In one final push before the March 30 deadline, the Environmental Protection Agency hosted two informal sessions for the public on Wednesday. Three people attended.
“There’s reluctance on some people’s part to allow strangers into their homes,” Riverside Councilman Steve Fullenkamp said.
But Hut stressed that, while vapor levels are low, prolonged exposure can increase a person’s lifetime cancer risk.
“The concern is not for an immediate health hazard at the levels that we’re seeing,” Hut said. “It is a long-term chronic exposure that we’re concerned with.”
Vincent Brzozowski lives about a half-mile northwest of the testing area, but he is still concerned.
“I’m going to have (it) sampled just for peace of mind,” he said. “If you don’t take advantage, then I guess you can’t complain if something happens.”
Of the 310 homes tested so far, about 85 have required a mitigation system.
In November, the EPA expanded the testing area west to Sagamore Avenue. The contamination is moving southwest, parallel to Valley Pike, the EPA has said.
Vapor intrusion occurs when underground pollutants give off dangerous gases that rise up through the soil and seep into buildings through cracks in the foundation, causing unsafe indoor air pollution.
Residents have until March 30 to turn in a signed access agreement to have the EPA collect air samples from their home.
Sampling and mitigation installation are at no cost to the homeowner. It costs the EPA $1,000 for the sampling and $5,000 to install the mitigation system. The mitigation system costs a homeowner about $75 a year in electric expenses, according to the EPA.
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