SLUDGE VICTIMS

JUNE 2, 2000: PA REP. GEORGE REQUESTS DEP INVESTIGATION OF BOY'S DEATH
"Two weeks ago, you sent a letter to Brenda Robertson, apologizing for factual errors in your department's investigation of her son's death. After reading the report your office sent her, I believe an additional apology is in order." " I find that report to be incomplete, inaccurate, and lacking the depth and quality that this tragedy deserves."

June 13, 2000 - Brenda (Behun) Robertson sent a registered letter to Governor Tom Ridge pleading for him to put an end to PA DEP from distributing false information surrounding the death of her 11 year old son, Tony. Her letter has gone unanswered.
Brenda's letter contained the following;
"Representative Bud (Camille) George has publicly accused the DEP of deception and incompetence in handling the matter of my Tony's death. I cannot tell you what a heart-wrenching experience it is for me to learn that Secretary Seif and his department have disseminated, and continue to disseminate, false information about my child. I am also deeply troubled that the DEP unfairly attacks those, such as Dr. Lewis, who would correct their misinformation and that the Legislature would prevent anyone from testifying concerning the true facts." "When Dr. Lewis spoke in Harrisburg, he called upon you to look into the misinformation being disseminated by Secretary Seif. Dr. Lewis said that he is still willing to meet with you or your staff to discuss ways of laying this matter to rest. In fact, we would both be willing to meet with you and discuss ways in which you could clear up any misinformation and remedy the mistakes made by the DEP, which are making the tragic loss of my child all the more painful for me and my family."
* (EPA Microbiologist, Dr. Lewis was flown from Georgia to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to meet Tony's mother and to offer expert testimony at the House Appropriation hearing on sludge.
The House Appropriation leaders refused Dr. Lewis a chance to speak.
At this hearing PA DEP spread false information to members of the press - stating Dr. Lewis was not an employee of the Environmental Protection Agency.) *

June 15, 2000 - With their theory rapidly deteriorating the PA DEP retrieved five samples of sludge from the site where Tony was exposed. DEP submitted the sludge to the Pennsylvania Department of Health Laboratories for Staphylococcus Aureus culture.
PA DEP posted the results on their web site, next to Tony's investigative report, stating
"The five samples that were submitted to the Department of Health Lab for Staphylococcus Aureus culture all found: "No Staphylococcus aureus Isolated."
What was wrong with this behavior - you might ask, well for starters, the samples of sludge DEP collected was land applied in 1994 which means these samples were nearly 6 years old. Staphylococcus aureus would certainly die off in a 6 year time span.
The EPA lists the "Survival Times of Pathogens in Soil and on Plant Surfaces" for Bacteria as absolute MAXIMUM - ONE YEAR.
Why didn't DEP collect and analyze fresh samples of Class B sludge from the city of Philadelphia (Philadelphia is where the sludge originated from - which Tony was exposed to).
The fact that PA DEP even attempted to find Staph.aureus in the soil 6 years after the sludge was applied and then posted the results on their web page next to their May 2000 report on Tony's death - either shows their ignorance for bacterial survival or is an attempt to deceive the public.
PA DEP Biosolids - Sampling at Mountain Top Site on 6 year old sludge: