Letters

Last fall, a document was left in our mailbox, written by a writer who did not identify him/herself. In this letter, the author reviewed the things he/she knew about the Marsden Street site. The writer documents memories of what trash was dumped there by Sag Harbor residents and what children found: “glass bottles … small metal household objects … and a set of keys to Pierson High School”(!).

However, the writer was deeply concerned with the more serious periods of dumping that occurred during the 1970s, 1980s and again at the millennium. He/she writes that the potential for contaminated landfill is high and urges a thorough look at the contaminants to be found at Marsden prior to its purchase by the Sag Harbor School District. The writer had done abbreviated metal testing him/herself, finding somewhat greater lead levels than found by the H2M study of October 2022.

After I reread that history, I decided to again review the H2M Part II report. There are some heavy metals that show up consistently and significantly: lead, along with chromium.

Lead is a significant source of pollution in the Northeast due to the unregulated heavy industry of the 19th and 20th centuries, followed by widespread use of leaded fuels. Sag Harbor, with two Superfund sites in a small village, typifies this historical problem.

In the H2M report, found on the district website, the summary of the Level II survey finds that the levels of lead and other heavy metals, volatile compounds and other toxic materials are within the limits established by New York State for playground use.

However, this assurance is followed by: H2M recommends during site development that soils generated for export be resampled to appropriately identify acceptable facilities. Further, soils generated for export should be appropriately tracked with waste manifests and/or bills of lading.

In other words, the soil itself cannot be moved without expensive (according to H2M) disposal in appropriate facilities — but the children can play on it.

Tell me how they will build an expensive field and drainage system without exporting a great deal of soil? And tell me why soil that is so contaminated that it cannot be moved without safety precautions is safe for my grandchildren to play on? Why are we buying it before these questions are answered?

And, finally, tell me why we are investing in this field and its problems, when we do not provide subsidized hot lunches for the many kids who are food insecure/hungry at the elementary school?

Vote no on May 16, if you too want the answer to these questions before you buy a house without proper inspection.

Leah Oppenheimer

Sag Harbor