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Scott Miller, Remedial Project Manager Superfund Remedial Branch USEPA Region 4 Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth Street Atlanta, GA 30303
Scott Miller, Remedial Project Manager Superfund Remedial Branch USEPA Region 4 Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth Street Atlanta, GA 30303 May 30, 2013 Dear Mr. Miller, As I told you in person when you came to my door earlier this month, you do not have my permission to enter my property; neither does Beazer East, Inc./Koppers Inc., Tetra Tech, Mactec (AMEC), Kestrel Ecological Services, or anyone working for Beazer East, Inc./Koppers, Inc., US EPA, FL DOH or FL DEP for soil sampling or any activity that’s part of the shameful “off-site soil remedial action”. As you already very well know, on my property I have already replaced up to four feet of toxic soil with clean soil several times trying to protect my family- and my soil continues to test extremely high in dioxin, arsenic, PAHs and other Koppers chemicals. My house is still making me and my family sick, and your six inches to one foot of clean soil won’t do me or anybody else any good. Stay off of my property. I am not taking part in EPA’s and Beazer East’s so-called “off-site soil remediation”. Mr. Roy Geiersbach and other neighbors have had twenty to forty feet of toxic soil replaced with clean soils and two years later, the new soil tested was every bit as contaminated as the old soils, even worse. EPA and Beazer East know this, and know that your soil cover-up won’t help any of us residents. Koppers contamination has taken my surviving family members’ health and peace of mind away forever. We have suffered too much for too long to suffer this outrageous sham too, and will not take part in any of the soil scraping and cover-up that you are trying to force on us innocent residents when you should be giving us permanent relocation out of homes that are killing us. Your “remediation” doesn’t do a thing to move our families out of our dangerous homes. Shame on you, EPA! Tell your contractors: NO employee of Beazer East, Inc./Koppers Inc., Mactec (AMEC), Tetra Tech, Kestrel Ecological Services, US EPA, FL DOH or FL DEP may trespass on my property at any time. This also applies to any employees of Alachua County or the City of Gainesville trespassing my property at any time for any activities connected to the “off-site soil remediation” in Stephen Foster Neighborhood. My surviving family members and I don’t want to be entombed here- we want out of this toxic neighborhood! Farinda O’Steen
Sandra Watts Kennedy on AMEC’s Canadian Scandal
14 JunCity of Gainesville Commission Meeting
June 6, 2013
AMEC engineers and scientists hired to do environmental assessment for the Raven Coal Corporation in Port Alberni Canada falsified data about the Alberni Airshed, not once but twice.
When AMEC published their final assessment of air pollutant concentrations in the Alberni Airshed, they claimed that DIOXIN levels in the airshed were well below the safe level standard for air quality set by the Canadian Government and the World Health Organization. But AMEC was not aware that the Canadian Government monitors the Alberni Airshed for air pollutant concentrations.
The Canadian Government’s reports confirmed major DIOXIN air pollution in Port Alberni, contrary to AMEC’s air quality report. Investigation into AMEC’s actions in Port Alberni proved that AMEC never collected any air quality data in the Alberni Airshed- their report was composed of false test results invented to meet the needs of their client.
AMEC’s fraudulent report included a map illustrating the locations of monitoring towers they claimed to have used for several years to collect their Alberni Airshed data. Upon investigation it was established that these monitoring stations never existed.
It is said that one can tell a lot about a person’s character by the company they keep. AMEC is criminally fraudulent. Why does Beazer East keep using them in Gainesville? And why has Beazer East repeatedly lied to residents about rehiring AMEC under another name? Why is EPA allowing use of AMEC-derived data when the lives of Gainesville’s children are at risk?
This farce is costing lives in Gainesville! We reject AMEC’s sham test results and all aspects of the Beazer East/EPA coverup! Our families want out of our dioxin-contaminated homes while we’re still alive!
Rally in support of a REAL clean-up for Gainesville
10 Jun
Come to a rally in support of a REAL clean-up for Gainesville and the protection of our water source from Koppers/ Beazer East. Mon June 10th, 2013 from 4:45-5:45 at the Steven Foster Elem School. Then, if you like, you can participate in the health department’s presentation at the school from 6pm to 8pm.
Another Family Rejects Beazer East/EPA’s Dangerous and Disingenuous “off-site soil remedial action”
4 JunScott Miller, Remedial Project Manager Superfund Remedial Branch USEPA Region 4 Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth Street Atlanta, GA 30303
May 15, 2013
Mr. Miller et al,
We still do not grant access to our property, parcel 08409-000-000, to Beazer East, Inc./Koppers Inc., Tetra Tech, MACTEC (AMEC), Kestrel Ecological Services, or any other entities or individuals working on behalf of Beazer East, Inc., US EPA, FL DOH or FL DEP for soil sampling or any other activity related to the dangerous and disingenuous “off-site soil remedial action”.
Let us again plainly state that we are not participating in any phase of EPA’s and Beazer East’s “off-site soil remediation”. As you well know, in our neighborhood it has been repeatedly illustrated that clean replacement soils quickly become as contaminated as the replaced soils, sometimes even more contaminated. Further, your “remediation” fails to address the greater, more immediate danger posed to our families by the dioxin-saturated interiors of our homes.
We refuse to participate in your purely cosmetic psychological exercise designed to deceive residents into the false belief that our homes and gardens will no longer be a serious toxic threat to our families. This includes any and all phases of the soil scraping and cover-up that you are trying to force on innocent residents in lieu of providing the real protective action that our suffering community needs and deserves.
