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| Stephanie Strasburg | Trib Total Media |
Report linking field surface to cancer elicits Mt. Lebanon protest
By Matthew SantoniGoogle+ Staff Reporter
Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014, 10:25 p.m.Updated 30 minutes ago
Construction on Mt. Lebanon's controversial $1.05 million artificial turf project began Thursday, but residents concerned about possible health and environmental effects are not giving up.
Contractors started to tear up grass on a pair of overlapping baseball diamonds in Mt. Lebanon's Main Park soon after the state Department of Environmental Protection and Allegheny County Conservation District granted the municipality a storm water discharge permit.
Mt. Lebanon Manager Steve Feller said Massillon, Ohio-based Vasco Sports Contractors could finish the project before winter sets in, despite delays of more than two months from the planned Aug. 1 start date.
A residents' group known as Mt. Lebanon Advocates for Child Health has scheduled a protest at 11 a.m. Sunday in the park, and hopes to get the municipal commission to delay or change the project.
“I'm against the turf because of the health risks,” said resident Susy Tybl, who plans to attend the protest. “The materials... contain a lot of toxins, including known carcinogens. I just wish Mt. Lebanon would wait until more is known.”
An NBC News report this month highlighted more than 30 soccer players, mostly goalies, who contracted cancer after playing extensively on artificial turf, leading them to question whether there was a link.
The report highlighted the back and forth over the topic: Environmental groups point to toxins such as benzene, lead or zinc in ground-up tire rubber used to cushion and fill in fields, while turf advocates produce studies that say those materials are locked in or aren't released in high enough quantities to affect health.
“Now with the NBC news about goalies, I'm more convinced than ever that Lebo needs to hold off on artificial turf,” said resident Dean Spahr, who originally opposed the project because he preferred grass, but became more concerned about health questions.
Jeff Heiskell, who lives near the field, said he and his wife were reconsidering having children because of their proximity to the field and their worry over whether it could affect her pregnancy.
Commission President Kristen Linfante said she and the commission knew about the goalie issue, from prior news reports, before awarding the contract in July, but felt it was outweighed by studies that said turf was safe.
“Each of us did our due diligence, and the overwhelming evidence of safety has made us feel more than confident with the decision we've made,” she said, noting artificial turf is at the high school stadium and similar material is used in local playgrounds.
Proposals for the Main Park fields included an alternative, organic infill made from ground coconut shells and cork, but contractors' bids for that option came back too high.
Dave Franklin, a coach and member of the sports advisory board that pushed for the project, said the board made its recommendation to move ahead with turf based on “the totality of the circumstances.” The board compared studies, and weighed them against the desire to create a more durable field to squeeze in more playing time and whether other institutions were choosing turf or natural grass for their fields.
“I certainly respect (the opponents') position,” he said. “Parents weigh risks for their kids every day: I don't let my kids play on trampolines; I don't let my kids swim in a pool without a lifeguard.”
In approving the storm water permit, the DEP echoed the commission majority and the EPA when it wrote that studies couldn't conclusively point to health risks from turf, though the EPA and other state and federal agencies also have said more research was needed to draw broad conclusions.
DEP approval, spokesman John Poister said, was based on whether the application met the state's regulations for runoff, which it did after Gateway Engineers modified plans for the drainage system. No one had appealed DEP's decision to the state's environmental hearing board as of this week, he said.
“The whole process was very disappointing to me,” said Elaine Gillen, who runs the Lebo Citizens blog, and said she thought government agencies would “do the right thing.”
Matthew Santoni is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-380-5625 or msantoni@tribweb.com.
Update October 25, 2014 11:27 AM Two additional and very disturbing articles were sent to me this morning.
Is Synthetic Turf Giving Athletes Cancer?
57 comments:
"No one had appealed DEP's decision to the state's environmental hearing board as of this week, he said."
What about the above-limit levels of zinc?
