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The city of Somerville, meanwhile, gets its drinking water from 2,800-foot-deep wells located four miles north in Lyons, a tiny community with fewer than 400 residents. Thompson says it is cheaper to pump in the well water than to treat the lake water.

Thompson says Somerville's drinking water is safe. But Dahlgren, the toxicologist, says hazardous emissions from the wood-treatment facility may have extended as far as five miles, contaminating the water supply. "They probably are at risk," Dahlgren says.

No environmental studies have been conducted in Lyons or other communities surrounding Somerville.

Dahlgren also says he suspects that high levels of contamination may exist in the Yegua and Tommelson creeks, which empty into the Brazos River. Many Somerville residents recall seeing two-headed lizards and large catfish floating dead in the local creeks back in the 1970s and 1980s when some of the worst pollution was occurring.

Thompson says the future of Somerville depends on the outcome of the trials, figuring a verdict against the plaintiffs will resolve the issues and a verdict in favor of the plaintiffs will prompt governmental action. He says there is no money in the city budget to conduct environmental testing.

"Everybody is assaulting me," Thompson says. But, when pressed, he admits that no one has ever raised any of the issues at a city council meeting or even criticized him directly.

So how does he know his constituents are upset?

"Gossip runs rampant."
_____________________

Indeed, gossip is running rampant in Somerville these days.

There's the rumor that managers at the wood-treatment facility have threatened to shut down the plant, laying off scores of employees. There are rumors that business owners have banded together to sue plaintiffs for defaming the city, and that local police angrily confronted UCLA graduate students for conducting health surveys in the town.

All are hearsay and half-truths, keeping a lot of people busy.

On December 5, Somerville ISD superintendent Charles Camarillo asked four environmental scientists from Texas A&M University to take dust samples in several school buildings.

This past summer, environmental testing performed inside the school attics by a California-based consulting company hired by Houston-based law firm Woodfill & Pressler LLP revealed levels of several known carcinogens thousands of times higher than levels deemed acceptable by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Somerville ISD school board members advised Camarillo to independently assess whether the schools are safe. The school district plans to spend at least $5,000 on the study; results will be available in January.

But the new testing won't settle anything, according to Kirby Donnelly, head of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at Texas A&M's School of Rural Public Health.

"It's more numbers to debate," he says.

Donnelly used a different methodology than the experts hired by the plaintiff attorneys. Rather than collect the dust with a high-powered vacuum, he took swipe samples — a low-tech method in which a sterilized, oven-treated fiber cloth is saturated with isopropyl alcohol and wiped on the floor, then returned to a Ziploc bag and sent off to a laboratory for analysis.

Donnelly further cut costs by opting to analyze the dust samples only for arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The previous study found elevated levels of dioxins, chromium and several other known carcinogens. "I may have been wrong on this," he says.

Donnelly's testing, paid for by a research grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, marks the third time in five months that testing was performed in the local schools. He plans to compare his data to contamination levels found in other places, including the World Trade Center site post-9/11.

According to Donnelly, the plaintiff attorneys' tests on July 25 were biased since they occurred only in attics where contamination levels would be highest. Meanwhile, he says, the defense attorneys' tests on November 28 were biased since they occurred only in classrooms and hallways where contamination levels would be lowest.

"Ours will fall somewhere in the middle," says Donnelly, adding that he will consider the situation urgent only if elevated levels of contamination are found in classrooms and other places "where kids breathe." If the contamination is confined to the attics, he says, he may recommend duct cleaning and other low-cost solutions.
_____________________

"It's a bunch of baloney; it's all fictitious."

That's the gist of an hour-long presentation made on December 12 by a Koppers corporate representative to all 90 employees at the Somerville wood-treatment facility, according to a veteran employee who attended the meeting but asked to remain anonymous, fearing retribution.

Every week, workers at the Somerville facility must attend a safety meeting that is usually led by the plant manager. The December 12 meeting was unique since it was led for perhaps the first time by Michael Juba, director for global products safety and health at Koppers' headquarters in ­Pittsburgh.

According to workers who attended the meeting, Juba aimed to debunk the lawsuits and media reports by downplaying the risks of working with coal-tar creosote — a wood preservative banned in several countries and classified as a known human carcinogen by the National Toxicology Program of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

According to workers, Juba argued to the group that no studies have conclusively linked creosote to cancer in humans. Rather, Juba said, creosote has been shown only to cause cancer in laboratory rats.

After the Press story ran, Koppers hired Pittsburgh-based independent media consultant Matthew Doherty to handle inquiries related to the Somerville facility. Doherty declined interview requests with Juba.

"The meetings with employees...at the Somerville plant were previously scheduled training sessions," according to a statement from Somerville plant manager David Shaw. "The sessions were not a response to litigation or press reports, including the series in the Houston Press."

Coincidentally, also on December 12, the toxicologist Dahlgren abruptly halted a months-long epidemiological study in Somerville after his UCLA graduate students complained that the town had become a hostile work environment.

Dahlgren's students spent much of this past summer going door-to-door throughout the community asking residents to complete health surveys. Dahlgren plans to compare the information to a similarly sized, unexposed control town to determine whether Somerville residents have significantly higher incidences of cancer and other diseases.

