IN OPPOSITION TO ANELLOTECH

To the Editor,

Living in Rockland County near two decades, I learned that those who would inflict environmental harm, seek out perceived weakest communities for that purpose. Enter, Anellotech and its proposed hazardous waste facility extension at the Pfizer Pearl River campus. It’s happened before. FAA and the airlines sought a massive flight-path over Rockland. We stopped them. United Water sought to make us drink desalinated water from the Hudson. We stopped them. In each case, at least temporarily. Both conflicts occurred because would-be polluters targeted what they thought was the weakest of the local communities to plow through. Rockland is perceived as weak relative to Bergen, Westchester, and Fairfield.

Anellotech wants to extrude carcinogenic benzene, toluene, and xylene into the air we breathe, in a locale saddled with an already-unacceptable cancer-cluster. Anellotech admits these substances cause cancer. Anellotech’s recently-chronicled elaborate dog-and-pony show utilized carefully-labeled vials of “Pine Chips” and “Corn Stover”, as if to suggest Anellotech will only traffic in healthy agricultural by-products. Yet more relevant is the work history of David Sudolsky, Anellotech co-founder, President, and CEO. Mr. Sudolsky claims 25+ years of experience working for such companies as Union Carbide. Other Anellotech principals worked at places like Exxon Mobil. Perhaps the Orangetown Planning Board should also approve a sign to hang on the new Anellotech extension reading, “From Those Wonderful Folks Who Brought You Bhopal and The Valdez.”

Very truly yours,

John J. Tormey III, Esq.

Pearl River, NY