EPA will release asbestos results in September
By: Nick Norlen, Staff Writer
08/16/2006

The EPA will soon release results of tests done on samples from Ambler's former Bo-Rit asbestos site near the Wissahickon Creek.

Upon requests from resident group Citizens for a Better Ambler, the Environmental Protection Agency took samples from the site in April. EPA officials are scheduled to meet with CBA members Aug. 16, and a public meeting to release results is tentatively planned for early or mid-September.

Visiting Ambler on Friday, EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Larry Johnson declined to comment on specific test results, but did reveal that some movement is taking place at the site. "We have coordinators and a contractor looking over the site in preparation for doing some work up here," he said, noting that it is "still in the planning process." Johnson said he couldn't reveal more about the activity because several politicians and agencies have not yet been notified about the results. "We have to brief congressional members, state representatives and other people on what the EPA's process is," he said. "We don't like to blindside our politicians."

Although a public meeting was originally proposed for Aug. 17, some residents suggested that it be pushed back because many families may be on vacation. Johnson said the public meeting will be held sometime in September, most likely at Wissahickon High School. "We want to make sure we have participation from the community," he said.

CBA member Sharon McCormick, who has done much of the research to encourage a reevaluation of the site by the EPA, said she's not concerned about the delay of the meeting to notify certain officials. "That's only as a courtesy. We're not fighting that. That's protocol," she said. "We're kind of on a cool-down just trying to wait for these tests." Johnson said results are nearly ready for release. "We're going through final validation processes right now. We are still being a little bit reserved about this right now. We want to make sure ?? have the analysis done by the all the interested parties," he said, noting it will be determined whether or not there is a human health risk. McCormick said obtaining such a determination was the goal of CBA's efforts.
"Our only thing was that we wanted to make sure it was safe. Our stance was for public health only," she said, noting that she doesn't expect the results to be favorable.

McCormick applauded the EPA for following through with the testing. "The EPA has always been very helpful for us to get it looked at again. Conditions had changed and that's what we were trying to let them know," she said. "In the end, they did the right thing." Despite her prediction that the results will show a hazard, McCormick said she remains optimistic about the site's future. "We're hoping that everyone in the town comes together if it's not favorable. We at least will have some hope that things will get done," she said. Johnson, who works with many communities in environmental issues, praised local residents for their involvement. "They're very proactive, very positive," he said. "I have to admit that their efforts in this have been truly heroic to bring these circumstances to our attention and have the EPA evaluate this site for the purposes of human health."

Local resident Lynn Hoffman, who lives on nearby Mercer Hill Road, said she's just anxious to find out the facts about the site.
"I just hope to find out whether it's a safety issue or not," she said. "And clean it up if it needs to be cleaned up - find out whether it's safe and then make it safe."

©Montgomery Newspapers 2006