Mt. Lebanon residents rally against artificial turf UPDATED

Mt. Lebanon residents rally against artificial turf

By Nick Lewandowski
For The Almanac
writer@thealmanac.net

Flanked by heavy construction equipment and mounds of earth, several dozen Mt. Lebanon residents gathered on Oct. 26 to rally against the installation of artificial turf at Middle and Wildcat fields, in the municipality’s main park. Members of the crowd displayed signs and punctuated speakers’ comments with enthusiastic rounds of applause.

Mt. Lebanon’s turf project has progressed quickly since its proposal in November 2013, despite vocal opposition from a number of residents. Opponents see artificial turf as a pet project of commissioners and sports groups, which are determined to complete it as quickly as possible despite significant cost and safety concerns.

“This process should have been open and inclusive,” resident Jeff Heiskell said. “The commission has ignored our concerns, and instead relied upon obscure studies from other countries and sales material from turf manufacturers for information. Our Public Information Office has assumed the role of spin doctor, referring to ‘field enhancements’ rather than ‘artificial turf.’”

Artificial turf of the type Mt. Lebanon is installing uses infill manufactured from recycled tires. The tire crumbs are known to contain toxic chemicals, including lead and black carbon. Turf manufacturers insist chemicals remain well within acceptable levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency, and that there are no studies proving a link between crumb rubber infill and diseases such as cancer.

The body of research on crumb rubber infill is fragmented and inconclusive, however. While there is no research proving crumb rubber causes cancer, there are no independent studies proving it is completely safe, either. Many studies feature limited samples sizes and differences in methodology that hamper comparability.

Most importantly, turf opponents say, there are no studies involving young children similar to those who will be playing on Mt. Lebanon’s fields. Young children are inherently vulnerable to chemical exposures due to their physiology.

A recent NBC News report added further fuel to the fire after noting a number of young soccer goalies playing on artificial turf have been diagnosed with blood cancers such as lymphoma. It sparked a call from New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone for an official study of artificial turf’s impact on athletes.

Commissioner Kelly Fraasch, the only Mt. Lebanon commissioner to vote against the turf project, echoed those concerns when she addressed the crowd. She accused the commission and municipal staff of moving forward without proper due diligence.

“I asked for a materials safety data sheet for both the turf bid we accepted, and for all the bids,” she said. “Ultimately our staff decided not to provide all the MSDS sheets because they didn’t feel it was relevant. I asked about flame retardants and static applications. When I asked questions, the response I received over and over was ‘I don’t know, I’m not a turf expert.’”

Fraasch said she asked for a roll call vote on the project so commissioners would have to “own” their decision. “I was not going to let them bully me into a yes vote,” she said, to an enthusiastic round of applause.

Fraasch urged rally attendees to get involved in the political process to shut the project down.

“Contact your county council person, your congressman. We need to stand firm on this issue as leaders, not followers. There is nothing wrong with saying ‘I might be wrong, let’s go back and make sure we’re right.’”

**************

I did a phone interview today for CBS Radio. Here is what we got from our Public Information Office.

From: LeboALERT <noreply@mtlebanon.org>To: EGillen476 <EGillen476@aol.com>Sent: Mon, Oct 27, 2014 1:03 pmSubject: LeboALERT: The Nov. issue of Mt... 

This is an important notice from LeboALERT. 

The Nov. issue of Mt. Lebanon Magazine is available at www.lebomag.com. Read
about dog parks, Fire Department inspections, RED gifts & being a freshman.

Update October 27, 2014 5:15 PM My Lebo Citizens camera man sent me this video. Looks like they are having trouble digging down more than 6".

WTAE is at the fields. Story tonight at 11,

"Recede and Reseed" UPDATED

Gorgeous day for a rally. KDKA, WPXI, and WTAE cameras were there. The Post-Gazette and The Almanac had reporters present. I counted 75 people in attendance, including the two sports guys.

