To the Editor,
On Tuesday, July 23, scientists from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) will be holding a Public Information Session from 5:30-8 p.m. at the Westfield Intermediate School at 350 Southampton Road. They are visiting Westfield to introduce themselves and the Exposure Assessment for Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that is about to take place in our community. The venue is accessible. The ATSDR is working to provide translation services. Children are welcome.
A PFAS community page for this assessment has been created and posted here: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/communities/Hampden-County-MA.html
This page includes an introduction to what an exposure assessment is, a timeline, a schedule for this assessment, and a map of the area in Westfield to be sampled. This map indicates that a random sampling of residents in Wards 1 and 6 will be performed, and that no sampling will be performed South of the Westfield River.
When this “sampling frame” was shared with WRAFT members, we immediately contacted the ATSDR to ask if the frame could be altered to include even a small sampling of residents in other parts of the city to address residents requests for PFAS blood testing. Unfortunately, after the proposed sampling frame received final approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), it cannot be altered.
We strongly encourage residents from every part of the City of Westfield to join us at Tuesday night’s meeting!
ATSDR scientists will be explaining the choice to only sample randomly selected residents currently living on the North side of the City. They will also be sharing any other means by which our unsampled Wards may have their exposures to PFAS assessed.
Members of WRAFT and GreenCAPE (Hyannis, MA) and UMASS researchers will be in attendance with information about volunteering for our proposed Mass PFAS Health Study.
Tuesday night’s meeting will also be an excellent opportunity for Westfield voters to stop in to sign the Initiative Petition to connect to the Tighe-Carmody Reservoir, like the experts originally recommended back in 2016. Fire fighting foam we acquired from MassDEP this Spring was found to have over 300 different PFAS compounds in it. Non-detect for 6 out of hundreds of these persistent, bioaccumulating, toxic “forever chemicals” is not protective of the public health when we have other options.
Speaking of which, we must take a moment to thank Councilors Allie, Emmershy, and Surprise, who traveled to our nation’s capital this week to advocate for PFAS-free water for Westfield residents. Despite what you might have read in the PulseLine, these councilors have been advocating for sound science and PFAS-free water the entire time.
No matter where you stand on the water issues in Westfield, please attend the ATSDR Public Information Session from 5:30-8 on Tuesday night at the Intermediate School.
Assessment of our community’s PFAS exposure is finally on the agenda.
Hope to see you there!
Kristen Mello
Westfield Residents Advocating For Themselves (WRAFT)
