Apr 30
2013
Climate Central found that Hurricane Sandy caused 11 billion gallons worth of sewage overflows into waterways and streets. Heavy rain and storms in Buffalo can cause up to 4 billion gallons worth of overflows annually.
Apr 18
2013
New York has a dismal record when it comes to collecting thermostats that contain mercury and legislation that might help hasn’t passed both chambers for years. The result is that these toxic thermostats end up in landfills and leach into land and water—nearly a ton of mercury annually in New York alone. Keeping mercury out of landfills and the environment is important because it is a toxic pollutant that can make fish inedible and cause brain and liver damage, along with behavioral and developmental problems in children and fetuses. The EPA conducted a study in 2004 that found more than[...]
Apr 11
2013
Mary Ruth Kapsiak responds to questions from Dan Telvock of Investigative Post about the district’s failure to comply with state regulations regarding health and physical education.
Apr 10
2013
If Buffalo Board of Education members want to pinpoint two reasons why almost half of city schools are failing they can look at the district’s physical and health education programs. The problem is they’ve been turning a blind eye. The youngest students aren’t getting enough exercise and about 45 percent of Buffalo’s seventh graders are overweight, which does impact academic performance according to national studies. So it shouldn’t be a surprise that the school system isn’t in compliance with state regulations for its physical and health education programs and hasn’t been for at least a decade. The state Department of Education[...]
Apr 9
2013
UCLA research found a possible link in California between high exposure to vehicle emission pollution and three rare types of childhood cancers.
Apr 2
2013
One of the nation’s biggest environmental trials wrapped up last week in federal court in Buffalo against Tonawanda Coke, almost a month after the state Department of Health released a report that found elevated levels of cancer and birth defects in neighborhoods that surround that industrial corridor. Gov. Andrew Cuomo was at University at Buffalo this morning to talk about the recently passed state budget and afterwards the press was ushered behind a black curtain in a tight corner to shout out questions on a range of topics. Someone may not have gotten the governor up to speed on how[...]
Mar 13
2013
In the summer it is not unusual to see children swimming in Black Rock Canal directly across from a pipe that can spew untreated sewer, storm runoff and toxic industrial chemicals into the water. As gross and dangerous as that sounds, the following details may not be for those with weak stomachs. Consider yourself warned. Each year about 52 million gallons of untreated storm runoff, industrial waste water and sewage enter Black Rock Canal. There are 14 permitted overflow pipes in this canal alone. Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper says some of the bacteria tests it conducted in the canal showed E. coli[...]
Mar 5
2013
More Buffalo schools are using green totes to recycle that will help boost the city’s recycling rate. Investigative Post reported in November that only two schools were using the totes that were distributed to residents early last year, and that the district wasn’t doing much otherwise to promote recycling, although some individuals schools were. Since then, 13 more schools have started using the city’s green totes. Allied Waste has also agreed to accept all recyclables in Dumpsters that had only accepted cardboard and paper. “In the current pilot, we have 15 sites that are recycling with the green totes/city program[...]