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Albany: Call If You Detect 'Uncommon Scents'

Residents of downtown Albany living in the shadow of the Port and its infamous oil trains now have a way to report strong odors, which have become commonplace during the summer months.

Peter Iwanowicz, Chairman of County Executive Dan McCoy’s Expert Advisory Committee on Crude Oil Safety, says those living or working near oil transport facilities – rail terminals and siding areas near the Port of Albany can call the “Uncommon Scents” hotline to report nefarious odors. Dial 2-1-1.

Data collected through the hotline will be used by the Crude Oil Safety Committee in its continuing review of port activities.

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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