Members of WRAFT with thank you card to the City of Westfield. (Photo submitted)
WESTFIELD – Westfield Residents Advocating for Themselves (WRAFT) celebrated the first anniversary of its founding in response to the perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination of the Barnes Aquifer on Thursday afternoon at Skyline Trading Company.
Co-founder Kristen Mello said the three most important accomplishments of WRAFT in the past year included joining with other communities affected by PFAS contamination and creating a national organization; hosting a public forum, and collecting more than 750 signatures of Westfield residents in support of the need for Westfield residents in the Barnes aquifer area to know the PFAS numbers in their blood.
Mary Jones of the Toxics Action Center, who attended the first WRAFT meeting held one year ago in Mello’s living room, said that her agency is currently working with eight communities that have been dealing with the same contamination.
“People need to know how much PFAS is in their body,” Jones said.
Mello also used the occasion to draft a pledge to advocate for free, voluntary blood-testing opportunities and long-term health studies for current and former Westfield residents affected by the contamination. The pledge asked that Westfield be considered for inclusion as a site location in the National PFAS Health Study created by the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2018, signed into law on December 12, 2017
Also present at the anniversary party were State Rep. John C. Velis, City Councilors Mary Ann Babinski, Matt Emmershy, Andrew K. Surprise, Dan Allie, Nicholas Morganelli, and Mayor Brian P. Sullivan.
At-Large Councilor Matt Emmershy shared his support before signing a pledge to advocate for blood testing of affected residents. (Photo by Amy Porter)
“Any time we have a bunch of people coming together for a good cause, I just want to commend them and show my support,” Velis said.
Babinski said she considers herself a member of WRAFT. “A group like WRAFT is near and dear to my heart. I believe citizens need to advocate for issues they believe in. WRAFT tries to support the work the city is doing to deal with the water issues,” Babinski said. She said she also helped the group to connect with a local environmental action conference. “They’ve made a lot of progress this year,” she added.
Before signing the pledge, Emmershy said he always lived on the South side, so his family was probably not affected by the contamination in the Barnes aquifer. “However, I do have leukemia, so I understand,” Emmershy said. He said he is a “huge” proponent of the work of WRAFT.
“If people in government don’t hear from the people they represent, they’re not going to know what to do. I’m 100% behind what they’re trying to do,” said Surprise.
The group also made up a thank you card for Mayor Sullivan and the city for initiating a lawsuit against the makers of the chemicals that polluted the city’s waters. WRAFT members thanked Mayor Sullivan for taking action and said they hope that officials will advocate for blood testing as well.
“Making polluters pay is definitely a step in the right direction. But also, we are all paying for this pollution in our health,” said Mello. “We won’t know the price until we have blood testing and long-term health monitoring,” she added.
