Town Survey Results Discussed at EAB Meeting

At its monthly meeting on Wednesday, October 15, the Environmental Advisory Board (EAB) noted the amount of interest by residents in improving air and water quality in the area.

While nearly 80 percent of residents agree or strongly agree that the town is adequately protecting the environment within its borders, 54.6 percent of residents indicated that the town could be doing a better job of addressing air quality issues produced by neighboring industries.

Residents feel slightly better about water quality issues with 40.2 percent of the survey respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that Ogden Dunes is doing a sufficient job of addressing water quality issues produced by neighboring industries.

Air and water pollution issues, as well as beach clean up issues, were also frequently cited in the open-ended question that asked respondents to indicate priorities the Town Council should be focusing on.

At the meeting, EAB members discussed strategies for addressing these issues and making sure the public knows about its efforts. Members offered to speak at meetings of civic groups, such as the Lions Club, and Susan MiHalo continues to build a list of residents who receive information through http://www.odeab.blogspot.com/.

EAB members decided that one of the first things that needs to be accomplished is to strengthen their contact list with key industries. Mark Coleman, who is responsible for monitoring permits and violations at Precoat Metals, agreed to find an environmental contact at that plant. Susan MiHalo has ongoing contact with Jim Biancotti at U.S. Steel Midwest, and sits on the Citizens Advisory Board of Arcelor Mittal. Jim Petsas is responsible for monitoring Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) violations that impact beach water quality.

Bob Cattani continuously monitors AMROX permits and whether or not that plant is complying with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforcement order on clean air violations settled in 2006. According to EPA, AMROX failed to properly control hazardous hydrochloric acid and chlorine emissions from three facilities it owns, including the Portage plant. The company also failed to get a state operating permit for its Portage plant.

As part of that settlement, AMROX is required to complete odor impact and health risk assessments in the Portage area and implement any measures recommended by the studies. This is important because hydrochloric acid is corrosive to the eyes, skin and mucous membranes. Chronic exposure may cause chronic bronchitis and skin problems. Chlorine is an irritant to the eyes, upper respiratory tract and lungs. At higher levels of exposure, it is extremely irritating to the skin and can cause severe burns.

During the meeting, Bob Cattani expressed frustration with EPA in providing updated information on the AMROX settlement and environmental projects. According to Cattani, apparently AMROX is not providing reporting in an electronic format, which makes it difficult for EPA to place the information on the Internet. Before the EAB resorts to filing a Freedom of Information Act request, Susan MiHalo agreed to find out if her contacts at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) might be able to provide assistance on this matter.

EAB members strongly encourage residents to file pollution complaints with IDEM either through the Internet or by telephone. This may be accomplished by visiting http://www.in.gov/idem/5275.htm or by calling the Complaint Coordinator at (800) 451-6027 ext.24464. Filing complaints is helpful in tracking incidents and bringing greater attention to resident issues by IDEM. Information on the IDEM pollution complaints program was also covered in http://odeab.blogspot.com/2008/10/citizens-file-complaints-about-blast.html.

Also at the meeting, EAB members reviewed the town's recent response to the garbage and refuse disaster on the beach that resulted from the Burns Ditch flooding incident on September 12-13, 2008. Overall, the EAB felt that the town did a good job on informing residents about beach safety and water quality. Susan MiHalo will look into whether or not sediment scoured out of Burns Ditch is being tested for parameters other than E. coli.

The next meeting of the EAB is November 19. The public is invited to attend the meetings, which are held at 7:00 p.m. at the Town Hall.

(Photo above taken on September 15, 2008 and provided by resident Linda Bulla.)