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 The History of this contamination started when the IBM facility was built in East Fishkill. The original contruction provided for underground transfer piping to move highly toxic chemicals from storage tanks on the Northeast corner of the property (Route 52 & Lime Kiln Road) to the manufacturing buildings in the center of the complex. In 1979 one of these underground feeder pipes was ruptured and 150,000 gallons of PCE were spilled into the aquifer at the IBM East Fishkill plant. The spill occured alongside the 424 foot deep (#2 well) which provided water to the entire complex. This was not the first recorded spill at the IBM facility and there have been hundreds since. Over ten thousand cubic yards of soil had to be trucked from the site as a result of this spill. The contaminated soil turned up in 1981 on Schulter Drive, which at the time was a dump for Nenni Construction Company. It also was trucked across Route 52 so to fill in the area where Cinnimon Tree Day Care is presently located. Sealed barrels of the contaminated soil, with IBM's address, showed up in the East Fishkill landfill off Hosner Mountain Road. The DEC, EPA, and IBM disagree as to where it ended up. Some say it was used as fill for the Department of Health Office complex in Troy, New York, while others claim it was trucked to a land fill in Buffalo. Rumor has it that the soil used to construct the Miller Hill overpass on the Taconic originally came from the IBM site and was stored for fifteen years at the Lime Kiln turnoff from Route 84. In 1981 several residents of Shenandoah Road, having learned of the contamination, had their wells tested. The results were extremly high concentrations of the chemical tetrachlorethene (PCE). The well at the IBM Recreation Center was tested and the chemical deposits found in and around the area have prevented them from ever finding drinking water under the site. They use a "water horse", a tank truck is used to supply their water. The signs in the building caution "Don't Drink the Water". The creek, that crosses Lime Kiln Road near the Recreation Center, then circles North, re-entering IBM near Route 52, was found to contain high readings of the PCE contamination. The East Fishkill supervisor, of that time, disclaimed the existance of any contamination. The Dutchess County Health Commissioner, of that time, reminded everyone that private wells were not the concern of his department. The New York State Department of Health and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation called in the Federal Environmental Protection Agency to investigate the situation. The IBM East Fishkill Facility was immediately add to the Federal Superfund Sites. It joined 52 other IBM Superfund sites and 32 IBM Hazardous Waste Sites on the EPA list. No other American Company, even General Electric, comes close to this record . While IBM has continued to deny their responsiblity for the contamination at any of these 85 locations the recorded facts show a different picture. In Mannassa Virginia, IBM was held responsible for the contamination of the Public Water Supply of 100,000 homes. The contamination, which occured in 1979 from a spill of tetraclhorethene (PCE) poisoned the aquifer over three miles from the IBM Facility. In California, New Jersey, Vermont, Florida and in three other sites in New York (Poughkeepsie, Kingston, Bingington)IBM was identified as the culprit. Same chemicals, different day throughout the United States. So why, with this history behind them, are they so protected. Try this. I'll move my operations off shore. Governor, you will be responsible for the loss of 10,000 jobs in Dutchess County. Mister President if we go to Asia with our manufacturing your party will be blamed for it.You must also look at the history of campaign contributions. They have bought the closure of the Federal Superfund Reporting System. That agency which, until in tackled IBM, now performs no more service to the American People then a "water boy" More tomorrow... |