Clarifying yesterday’s reporting in the Reno Gazette-Journal

EDIT: August 31, 2009: We have created a Web page with detailed information and documentation about this site.

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I am writing this update to clarify stories written yesterday in the Reno Gazette-Journal. As you may have read, the stories involve a pesticide container disposal site in Antelope Valley, south of Battle Mountain in Lander County.

Contrary to much of what was reported, this site was used to discard containers that contained pesticides used in farming activities (by the terms and conditions of operation those containers needed to be triple rinsed). Many years of sampling of the area, including detailed evaluations by private environmental consulting firms show no contamination of the site and that there is no threat to public health or the environment.

The Division of Environmental Protection has had a role in inspecting the facility and making recommendations to the Bureau of Land Management for its management. We have maintained that the area needs to be cleaned up by sealing the site and burying the containers.

The stories also raised the issue of whether such a site could be the source of cancer-causing illnesses. Historic and repeated testing of the area showed no contamination. The RGJ stories included maps that allude to there being a correlation between reported illnesses in the area and the location of this site. It is critical to note that no evidence exists that would lead to that kind of speculation.

In the 1980s and 1990s state agencies had limited resources, the same as today. Sites such as this one must be “triaged” to ensure potential risks to human health and the environment are immediately addressed. In this case, years of sampling and scientific evaluation showed no environmental contamination and therefore no risk or threat whatsoever. We conveyed this to the Reno Gazette-Journal more than once.

Nevertheless, this site should be properly closed as a precaution. We will continue to monitor this situation and provide needed expertise to the responsible entities on the site’s management and closure.

Allen Biaggi

EDIT: August 26, 2009

Based on questions received yesterday, the following statement was sent yesterday to Frank Mullen at the Reno Gazette-Journal for what we were told was going to be a follow-up story:

First, for clarification, this site and the others like it around the state were not pesticide disposal sites. They were for already empty and/or rinsed pesticide containers.

Repeated testing and scientific evaluation of the Antelope Valley site indicated low or no contamination was present and that the site posed no threat to human health or to the environment (Weston Study, 1988 and others).  As you correctly reported in your story, the State of Nevada worked with the BLM to quickly remove and properly dispose of a couple of Dibrom 8 jars that could have posed a health risk.

In the 1980s and 1990s, and continuing today, the agency must focus its limited resources on sites that pose risks to human health and to the environment.  Based upon on-site sampling and evaluations, this site was determined not to pose those risks.   BLM has been in contact with us and NDEP will provide any needed expertise as BLM takes steps to handle the site’s management and closure.

I also want to stress that I am happy to speak directly with the citizens of Antelope Valley about their concerns. My direct line is 775 684-2710.