Isn't there a 30-day comment period once permits are approved? Or is that during the application phase?
And who can appeal? Anyone?
I'm sure anyone can appeal. However, Mt. Lebanon doesn't want to wait 30 days before starting. See photo above.
Elaine
An appeal can be filed with the EHB up to 30 days following a DEP "decision". The EHB has the power to amend or even override a DEP decision ( in this case the issuance of a permit) if someone can demonstrate harm. And if someone could do it immediately, the bulldozers could be stopped in their tracks. But the appeal has to be filed by an attorney, a bond would have to be posted and there is a possibility the DEP could file for relief and get the project going again.
Bottom line--it can be done but it will be expensive. It will also require an attorney. Too bad Lebo is full of lawyers who would rather go with the flow than take a stand. And nice to see the so-called environmental groups rallying behind a cause. Guess theyre all too busy protesting things like "climate change" and gas drilling, things that really affect our community. What a bunch of phonies. Isnt the other half of the Lebo Chicks ( or whatever they called themselves) at Pennfutures? Wonder why she isnt speaking out?
http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5997228
"Groups Giving Second Thoughts To Those Little Black Crumbs On Playing Fields"
Lynne Peeples 10/16/14 05:48 PM ET
"Industry representatives maintain that the ingredients in their synthetic fields pose no health concerns. "As NBC factually reported, 'There is no research directly linking crumb rubber exposure to cancer,'" the Synthetic Turf Council said in a statement.
Dr. Joel Forman, a pediatrician and environmental health expert at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, agreed that "there is not evidence to rely on regarding cancer risks," but he also underscored "significant gaps in the data." He called the crumb rubber a "potential" cancer risk.
"The fact that it's not proven doesn't mean it's not true. It's just really hard to prove," he said, noting the difficulty in accurately measuring a person's exposure, especially when cancer can appear years or even decades later. The cancer cluster highlighted in the film "Erin Brockovich," for example, was never definitively proven.
"Sometimes you can't wait for more study and have to make choices that are precautionary," he added.
That sense of caution is starting to gain ground in the minds of coaches, parents and athletes across the country and across a range of sports. And Prato isn't the only one changing his plans.
Jay Gillian, mayor of Ocean City, New Jersey, stated this week that, due to health concerns, he had"discontinued the planned project"to install crumb rubber at a stadium in his city."
The people stating synthetic turf is safe are extremely disingenuous. Read all of the studies they provide and ask yourself these 3 very basic questions;
1) were they studies of children?
2) were they long-term (many years of data)?
3) were they prospective (following the children as they develop)?
I have the answers: No, No, and No.
http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/daily-take/201410/synthetic-turf-giving-athletes-cancer-soccer-crumb-rubber-goalie-fields
Pause for an emergency update:
Another hit and run of a pedestrian in Mt Lebanon.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152581192043666
Q: since we are pouring all this money into just one field (actually 2 overlapping which means when a high school baseball game is occurring the other field is closed) does this mean the municipality will continue to neglect the remaining grass fields?
4:00, this is what is puzzling. According to the 2015 usage schedule located at http://mtlebanon.org/DocumentCenter/View/10355, two simultaneous games whether they be baseball or softball will be played at the same time on Middle and WildCat fields which as of now they can't. You figure it out.
Nick M.
Shame on every official who supported and voted for artificial turf!
Some things just aren't worth the risk.
Nick M, artificial turf is similar to the Magic Beans in Jack and the Bean Stalk. It makes athletic fields infinitly larger and for some reason leads commissioners to believe there's gold to be stolen from somewhere!
Both are in reality -- fairy tales.
KDKA did a story at 5:15 PM today. WPXI is doing a story on the rally at 11 PM tonight.
Elaine
See if you recognize this Lebo resident that was on the news today talking about turf:
http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2014/10/24/mt-lebanon-parents-raise-health-concerns-about-synthetic-turf/
8:51, I came to the conclusion that John Bendel had to create a selling point for his reasoning to back the turf project so he used this simultaneous game rouge for his 60% increase in game slots. The question remains...will they take the sign down?
