Learn the Issues
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Where can residents get the most accurate and up-to-date information on the East Avenue Study Area?
This www.epa.gov/EastAveStudyArea website has the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding EPA’s investigations in the Erie community. For up-to-date information regarding the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection investigation at the former coke facility, please visit the Erie Coke Corporation Investigation website.
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How can residents communicate with EPA about activities happening in the East Avenue Study Area?
This EPA website (www.epa.gov/EastAveStudyArea) is dedicated to the investigations in the Erie community. We encourage you to use the site and submit any questions you might have through the form that appears on the website. We also welcome any feedback you might have on the webpage.
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What are the health risks for people who have lived in this area for many years?
EPA does not have information on what community members could have been exposed to during the coke facility’s operational years. EPA’s current investigation focuses on contaminants that may still remain in the community that could cause future impacts. If you have health concerns or questions, please contact your primary care…
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Was the community surrounding Erie Coke affected by historic site operations?
EPA is currently investigating whether the former Erie Coke facility impacted the surrounding community. This East Avenue Study Area website will be updated throughout the process to provide up-to-date information. Sampling results from individual homes will not be provided on this website due to privacy. All personal information will be…
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National Air Toxics Assessment
NATA is an ongoing thorough evaluation of air toxics in the U.S. Intended as a screening tool, it helps air agencies learn which pollutants, emission sources and places they may wish to study further to better understand possible public health risks.
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Will EPA do any testing or risk evaluations related to pets?
EPA does not have any screening levels to assess for risk to pets related to environmental contaminants. It is recommended to contact your veterinarian for specific information regarding your pet’s health.
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Is it safe for children to play outside in residential yards?
EPA will need to conduct residential soil samples in order to know more information about the current condition of yards. Please refer to the EPA Growing Gardens in Urban Soils Guide (PDF) for more general information about safety with soil activities.
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Can Erie residents be exposed to contamination if we grow and eat vegetables from residential gardens?
EPA will not know if there is contamination in residential yards until the soil samples are validated. Please keep in mind, current research recommends hand washing after play or contact with urban soils where concentrations of contaminants may be higher than soils in rural areas. In addition, all fruits and…
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How do we know our drinking water has not been affected during Erie Coke’s operation?
Residents in the community are provided drinking water through public water that is routinely tested according to the Safe Drinking Water Act.
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Why is it difficult to establish a link between cancers and other illnesses to environmental exposures?
The complex nature of cancer makes it inherently challenging to identify, interpret, and address cancer clusters. Cancer is a term describing different diseases that share a similar characteristic: uncontrollable cell growth and division. As a group, cancers are very common. Cancers are the second leading cause of death in the…
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Is the former Hammermill paper mill a part of the EPA site investigation?
The former Hammermill paper mill is not a part of EPA’s East Avenue Study Area investigation. We do not have information about that site. There has been some environmental work completed through the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (PADEP) Land Recycling Program, also known as “Act 2.” PADEP approved a…
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Does EPA have plans to sample groundwater?
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is investigating the groundwater under the former Erie Coke facility. EPA will focus on collecting and analyzing soil samples from the residential areas around the former coke facility.
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If I am a tenant and not the owner of the property, can I have my property sampled and will I have to provide access?
EPA will initially send letters requesting access to the owners of the property. If the owner agrees to have the property sampled, EPA will follow up with the owner and the tenant for scheduling. If you are a tenant and are interested in having the property sampled, EPA suggests you…
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How do I know if my property was sampled by EPA?
EPA will only collect soil samples from properties where the property owner signed an access letter. For any properties that were sampled, EPA will share the sampling results directly with the property owner.
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Is the list of residential properties sampled available for public review?
The list of residential addresses that participate in the soil sampling will not be available for public review. This is to protect the privacy of those who participated in the sampling. Any results shared from the soil sampling will also not be associated with a specific address.
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What was the sampling methodology, or criteria used, to select the residential properties to be sampled?
Though EPA outlined the boundary of the initial Study Area, all participation in the soil sampling efforts is voluntary. EPA will reach out to property owners to get their permission to collect soil samples for the investigation. The current EPA East Avenue Study Area is focused on the community and…
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If EPA finds contamination associated with the Erie Coke site that exceeds screening levels, will EPA clean up that contamination?
If soil sampling results show an exceedance in screening levels, EPA will then evaluate options for addressing those properties.
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How are EPA’s sampling results verified for accuracy?
Samples are sent to an EPA certified laboratory for analysis. After the samples are analyzed, the data will be validated independently by chemists to verify the accuracy of the results.
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Why is EPA not collecting samples from Lake Erie?
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (PADEP) Hazardous Sites Cleanup (HSCA) Program includes both land and waterlots at the former Erie Coke facility. PADEP is currently investigating the level and extent of contamination on the land portion of the plant property and will make determinations on further investigation in the…
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About Partners of the Landfill Methane Outreach Program
LMOP partners with landfill owners/operators, industry, energy providers and marketers, end users, communities, state agencies, and trade associations to support LFG energy project development. LMOP Partner information is available in an Excel file.