Please inform your contractors: NO employee of Tetra Tech, MACTEC (AMEC), Kestrel Ecological Services, Beazer East, Inc./Koppers Inc., US EPA, FL DOH or FL DEP may trespass our property at any time without both our explicit permission and our actual physical presence while you are there. This prohibition also applies to any employees of Alachua County or the City of Gainesville intending to trespass our property for any activities connected to the “off-site soil remediation” in Stephen Foster Neighborhood.
Please contact attorney Stephen Murakami, as instructed in this email which you received on July 6, 2012:
Dear Mr. Miller: I believe my client has made it abundantly clear by her unequivocal instructions and notice set forth in her message, that she does not wish to participate in any additional soil or dust sampling conducted by you or any of your agents or contractors. In the future, should you require any information pertaining to the Kennedy’s property, kindly contact me in advance of any attempt to secure the Kennedy’s permission or authorization to enter upon their property for any purpose. Sincerely, Stephen David Murakami, Esq. Attorney at Law
Please reply to our email so that we know that you understand its contents.
Sincerely,
Sandra Watts Kennedy and Kevin Kennedy
Resident Farinda O’Steen Rejects USEPA/Beazer East Coverup: Shame on you EPA!
31 MayScott Miller, Remedial Project Manager Superfund Remedial Branch USEPA Region 4 Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth Street Atlanta, GA 30303 May 30, 2013 Dear Mr. Miller, As I told you in person when you came to my door earlier this month, you do not have my permission to enter my property; neither does Beazer East, Inc./Koppers Inc., Tetra Tech, Mactec (AMEC), Kestrel Ecological Services, or anyone working for Beazer East, Inc./Koppers, Inc., US EPA, FL DOH or FL DEP for soil sampling or any activity that’s part of the shameful “off-site soil remedial action”. As you already very well know, on my property I have already replaced up to four feet of toxic soil with clean soil several times trying to protect my family- and my soil continues to test extremely high in dioxin, arsenic, PAHs and other Koppers chemicals. My house is still making me and my family sick, and your six inches to one foot of clean soil won’t do me or anybody else any good. Stay off of my property. I am not taking part in EPA’s and Beazer East’s so-called “off-site soil remediation”. Mr. Roy Geiersbach and other neighbors have had twenty to forty feet of toxic soil replaced with clean soils and two years later, the new soil tested was every bit as contaminated as the old soils, even worse. EPA and Beazer East know this, and know that your soil cover-up won’t help any of us residents. Koppers contamination has taken my surviving family members’ health and peace of mind away forever. We have suffered too much for too long to suffer this outrageous sham too, and will not take part in any of the soil scraping and cover-up that you are trying to force on us innocent residents when you should be giving us permanent relocation out of homes that are killing us. Your “remediation” doesn’t do a thing to move our families out of our dangerous homes. Shame on you, EPA! Tell your contractors: NO employee of Beazer East, Inc./Koppers Inc., Mactec (AMEC), Tetra Tech, Kestrel Ecological Services, US EPA, FL DOH or FL DEP may trespass on my property at any time. This also applies to any employees of Alachua County or the City of Gainesville trespassing my property at any time for any activities connected to the “off-site soil remediation” in Stephen Foster Neighborhood. My surviving family members and I don’t want to be entombed here- we want out of this toxic neighborhood! Farinda O’Steen
Spread the Word, Come on Out and Raise your Voice: Koppers Consent Decree Added to March 7th City Commission Meeting Agenda
6 MarResidents have been notified that the City of Gainesville is adding EPA’s Proposed Consent Decree/”Cleanup Plan” for Koppers to the agenda for tomorrow evening’s Commission meeting (Thursday, March 7th). The modified agenda with this addition will be posted on the city website this afternoon. This meeting presents a new chance to urge city commissioners to reject US EPA’s coverup plan that is non-protective of our drinking water and our families!
No Arsenic- No Dioxin- No PAHs!
Dig it up- Clean it up- and Take it away!!!
Our children need a Real Cleanup- not a Coverup!!!
Gainesville residents are organizing to ensure that Wells Fargo’s contradiction does not go unnoticed by national media – Koppers Gainesville
31 Jan
Another Wells Fargo Toxic Property will soon go on the market. As the warning above clearly states, this house is contaminated with dioxins at levels that exceed US EPA’s safe level standard by more than 1,150 times.
Wells Fargo spokeswoman Debora Blume told the Palm Beach Post that Wells Fargo Home Mortgage requires appraisers to identify contamination hazards. According to Ms. Blume, “Our agencies and investors prohibit the sale of loans when a proven property hazard affects safety and habitability.” In light of this policy, how can Wells Fargo place another unsuspecting low-income family in a house that has proven to be severely contaminated with dioxins, arsenic, PAH’s and other toxic chemicals? There is a major contradiction between this stated policy and what Wells Fargo actually does.
When Wells Fargo knowingly forecloses on a highly toxic property in order to place it back on the market, it doesn’t matter whether it does so directly under its own corporate name or indirectly through Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac; etc- Wells Fargo is still culpable for passing contaminated property. Attorneys representing Wells Fargo have been placed on notice about how dangerously contaminated this house is. When Wells Fargo resells this tested highly toxic property without full disclosure, it will simply be continuing its modus operandi of selling toxic properties to unsuspecting low-income and minority families that has earned Wells Fargo heavy fines in other states. It would appear that Wells Fargo has not learned from its mistakes.
When the new homeowners discover that this house is so dangerously toxic that it was at the forefront of a major class action lawsuit, and that the foreclosing bank was aware of this, Wells Fargo will likely find itself embroiled in legal actions, and protests are sure to follow.
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