Republican State Senator Kathy Marchione’s office has released the results of a two-hour meeting between New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Director of State Operations, the Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation, and leaders from Hoosick Falls and Petersburgh — where the water is contaminated.
Among a list of agreements for victims of PFOA contamination are studies to expand municipal water systems, blood testing and consideration of bio-monitoring, and the continued installation of carbon filtration systems for private wells, including for the Berlin Central School District.
Marchione said the results represent progress. The Senator, who has not called for legislative hearings on the state’s response to the contamination crisis, deflected criticisms from fellow lawmakers and some residents.
“The results that we worked on last night and the results that we have gotten previous, that’s where I’ve been focusing my energies and I will continue to focus on getting the real results for the people that I represent. But we’ve never said that in future that we wouldn’t be willing to have hearings,” said Marchione.
The statement reads:
“Tonight, I took part in a very productive two-hour meeting with Jim Malatras, Governor Cuomo’s Director of State Operations, representatives of the State Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation, Town of Hoosick Supervisor Mark Surdam, Village of Hoosick Falls Mayor David Borge, Town of Petersburgh Supervisor Alan Webster and Town of Petersburgh Councilwoman Denise Jacon Church. We discussed ongoing needs for the Village of Hoosick Falls, the Town of Hoosick and the Town of Petersburgh, all of which are dealing with the PFOA health crisis. Working together, having an honest conversation, we achieved a great deal of positive outcomes and real results for our local communities that included the following:
- Securing a water filtration system for the Berlin School;
- Submission of a preliminary engineering report to improve and expand the existing municipal water system in Petersburgh – a water system that will cost approximately $8.5 million – and the State’s willingness to explore such a new system;
- Continuation of the policy of “if you want it, you get it” of POET carbon filtration systems for individual personal wells for Town of Petersburgh residents, just as Town of Hoosick residents received;
- Agreement that State will pay (and then seek reimbursement from Saint-Gobain) $46,000 for costs of a Hoosick water system feasibility study to expand Hoosick Falls’ municipal water system;
- Agreement for funding to hire an Environmental Engineer for the Town of Hoosick so the community can be assured of an independent analysis;
- State paying for six months of water for Town of Petersburgh residents, same as received by Hoosick Falls residents;
- State will work with company to help relieve municipal employees regarding distribution of water;
- Future bio-monitoring and blood testing for the Village Hoosick Falls, the Town of Hoosick and Town of Petersburgh residents was discussed;
- Local on-site blood testing for Petersburgh residents which will commence on July 23rd at the Petersburgh Community Center;
- Continuation of an independent health cancer study conducted by Mt. Sinai;
- Clarification on how carbon filtration systems will be maintained for home use; and
- Finalization of a confidentiality agreement for Hoosick Falls private wells.
These real results are not the end of this effort, but represent important progress. Our collaborative effort continues to focus on the health, safety and well-being of our constituents in the Village of Hoosick Falls, the Town of Hoosick and the Town of Petersburgh.”
