An
environmental group says it now has proof that a creek near AK Steel
in Middletown is polluted with cancer causing agents.
That creek runs right behind Amanda Elementary School where
children have played for years.
The Sierra Club, an environmental protection group, shows that
there are very high levels of PCBs in Dick's Creek.
Parents in the area are irate and some have even decided to move
out.
"I am moving out as we speak, I have boxes inside, we've been
boxing up everything. We're moving out as of Friday and it's all
because of AK Steel," resident and mother Tracy Beckman said.
Beckman is sick of her neighbor, AK Steel and sick of worrying
about her children that go to Amanda Elementary.
The Sierra Club, wearing hazardous material suits have gone into
the creek to test the levels of PCBs and has continually found them
extremely high.
"We have kids that go to school right there, all these kids go to
school there, they all play in the park near the creek and there are
kids that still go fishing there," Beckman said.
AK Steel released a response stating:
"After the EPA notified us they had detected low levels of PCBs
(in Dick's Creek) we began to remediate the issue and since January
1998, there have been no detectable levels of of PCBs in the creek."
The critical question remains though, does the Sierra Club's
tests conclusively point to AK Steel.
The group will be holding a news conference at Amanda Elementary
on May 9 for concerned residents.
