Welcome to the community newsletter for the Niagara and Erie County Radiological Assessment (NECRA) project to help keep interested residents, businesses, and community leaders updated about the initiative’s progress. You can unsubscribe at any time using the ‘unsubscribe’ link at the bottom of this page.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), in consultation with New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), continue to advance the radiological assessment across areas of interest in Niagara and Erie counties and are committed to keeping the public informed.
In this issue:
Our call center phone number and hours are changing.
Starting Monday, August 24, please call 844-612-8144 Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to reach our NECRA team. If you call outside these hours and leave a message, call center representatives will get back to you during operational times.
Have questions? Meet with our team!
At the drop-in tabling sessions, representatives from EPA, NYSDEC, and NYSDOH will be present to answer questions and provide information to residents. We held drop-in tabling sessions at the Calvin K. Richards Senior/Youth Activity Center, the Grand Island Welcome Center and the Niagara Falls Convention Center. Over 300 residents attended those sessions, asking questions, and learning more about the property access and survey process.
We’re holding the next drop-in tabling session this Monday, August 24, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Lewiston Library, 305 S 8th Street, Lewiston NY, 14092.
As assessment work continues, field teams are using the locations of interest identified by aerial and roadway surveys to prioritize screenings on properties. While we welcome residents to continue to submit property access agreements, our data will drive the decision-making process on where we screen first. Once that work is complete, EPA and NYSDEC may expand screening to other areas after evaluating survey results.
This week teams visited properties identified in the areas of interest in Aurora, Boston, Brant, Concord, Eden, Evans, Hamburg, Marilla, and Orchard Park to request access for permission to conduct radiological screenings.
Visiting these communities or any area of interest does not confirm contamination. It means the agencies observed radiological measurements that require closer ground-level evaluation and more information is needed. Agencies will not access properties without permission and will keep residents informed throughout the process if screening is allowed.
Almost 1,000 property owners have signed access agreements to have their properties screened and our field teams have completed screening surveys at 675 of those properties. We are continuing to schedule screenings. Preliminary data reviews indicate that the vast majority of properties screened will need no further action. To date, more than 450 properties received notification indicating no additional radiological investigation is needed at their property. Information packets, which include a formal letter of determination, a copy of the property’s screening map, fact sheet, and frequently asked questions with contact information, were mailed to property owners. Notifications to residents and property owners will be forwarded on a continuing basis as the data is reviewed.
Visit on.ny.gov/NECRA to view the July 20 meeting presentation, informational fact sheets about fieldwork, soil sampling, radiation health and safety, and how to contact agency representatives.
NECRA Hotline: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m: 844-612-8144
NECRA Email: NECRA@dec.ny.gov
NYSDEC, NYSDOH, and EPA will continue providing updates as fieldwork progresses and additional information becomes available.
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