Tonawanda Coke information meeting set for Saturday

The Grand Island Citizen Science Informational Meeting concerning the Tonawanda Coke soil study will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at Grand Island Town Hall, 2255 Baseline Road.

A collaboration with Grand Island Town Supervisor Nathan McMurray, the University at Buffalo, SUNY-Fredonia and Citizen Science Community Resources, the meeting will provide information regarding the local soil study Tonawanda Coke was ordered to fund after a jury on March 28, 2013, found the company was guilty of violations linked to the release of benzene, a known carcinogen.

The meeting will also provide information on citizen science tools to monitor future environmental threats and information on an $11 million Tonawanda Coke Health Study.

"As a community, we have worked diligently over many years to raise awareness about the emissions from the Tonawanda Coke plant, and how these emissions may have impacted communities on Grand Island and in Tonawanda, including the environment," said the presenter, Jackie James Creedon, director of Citizen Science Community Resources. "This soil study will help answer important questions regarding these impacts. Community participation and collaboration will be key to the success of this research, and we are pleased to see it move forward with the support of supervisors (Nathan) McMurray of Grand Island and (Joe) Emminger of Tonawanda."