Chris Bishop of Old Ghent Realty shares his rough notes of last night’s meeting, which he descibed as “wild, very emotional and properly combative.” He adds that “the audience was much more eloquent than these notes”:
Both DEC and Homeland Security had outside contractors collect test samples.
Bill Black stated that Albany had two foam units—one was required to stay at the airport, the other was out of service. They had to bring foam trucks from Stratton AFB and Rennsalaer. (It was ironic to have the speakers set up in front of a dinky trailer with a hand painted sign reading Columbia County Foam Response Unit.)
The Homeland Security reps stated their contractors were doing test samples in the early morning, VOC and particulate at TCI and downwind, at approximately 4 am.
The Fire Dept. Coordinator said “we pretty much let it burn.”
Thomas Lanphear stated that TCI would comply with [a] regulation every March to list what was at the site the year before.
Brian Hemlock of TCI didn’t show up, even though he was on the program. Basically all restraint ended once that was announced.
Some of the eloquent audience members, in brief, and in rough order of appearance, said:
Zachary Pesce insisted the DEC and the Department of Health spend the money to do the testing they should have been doing since that night.
Howard Brandston spoke about how in general, environmental tests are done to get the results the administration wants.
James Wilcox said that testing needed to restore confidence in the county's agriculture.
Gianni Ortiz said a map of the plume exists, but is not public. DEC admits to having it but doesn't know the source. She referenced Dr. Chris Walchik as to importance of certain aspects of wind direction—winds aloft and the wind profile at sunrise as the accumulation during the night disperses with the first winds of morning.
Victor Mendolia asked why couldn’t there be low-tech warnings to the populace—fire alarms, etc.
Koethi Zan cited the need for dioxin tests, asking for written details of clean-up procedures. This evokes a response from the DEC that they will set up a specific section of their website to the TCI fire.
Paige Smith Orloff questioned the 7-and-a-1/2 mile radius, iterating how this is a county-wide crisis, not just Ghent.
At this point the Columbia County Hazmat director came up to the mic, and states he saw a plume map from the National Weather Service. He detailed the decontamination procedures for the responders: soap and water being typical for most contaminations.
An audience member questioned rebuilding TCI, saying Columbia County is not equipped to deal with a major industrial fire.
Ed Simonson asked why sodium was in that building, and for a list of procedures followed in testing analysis.
Jim Orell (Morell?) suggested TCI could be indicted for reckless endangerment.
Another audience member pointed out that no one from the Ghent Town Board was at the meeting, and the only County Supervisor at the meeting was Robin Andrews—emphasizing hat this is a County issue, and that the local towns can't supervise these companies properly.
Charles Ballard asked where money would come from to clean the site. He commended the Homeland Security office for not being evasive on the phone. He suggested thepublic should receive the same blood tests for toxins as responders. And he about a January fire at TCI, and why that didn't raise red flags.
The Health Department admitted that they were moving offices at the time of the fire and after, and were not equipped to handle many public calls regarding crisis.
Someone asked how many of these type of recycling facilities are located in New York.
Fran Martino of the Greater Stockport Watershed asked for thorough testing of water in nearby Widow's Creek, which flows into the Claverack, into the Stockport and eventually the Hudson River.
Tim Loughner, a firefighter at the scene, felt the department should have had more up to date info on what was at TCI.
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