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Rochester News
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facts

Rochester Facts Page
Over the years I have
accumulated many factual statements made
by various media about the state of
Rochester's environmental health.
Depending on the source and the time of
the statement one can get a feel of how
healthy our environment is around
Rochester, NY.
|
|
The State of Rochester's Environment |
NEW YORK AIR QUALITY: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY
Lung Association’s 2008 State of the Air Report Chronicles Unhealthy
Ozone, Soot Levels The American Lung Association of New York today
sounded the alarms for all New Yorkers over the quality of air they
breathe. According to the State of the Air: 2008 report, released today
by the American Lung Association, seven of the 33 counties with air
quality monitors received failing grades. “Air pollution in New York is
a statewide problem, from Buffalo to Bayport, and from Staten Island to
Saratoga, millions of New Yorkers are breathing unhealthy air,” said
Michael Seilback, Senior Director of Public Policy & Advocacy.
“According to the 2008 American Lung Association State of the Air
report, residents of all regions of New York State breathe air with
dangerously high levels of both particulate matter and ozone.” Elmira,
Rochester, and Utica-Rome made the national list of cleanest cities for
ozone. Rochester is one of only 2 cities over 1 million in population
to make the list.--from
Home -
American Lung Association of New York State -(May 1, 2008)
Rochester quality of life ranked No. 1 of 50 metros
- Good suburban public schools, affordable
housing and ease of commute are just some of the reasons Rochester was
ranked by Expansion Management magazine as having the best quality of
life among the 50 metro areas with more than 1 million people. The
monthly business magazine judged Rochester to be the best Five Star
Quality of Life Metro in its survey, analyzing categories such as work
force, education, crime rate, public schools and infrastructure.
Pittsburgh, Austin, Boston and San Jose followed in the top five. (July
11, 07)
Democrat & Chronicle
Last month The Green Guide, a New York City-based news and information
source for green living, published its list of America's Top 25 Greenest
Cities. It turns out grass and the leaves aren't the only things
greening up around here this spring: Rochester debuted at No. 21.--
(August 24, 2006)
Insider: Rochester Remixed
Rochester, NY is 75th Worst of 100 U.S. Cities For Asthma.
Get the report:
http://www.asthmacapitals.com/asthma_capitals2006.pdf - Sources:
Asthma and Allergy Foundation, “2006 Asthma Capitals -- The Most
Challenging Places to Live with Asthma.”
The Rochester area leads the state when it comes to the most
neighborhoods with the highest health-risk measures from industrial
pollutants. That's according to an analysis of federal pollution, health
and census data analyzed by The Associated Press. --WGRZ-TV
-- 2 On Your Side in Western New York Home Page
Rochester is Cool:
Cool Cities — 183 and Counting! - Cool Cities: Solving
Global Warming One City at a Time - Global Warming -
Sierra Club As of
September 23, 2005, 183 mayors of the cities listed
below — representing nearly 40 million Americans in 38
states — have pledged to reduce global warming carbon
pollution in their cities to 7 percent below 1990
levels by 2012.
