Schumer Calls For EPA Involvement In Northport MS Investigation

NORTHPORT, NY — Senator Charles Schumer urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in a letter to get involved in the investigation of Northport Middle School after high levels of chemicals were found on-campus in January. He said the EPA could lend its expertise to local officials and state regulators in an effort to determine the extent of the hazardous chemicals detected.

Mercury was found in the cesspool outside the school, and elevated benzene levels were discovered in soil samples from two different septic systems, according to environmental firm PW Grosser Consulting. The school was closed for the rest of the academic year as a result of the findings.

Schumer said Northport-East Northport Union Free School District officials made the right call in shutting the school down and relocating students to other buildings, but the temporary closure needs to be taken advantage of to swiftly find critical answers rooted in science. The senator said the EPA is the correct agency for the job, and wrote a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew R. Wheeler.

In his letter, Schumer strongly urged the EPA to quickly join an investigation into the presence of toxic chemicals on and near the school, as well as the district.

"Our children’s and workers’ health is too important to risk, therefore I urge EPA perform a comprehensive site investigation and take whatever action necessary to address any contamination found," Schumer wrote.

Schumer referenced the tests by PWGC, which found 632 ppm of mercury found in the cesspool, more than 170-times the actionable level of 3.7 ppm. Tests also found high levels of benzene in soil samples from septic systems around the school, Schumer said. After the school was closed, 660 middle school students were relocated throughout the district.

Schumer said a review by the New York State Department of Health revealed a statistically significant higher rate of leukemia among the Northport High School’s graduating class of 2016. The NYSDOH launched a wider investigation into cancer occurrences throughout the school district as a result, Schumer announced.

A request for comment to NYSDOH was not returned.

The major health effects of long-term exposure to benzene include damage to bone marrow and a decrease in red blood cells, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Blood production is disrupted. The decrease in red blood cells can cause anemia, and a reduction in other components in the blood can cause excessive bleeding.

"Long-term exposure to benzene in the air has been shown to cause leukemia, and the Department of Health and Human Services, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the EPA have determined benzene to be carcinogenic to humans," Schumer said. "The effects of mercury can be seen in damage to the brain, kidneys, and developing fetuses. In the case of Northport Middle School, mercury vapors are especially concerning as, in this form, the mercury more easily reaches the brain."

Schumer said the EPA is empowered by law to clean up contaminated sites to protect the public from harm. Under the statute’s emergency removal provisions, the EPA has broad authority and funding to investigate and address the presence of hazardous substances like benzene and mercury.

The Northport-East Northport Union Free School District has not returned a request for comment.