Thanks goes to the organizers, the speakers, ALL of the people who showed up, the media, and especially to the only commissioner who attended, Commissioner Kelly Fraasch.

Update October 27, 2014 7:09 AM Mt. Lebanon residents, commissioners dig into turf war

But David Brumfield, Mt. Lebanon Ward 4 commissioner, said the NBC report used anecdotal evidence from what some soccer players may have thought caused their cancer in place of actual scientific evidence. He also said that football players spend more time than anyone on turf, and there have been no complaints about the artificial turf used at the Mt. Lebanon High School football field. He said the artificial turf will increase the number of events and time of year the field can be used.

Update October 27, 2014 3:27 PM Lots of publicity! Thanks!

Not a little late; the municipality started a little early. They were supposed to wait three weeks after the permit was issued. The permit was issued on Thursday and construction started the following Monday.

Mt. Lebanon Parents Raise Health Concerns About Synthetic Turf

Report linking field surface to cancer elicits Mt. Lebanon protest UPDATED

Report linking field surface to cancer elicits Mt. Lebanon protest

Stephanie Strasburg | Trib Total Media

The grass on the baseball fields along Cedar Blvd. in Mount Lebanon is removed for the installation of artificial turf on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014.

Report linking field surface to cancer elicits Mt. Lebanon protest

By Matthew Santoni
Google+ 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?

ARTIFICIAL TURF COULD BE CAUSING CANCER AMONG FORMER PHILLIES/MLB PLAYERS

Rally for Lebo Kids' Health

"Rally for Lebo Kids' Health"

October 26, 2014 11:00 AM

Who: Advocates for Lebo Kids’ Health

Where: Middle and Wildcat Fields located on Cedar Blvd.

What: Rally for Lebo Kids’ Health

When: Sunday, October 26, 2014 11:00 AM

Why: The Mt. Lebanon Commissioners have chosen to disregard warnings about the dangers of artificial turf aired on NBC and CBS. Construction has started to turf Middle and Wildcat Fields with crumb rubber infill made with shredded tires.

**********

NBC Nightly News’ investigation “How Safe is the Artificial Turf on Your Child's Sports Field?” aired an interview with University of Washington Assistant Soccer Coach Amy Griffin. Coach Griffin found a horrible coincidence where 38 soccer players, 34 of them soccer goal keepers, developed cancer. One young woman died at the age of 25.

http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/how-safe-artificial-turf-your-childs-sports-field-n221676

We continue to learn about communities not willing to risk children's health with toxic turf. Mt. Lebanon is willing to take that risk with your child.

A notice from the school district:
"We have been notified by the municipality that Dixon Parking Lot (on Cedar Boulevard) will be closed beginning October 27, until further notice due to an upcoming turf installation project on Wildcat and Middle Fields."
Map of Vehicle Traffic Patterns and Pedestrian Access

No LeboALERT because it is political

From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: klinfante <klinfante@mtlebanon.org>
Cc: sfeller <sfeller@mtlebanon.org>; cmcdonough <cmcdonough@mtlebanon.org>; nsohyda <nsohyda@mtlebanon.org>; commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>; repmiller <repmiller@pahouse.net>; smorgans <smorgans@mtlebanon.org>Sent: Tue, Oct 21, 2014 10:06 AM
Subject: Re: Kids Health & Safety Fair

I see. It is unfortunate that you consider anything about kids' safety as political. I am not surprised.

Since the purpose of the June 12 presentation was "NOT to discuss the potential harmful effect of artificial turf" as Susan Morgans wrote in her May 23, 2014 email to Andrew McNitt, I was hoping that you would take this opportunity to let others "discuss the potential harmful effects of artificial turf."

I hope you are able to attend Sunday's rally, Commissioners.