The nation is getting dirtier and Rochester is getting cleaner. Check out the full Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Toxic Release Inventory for 2004: EPA: Newsroom: TRI 2002 Data Release Presentation Constellation Energy took ownership of the [Gina] nation's longest-running nuclear plant from Rochester Gas and Electric, which first put the plant on line in Wayne County in 1969.Public NewsRoom
The number of children who have high levels of lead in their blood is decreasing. Monroe County Health Director Andrew Doniger released the results of a new lead poisoning study Thursday. May. 20, 04 -MSNBC - News Front Page
City has Bar Coded Trash Bins -
Rochester is taking technology to the trash. It says it is the first city in the world to use bar coded trashcans, a move it says will save money in the long haul.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the Rochester region is failing to meet new health standards for ground level ozone pollution. As a result, motorists in the Rochester area may be forced to buy reformulated gasoline which costs more per gallon. (April 17, 2004) Public NewsRoom
Rochester is No. 1 in the nation for releases of cancer-causing industrial chemicals, according to a new analysis of 13 years of data on such materials. -(1/23/03)-DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE - Get the Report Toxics Release and Health Report (.pdf file) -from New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG)
A recent American Farmland Trust (AFT) report American Farmland Trust: Farming on the Edge: Sprawling development threatens America's best farmland ranked New York 13th in the nation in the amount of farmland developed between 1992 and 1997. In particular, the study identified the "Finger Lakes/Ontario Plain"--including , Onondaga, Monroe, and Erie Counties and many of the neighbors - as the 11th Most Threatened Farming Region in the County --from American Farmland Trust
Rochester ranks 12th in the nation: The Sprawl Index
- Rochester, NY Overall Sprawl Index Score: 77.93 - ranking it 12th most sprawling of 83 metro areas measured. Read the report: MEASURING SPRAWL AND ITS IMPACT The Character & Consequences of Metropolitan Expansion --From Smart Growth America

'Some studies have placed Rochester among the 10 U.S. cities with the worst lead problems.' (June 8, 2003) Democrat and Chronicle
Democrat & Chronicle: Local air gets an F for ozone Monroe and Wayne counties cited in Lung Association survey
Almost half of U.S. residents live in areas with unhealthy amounts of ozone, the ground-hugging pollutant that contributes to respiratory disease. That’s according to a new American Lung Association report, “State of the Air: 2003.” The report, a state-by-state look (available online at www.lungusa.org), comes on the eve of White House provisions that would weaken the Clean Air Act, the group said. “State of the Air” also ranks U.S. counties where ozone pollution -- measured by “high ozone days” -- is significant. Monroe County was one of 18 New York counties to receive a grade of “F” -- worse than last year, when the county received a “D.” (May 1, 2003) Democrat and Chronicle
“Monroe County is among the top ten counties in the state (9th by gallons, 6th by pounds) for total amount of pesticides reported in 1998.” According to data from the New York State Department of Conservation’s (DEC) pesticide reporting program—the Pesticide Reporting Law of 1996--
According the View the State of the Air 2002 Report for New York by American Lung Association of Western New York Monroe County does not fair well.
Check the chart ALA State of the Air 2002 -New York. Monroe County with a total population of 712, 419 has 9, 443 cases of padiatric asthma, 40,549 cases of adult asthma, 23, 1701 cases of chronic bronchitis, and 7, 721 cases of emphysema.
The
Genesee River
gets the distinction of being #2 in this criteria:
"Top
polluters directly discharging cancer-causing chemicals
to U.S. waters (1992-1996),"according
to 'Troubled
Waters: A Report on Toxic Releases into America’s
Waterways", September 10, 1998, by U.S. Public
Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG)
89 spots in Monroe County that
have been contaminated by methyl tertiary butyl
ether, a gasoline additive and potential
carcinogen. To view maps of
toxic sites, including MTBE contaminated areas, in
towns throughout Monroe County, go to
www.toxicstargeting.com/toxicmaps/monroe/monroe_maps.htm
--
Democrat and Chronicle
"In Monroe County, 48 contaminated sites are without
funding, according to the DEC." -- March
13, 2002
-DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
|

Rochester, New York is a
unique community with specific environmental properties. Check here often
to get the latest updates on environmental facts about Rochester as I post them.
If you know of an environmental fact specific to Rochester, New York send it to
me
FrankRegan@RochesterEnvironment.com.
If you read this list carefully, you will realize that our community is both
special and not special when it comes to the environment. Some stories
like "Rochester is
No. 1 in the nation for releases of cancer-causing industrial chemicals"
jump out at you, making you realize Rochester has some very special
environmental concerns that seemed to have gotten away from us. But, most of these facts are an
indication of what all communities are experiencing--a slow buildup of a problem
until one day your community makes the headlines. By the time our major
media pays attention to environmental problems it's too late to do something
about them. These stories and others (Monroe County lost 51,570 acres
of farmland to development in the last 20 years;
Rochester
ranks 12th in the nation: The Sprawl Index;
"In Monroe County, 48 contaminated sites are without
funding")
point to the major threat we face about our environment problems--We Don't Get
it.

