Update for E Palestine and surroundings re the EPA's proposed plan for dioxin testing

From left, Carol Van Strum and her neighbor Kathy clean and pull staples as Peter von Stackelberg, who covered Industrial Bio-Test Laboratories as a reporter for the Regina, Saskatchewan, Leader-Post, operates two scanners simultaneously, May 2017. Photo is taken on Alder Hill Farm in Five Rivers, Oregon. They are working on the largest collection of dioxin-related documents in history.

Dear Friends in East Palestine and Surrounds:

This is an update for residents of E. Palestine and surroundings; it’s a briefing on how the EPA is planning to scam the dioxin tests. This is readily apparent from the plan they outlined in Thursday’s press release.

Here is my response. I recommend that the plan be rejected in its entirety. Once you understand it, you will see how it’s a pass for Norfolk Southern to leave the contamination where it is and move on.

In the audio above I left out three crucial issues.

One, it’s outrageous that the railroad’s consultant will be the only people doing the sampling. Two, there must be two consultants and two labs — split sampling.

Three, there must be citizen witnessing of the sampling. If this plan goes forward, it can waste six months of your time —while people continue to get exposed.

The problems I cover.

In the recording above and my response, I describe the issues with the locations of sampling, the types of samples that will be taken (air, water, soil and sediment verge on useless for dioxins at this time). In the recording above, I confront the “background level” study they say they are planning to do — this is where significant cheating can occur.

Here are my dioxin resources for journalists and citizens.

Here is last night’s discussion of “acceptable risk” from my program. You can skip the first 15 minutes. Here it is on Spotify and here it is on my website (third player down).

Please get in touch if you need to. My direct email is efc@chironreturn.org.

Eric F. Coppolino
Editor of the Chiron Return investigative team
and host of Planet Waves FM.