NIAGARA, N.Y. (WKBW) — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a joint press conference to address concerns from Niagara County residents about radiation screenings in their neighborhoods.
So far, four Niagara County homes have reached the threshold requiring radiation soil testing, resulting in temporary homeowner relocations.
WATCH: DEC & EPA begin collecting Niagara County soil samples to analyze for radiation
However, DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said that does not represent the majority of properties being screened at this point.
"As we move forward, we are finding a lot of properties that need no further action, and we are finding properties where we know we need that follow-up," Lefton said.
Town of Niagara residents gathered Monday night to share information and develop a plan of action in response to radiation testing in the area.
Tuesday, Lefton and a team from the DEC and EPA explained what their teams look for in yards they believe need to be screened, once homeowners sign access agreements.
EPA on-scene coordinator Pete Lisichenko, who walks yards with gamma detectors as part of the screening process, said the presence of some radiation alone is not cause for alarm.
"Everything has radiation, even your granite countertop," Lisichenko said. “We are… looking for fluctuations in our readings to see if there’s something there that’s not supposed to be there.”
When elevated levels are detected with the first gamma detector, screeners walk the yard a second time with a different detector. Only if that reading also comes back highly elevated does the process actually move to soil sampling.
"When we get to the point of doing intrusive activities, we want to make sure we are doing it for the right properties. We're not trying to waste anybody's time or disrupt the homeowners," Lisichenko said.
"We are seeing Thorium at elevated levels," Lefton said. "But we need the soil samples to really confirm what is there."
WATCH: DEC and EPA hold press conference on Niagara County radiation screenings amid resident concerns
"To be clear, the contamination is not uniform. It is very unique to each and every property, and that sampling is necessary to better understand exactly which material is there," Mike Martucci, administrator for EPA's Region 2 Office, said.
Once the study is completed, Lisichenko said all data will be made publicly available, though the process takes time. For example, he said that results from soil testing could take six weeks to process.
"We are here to help the people, trying to take care of something that should have been done a long time ago," Lisichenko said.
For residents with questions, a Q&A phone line has been established at (518) 712-8279. Calls will be answered on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
DEC and EPA Representatives will also be available in person at the Town of Niagara Community Center (7000 Joe Rotella Way, Niagara Falls, NY 14305) from 3 to 7 p.m. on July 30, August 3 and August 10.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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