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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - December 1, 1993 (37)or R CITY OF LODI COUNCIL COMMUNICATION AGEIMA TITLE: Update by Dr. Helmuth Hoff regarding Dibromochloropropane (DBCP) MEETING DATE: December 1, 1993 PREPARED BY: City Clerk RECOMMENDED ACTION: None required. BACKGKOUND INFORMATION: Dr. Hoff will be present at the meeting to give a brief update on dibromochloropropane (DBCP). FUNDING: None. a.',A .41U/A, fifer Perrin City Clerk JMP C0UNC0M9/TXTA.02J/C01UNC0M A APPROVED. _- —= - THOMAS A. PETERSON recycled Pope, City Manager rr_. My name is ✓r. Helmuth Hoff, 1010 Wt;.t Elm Street, California. I am a retired physician and the chairman of the mayors AD HOC committee on Dibromo Chloropropane - DBCP. The AD Hoc committee was initially appointed approximately two years ago by mayor James Pinkerton. Mayor Phil Pennino had asked us to continue our efforts. Our committee is made up of a cross section of Lodi citizens and it was our charge to study, research and evaluate the DBCP concerns and return our report to the mayor. The members of the committee consist of myself and: ♦ Bill Dauer, Executive Director of the Lodi Memorial Hospital Foundation and the past President of the San Francisco Chamb-- of Commerce for 18 years. ♦ Deana Enright, former Vice -President and General Manager of King Video cable. ♦ Bob Graf, Executive Vice -President of Pacific Coast Producers ♦ Dr. Frank Johnson, Lodi Optometry group ♦ Vickie Van Steenberge, President of Lodi Iron Works ♦ Bob Wheeler, Plant Manager of General Mills The members of our committee are conscientious, loyal, law abiding citizens who wish to protect the human rights, as well as, the welfare of the citizens of lodi. We will attempt to convey to you that our political leaders, our California department of Health Bureaucracy, as well as our Federal Environmental Protection agencies are out of touch with the people of Lodi. Every mayor since 1989 has written to our political leaders in California - Evelyn Olson, Dave 114nschmen, Randy Snyder, Mayor Pinkerton appointed the Ad Hoc, and Phil Pennino. These people contacted then Senator John Garamendi, Assemblyman Phil Isenberg, Senator Patrick Johnston, former Governor Dukemajun and present Governor Pete Wilson, with no results. (1) Indeed our pre..-nt mayor wrote a letter on .1nuary 27, 1993 to Governor Wilson and as of the last inquiry, there has been no answer. These people who represent you, have pleaded your case to get relief from these irresponsible and ludicrous regulations that have been imposed upon you. What has the Ad Hoc committee done? Our committee has been operational for nearly two years; however we have had members of our committee researching for four years. Our committee members have: 1. Made personal contacts with the environmental protection agency people in Washington DC. 2. Senators and congressional offices in Washington D.C. 3. California Department of Health Services officials. 4. The Governors office. 5. Assemblyman Larry Bowler, who has a representative here tonight. 6. Senator Patrick Johnston met with us, he said he couldn't really help unless Dr. Harvey Collins of DHS would agree. Now let us asses this situation. Our Congressman and Senators passed the laws and mandates forcing our people to abide by certain rules. When we ask them if the rules could be changed if the rules are totally not scientific, rules that are totally wrong - they refer you to the DHS and the State if they don't agree we cannot help you. What is the answer of Dr. Collins of DHS in a letter to Mayor Randy Snider letter dated September 7, 1990? Randy Snider had pleaded for help for the citizens of Lodi and the answer. "The department regrets that this standard may impact a hardship on rate payers. However there is no alternative to compliance". The Federal EPA has given a similar answer - you follow the regulations. Our poli�ti ans a;� silent, remember thgy p sged tbg regulations. Now, what is the situation in Lodi? We had no problem until the politicians and Bureaucrats said to Lodi your water has too much DBCP in it. It theoretically may cause cancer in people based on rat and mouse studies that had received 53,000lines the amount of DBCP in the worst Lodi wells. What are the facts: f., /4'k.%t (2) 1. None of ae people who worked in the plants where DBCP was manufactured have developed cancer beyond the average. 2. Incidence of cancer in the U.S. age adjusted has not increased from 1930 - 1987 except fc lung cancer (American Cancer Society Statistics). 3. In 1993 the incidence of cancer in California was below the national average. 4. Longevity - In 1990 45 years 1982 76 years expect by year 2000 to be 82. We will all die some day - we are not ilmortai. What is our DBCP situation in Lodi? The Bureaucracy says the level of DBCP shall be 0.2 PPB, that is what they call the MCL or Maximum Contaminant level. What does this mean? It means that each person is allowed to drink (1/5 drop) 0.2 dropy DBCP over 70 years per person. 12,833 gallons at 2 quarts a day or 0.003 drop/person in each year. This they say is safe. Lodi presently has 4 wells out of compliance as far as DBCP is concerned. It used to be 12 wells in 1989. (0.55; 0.37; 0.94; 0.72 ppb or ug/litr or quart) Liter and quart are not exactly the same, but close. The average of those 4 wells is 0.6 ug/liter or quart. That is of- DBCP 0.6 drop one person would drink over 70 years or 0.009 drop of DBCP per person per year. The City staff is requesting authorization for putting a filter on well 4-R which is a new super well, this well the past six months had a DBCP level of 1.1 PPb or ug/liter or quart. What does that mean? It means this is 1 drop of DBCP in 12,833 gallons and each person in 70 years would drink 1 drop or 0.01 drop in 1 year/person. They are asking to spend 1.2 to 1.5 mi lion dollars for 1, filter on one well. This is for the filter -and maintenance. they put filters on the other four wells you will pay approximately $9,000,000 including the new well filter. According to the information we have there is no medical basis for this. This is a political problem and the people of Lodi are paying dearly for this. (3) The people of _,)di are already spending 1.1. million dollars on a filter. The DBCP level the past six months 0.46 ug/liter or quart since 0/2 ppb is allowed. The people of Lodi are spending to remove 0.26 ug/l or 1/4 drop of DBCP/person per 70 years 1.1 million dollars. Our committee has conclude -I that: 1. There is no medical problem regarding the levels of DBCP we have in any of our wells. 2. That the millions of dollars being spent are a total disgrace to our people 3. We believe that the city council is responsible to protect the Human rights of our people. 4. Our political leaders and bureaucrats have shown their lack of respect for our city le sand gplg and essentially a total disregard-For—the economic and social welfare of our Lodi citizens. We therefore recommend to the city council, because we care for our people, that no more filters be placed. I wish to greatly thank the members of the Ad Hoc committee who were interrupted many times by my. phone calls, for all the meetings they attended. For their attempts and efforts in contacting the Gov--rnor and other political leaders. Thanks to the City Council, City Staff and all who assisted our committee. Remember we and the people of Lodi are right, and with the help of God we will succeed. (4)