Nick M.
Actually 8:51, gold is being stolen from somewhere...in the form of a tax taken from the pockets of the newcomers.
Nick M.
Speaking of gold, when this "crown jewel" is completed how will it cost?
That is all in and including the infrastructure associated with it.
Bet it's not done for just the undesignated tax revenue.
12:23 AM, with the revisions which Gateway was required to make, the word on the street is that another million dollars has been tacked on to the cost of the toxic turf project. That is just for stormwater management! Will our commissioners ever spill the beans?
Elaine
12:23, let's not forget the high school renovation at $110 million, the swimming pool renovation at $5.3 million and all the other ongoing projects. One has to begin to wonder where all this money is coming from and when will all this needless spending stop just because some folks have this "have to keep up with the Jones's mentality."
Nick M.
Nick M.,
We have a $110 million high school and a $109 million pension liability at the school district. That's two high school bills for the price of one building.
At the last school board meeting Mrs. Cappucci said:
" This district has other funds and if necessary we will spend them."
Good luck saving the college fund for you children.
Nick M. - agreed ... the line between the Newcomer's Tax and wasteful projects like this Turf Project is an important one to draw... and one that will be made clear on Sunday morning.
- Jason M.
Another million?? So they lied. They flat out lied. Now we're getting somewhere. Each of the bozos who voted for this can now be sued personally. Good move, Dave and Dave. You've just opened up the avenues for personal liability.
The readers of this blog had damn sure better start working together before the next project hits the drawing board. These leeches keep getting away with things because nobody challenges them. Stop sitting on the sidelines!
They flat out lied about a lot of things, 9:46 AM. Check back to the email I sent to the Mt. Lebanon high school student. The commissioners have kept many aspects of the turf project under wraps; potential hazards of artificial turf, the costs, the identity of the corporate donors...
I hope the organizers bring this up at the rally tomorrow. Skilled PA Personal Injury Attorneys
This is something that the media may be interested in.
Elaine
One other item worth mentioning too is that we are replacing the high school turf every 4 years in the tune of $439,000 instead of protecting the turf so it lasts its expected lifetime of 8-10 years and protected by the warranty. I emailed Timmy on Wednesday asking if the present turf is still under warranty and I have not received a reply as of yet.
Nick M.
Sounds like the ROI on Gateway Engineering's documented $4000 "donation" to this project (by which they will clearly profit) is pretty good. Spend $4000 to help ensure a $2+ million public financed project goes through. Don't forget they, or other corporate sponsors with skin in the game may have contributed - we just don't know...
This is diverting from the subject at hand here, but I just have to ask for a confirmation.
Did Cappucci really say: "" This district has other funds and if necessary we will spend them"?
This is going to have to be the next issue to be dealt with!
The district is sitting on $110+ million of high school construction debt, $109 million in underfunded pension obligations, rising healthcare cost and they're in the midst of teacher contract negotiations.
Oh yeah, almost forgot... they whine incessantly that Corbett/Harrisburg doesn't send them enough money!
Is this woman stone cold nuts or what? If you've got funds you haven't spent yet... you don't need more fom local taxes or Tom Wolf's tax on energy!
9:46/10:56 I understand your aggravation but you need to know that all the powers that be ARE BEING CHALLENGED --in person, through letters, via state agencies, etc. There are paper trails everywhere.
The problem is that there aren't enough people working TOGETHER to challenge, apply the heat, and continue pressing despite chronic and substantial push back.
This is not a normal place. NoT NoRmAl.
“No matter how many spin doctors were provided by no matter how many sides of how many arguments,” Mr. Bradlee wrote, “from Watergate on, I started looking for the truth after hearing the official version of a truth.”
THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO, TOO, MT LEBANON.
