Three well water samples gathered by Bob Bowcock while he was in Le Roy tested negative for TCE (trichloroethylene), Bowcock told The Batavian this evening.
The results are preliminary, but the lead researcher for environmentalist / lawyer Erin Brockovich said he's confident in the results.
The samples were taken from the wells of private residences, two to the south of the massive TCE spill in 1970 and one to the west.
That would indicate that the TCE (used for degreasing metal parts) plume from the Lehigh Valley train derailment, located four miles from Le Roy High School, has not migrated west and south as some people seem to have feared.
As for TCE being found in fill dirt used at the school, the NYS Department of Health report states that a "very low level of TCE" was found in groundwater at the dolomite quarry near the derailment site. Crushed stone was used for road construction and subsurface drainage at the school.
"Residual TCE that might be present in stone from the quarry would be reduced or eliminated through evaporation during stone crushing and handling operations," states the report.
Bowcock said that is likely true, but he awaits anticipated soil testing by Leader Profession Services for confirmation.
More troubling -- though unrelated to any neurological disorders -- said Bowcock was the discovery of MTBE in a water sample taken near the school.
Methyl tertiary butyl ether is a gasoline additive that has been illegal in New York since 2004.
Bowcock said it is a "carcinogen under investigation," explaining that toxicology takes 20 years to determine for certain that a chemical agent is cancer-causing.
"I've never seen any research to suggest it causes neurological disorders," Bowcock said.
He emphasized he doesn't believe presense of MTBE has anything to do with anything going on with the teens manifesting tics at the school.
There are reports, Bowcock said, that MTBE is used by fuel companies in fracking natural gas wells.
Bowcock's team has yet to determine if MTBE-laced gasoline used as a fracking liquid, rather than as gasoline, is also illegal in New York.
The amount in his sample was six milligrams per liter, Bowcock said, which is higher than recommended by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
Bowcock said he isn't sure if there are wells in the area other than those on school property, but if there are, it's possible the MTBE came from another operation. Further research is needed, Bowcock said.
Where was that particular
Where was that particular sample taken from? It was my understAnding that most were taken from wells. If that came from the public Monroe County water supply then specifically what spigot did it come from?
Not public water.
Not public water.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Wow Bowcock is trying hard to
Wow Bowcock is trying hard to find something. It seems to me it could come from any mechanical source such as; lawnmowers, weed whackers, leave blowers, parents driving their cars on the grass for sporting events, etc... The last I knew the only gas wheels are at Wolcott Street School. It is amazing that they showed Bowcock one time on the news stating, "he did not find any environment issues that would influence Tics."
If the source is any of those
If the source is any of those items, then somebody is using illegal gas.