Tag: Environment

Feb 12

2013

A “cancer crisis” in Tonawanda?

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Residents living near the Town of Tonawanda’s industrial corridor have higher cancer rates than others in the state and region. The state Health Department revealed the concerning data Tuesday in a health review that has been in the works for almost four years. The review also noted that two of the cancer types are associated with chemical compounds the state Department of Environmental Conservation detected in its 2009 air monitoring program of Tonawanda, which has one of the highest concentrations of industrial polluters in the state. “There are definitely health issues of concern in Tonawanda that could be related to the pollution,”[...]

Posted 12 years ago

Feb 8

2013

Pegula of Sabres pushed for hydrofracking in New York

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Buffalo Sabres owner Terry Pegula, who made his fortune hydrofracking, has used his status as a sports mogul at least once to lobby state lawmakers to embrace drilling for natural gas. Jon Campbell of the Gannett News Service’s capital bureau in Albany is reporting that Pegula invited lawmakers to his hockey arena 15 months ago and pitched them on the merits of hydrofracking. In late November 2011, nine months after he took control of the National Hockey League club, Pegula gathered Buffalo-area officials and state lawmakers in a boardroom at then-HSBC Arena. There, he and members of his East Resources team[...]

Posted 12 years ago

Feb 7

2013

President may target coal-fired power plants

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The Obama administration called for a 17 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. But the chance of hitting that mark is not looking good. Now, he might target existing coal-fired power plants to reduce CO2 emissions. A report by the Wall Street Journal.

Posted 12 years ago

Feb 5

2013

Buffalonians getting stuck in traffic more often

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You know this: Buffalo-area commuters are stuck in traffic a lot less than their counterparts in many other large cities. What you probably don’t know: Buffalonians are sitting in traffic a lot longer than they used to. The 2012 Urban Mobility Report issued by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute considered traffic congestion in the nation’s 101 largest metropolitan areas. The report includes slews of tables from which we gleaned a few highlights, Buffalo-area motorists spent an average of 33 hours in traffic due to congestion, ranking the region No. 45. The average in comparable large metro areas is 37 hours.[...]

Posted 12 years ago

Feb 5

2013

Environmental commissioner grilled on fracking

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Monday morning’s joint state legislative meeting on the environmental conservation budget turned into a question and answer session with state Department of Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens on hydrofracking. The Albany Times-Union has a good report of the meeting. One topic that caught my attention was during  Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton’s peppering of Martens on the controversial natural gas drilling process. The Ithaca Democrat said 400 families in Washington County, Pa., have had water delivered to them because of contamination. She wasn’t happy about Pennsylvania’s Act 13, either. She called it “corruption,” and asked Martens what he thought about Act 13, specifically the[...]

Posted 12 years ago

Jan 29

2013

More Tonawanda pollution problems: Tests show soil contamination

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Residents of Tonawanda already knew the air they breathe has high levels of cancer-causing benzene. Now some believe the soil they garden in and that their children play on might be contaminated, too. Jackie James Creedon, a leader of the Tonawanda Community Fund, said members took soil samples from five yards, two at a playground and one from Beaver Island State Park last November after they had discovered a black gooey substance and soot on their vehicles and gardens. The tests were taken from soil at residences on Kaufman, James and Sawyers avenues—all of which are in the middle of[...]

Posted 12 years ago
Investigative Post