That would make for bad press, can't have that.

Dovey, you should call him back and tell him that if he doesn't add it you will go to the media and tell them of your conversation. Find out who we can right to and post it.

O.K.  JSpeer--GOOD THINKING and I mean it. Your suggestion to Dovey was Marvey!

Now we got the ball rolling. Dovey called and got hung up on. I wrote this letter two years ago to the local and Corporate offices. The difference is in what the Army science says of the dangers at Lewiston Porter School and what other doctors and experts are saying. There is an extreme difference of opinion. Unfortunately, the science sides with the doctors and experts and NOT what we're being told. The ACS takes the word of the official spokesperson and that's the stand...for the good or for the bad. (It is for the bad).

Anyway, why don't we reapproach the ACS with numerous emails or snail mails, saying that we'd like a "second opinion." I like this idea because it throws the DOCTOR thing in their faces, like in a disease diagnosis second opinion. How could they argue?

Thanks for the thought, and I mean that!

Best,

Lou

-------Notice the dates--

Subj: Lewiston-Porter, New York/American Cancer Society-Relay for Life  
Date: 3/26/2003 9:24:57 AM Eastern Standard Time 
From: NiagaraNet 
To: gretchen.leffler@cancer.org, john.seffrin@cancer.org 
CC: NiagaraNet 
 Subj: Lewiston-Porter, New York/American Cancer Society-Relay for Life
Date: 3/26/2003 9:18:14 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: NiagaraNet

Re: ACS-Niagara Unit-RELAY for LIFE at Lewiston Porter Schools, Lewiston Porter, New York

Dear American Cancer Society (Ms. Gretchen Leffler, Niagara Falls, New York, and Mr. John Seffrin, CEO, Atlanta office):

I am writing today in the hope of explaining about a very unhealthy situation that exists with the location one of your local promotional fundraisers. I refer to the Relay for Life scheduled to be held on the running track at the rear of the Lewiston Porter Schools located in Lewiston, New York.

I am hopeful of persuading you to find another venue for this event due to the presence of elevated levels of ionizing Gamma radiation in the vicinity of your outdoor function and in the general area of the school. This environmental condition is attributable to the close proximity of the Lake Ontario Ordnance Works (LOOW) and the historic use of this site for the storage and disposal of radioactive materials related to the Manhattan A-bomb Project. The Lake Ontario Ordnance Works, and more specifically, the Niagara Falls (radiological) Storage Site (NFSS) is the home of what has been documented (Shapiro, F., 1981, RAD-WASTE) as being one of the world's largest concentrations of the radioactive isotope Radium-226. Other extremely dangerous radiological materials are also present at this site including Plutonium and reactor fission isotopes.

(*Note of May 18, 2005--Army announced Pu & fission products on June 08, 2004, after this letter.)

In December 2001, a Gamma "walkover" radiological survey was conducted of the Lewiston-Porter School grounds by Scientific Applications International Corporation of Dublin, Ohio (Contract:DACW49-00-R-0027).

General and specific elevated levels of radiation were detected and reported (February 2002) in the area of your proposed function. A piece of radioactive ore or other radioactive material was found on the grounds only paces from the intended Relay for Life site. At the time of this survey, the material found on school grounds registered a Gamma radiation reading of 38,222 counts per minute (CPM). This high count is indicative of Gamma radiation only and does not take into account accompanying Alpha radiation emissions. Alpha emissions, while normally expressed as being less harmful due to their low penetrability, are extremely dangerous to small children that are relatively close to the ground. Alpha radiation is most dangerous if ingested (hand to mouth) or introduced into the body via cuts, scrapes or similar pathways. Certain forms of Alpha radiation are seen by the immature human body as being "natural" substances and are absorbed as such. Due to the increased metabolism of young people, this type of exposure to ionizing radiation is viewed by physicians to be most dangerous. Individual predisposition to cancer and other disease due to exposure to various forms of this ionizing radiation should also be taken into account with the location of this event. Any person with a weakened immune system would also be at risk

Where Gamma radiation is present, in nearly every instance, Alpha radiation is present as well. The local radiological situation is not exceptional in this regard.

Ironically, the Gamma radiation reading at the Lewiston Porter Schools are highest in the area of the running track behind the school and is the location scheduled for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.

I am strongly discouraging you from asking people to spend the night camping and eating in this area at the rear of the school grounds. This promotional fundraising event and apparent sanction by the ACS-Niagara Unit creates a situation stimulating a false sense of security for the general public, especially in light of the fact that the school grounds have never been given a clean risk-free bill-of-health. The Lewiston Porter school grounds are in fact currently scheduled to undergo further environmental testing to determine to what extent the grounds are contaminated and not if.

Human dose rates for ionizing radiation have yet to be calculated for this location to my knowledge. Exposures of students and teachers on the order of several hours per day are bad enough, but to encourage an overnight stay on these grounds, or to encourage the consumption of food or beverage where any radiation is present, could easily be viewed as counterproductive to the mission of the ACS in preventing cancer. 

I would be happy to explain or clarify the nuclear physics or human health ramifications of having this event at the rear of the Lewiston-Porter Schools and in close proximity to the LOOW/NFSS.

I implore you to reconsider and select another venue for your Relay for Life event.

Sincerely,

Louis Ricciuti
Local resident, atomic researcher
Email:  NiagaraNet@aol.com
---------------------------------
And here's the wonderful answer I received from both local and corporate offices. See cc.
----------------
Subj: Re: Lewiston-Porter, New York/American Cancer Society-Relay for Life  
Date: 3/31/2003 9:51:18 AM Eastern Standard Time 
From: GretchenLeffler@Cancer.org 
To: NiagaraNet@aol.com 
CC: gretchen.leffler@cancer.org, john.seffrin@cancer.org, NiagaraNet@aol.com, Mark.Payne@Cancer.org, Michele.Chiulli@cancer.org 
Sent from the Internet (Details) 
 

  Louis, thank you so much for your e-mail expressing your concerns regarding
the Relay For Life Site at the Lewiston Porter Track.  I have been in
contact with both the US Army Corp of Engineers, the Niagara County Health
Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, The NY State DEC, as well
as the NY State Health Department.  I was reassured from every person that
the levels of radiation on the running track are no higher then normal
levels of radiation that are found on most ground locations.  Additionally
I was told that the Lewiston Porter School District had hired an outside
consultant to study the location and they came up with the same
determination.

Thank you again for your concern.   It is wise to investigate any location
where there will be large public gatherings as part of the logistical
assessment to ensure the health of the participants.  I feel confident from
the many conversations that I have had that this location is as safe as any
for our event.

------------------