Elaine Gillen

-----Original Message-----


From: Kristen Linfante <klinfante@mtlebanon.org>
To: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
Cc: Stephen Feller <sfeller@mtlebanon.org>; Coleman McDonough <cmcdonough@mtlebanon.org>; Nicholas Sohyda <nsohyda@mtlebanon.org>; Commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>; Rep. Dan Miller <repmiller@pahouse.net>Sent: Tue, Oct 21, 2014 8:52 am
Subject: Re: Kids Health & Safety Fair

Ms. Gillen,

For clarification, w e send out LeboALERTs only for municipal events/issues or in response to requests from formally organized groups or 501C3s. For instance, we will send out a once-a-year-alert for YMCA Indian Princess/Guide Registration or for youth soccer registration or for a membership meeting for the Mt. Lebanon Junior Women's Club. In the spirit of neutrality, we do not send out anything political in nature and have repeatedly denied requests from both the democratic and republican committees to publicize their party events. We will send out an alert for something that an elected official is sponsoring that is open to the public—for instance Dan Miller's recent fair for young people seeking jobs (although we generally don't even do that prior to an election.)

I hope this helps to clarify the stance of the municipality.

Regards,

Kristen Linfante
Commissioner, Ward 3

Kristen Linfante

Commissioner, Ward 3
(412)561-2790

On Tue, Oct 21, 2014 at 7:48 AM, ' egillen476@aol.com' via Commission <commission@mtlebanon.org> wrote:
Steve,

I would think that a "Kids Health & Safety Fair" is the correct forum for any group concerned about kids' health.

Nothing was mentioned about my request for a LeboALERT to be sent out on Friday concerning Sunday's Rally. I had copied Susan Morgans, but as usual, I got no response from her. In fact I received ZERO responses from anyone and it wasn't until you talked with "Rep. Miller's office about this issue" did I get a response at all.

Mr. Feller, the customer service level within the Municipality is subpar. This is Brewfest Poster Request Redux.

Elaine Gillen

Kids Health & Safety Fair is not the correct forum to discuss children's safety and artificial turf UPDATED

What a day! I started out this morning with an email to our police chief and fire chief asking about getting a table for the advocates' group.

From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: cmcdonough <cmcdonough@mtlebanon.org>; nsohyda <nsohyda@mtlebanon.org>
Cc: commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>; smorgans <smorgans@mtlebanon.org>
Sent: Mon, Oct 20, 2014 9:14 am
Subject: Kids Health & Safety Fair

According to the Halloween Parade information on the Mt. Lebanon website:

After the Parade,
visit the
Kids Health & Safety Fair
Mt. Lebanon
Public Safety Center
555 Washington Road
Noon – 1:30 p.m.
 Kids Activities
 Information from
Mt. Lebanon Police
and Fire Department,
local organizations,
county and state
departments, and more
 Health, nutrition,
wellness, and safety
information for kids
and parents
 Trick or Treat in the
Safety Center for
additional candy

Concerned parents are interested in having a space concerning the health and safety of kids' health in regard to the artificial turf at the Kids Health & Safety Fair. Who should they contact?

Elaine Gillen

No response. So I sent this email:

From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: cmcdonough <cmcdonough@mtlebanon.org>; nsohyda <nsohyda@mtlebanon.org>; commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>
Cc: sfeller <sfeller@mtlebanon.org>; smorgans <smorgans@mtlebanon.org>; repmiller <repmiller@pahouse.net>; msantoni <msantoni@tribweb.com>; hfunk1213 <hfunk1213@yahoo.com>; jon.delano <jon.delano@verizon.net>; nicholaslewandowski <nicholaslewandowski@gmail.com>
Sent: Mon, Oct 20, 2014 12:27 pm
Subject: You're invited

I emailed most of you earlier this morning, requesting some space for the Kids Health and Safety Fair, but I fear it will be ignored as my Brewfest Poster request was.

Anyway, you are all invited to a rally on Sunday, October 26, 2014. Invitation is attached. I have been asked to invite you all, and I will be posting it on my blog, Lebo Citizens. Would the Public Information Office issue a LeboALERT announcing Sunday's rally on Friday?

Thanks for your consideration.

