Source: Courier Post Online
Federal health officials will meet with Birchly Court homeowners to discuss the potential impact of high lead levels discovered in some yards.
Meetings at Verga Fire Station on Crown Point Road Tuesday will connect residents on Birchly, Oakmont Court and Woodlane Drive with officials with the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, New Jersey Department of Health, and county health officials.
Health concerns emerged recently after a large cache of crushed car battery casings was discovered buried just 18 inches deep in a Birchly Court property’s front yard in November.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took over the case in March when a link was discovered tying a nearby Superfund site and the former owners of the ground the neighborhood was eventually built on.
The Environemental Protection Agency is testing soil for lead levels at all 34 properties in the neighborhood. Of eight properties already tested on Birchly Court, battery casing material was discovered on seven. But so far, just two will need remedial work.
The meeting is held the same day EPA contractors are set to begin excavating 1,200 tons of soil from the main contamination site on Birchly Court where the battery casing mother lode was discovered. Excavation will take about two months.
While the meetings are hosted by West Deptford Township, EPA on-site coordinator Dave Rosoff told the Courier-Post there has been a “pretty strong outpouring of questions related to exposure” to this material.
The meeting is an informal question-and-answer session for residents. There will be no formal presentation.
Sessions go from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Verga Fire Station.