk. Cancer Action NY is committed to helping the primal Mohawk people succeed in forcing the removal of all hazardous wastes disposed of on the GM site. We have initiated a dialogue with several county legislators regarding forcing the US EPA to come to St. Lawrence County for the purpose of participating in an open public meeting that would make possible an on the record dialogue on the scientific knowledge that is relevant to making a decision about the disease risk imposed by the PCB contaminated site. If EPA can be forced to participate in such a meeting, we will finally corner the federal government on the matter of failed government regulation of polluters, which has led to the contamination of the food supply with health damaging levels of POPs. Additionally, we will hold EPA accountable for failure to warn the public of the POPs exposure cancer hazard constituted by contamination of all animal fats. Once these matters have become well known among regional residents, a groundswell of support for removal of the GM hazardous waste will insure that the site is fully cleaned up.

— Donald L. Hassig, Director Cancer Action NY Cancer Action News Network P O Box 340 Colton, NY USA 13625 315.262.2456 http://www.canceractionny.org

8/15/11 Kick Ass Revolution Media Advisory

News Conference/Environmental Dance Performance:  Honor to Mohawk Environmental Revolutionary Comrade Larry Thompson for Acting to Force GMC Hazardous Waste Dump Clean-Up

Monday, August 15, 2011, 9:00 AM

Massena Town Hall, First Floor, Main Hallway

Larry Thompson is an American hero.  He has taken action to bring an end to the poisoning of the St. Regis Mohawk First Nation (SRMFN).  There are many episodes of poisoning of the SRMFN by US corporations:  (1) Aluminum Company of America (ALCOA) disposal of hazardous waste including PCBs and carcinogenic metals at its Massena West facility, leading to the contamination of the Grass River and the St. Lawrence River;  (2) the former Reynolds Metals disposal of hazardous wastes in
such a way as to contaminate the St. Lawrence River;  (3) General Motors Corporation (GMC) disposal of hazardous wastes including PCBs in lagoons that emptied into the St. Lawrence River at its Powertrain facility, which borders SRMFN property; (4) GMC illegal disposal of hazardous wastes including PCBs in the GM Powertrain Industrial Landfill; and (5) release of pollutants to the outdoor atmosphere from numerous emission sources operated by the ALCOA West, Reynolds Metals and GMC Powertrain facilities.

Mohawk environmental revolutionary comrade Larry Thompson has taken action to force the clean-up of the GMC Powertrain Industrial Landfill.  Digging into the cap of the Industrial Landfill and loading waste into a train boxcar was an act of true revolutionary genius.  The hazardous wastes in this landfill have been contaminating ground water since the 1960s.  During the course of many decades, the SRMFN has complained repeatedly about the poisoning of its water to the US and New York State governmental agencies responsible for controlling GMC.  The response of our governments has been to merely place a layer of clay on top of the Industrial Landfill.  This is not enough!  Capping the Industrial Landfill does not stop the hazardous chemicals in the Industrial Landfill from continuing to contaminate ground water.

“For many years I have advocated for clean-up of this illegal hazardous waste dump.  As a candidate in the 2012 23rd Congressional District of New York race, I will renew my efforts to insure that the Industrial Landfill is cleaned up to standards that satisfy the SRMFN.  I will speak the name of Larry Thompson often during my campaign so as to spread his revolutionary story far and wide in the St. Lawrence River Valley and Adirondack Mountains.  I can feel the winds of change blowing.  This is wonderful.  Life is exciting now.  Viva the total, spiritual, environmental revolution!.”-Donald L. Hassig

—
Donald L. Hassig, Director
Cancer Action NY
Cancer Action News Network
P O Box 340
Colton, NY USA 13625
315.262.2456
www.canceractionny.org