DEC report on air quality leaves local coalition with concerns

RENSSELAER, N.Y. (NEWS10) - After the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) revealed in a 38-page report on Thursday of new testing done about the quality of air in Rensselaer, those who have been outspoken about their concerns with Dunn Landfill are still not satisfied.

Members of the Rensselaer Environmental Coalition, like coalition treasurer Robert Welton, claim the DEC is not targeting their testing to specific locations as they should be and are continuously overlooking the serious impact the chemicals can have on health.

This study comes just less than a month after the Rensselaer County Legislature asked New York State to shut down the Dunn Landfill. The DEC, however, said a month ago that it is still reviewing the facility's applications and public comments about the landfill. The report revealed new results from recent findings in response to the counties' push to remove the site. But yet again, the tests are being questioned by the Rensselaer Environmental Coalition, which said the DEC is "not really looking at the issues," in the study.

"This study and what they do in the future needs to be site specific to the school because otherwise they are not really looking at the issues," Welton said. "It's the long-term health consequences of what's in the air."

According to Welton, the superintendent of the Rensselaer City School District has recently expressed complaints, amounting to about three complaints per week for nearly three months. Welton emphasized to News10 the long-term effects the chemicals can have on people who are breathing in contaminated air, as well as the constant rotten smell. Welton remains frustrated with what he said is a lack of thorough testing by the DEC.

"So there's something going on there that isn't right," Welton said. "You, know, I have no idea what that is but the smell is increased now. They say it's not dangerous, but for some people who are vulnerable, people with asthma or pre-existing conditions it can be pretty dangerous."

The results of the study appear to show that through short 10-minute intervals conducted at night, four hydrogen sulfide monitors were set up and detected gas, along with a second monitor placed on the roof of the Rensselaer City School District that also detected microparticles of some chemicals in the air. The DEC, however, said the chemicals detected are similar to those around the Capital Region.

The DEC said in a statement to News10 that the air has been tested for some time and began testing when concerns first arose in 2019. They have since used what they call a statewide community air monitoring initiative (CAM).

"Data collected as part of the cam initiative did not exceed the national ambient air quality standard for PM2.5, although the cam initiative found levels of black carbon that were slightly higher on one segment of partition street than in the surrounding area, where there is less truck traffic," the DEC stated.

Welton's biggest concern remains the testing methods of the new study, where PM2.5 in the air was only measured for 24 hours, instead of over a year's worth of time.

"They could come up with an annual average that from what those readings show, they have not done it," Welton said. "They've shown maybe four months of that in their report and then there weren't really any numbers."

Welton said a new application has been made for the landfill that includes putting up a earthen berm that will act as a wall on the northern border of the school and down the eastern side. However, Welton said that this proposed 20-to 60-foot high border has not been tested for the impact of wind that will come over and be increased by the position of the berm.

The installation of the berm is something Welton said has never been analyzed and can make air quality issues even worse. A meeting is planned for later this month with the DEC and health department to continue conversations about the future of Dunn Landfill.