-
Rochester, NY is 75th Worst of 100 U.S. Cities For Asthma. Get
the report:
http://www.asthmacapitals.com/asthma_capitals2006.pdf - Sources: Asthma and
Allergy Foundation, “2006 Asthma Capitals -- The Most Challenging Places to Live
with Asthma.”
-
In Rochester, the
average January-February temperature for the 1970s was about 22 degrees; the
average temperature for the same time period for 2000-2006 was a little over 25
degrees, according to National Weather Service data.
(March 9, 2006)
Democrat and Chronicle
-
89 spots in Monroe County that have been
contaminated by methyl tertiary butyl ether, a gasoline
additive and potential carcinogen. To view maps of toxic
sites, including MTBE contaminated areas, in towns
throughout Monroe County, go to
www.toxicstargeting.com/toxicmaps/monroe/monroe_maps.htm
--
Democrat and Chronicle
-
There are about 900 known
hazardous waste sites in New York, along with 90 federal
Superfund sites. A quarter of the state's population lives
near waste sites associated with PCBs and other persistent
organic pollutants.
-- March 27, 2005
Democrat and Chronicle
-
In Monroe County, 20 towns
spread 39,150 tons of road salt in the 2003-2004 winter
season. -- March
13, 2005
Democrat and Chronicle
-
The
Great Lakes contain 20 percent of the
world's fresh surface water.
(June
23, 2004)
Democrat and Chronicle
-
Constellation Energy
took ownership of the [Gina] nation's
longest-running nuclear plant from Rochester Gas and Electric, which first
put the plant on line in Wayne County in 1969.Public
NewsRoom
-
Rochester is the 43rd-worst metropolitan area in the nation for air quality,
according to a national report released by a nonprofit organization Wednesday.
Clear the Air, based in Washington, D.C., released a report, “Dirty Air, Dirty
Power,” linking health problems to areas near older, coal-burning power plants.
Rochester was 43rd out of 352 metro areas. (June 11, 2004)
Democrat
and Chronicle Check out
Clear The Air - Power Plant Air
Pollution Locater from
Clear The Air
-
Coalition to End Childhood Lead
Poisoning The number of children who have high levels of lead in
their blood is decreasing. Monroe County Health Director Andrew Doniger released
the results of a new lead poisoning study Thursday. The report shows the
county has made progress in educating the public about the dangers of lead
poisoning. More children are also getting tested. May. 20 -MSNBC
- News Front Page
-
The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency says the Rochester region is failing to meet new health
standards for ground level ozone pollution. As a result, motorists in the
Rochester area may be forced to buy reformulated gasoline which costs more per
gallon.
(April 17, 2004)
Public NewsRoom
- There are
two laws making it illegal to feed deer in New York. One is to protect against
the spread of chronic wasting disease which is similar to mad cow disease. The
other prohibits feeding deer within 300 feet of a highway and is aimed at
preventing deer car accidents. (March 26, 2004)
WOKR-TV 13 ||
ROCHESTER
-
City
has Bar Coded Trash Bins -
Rochester is taking technology to the
trash. It says it is the first city in the world to use bar coded trashcans,
a move it says will save money in the long haul.
-
Rochester
fails EPA ozone test -—
For the first time, federal regulators have given four new state regions
failing grades for ozone. Rochester is one; the others are Jamestown, Syracuse
and Albany. Other regions, including Buffalo and New York City, have
historically gotten failing grades for high levels of ozone. Though beneficial
in the upper atmosphere, ozone at ground level contributes to smog and
exacerbates respiratory illnesses.
(December
5, 2003) Democrat and Chronicle
- The city of
Rochester also has a tree advisory committee that overlooks the 60,000 city
trees, said City Forester Ian Nadar.