Here is an example: The DEP tells us that after 4.5 months, Mt Lebanon needs a new drainage system for the turf to be installed. This is documented by the Trib via Santoni and was also spoken to a resident. The resident learned there would be a substantial ($) cost increase associated with this new system.
Where is the new contract? How do we know the original contractor, who big on the project in its infancy, is providing the most competitive bid for the project?
If you ask this question, first you will here the
"official version of the truth", and then you must continue to press.
11:50 we're slowly getting off topic here, but isn't it ironic that our PIO writes about her association with Ben Bradlee. She claims that she came to the realization that they'd never send a woman to cover Capital Hill.
Perhaps they wouldn't sen her because she missed Bradlee's Interest in uncovering the truth and separating it from the official truth.
Remember she advised the Penn State turf expert NOT to discuss at the public forum the health and enviironmental impact of artificial turf.
11:21 let's hope tommorrows rallyis the birth of people getting involved.
Too bad we're using all the undesignated tax money on the turf.
I suppose now they'll be floating yet another bond or jacking up the millage to pay for the "shhhhhhh, it's a secret" drainage system.
I saw a local news story this morning about the turf project. A supporter of the turf was quoted as saying the fields are used from 5:30 in the morning until late at night almost every day. From what I've been reading on this blog that is not the case. People are driving by the fields on weeknights and weekends and reporting that they rarely see the fields being used. Which is correct?
The Trib states:
DEP approval, spokesman John Poister said, was based on whether the application met the state's regulations for runoff, which it did after Gateway Engineers modified plans for the drainage system.
Does anyone know what specific modifications to the plans were made for the drainage system?
Nick M.
2:35 don't believe anyone here on the blog or one of those turf supporters.
Check it out for yourself, then decide who's telling the truth and who is lying.
Make a mental note as you drive around the bubble to pay attention the fields.
Are they in use, are people arriving for a game, packing up from a game?
Sometimes you need to do your own investigation.
2:35, here's a simple test to see if our fields are overcrowded and it doesn't require a lot of energy.
Ask your friends or neighbors with children in soccer, lacrosse, youth football where their games are now that WC/M is out of service for 2 months.
Ask if their sport has been cancelled, if they're playing out of the municipality.
10:56 A. M,
Mrs, Cappucci really did say, " This district has other funds and if necessary we will spend them."
Nick.
The only way I know of to find out (with certainty) about the changes, since our government refuses to be honest and diligent, is to request a meeting with Kelly McLaughlin at ACCD and request access to the permit file. The file has the changes to the drainage and can be compared to original bid documents. If available times don't work, perhaps a RTK can be filed. If sure like to see those changes on the blog and will chip in the $ if there's a fee for the RTK.
Good luck.
Nancy Drew
Yes, I agree, Nancy Drew. Kelly McLaughlin, at the Allegheny County Conservation District, can be contacted at
kmclaughlin@accdpa.org
At one time, she had asked for a representative to contact the ACCD, not lots of individuals. A lot of good that did. It doesn't pay to follow the rules, does it?
Elaine
Capucci is an idiot if she thinks the distric can keep spending. Shes like a teenager who says "of course i still have money. There are still checks left in my checkbook".
From that Philly article on ML ball players getting cancer:
"All five Phillies that were diagnosed with glioblastoma played at Veterans Stadium, which was home to artificial turf. Carter played 11 seasons with the Montreal Expos where their home field featured Astroturf. Quisenberry played for the Royals and Cardinals at the time when both teams played on artificial turf as well.
Could it be the turf?
Research has shown that there are major concerns about what makes up artificial turf surfaces. Most artificial turf surfaces are created from chopped up rubber tires which could contain toxic chemicals. Tires are not allowed to be deposited in water bodies or landfills because of the toxic chemicals they omit.
