Many Agreements Come From PFOA Meeting June 30

State Senator Kathy Marchione released a statement recently describing a meeting on PFOA issues that produced significant results. She said, “On June 30, I took part in a very productive two-hour meeting with Jim Malatras, Governor Cuomo’s Director of State Operations, representatives of the State Departments of Health and Environmental Conservation, Town of Hoosick Supervisor Mark Surdam, Village of Hoosick Falls Mayor David Borge, Town of Petersburgh Supervisor Alan Webster and Town of Petersburgh Councilwoman Denise Jacon Church.[private] We discussed ongoing needs for the Village of Hoosick Falls, the Town of Hoosick and the Town of Petersburgh, all of which are dealing with the PFOA health crisis. Working together, having an honest conversation, we achieved a great deal of positive outcomes.”
From the meeting came an agreement to install a water filtration system for the Berlin Elementary School; agreement with the State to explore alternatives for seeking a new clean water source for Petersburgh; agreement to extend to Petersburgh the policy of offering POET carbon filtration systems for individual personal wells for Town of Petersburgh residents to anyone who wants them, just as Town of Hoosick residents received; agreement that the State will pay (and then seek reimbursement from Saint-Gobain) $46,000 for costs of a Hoosick water system feasibility study to expand Hoosick Falls’ municipal water system; agreement to fund hiring an Environmental Engineer for the Town of Hoosick so the community can be assured of an independent analysis; agreement to have the State pay back water bills for six months of water for Town of Petersburgh residents, same as received by Hoosick Falls residents;
Future bio-monitoring and blood testing for the Village Hoosick Falls, the Town of Hoosick and Town of Petersburgh residents was also discussed, and local on-site blood testing for Petersburgh residents will begin on July 23rd at the Petersburgh Community Center;
The group also clarified how home carbon filtration systems will be maintained, and finalized a confidentiality agreement for Hoosick Falls private wells.[/private]