I'm glad the article was published, but how could they not even mention this site's dark past that continues to kill people with cancer? The only thing the article mentions about the LOOW is that it once was a military testing area. What about all the radioactive waste they dumped into marsh area?! If you want to see my original journal with pictures click here:
Nike missile launch site up for auction in Niagara County
Town of Porter parcel advertised on Internet
By Sharon Linstedt
Updated: 08/06/07 8:29 AM
Sam Kolich/Buffalo News
The mothballed site covers 98 acres off Balmer and Porter Center roads.
"For Sale: 98 acres of mostly undeveloped, treed property in rural Niagara County. Amenities include six underground missile silos."
That could be the federal government's ad for an unusual piece of property located in the Town of Porter, which it is auctioning off via the Internet. The U.S. General Services Administration opened online bidding July 12 for the long-idle Youngstown Test Annex, ocated at the corner of Balmer and Porter Center roads.
"It's certainly a different kind of property," said GSA spokeswoman Renee Miscione. "But the federal government sells and disposes of a very wide range of properties. It's everything from office buildings and military residences to post offices, lighthouses and missile sites."
The GSA, which disposes of properties for the federal government, offers the lands and buildings to various levels of government before putting them on the auction block.
The Youngstown Test Annex was originally part of the Lake Ontario Ordnance Works, which included about 7,500 acres across Niagara County used for military testing. The Army acquired the Youngstown Test Annex property in 1955, developing it as a Nike missile launch site.
The Cold War-era defense system was designed to protect major urban areas and strategic assets, such as power plants, from air assaults. The Nike missiles were secured in underground silos, at the ready in case of attack. At the height of the initiative, there were more than 200 installations around the country, including nearly a dozen in Western New York.
The Air Force took title to the Town of Porter location in the mid-1960s, converting it to a Tropospheric Scatter Radar communications network site.
The property, which has remained under military control, was mothballed in 1990.
In its description of the site, the GSA notes the property includes about 45 acres of wetlands. In addition to six missile silos (which are empty and have been welded shut), the parcel also comes with a handful of outbuildings in "various stages of deterioration." The GSA warns potential buyers they could face asbestos-removal issues. However, the government indicates that the site does not contain radioactive materials or hazardous chemicals.
To date, no one has stepped up with the required $100,000 minimum bid.
Miscione noted it took 21 days for the first bid to be registered in last summer's online sale of the Thaddeus J. Dulski federal office building in downtown Buffalo. That 15-story, 470,000-square-foot tower saw a brisk bidding war in the final days of its auction, attracting a winning bid of $6.1 million.
Of the eight former Nike sites sprinkled across Niagara and Erie counties, this is the last one to remain under federal government ownership. While a few are now privately owned, most have found new life as town or village-controlled parks, recreation areas, senior housing or local government offices.
slinstedt@buffnews.com
That's it metalpeter, I'm calling homeland security.
This is why I don't understand our government. How can you sell land that has missle silo in it. If I was a terrorist I would buy the land and I'm sure even though they are welded shut that could be reused or retro fitted to shot what I want. If I had the money I might buy it just so no one else would and maybe even do some stuff that wouldn't be considered ethical like have people in Protective suits raise animals on the land and see what happens. Or maybe see if there is any way to reuse the silos in some way.
The link that I provided in the first post is now a dead link. The school district has removed the info from their website, however, they do have a link to the NYS sex offender registry. I suppose they think child molesters are a bigger threat to the children than the toxins? I think it is important not to have an over-reliance on science. Commonsense based on one's personal observations using their senses will tell you that it is unhealthy to be close to the LOOW. Science takes too long to produce results and scientific reports, like I have said before, can only be read by other scientists to be understood. I have seen volumes and volumes of scientific data regarding the LOOW but it is all meaningless, at least to me. I believe that the Lewiston-Porter school should be closed asap. This conclusion is based on how I felt while visiting the area, this includes nausea, numbing of the senses and burning eyes and throat. Tomatoes nor children should be cultivated so close to this contamination (or should I say on top of the contamination?).
There are some statistics collected by NYS's cancer registry that are interesting, but of course don't paint a complete picture especially when dealing with sparsely populated areas. :::link:::
There is nothing specific I am looking for, but any news articles or new information you find I would be interested in. I have copies of articles going back to the early 80's, thanks to the Niagara Public Library.
On another note, I have seen pages of research on how government and private industry use public meetings and public knowledge to actually keep citizens from mobilizing. They learned a lot from Love Canal about what motivates people to take action and have continued to study ways to prevent mobilization ever since. It has been very effective.
I agree with you about getting involved. If you would do it with me, I would picket in front of the school urging them to shut it down. We could dress up in those white radioactive contamination suits. Maybe they have them at a costume store? I think the first day of school would be great. That's when the most parents drive their kids in. I'm not as courageous as that guy in Buffalo that always pickets alone. I think I just read somewhere that they want to expand the school? Maybe it was in (e:zobar)'s Artvoice links, I can't remember. I don't think the reaction would be very positive though. People don't like to hear these things.
not everyone is trusting and sitting back.
:::link:::
Have to dig for certain ones, but here are numerous reports and articles out there-- but not exclusive to the internet. A lot of this ^^ (RRG) information gets circulated to homes throughout Youngstown and Lewiston (and parts of Ransomville, I think). By law we receive the analysis reports (for water anyways). There are the town meetings, district meetings, and somewhere, there are book publications. Its a messy situation with a long history. As with anything, people need to get involved, stay involved, get educated and question everything, even there own conclusions.
which reminds me, I'm about due to renew my RRG membership.
From the link to your older post, did you ever get a chance to read through the health analysis reports?
Is there anything specific you are looking for?
2007-07-26 :::link:::
2007-08-02 :::link:::
- Z