By Joyce Kryszak
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wbfo/local-wbfo-920697.mp3
Tonawanda, NY – The United States Environmental Protection Agency Thursday announced that excessive levels of cyanide were found in water near the Tonawanda Coke plant.
Last month Tonawanda Coke and its environmental control manager were indicted on 15 federal counts of violating the Clean Air Act. The charges included improper disposal of toxic waste.
Now, excessive cyanide levels were found near the coal refinery in Tonawanda's sanitary sewer system. That water eventually makes its way into the Niagara River.
The new test results come after the EPA in January ordered that more thorough testing be done at the plant. Erin Heaney is Executive Director for the Clean Air Coalition. She said the EPA has not said yet how much cyanide was found. But she says its obviously too much.
"If it's above what's accepted by the government, then that's really scary," said Heaney. "Often those levels that are permisable by the government are not even strong enough...so, we know that it's too high."
The EPA has ordered the plant to comply with the terms of its Clean Water Act permit. The agency reports that the plant has made some improvements previously ordered, but not all of them. Heaney expects the EPA will soon release a timeline for completing the mandated repairs, as well as the data showing how much cyanide was found. Heaney said the EPA's watchful eye is making a difference.
"This shows that for years and years Tonawanda Coke was allowed to self-report and to tell the state and the federal government what their emmisions were," said Heaney. "And it really shows that when the EPA and did their own testing it was a different story."
Heaney said the coalition and many residents are optimistic that the EPA will make sure the plant stops polluting the air and water in Tonawanda. The United States Attorney's office in Buffalo could not confirm or deny whether or not the EPA's new actions will have any bearing on the pending federal case against the plant. The plant's owner, J.D. Crane, was unavailable for comment.