Democrat and Chronicle
- High
male cancer here probed
—Tthe incidence of prostate cancer in
Monroe County is 31 percent higher than the state average. State health
officials first reported the anomaly in 2001. The data showed that 577 men in
Monroe County are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, or about 196 cases
per 100,000. Statewide, the incidence rate is significantly lower: 150 per
100,000. (September 12, 2003)
Democrat and Chronicle
-
'Some studies
have placed Rochester among the 10 U.S. cities with the worst lead problems.'
(June
8, 2003) Democrat and Chronicle
-
Monroe and Wayne
counties cited in Lung Association survey
Almost half of U.S. residents live in
areas with unhealthy amounts of ozone, the ground-hugging pollutant that
contributes to respiratory disease.
That’s according to a new American Lung Association report, “State of the Air:
2003.” The report, a state-by-state look (available online at
www.lungusa.org), comes on the eve of
White House provisions that would weaken the Clean Air Act, the group said.
“State of the Air” also ranks U.S. counties where ozone pollution -- measured
by “high ozone days” -- is significant. Monroe County was one of 18 New York
counties to receiv
Democrat & Chronicle: High male cancer here probed
— A local researcher is trying to find out why
the incidence of prostate cancer in Monroe County is 31 percent higher than
the state average. State health officials first reported the anomaly in 2001.
The data showed that 577 men in Monroe County are diagnosed with prostate
cancer each year, or about 196 cases per 100,000. Statewide, the incidence
rate is significantly lower: 150 per 100,000. (September
12, 2003)
Democrat and Chroniclee a grade of “F” -- worse than last year, when the county
received a “D.” (May 1,
2003)
Democrat and Chronicle
- Monroe County lost 51,570 acres
of farmland to development in the last 20 years -- an amount that
surpasses the areas of Greece, Gates and Brighton combined and encompasses
more than 80 square miles. --American Farmland Trust
- Rochester
ranks 12th in the nation: The Sprawl Index
- Rochester, NY Overall Sprawl Index
Score: 77.93 - ranking it 12th most sprawling of 83
metro areas measured. Read the report:
MEASURING SPRAWL AND ITS IMPACT The Character & Consequences of
Metropolitan Expansion --From Smart Growth America
- (January 23, 2003) — Rochester is
No. 1 in the nation for releases of cancer-causing industrial chemicals,
according to a new analysis of 13 years of data on such materials.
--DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
-
"
A report from the New York
Public Interest Research Group says just over one in three Monroe County residents
lives within a mile of a Superfund toxic waste site. That's worse than the
statewide average, which NYPIRG says is nearly one out of four New Yorkers."
Public NewsRoom
- "On a typical day, Rochester's lawns,
manufacturing plants and thirsty throats suck 35 million gallons of water from
Canadice and, primarily, Hemlock lakes."-DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "In Monroe County, about 60,000 people -- 8 percent of
the population -- rely on wells for drinking water."
-DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "In Monroe County, 48 contaminated sites are without
funding, according to the DEC." -- March
13, 2002
-DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Lake Ontario is ringed by 16 commercial nuclear
reactors -- 12 in Canada and four in upstate New York. That's
the greatest concentration of nuclear power in North America -- and it's all
within 100 miles of Rochester" -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "As of 1998, 5,903 active gas wells and 579 inactive wells could be
found in 21 counties in New York state, including Ontario, Wayne and Yates
counties, according to the DEC." -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Roughly 870 tons per year of sediments that are loaded with
pollutants flow from the eroded banks in Ontario County and into streams and
eventually lakes, DeNee said. "That negatively affects water quality,
which in turn affects the ecology of the water," she said."
--Daily Messenger
- "The Great Lakes span 750 miles. They contain enough water to fill a
trench a mile high, a mile wide and 5,500 miles long."-DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Monroe County has 12,000 acres set aside for its parks system."
-DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Once nearly wiped out by the effects of toxic chemicals, the large,
fish-eating birds have made a comeback in the region. There were an
estimated 10 pairs of nesting Cormorants on Lake Ontario in the early 1970s.
There are now some 38,000 pairs through the Great Lakes." Daily
Messenger
- "Originally found in the mountainous Caucasus region between the
Black and Caspian seas, giant hogweed was introduced to Europe early in the
20th century as an ornamental plant. By the 1970s, the plant was spreading
rapidly in Great Britain. How it ended up in central and western New York is
unknown." -- Daily Messenger
- "The Humane Society of Rochester and Monroe County at Lollypop Farm
reports that it receives more than 1,000 calls a year about other types of
animal abuse and neglect -- animals not given enough food, water, shelter or
medical attention." --DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "The city has about 70,000 trees in its computerized data base, on
streets, in city parks and cemeteries and on vacant land." ---DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "New York power plants emitted nearly 314,000 tons of sulfur dioxide
and 102,000 tons of nitrogen oxide in 1998. Some of that fell as acid rain
on the Adirondacks." IknowRochester.com
- ""In the past three years both Monroe and Wayne Counties have
received failing grades for air quality from the American Lung Association
when ranking the entire ozone season as a whole."-WHEC
- "In the last 10 years, buyers of New York wheat has decreased more
than 50-percent." --RNews
- "There are believed to be more moose in New York now than at any
other time since the Civil War." Daily Gazette
- "Last year [200], the Humane Society at Lollypop Farm took in 1,800
stray cats and 5,400 cats that were surrendered by owners. Of that number,
3,127 were euthanized."---DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- " New York industries released 61.9 million pounds of toxic chemicals
into the state's air and water in 1999, according to a study released
Wednesday by the federal Environmental Protection Agency." Times
Union
- "The DEC estimates that there are over 200,000 resident geese in the
state." --Canandaigua.com
- " Sharpshooters and bow hunters killed a total of 104 deer in three
weeks in Durand Eastman Park." (2001) -WHEC
- "Monroe County's population grew by 3 percent between 1990 and 2000,
census numbers released Thursday show." --DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Last winter, roads within the watershed area were treated with
10,145 tons of salt, according to the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Task Force.
That’s an increase of nearly 1,800 tons from the 8,358 used during the
winter of 1998-99. In 1997-98, 7,336 tons were used. In 1996-97, 7,184 tons
were used." Daily Messenger
- "The state Department of Environmental Conservation estimated that
hunters took 295,000 deer last year [2000], an increase from 256,000 in
1999. Of last season’s total, 141,000 were bucks and 154,000 were
antlerless deer." Daily Messenger
- "The [Monroe] county now incinerates the 100,000 tons of sludge a
year processed at the VanLare plant, along with most of the 25,000 tons of
sludge handled at the Northwest Quadrant Plant." ----DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation says the
2000 deer hunting season totals set a new record. DEC wildlife experts
estimate that hunters took approximately 295,000 deer in the 2000 season, an
increase from 256,000 in 1999." WHEC
- "In the past 28 years, the city of Rochester has lost one-third of
its population, Lowenstein said. Meanwhile, Ontario County is growing."
--Daily Messenger
- "We [New York State] lead the country in West Nile," she
said. "But we lead the country in rabies, too." ----DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Hunters from across the state reportedly killed 4,145 turkeys last
year [2000], compared to 8,078 turkeys in 1999 — the third highest fall
take on record." Daily Messenger
- "More than eight-hundred deer have been killed [deer population in
Durand Eastman Park] since Bait and Shoot began nine years ago." --
WHEC
- "Children who do suffer from lead poisoning can suffer from brain
damage, decreased I-Q scores, aggression and a loss of hearing."
--RNews.