Studies suggest that long exposure to such chemicals could cause diseases, namely cancer. This has become such a major concern that Sweden and Italy have recommended that new fields should not install artificial turf due to health concerns. UConn Health Center reports that artificial turf surfaces can omit "toxic, cancer-causing, mutation-triggering chemicals and metals."
This is where it really hit me that there could be a correlation between cancer, specifically glioblastoma, and the dangers presented by the turf. One of the first things listed by the America Brain Tumor Associationabout glioblastoma was how dangerous the disease is because of how quickly the cells reproduce. That combined with the research about "mutation-triggering chemicals" seems to be too much of a coincidence."
C'mon "Coach" and SAB member Franklin, do you honestly believe there isn't a remote possiblity that there just might be a correlation between turf and these cancer victims? Are you confortable rolling the dice with our kids health.
How about you Commissioner Brumfield? You're from Trenton, didn't you grow up rooting for these Philly ball players?
Funny thing about Franklin's comment in the Trib article.
He says he doesn't allow his kids on trampolines or to swim in pools without a lifeguard.
Unfortunately we're not discussing trampolines or pools. He doesn't mention if he'd let his kids play in a used tire dump. So that would be the obvious question... Dave would you allow your kids to regularly play and roll around on 20,000-40,000 used tires. That's exactly what you lobbied for, Mr. Attorney.
Instead of filing a RTK with the DEP, the State offers this service. Public Records
You can schedule a file review. The address to the local office is 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Phone number is 412.442.4000.
Chuck Colbert is the DEP contact. 412-442-4213 chcolbert@state.pa.us.
Elaine
Dave is from Trenton? He's obviously on the Chris Christie see-food diet. Eh. Jersey boys...
Here's the problem with the cancer issue on the fields. By the time one of the kids playing on those fields develops cancer as a result of exposure, Dave and Dave will have pulled a Jan Klein and left Lebo.
People have to wake up. Start hammering Miller and Smith. They both have some influence on what happens at the state level. Crybaby Dave called to push for a permit. Start pushing our "representatives" to push along an ethics investigation. They won't, of course, but still ask.
Hi Nancy,
Thank you for the information. I'll go that route if I need to but first I want to get a copy of the contract between Vasco Sports and Mt. Lebanon.
I may even give Gateway a call to see what they say about the changes.
Nick M.
Looking at the DEP Comment/Response document that Elaine has posted in a previous post, it says that the initial NPDES application did not contain any volume controls to address storm water runoff and that Gateway submitted a revised design.
That may have been the issue.
Nick M.
Sea food diet comment was unnecessary 7:15, it doesn't add to the conversation.
Note in the NPDES permit that runoff volume from turf field will still be just under 300% greater than the now-former grass field. And that is with a very liberal runoff calc for the grass field. After DEP revisions, this remains the case. The current design still cannot actually store or hold the increased volume of runoff. The only thing that changed is the rate at which those volumes are discharged (supposedly). Theses designs are for the "2 year storm event". We had two of those within 9 days of each other this summer.
What happens when two large rain events happen again? The onsite storage is overwhelmed, the engineered discharge is too low, and large volume of crumb rubber starts on its way to Painters Run and Chartiers Creek (instead of the slow trickle of crumb that will occur during regular rains).
The point: the design, even updated, is very very weak.
10:18 has a link tp PA Personal Insury Attorneys on this thread. Look at the last email on the link.
Alpern Schubert P.C.
Address
310 Grant St.
Suite 2727 Grant Building
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Email
calpern@alpernschubertlaw.com
Email
rschubert@alpernschubertlaw.com
Email
dbrumfield@alpernschubertlaw.com
Is that who you want to hire to wakeup the commissioners 10:18?
813- it's "see food", as in see food and eat it. I was alluding to the literal gluttony on display. And don't lecture me. It doesnt add to the conversation.
8:31 pm
I thought the storm water drainage was updated from the "revised plan". Are you saying that the volume of water is still being overlooked? [And these calculations do not include water that is tied into the system from the pool*].