Elaine Gillen

Lo and behold, I received the following email from Steve Feller denying the parents' request for having a space concerning the health and safety of kids' health in regard to the artificial turf at the Kids Health & Safety Fair.

From: Stephen Feller <sfeller@mtlebanon.org>
To: E.T. Gillen <egillen476@aol.com>
Cc: Coleman J. McDonough <cmcdonough@mtlebanon.org>; Nick Sohyda <nsohyda@mtlebanon.org>; Commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>
Sent: Mon, Oct 20, 2014 5:04 pm
Subject: Re: Kids Health & Safety Fair
Elaine:
Today I talked with both Chiefs and also Rep. Miller's office about this issue. From the first day that this event was proposed by then County Councilmember Gastgeb, the Municipality has indicated that we would support the event in the Safety Center provided that: 1) the event needs to be focused on having service providers give information to kids on safety issues 2) no political campaigning would be permitted in the safety center, 3) all of Mt. Lebanon's current sitting elected officials, but certainly the Congressman, state senator and state rep. for Mt. Lebanon, and county councilmembers representing the community should be invited in order to distribute information about agency services 4) other service providers including county departments, MRTSA, and Outreach should be invited and 5) it should be a small, informal event that avoids politics and focuses on service providers. Therefore, I am going to need to deny the request to have space for those who want to provide information on the safety of artificial turf. This is not the correct forum for that type of activity. Of course, anyone can exercise their first amendment rights and distribute information on the public sidewalks along the parade route. Please call me if you need further clarification. Thank you.
Steve

Since when is children's health political?
What IS the correct forum for "that type of activity?"
I guess the Public Safety Building is not public.
What a crock.

Don't forget the Rally for Lebo Kids' Health on Sunday morning at 11:00 AM on Cedar Blvd.
If anyone is interested in printing their own T-shirt, this mirrored image should be used with iron-on transfers.

Update October 23, 2014 7:36 AM I was told that this is Chief McDonough's and Chief Sohyda's event.

From: egillen476 <egillen476@aol.com>
To: repmiller <repmiller@pahouse.net>; sfeller <sfeller@mtlebanon.org>
Cc: commission <commission@mtlebanon.org>
Sent: Wed, Oct 22, 2014 6:00 pm
Subject: I'm confused.

http://www.pasenate.com/2013/10/14/smith-miller-harris-host-kids-health-and-safety-fair-oct-26/

Does anyone know what is going on? If this is Miller's event too, then the Advocates can have a table, right?

Elaine Gillen

Media, are you getting all of this? Another Mt. Lebanon move "NOT to discuss the potential harmful effects of artificial turf."

"Rally for Lebo Kids' Health" UPDATED

Updated flyer for the Rally for Lebo Kids' Health 

I have been asked to post this on Lebo Citizens.

"Rally for Lebo Kids' Health"

Sunday, October 26, 2014* 11:00 AM

*new date and time

Who: Advocates for Lebo Kids’ Health
Where: Middle and Wildcat Fields located on Cedar Blvd.
What: Rally for Lebo Kids’ Health
When: Sunday, October 26, 2014 11:00 AM
Why: The Mt. Lebanon Commissioners have chosen to disregard warnings about the dangers of artificial turf aired on NBC and CBS.

After the Pumpkin Patch Parade on Saturday, October 25, visit the Kids Health & Safety Fair:

Mt. Lebanon Public Safety Center

555 Washington Road 

Noon - 1:30 PM

DENIED

Advocates for Lebo Kids’ Health will be on hand to answer questions concerning the artificial turf project and the dangers of artificial turf.

• Learn more about the tire crumb infill which will be used at Middle and Wildcat Fields. 

• Read the Department of Environmental Protection’s response included with the NPDES Permit issued to the Municipality of Mt. Lebanon 

• Watch the investigation reports on NBC Nightly and CBS 

• Grab iron on transfers for Sunday’s rally. Put them on Tshirts, tote bags or print out the sign here.

DENIED