Is the City putting a higher value on property & profits than on people’s health & lives? (63)

Martin Tower, Serious Issues 1 Minute

(63rd  in a series on Martin Tower)
Martin Tower demolition May 19
www.martintowerbethlehem.com

Peter Crownfield is officially retired but spends most of his time working with students in his role as internship coordinator for the Alliance for Sustainable Communities–Lehigh Valley.

Gadfly:

The real takeaway from this entire process is that City officials:
• accepted the contractor as a valid source of information on risks
• excluded the city’s Health Department from the process
• assumed that DEP regulations protect public health (what the regulations actually do is permit harm as long as the applicant meets certain requirements)
Clearly they are willing to allow this to go ahead despite demonstrated public health impacts.
This is what happens when government officials place a higher value on property (& profits) than on people’s health & lives.

I think this [post#62 on silica] supports the fact that any comparison to Casilio is bogus, another false statement from the demolition company.

Peter

Published by The Bethlehem Gadfly

Edward J. Gallagher, Bethlehem immigrant, retired, nearly 50 years as Professor of American Literature at Lehigh University, known as "Dr. G" and "Conan the Grammarian" to students, whose virtual world avatar "EdwardScholarhands" stares at you here, has reinvented himself as the Bethlehem Gadfly.

Published

2 thoughts on “Is the City putting a higher value on property & profits than on people’s health & lives? (63)”

  1. There is a lot of voiced concern, information and commentary on this site which I was only made aware of two weeks ago. Insightful info and thought provoking questions to raise awareness on many topics, but for me these weeks, I’m laser focused on the Tower and all it implies. I often wonder why the local media has not found it newsworthy to dig or write more on health concerns as part of their implosion coverage. It has seemed merely a brush stroke of coverage. I mentioned my concerns weeks ago to a reporter who said that the air quality was an ‘interesting angle’ that he might follow up on. Then nothing. Why I wonder. And how far of a reach does this site have? Is it monitored by our Lehigh Valley journalists or are we all preaching to our own choir?
    So I’m using my painters tape and old sheets, taking photos and removing delicate glass and wall hangings tomorrow. I am grateful Im getting help and now that thunderstorms are forecast that is the blessing too. I’m doing more than has been suggested to get ready, but that’s me. I prefer to be over prepared, rather than lament ‘I shoulda’ after. Thank you for this site Gadfly. I believe we’re all better educated having this excellent source of info you provide.

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