NIAGARA COUNTY, N.Y. (WKBW) — Town of Niagara residents gathered Monday night to share information and develop a plan of action in response to radiation testing in the area.
The meeting, held at a hotel in Niagara Falls, was organized by Save Our Backyards Niagara, a community group co-founded by Lexi Hawk. About a half dozen homes are currently undergoing soil testing after a state and federal government screening process found elevated radiation levels.
Hawk said the meeting gave Town of Niagara residents a chance to understand options for engaging with the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Environmental Protection Agency.
"When people speak together, things get done," Hawk said.
Residents packed in to hear from four homeowners who were found to have the highest radiation levels so far in the county and have left their homes. Jacquelyn and Jeremy Linkowski are among them.
"They found it everywhere, honestly, pretty much all throughout our home was 4 to 5 times background level," Jacquelyn Linkowski said. "So to just find out that we were getting blasted with radiation for almost 14 years, I can't really explain the feeling, but we just had to get out of there."
The Linkowskis have been living with her mother for the last 10 days after learning their home of 14 years is no longer safe to live in due to radioactivity. They said the process of getting answers and being relocated was not easy.
"We want our neighbors and our loved ones to be able to be told the truth. That was not our experience," Linkowski said. "We had to fight to be relocated. We had to fight for our answers."
Renae Kimble, president of the NAACP Niagara Falls Branch, facilitated Monday's meeting and said she wants to see Governor Hochul designate the Town of Niagara as a "Class 1 Superfund site." A Class 1 designation means contamination constitutes a significant threat to public health and the environment.
Kimble believes it would provide important protections to residents.
"We would feel much better if they were in charge of doing the investigation and clean up and working to get our residents relocated," Kimble said.
Kimble also said the EPA and DEC must follow through on promises to relocate any additional homeowners found to have elevated radiation levels.
"They're responsible for the soil, air and water, that it's safe and that people can live safely," said Kimble. " It's not like a choice that they have. It's a legal obligation."
DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton spoke with Michael Wooten on Monday. Officials said they are currently focused on thorium, which is being found at elevated levels at the tested properties.
WATCH: More community meetings set for radiological screenings
Join the Niagara County Community News Facebook group to connect with neighbors and learn about what's happening in your community.