- "There are an estimated 5,900 homeless people here [Monroe County],
600 of whom are 20 years old or younger." --DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Some 350 bald eagles were reported wintering in the region this year
[2000], a 43 percent increase over last year's count of 244 eagles,
according to data provided by the Endangered Species Unit of the state
Department of Environmental Conservation." --Daily Messenger
- "The total number of West Nile Virus positive specimens from New York
State for this year [2000] are 1,271 dead birds, 360 mosquito pools, 2
sentinel chickens, 8 live wild birds, 2 bats, 28 horses, 1 domestic rabbit,
1 squirrel, 1 chipmunk, and 14 humans cases."
NYS
Dept. of Health
- "According to city records, 286 people suffered dog bites in the city
in the first 10 months of this year. The city captured more than 2,700 stray
dogs in 1999." ---DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Road salt -- otherwise known as sodium chloride -- can give roadside
plants and trees a beating. It can also cause chemical damage to roads,
bridge decks, vehicles and water supplies. Impurities in road salt -- mined
as is from the Earth, crushed, screened and treated with anti-caking agents
-- typically include lead, sulphur, arsenic and cyanide." ---DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "The number of second-tier violations, which pose a potential
substantial threat to public health or the environment, rose 18 percent from
157 to 185." ---DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Lagging water levels and disappearing pine trees are among possible
results of climate change in the Great Lakes region by the end of the
century, scientists say." --Daily
Messenger
- "According to the state Department of Environmental Conservation, New
York state has 18.6 million acres of forest — 80 percent of which is
privately owned." --Daily
Messenger
- "A recent University of Rochester study linked high rates of
Parkinson's disease to two common agricultural pesticides, manab and
paraquat." ---DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Pesticide use in Monroe County is sixth highest among New York's 62
counties, according to a recent report." ---DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "In its 1992 report, Environmental Equity: Reducing Risk for All
Communities, EPA found that minority and
low-income populations may experience higher than average exposure to toxic
pollutants than the general population."
- "Genetic modifications affect an estimated 70 percent of processed
groceries, few of which are labeled." ---DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "An average of 6 car-deer accidents occur every day during this time
of year in Ontario County: -- The Town Crier.
- "Nearly one in seven children tested in Monroe County have elevated
levels of lead in their blood." ---DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Motor vehicles on New York roads killed 10,482 deer in 1999, with
most accidents occurring during the October-to-December deer breeding
season, according to state Department of Environmental Conservation records
released Thursday." Albany Times Union.
- "The report [ a report released by Environmental Advocates ]said that
roughly 80 percent of the 4.5 million gallons and 29.4 million pounds of
pesticides used in New York in 1998 were applied by exterminators and
lawn-care companies -- a contrast to what happens in other areas of the
country. Nationwide, 77 percent of all pesticides are used on farms."
-- Times Union
- "...of the state's 62 counties, Monroe ranks ninth among those
suffering the greatest public health impact from such plant pollution,
including deaths, asthma attacks and lost work days." ---DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Fish from the Great Lakes are unsafe to eat, a U.S.-Canadian
advisory board announced in a recent report.' --Rochester
Regional Group of the Sierra Club
- "It is estimated that two out of five children in the city of
Rochester are affected by lead poisoning." (September 27, 2000)
RochesterToday
- "Last year [1999], 9,000 volunteers cleaned up 258,000 pounds of
debris at 318 beaches in New York state." ---DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Though the few local municipalities that sell their recyclables
collect $10 per ton for most items, Monroe County gets at least $30 a ton
just for newspapers." --Buffalo News.
- "Not everyone infected with the West Nile virus shows symptoms, but
others suffer from flu-like illnesses. West Nile can also cause
encephalitis, a swelling of the brain." -Finger
Lakes Times
- "West Nile virus made its first appearance in North America last year
in the New York City area." ---DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "The fast ferry was selected as the most important project for the
county's future when poll respondents were asked to choose among the four
proposals." ---DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "There are no known populations of wolves in Maine, New Hampshire,
Vermont and New York, but the region has land suitable for the
animals." TimesUnion.com
- "Purple loosestrife sends beautiful, purple-pink blossoms skyward in
a tapering cone, but to ecologists it is the botanical equivalent of the
zebra mussel, driving out native vegetation and degrading wetland
habitat." --BuffaloNews.com
- "A recent national study has found drivers who try to beat red lights
kill more than 800 people a year and injure another 200,000."
--RochesterToday.com
- "There are about 750,000 deer in the state, according to state
wildlife officials." --Times Herald Record
- "Kodak's releases into the Rochester area's air, water and land
totaled 5.2 million pounds last [1999] year. The total has fallen 75 percent
since 1987, the first year for which reports were required." ---DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Mayflies are a welcome sign that Lake Erie is alive and well. When
Lake Erie was dead, a victim of heavy pollution starting in the 1950s and
1960s, they couldn't survive in the lake's oxygen-depleted
bottom." --Buffalo News.
- "Pit bulls accounted for 125 (36 percent) of the 349 dog bites
reported in the city last year. The number of pit bull bites has tripled
since 1995." -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Among the state's elementary, middle, and high schools, 87 percent
use pesticides. Only 33 percent provide prior notice of pesticide
spraying." -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "The EPA review of 1,062 coastal beaches and the Great Lakes showed
that in 1998, 350 had an advisory or closing." --Enn.com
- "Unlike chemical contamination, biotech contamination is irreversible." Rachels.org
- "In 1999, 128 children in Monroe County tested positive for levels of
20 micrograms or higher 9of lead poisoning]-- the point at which the CDC
recommends medical evaluation and inspection of houses to identify and stop
lead sources." -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Rochester's 14611 community was recently ranked fourth in New York
State among zip codes having high cases of lead poisoning." -5/09/00-RNews.com
- "Sixty-nine percent of the increase in driving from
1983 to 1990 [ in the 22 major metro areas of the US] was due to factors
influenced by sprawl, such as longer car trips and a switch to driving from
walking or transit. Population growth itself was only responsible for 13
percent of the growth in driving." --From the Surface Transportation
Policy Institute (www.transact.org)
- "Environmental crimes include hazardous waste handling, oil spills,
safety violations and unsafe working conditions. The State Department of
Environmental Conservation says more than $7.5 million was paid out in
penalties last year." -04/22/00
RochesterToday
- "Most of the year, about one-quarter of the 2,800 Adirondack lakes
have a pH level below 5.0, which means they can't support fish." -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "Of the millions of boats and personal watercraft nationwide, 90
percent run on two-stroke engines, said Larry Lambrose, executive director
of the Washington D.C.-based Personal Watercraft Industry Association. The
two-stroke engine is less complex than a four-stroke car engine but far more
polluting because more unignited gases escape. -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- The Health Department says 19 animals tested positive for rabies in Monroe
County last spring, it anticipates an equal number this year. 4/05/00--
RNews
- " As [Mayor] Johnson says, the region's population has grown by only
4 percent in the past forty years. But, the amount of land we've
developed has grown by 80 percent." --from Mary Anna Towler, in
City--Rochester's alternative newsweekly.
- "The EPA estimates that about three million people still dispose of
their trash by burning."
- "Bait and shoot had its lowest kill season last year with 56 deer
taken, bringing the total for the program to 768 deer culled." -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
- "New York had 226,720 farms in 1900. Today there are 38,000, an 83 percent
drop." -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
Digital
- "Of all 11 Finger Lakes, only Skaneateles' water is pure enough to be drunk as
is."-DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
Digital
- (Dec. 19, 1999) -- Irondequoit bow hunting season ended last week with 77 deer killed
-- 21 more than were taken this year 99 during Monroe County's annual bait-and-shoot
program in Durand-Eastman Park.-DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
Digital
- 'Rochester has set aside $4 million for this season's "snowfight." It will use
an average 25,000 tons of salt on roadways." --RochesterToday.com
- "Local animal control officers took 1,600 pit bulls off the streets last year; most
suffered injuries from fighting." --RochesterToday.com
- "Last year, 32.6 million real [Christmas] trees were sold across the country. That
number is expected to exceed 33 million this year."