If this field was made of crumb peanuts, we wouldn't allow it in Mt Lebanon.
But since it is made of crumb rubber, we are going to allow it.
So life threatening allergies are taken seriously but potentially cancerous conditions are not.
Mt Lebanon ought to care about crumb peanuts and crumb rubber. Just like peanuts don't impact everyone, this crumb rubber won't hurt all of the kids. But there are kids here that are at high risk for cancer, asthma and other conditions genetically. Adding crumb rubber to their playing fields adds to their vulnerability.
If Mt Lebanon protects kids from peanuts, it should protect them from carcinogens.
9:46, this part is confusing to me too. The DEP and Gateway state that the storm water from the pool is not discharged to the field. The storm water from the new field will be managed separately through the existing storm water system. I don't know how the drainage from the pool works or where the water drains to and the DEP document doesn't state where the pool storm water goes. Maybe someone can shed some light on this.
Nick M.
10:18: I don't know why you would post this??!!?? Definitely a conflict of interest and a BLANTANT ETHICS VIOLATION!!!
Nick -
I don't know anybody that really knows the answer to your question aside from the DEP and they are taking the word of Gateway as to what the pool plans were since no permit was obtained to do the pool work. Gateway showed them maps of their storm water drainage system for the pool and that was good enough.
Nancy D.
9:43, worried about future "inexperienced" public officials? What about the ones we have now? Like a school board that underestimated the HS by over $13 million and Brumfield who blogged the following.
From Brumfield's blog—
"This year I returned to the field issue. My first proposal was to support the recommendation of the youth sports organizations and turf Middle and wildcat field.... ...As discussed above this would have addressed the field issue by making current fields more useful.
Turf allows play to begin in early March rather than April and allows it to continue well into November.Turfing Middle and Wildcat would have created a playing area that would have created three competition fields (they cannot be used simultaneously) a full size baseball field, a youth baseball field and our first regulation size competition soccer and lacrosse field. That field of course could also be used for football or
field hockey. Based on estimates developed by the youth sports representatives this plan would have cost $750,000-$900,000.
Included in those options would be an eco-friendly turf option."
[BOY, THE SAB AND ENGINEER SURE DROPPED THE BALL ESTIMATING AN ECO-FRIENDLY TURF FOR >$900,000. I GUESS CLOSE REALLY DOES EXIST ONLY IN HORSESHOES AND HANDGRENADES. IT SURE DOESN'T EXIST IN OUR MUNICIPAL ENGINEERING OR ADVISORY BOARD PROMISES!
I LOVE BRUMFIELD'S CLOSING PROMISE AS WELL. HAS ANYONE EVER GOTTEN A RESPONSE FROM BRUMFIELD WHEN YOU EMAILED HIM ABOUT TURF?]
"I am sorry for subjecting anyone who took the time to read this to such a long-winded explanation. I did not believe that people were accurately reflecting what had occurred over the last few months when they discussed these issues. To the extent that others were being blamed and or ridiculed for what, in some respects, was my independent action I wanted to set the record straight. I also wanted to give people who disagree with me the rationale behind my decision. I will happily respond to anyone’s questions on my decision, please feel free to email me."
http://www.davebrumfield.com/
NOW YOU KNOW WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS RALLY— TO GET WHAT BRUMFIELD PROMISED... AN ECO-FRIENDLY TURF FOR UNDER $900,000.
STAND AND DELIVER, DAVE!
8:58 PM/12:12 AM, take a deep breath and reread the comment from "10:18." Do you see who submitted it? It was not an anonymous comment. I guess the irony was lost on you.
Elaine
From 12:12 am: my apologies to you Elaine! My reference was to the Skilled PA Personal Injury Attorneys issue. My mistake. Sorry!!!!!
From 8:58, You are right ,Elaine, I didn't see irony in the post. I am wondering why you would advertise that law firm on your blog.
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