Herald & Lantern 18 April '84

Pesticides: Scattered Problems

(From Page 1) seems related to agricultural runoff and should receive some further study but, again, observed levels were not a major concern. “One very high Malathion (an insecticide) level seen in Dennisville Lake," Sutton linked to possible “campground and/or Mosquito Commission spraying. Further testing might be advised here. "Again," he wrote Thornton, Feb. 27 “(the) study has lagged due to equipment failure/breakdown etc. Entire study (to include pesticide survey also) will be finished in about three weeks for public review." Told the same thing by Sutton Feb. 24, Fisher waited until the freeholders opened their 4:30 p.m. regular meeting March 27 at 6 p.m. to ask for the pesticide findings. Although she said she was the only person remaining to attend that meeting, the freeholders limited her address to 15 minutes and they “absolutely refused to give me a date to release the pesticide study." “I did believe Clay (Sutton) that I would have it in hand next week,” Fisher added, referring to the last week of February. “He had promised to give it to me in advance of the budget hearing (March 13)." "NOBODY'S TRYING to put her off," Thornton said of Fisher’s requests for the pesticide report. “The only reason why (it wasn't released) is because we haven't gotten the data together yet... The Health Department doesn't function" to furnish Fisher with information, he said March 28. Sutton, Thornton added, forwarded the Feb. 27 memo mentioning Fisher to him because "she was in there pressing them and said she was going to make a big stink at the budget hearing." Meanwhile, Fisher maintained and Sutton confirmed that she has supplied the Health Department with reams of reports on environmental matters. “I showed her all the data sheets," he said, but didn't want to release them to Fisher because he considered the findings raw information. "Again, it will be very soon," he said April 2 of the pesticide report release. After reviewing the preliminary reports Feb. 24, Fisher agreed, "there were no great surprises" but “there are just a lot of big gaps." She wanted to take the final report to

Cornell University and have the findings reviewed by friends on its faculty. "I think it's best to forget the Health Department and get some private testing done." The county, she complained, doesn't spend enough money testing for pesticides, should be testing the soil as well as water, and look for a greater variety of possible contaminants than it does. "I THINK THAT it's a logical place to look for an answer to the birth defects," Fisher said, referring to pesticides and a rash of birth defects in the county several years ago. Then, she added, there were "quite a few cases of Spina Bifida and that is something that you might suspect was caused by chemical poisoning.” “That’s outrageous," Thornton reacted, dismissing Fisher’s theory that pesticides might have caused the birth defects. "We, as a county government, can't make any outlandish charges.” Every six months she gets on this (birth defect) kick and that creates a lot of concern among women of childbearing age," Thornton complained. "It's irresponsible." “It’s absolutely irresponsible of them to keep hiding it,” countered Fisher, referring to the pesticide report while conceding that a 1980 investigation of the birth defect rash ended December of that year without really pinpointing a cause or causes. "What’s that tell you?" asked the freeholder. “She wants the state and the County of Cape May to draw her conclusions." The 1980 report on birth defects," he added, "just said, overall, that they could not find any significant reason why we had a cluster of birth defects. It happens. It just happens." If he suspected a link between pesticides and birth defects, Thornton said he would use "all the resources of the county to correct it." "Mrs. Fisher thinks that because she walks in with some theory of hers — no matter how ridiculous it is — the county has to drop everything and treat it as a priority." Sutton said Thornton "has approved a great deal more money than requested" for the Pesticide Monitoring Project. Although the freeholder faulted Fisher for her theory that pesticides might be linked to birth defects, Sutton said Stockton had been asked to study just such a possibility.

MUA Signs Up New Firm

SWAINTON-The County Municipa' Utilities Authority has approved a $1.6 million contract with its new consulting engineering firm, CH2M Hill Southeast of Philadelphia, to provide engineering services during the construction of wastewater treatment facilities in the Wildwoods/Lower and Seven Mile Beach/Middle Regions. CH2M Hill's hiring comes three weeks after the MUA severed its relationship with PQA Engineering Co. Two of PQA's officers were indicted by the County Grand Jury in February. George Marinakis, MUA executive director, in recommending the CH2M Hill Co., said. "Following an extensive two-phase screening process, in which over 40 engineering firms were considered, we ranked CH2M Hill as number one because we were impressed by its outstanding capabilities. It is a large national, experienced, and highly reputable company." TWO OTHER companies, Heerying Program Management and Gannett Fleming, will act as prime (Subcontractors to CH2M Hill to form a team. Collectively the three firms have provided construction management services for over 500 projects. Over 150 of those Have been

wastewater facilities and at least 50 have been located on the ocean. A combined construction management team consisting of up to 250 experienced personnel will be involved at various stages of the Wildwoods/Lower and Seven Mile Beach/Middle projects.

One 14 million gallon per day wastewater treatment plant, eight pumping stations, nine force mains and two ocean outfalls arc included in the estimated $90 million construction projects. They are expected to begin late this summer and

SUN TIME — Bright, sunny weather is enjoyed by Adrian Martinas, five months, and granddad. Frank Cardaci of Erma, with stroll through Fox Park. Wildwood. Adrian is son of Mr. and Mrs. Alberto Martinas of Erma.

Blood donors save Irres.l In Cape May Court Houae, call 466-7382

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