-DEMOCRAT AND
CHRONICLE Digital
- "State Police Troop T Major Robert Anslow noted that 43 percent of the 1,008
vehicle-deer accidents reported on the Thruway last year occurred in October and November.
During the second weekend of November 1999, 32 vehicle-deer accidents took place on the
641-mile superhighway system." Over the past 10 years, Monroe County's population
increased by one-half of one percent." from
THRUWAY
URGES MOTORISTS TO BE AWARE OF DEER CROSSING--New York Thruway Authority News.
while the total of vehicle miles driven each day increased by 21% -- an astounding 42:1
ratio. This translates to an additional 3000 miles per family spent in the car each
year."
Smart
Growth: "Envisioning the Possibilities" by Mayor William A. Johnson, Jr.
- "The city allocates $4 million to its snow and ice control budget, which includes
salaries; overtime; contractors -- 30 for roadways, some with more than one route, 20 for
58 sidewalk routes and three other special contracts for heavy equipment; salt (last
winter, 21,400 tons at $28 per ton); truck operation; and equipment maintenance." -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE Digital
- 'In 1997, there were only 480 farms on 103,097 acres of land in Monroe County, according
to the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Those figures are down from 5,971 farms on 385,296 acres
in 1910." --Henrietta Post.
- "Rochester is the most livable city in New York, according to an almanac's ranking
of the 354 metro areas in the United States and Canada."-DEMOCRAT
AND CHRONICLE Digital
- "Opening day is a bad dream for whitetails as many of the 700,000 hunters who are
licensed to kill in New York take off from work and school in pursuit of venison." -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE Digital
- "Despite only a one percent population growth from 1970 to 1990 in Monroe County,
we have seen the doubling of our land use with a subsequent increase in local taxes over
the same time period." The Smart Growth Coalition
- "State law only allows six and half gallons of gasoline in storage." --from
Y2K Gas Hoarding.
Fire marshals
throughout the state are warning people of the dangers of storing gasoline for Y2K.
--10/22/99--TOP NEWS From WHEC, and MSNBC
- "New York state exceeded safe ozone concentrations at 211 sites over 38 days this
summer, including seven days in Rochester, according to a study released yesterday by
environmental and health groups." -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
Digital
- "There are more than 100 inactive hazardous waste sites in our area identified by
the DEC." --RochesterToday.com
- "Rochester is now the 79th-largest city in the nation, down 13 spots since
1990."--Rochester population falls 5.8%
Local official cites suburban migration; Buffalo, Syracuse drop more dramatically
-DEMOCRAT
AND CHRONICLE Digital
- "The Genesee, one of the few northward-flowing rivers in the United
States, begins as a trickle in Gold, Pa"-DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
Digital
- "Hard-to-measure sources of pollution -- the runoff from farms, rooftops
and streets -- cause an estimated 93 percent of the water quality
problems in the Genesee, according to DEC estimates." -DEMOCRAT
AND CHRONICLE Digital
- "The sources of Rochester's primary water supply: Hemlock and Canadice lakes, 28
miles south of the city in Livingston and Ontario counties. The city pays rural communities $1.1
million a year for use of conduit-route land." -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE Digital
- "There are three reservoirs, in Rush, Cobbs Hill Park and Highland Park. Rush and
Highland reservoirs were built in 1875; Cobbs Hill in 1906." -DEMOCRAT AND CHRONICLE
Digital
- "RG&E's nuclear power plant, constructed in 1969, is in the last decade of its
40-year life span."-Yahoo
Finance
- The Genesee River
gets the distinction of being #2 in this criteria:
"Top
polluters directly discharging cancer-causing chemicals to
U.S. waters (1992-1996),"according
to 'Troubled
Waters: A Report on Toxic Releases into America’s
Waterways", September 10, 1998, (page 53) by U.S.
Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG)
- "Last year [1998] Monroe County reported almost 500 deer-car
collisions."--10/21/99--TOP NEWS From WHEC, and MSNBC
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