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Dear Nancy: I agree with Jill and I am very
disappointed with NRDC’s very heavy reliance on E. coli data (a questionable fecal
indicator bacterium) to push what appears to be an agenda that our http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=26920 Cases in point, please listen to the audio
(link above) from the head of your NRDC Midwest Program, Mr. Henry Henderson, on
Chicago NPR yesterday where he states “I wouldn’t swim in the lake
(laughing). I wouldn’t.” This comment and others in your
report certainly do not give me the impression that your organization is truly
interested in moving forward and addressing the complex issues that surround
the fecal indicator bacteria paradigm that drives these beach issues that you
have reported on. Additionally, from a recreational
waterborne illness point of view, the CDC has reported in their most recent “Surveillance
for waterborne disease and outbreaks associated with recreational water –
United States, 2003-2004” http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5512a1.htm
that: “During
2003--2004, treated water venues were associated with 43 (69.4%) of the
recreational water outbreaks and 2,446 (90.7%) of the cases (Tables 2
and 3;
Figure
3). Untreated venues were responsible for 19 (30.6%) of the WBDOs but only
252 (9.3%) of the cases (Tables 4
and 5).
Similar proportions were identified by venue treatment type when
gastroenteritis outbreaks were analyzed separately (Table 6).”
While I agree with you that we should continue to reduce both point
and non-point source pollution to our surface waters, frightening the public
unnecessarily is not the method that I would suggest to reach the intended
outcome. Sincerely, Mark A. Pfister, MS, LEHP Associate Director Environmental Health Services Lake County Health Department and 847.377.8028 Phone 847.249.4972 Fax mpfister@co.lake.il.us From: owner-beachnet@great-lakes.net
[mailto:owner-beachnet@great-lakes.net] On
Behalf Of Stoner, Nancy Jill, NRDC did surveys of all coastal states this year and
included in the report the info they gave us about the positive things they are
doing. Here is the link for the Ohio chapter, http://www.nrdc.org/water/oceans/ttw/sumohi.pdf,
which includes educational activities by the Cleveland Dept of Public Health,
use of the predictive model Nowcast, Ashtabula and USGS collaboration on
predictive modeling, evaluation of rapid testing techniques, plans to monitor
for algal blooms, how often beaches are monitored, how advisories are done and
how the public is notified. We also did a I see that the Ohio-specific press release says the
following:
To my mind, the bad news in the I would also alert everyone on this list serve that
the window for passage of the Beach Protection Act this year will soon close if
we don't get the bill back to the floor for a vote in the Senate.
Please contact your Senators to ask them to move the bill, S. 2844. Sen.
Voinovich has been a great leader in this effort, and I'm sure that is informed
by the good work that you are doing in your program. Thanks. Nancy Stoner NRDC 202-289-2394 From: owner-beachnet@great-lakes.net
[mailto:owner-beachnet@great-lakes.net] On
Behalf Of Jill Lis Hello to everyone in the beach community. It's that
time of year where I find myself frustrated by the recent release of the NRDC
report, where my state, |