You live in Hudson Falls

Public Comment Template for residents of Hudson Falls who live in this census tract (36115080100) [disadvantaged]

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·     “My name is ___. I live in Hudson Falls.”

Consider talking about your community’s preexisting Health Burdens, for example:

·     “My community is a state-designated disadvantaged community, which already experiences very high health burdens.”
 

·     “For example, our community experiences very high rates of an inflammatory lung disease known as COPD.”
 

·     “Our Census Tract’s average annual age-adjusted emergency department visits for COPD are higher than those in 86% of all Tracts in the state.”
 

·     “A higher percentage of people in our census tract have a disability than people in 92% of all census tracts in the state.”

Consider talking about your community’s preexisting Pollution Burdens:

·     “My community is also subject to disproportionately high pollution burdens.”
 

·     “A higher percentage of my Census Tract’s land area is within 500 meters of a trash incinerator than that of 96% of other census tracts in the state.”

Consider talking about how DEC should be decreasing pollution in Hudson Falls, not licensing it:

·     “DEC should be working to reduce health burdens in my community by reducing the cumulative pollution we are exposed to.”
 

·     “Instead, the agency is unconscionably considering putting our health at further risk by allowing a corporation to further pollute our environment”
 

·     “Of all the places in the world to build this facility, why is Saratoga Biochar choosing a location so close to an already struggling community?”

Consider talking about some of many air pollutants the application suggests will reach the community:

·     “Modeling in Saratoga Biochar’s Air Permit Application indicates that the Saratoga Biochar Facility will release numerous co-pollutants into our community.”

·     These include dangerous air pollutants that present serious risks to the health of children, adults and especially vulnerable older people, people with chronic health problems, and infants and toddlers.

·     “For example, maps in the application show Naphthalene emissions reaching Hudson Falls.”

·     “EPA says ‘exposure of humans to naphthalene by inhalation, ingestion, and dermal contact is associated with hemolytic anemia, damage to the liver, and neurological damage.’”

·     “Among other pollutant emissions, the maps indicate that PFOA and mercury will reach our community, which is particularly concerning as these substances are extremely harmful and accumulate in the environment over time.”

·     “EPA says ‘[c]hildren exposed to methylmercury while they are in the womb can have impacts to their cognitive thinking, memory, attention, language, fine motor skills, and visual spatial skills.’”

·     “Of PFOA, EPA has indicated that human studies have found associations between PFOA and/or PFOS exposure and several types of health effects including the damage to the liver, the immune system, the cardiovascular system, and human development (e.g., decreased birth weight), as well as cancer.”

·     “The permit materials also lack sufficient air emissions testing procedures. Tests are far too infrequent.” (The DEC draft air permit requires testing once every 5 years.)

NOTE: [If you want to raise doubts about the usefulness of the Biochar end-use product, see Appendix]

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Consider talking about your status as a resident of an environmental justice community:

·     “Why should we continue to deal with higher adverse health burdens than most New Yorkers?”
 

·     “Does DEC think our community is expendable?”
 

·     “My community is a state-designated disadvantaged community and I hope DEC will not contribute to our burdens by permitting this project.”

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Consider talking about your right to a healthful environment:

“In addition, under Article 1 section 19 of the New York State Constitution, I have a right to clean air and water, and a healthful environment.”

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NOTE: [If you want to raise doubts about the usefulness of Biochar Product, see Appendix]

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