Write Your Comment show comments (7)

  1. After reading this last article, I feel a comment on Ms. Lissner's behalf is warranted. She has had that email line with Somerville alumni for years and this lawsuit is certainly not all that comes from this Yegua Line. She provides so many of us with a world of information about those who do not live here any longer and about whom we all still care about and would otherwise not know about. Their happy times and their times of sorrows. I said it to Mr. Spivak and the world can know as well... I am NOT going anywhere, no matter what is found. Somerville is my home town and before all of this litigation causing division, it was a loving and friendly place to live. Now the lines seem to be being drawn and that's just not what Somerville has always been about. I won't be redundant and repeat the lifestyles, etc. That's a given. For over 100 years, this has been home to my family, my grandfather being the first Pharmacist. I plan to attempt to carry on the tradition of friendliness and home town hospitality. By the way, TCEQ HAS done testing on all of the City's waters, sewers, and CCF plants and passed with flying colors. So some others were misinformed. My suggestion would be to check facts before relaying false information. If someone doesn't like our town, LEAVE. If you are going to cry about your property being useless now because of this, guess who caused this? But leave, by all means, and move to Pasadena or somewhere equally smelly. I am just amazed at this mess going on here........this is NOT God's way. Let's all pray that we can recoup our friendships and go on with life. My parents were never quitters and neither am I, so Somerville will always be home. God Bless you all!

    Comment by Christine — December 27, 2007 @ 07:33AM

  2. A small error. The creeks Yegua and Tommelson... Yegua is correct but the other is Thompson Creek. Thanks

    Comment by jlh — December 27, 2007 @ 12:43PM

  3. I'm confused....what does the Mayor's tattoos have to do with this story? It seems like your attempt to run down the Mayor overshadows the seriousness of the story. You really need to stick to the facts and keep the personalities out of it.

    Comment by Confused — December 27, 2007 @ 02:44PM

  4. Todd, you are obviously a "shister" reporter with an axe to grind about Somerville. And, why? If attacking the people of this little town makes you happy, then you are truly off on a rabbit trail of your own making.

    As far as the comments by me, you obviously were only listening with one ear. First, my Mother is now 83. She has only had breast cancer once, not twice. She now has the distinction of being the longest breast cancer survivor treated at MD Anderson Hospital. My grandmother never lived in Somerville, although she did cross the "Yegua" a time or two for visits. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 91 and died at 93 from natural causes (i.e., old age). When we discussed my Mother's cancer I made reference to my grandmother because of our ability to now trace my Mother's cancer to the possibility of genetics since my Grandmother had a wonderful long life. Yes, I did say it has crossed my mind about the toxicity of the air in Somerville, but not to the point that I'm scared to live there, or visit there. There is no science that proves my Mother's breast cancer came from the "tie plant" and had my grandmother not lived to age 93, we would have never had a genetic link either.

    What exactly is your mission Todd? Do you want to report the facts, or sensationalize the news? Does destroying the integrity of a town really make you happy? Are your sad attempts to bring attention to our beautiful lake in a negative way fulfilling you? Did you honestly have to include "bull****" in my comments as a way to make me look like a less than creditable voice? WE are interested in finding out the truth which will be public when the reports become available. As I told you, everyone is interested in the truth. If something needs to be cleaned up, then hopefully it will get cleaned up and everyone can move on, not move OUT of Somerville.

    Somerville will survive this bad press. It may take years, but there are strong, good educated people in that little Texas town and from that same little Texas town. We had the benefit of growing up in a safe place where we formed lifetime bonds and we will survive. I may have lived in Houston for 34 years, but I'll always be "from Somerville".

    Stick to the facts Todd, just stick to the facts and as they come out report them honestly and fairly! I thought I made that clear when we talked....or, maybe not.

    Comment by Shirley Neutzler Lissner — December 27, 2007 @ 03:33PM

  5. I certainly hope Todd Spivey wins whatever award he is battling for! It is sad to see, fully exposed, what type of person the writer is. Sadly he will get his just-rewards. This is a lovely town, with loving people. This story mis-representes our mayor and town. Shame on MR TODD for taking quotes and facts out of context, and mis-representing with a twist of words. When the dust settles, I wonder how many lawsuits he will face? This type of writer would be better suited for rag paper that sells "entertainment" rather then "news". Integrity not a word yet learned.

    Comment by Amanda — December 29, 2007 @ 12:36PM

  6. In his recent articles (Toxic Town: Cancer and Birth Defects in Somerville and Toxic Runoff: Somerville Mayor Tommy Thompson Discusses the Public Heath Situation ) Mr. Spivak from the Houston Press did get a number of things absolutely right about Somerville . Somerville is a sleepy little town 90 miles NW of Houston. A number of people in Somerville have had battles with cancer and some families have had children born with birth defects. There is no question that the folks mentioned in the articles have suffered and continue to suffer significantly with health issues. There is apparently a law firm representing these families (and possibly others) in a civil action against Koppers and BNSF in an attempt to provide some financial relief for these families. There are studies underway by the plaintiffs’ attorneys and their experts which allege that Somerville is a toxic town and should be evacuated immediately. There are studies by the defendants, and several independent state agencies, that appear to contradict the allegations of the plaintiffs.



    However, as with most news outlets today, Mr. Spivak and The Houston Press decided not to just “report” a story about the law suit that is on-going in Somerville by a few individuals, but to “write” a story about a Toxic Town that paints a very distorted and disingenuous picture of this particular small Texas town.



    While Somerville is, as Mr. Spivak described, a sleepy one stop light town, it is a town full of honorable, hard working, patriotic folks who choose to live there. They go to church on Sundays, display and honor the flag and support this great country with their passion and the lives of their fathers, themselves and their children. They go to football games on Friday nights, they support the schools, and they enjoy all the great values that exist is small towns which are often lost in the hustle and bustle of larger cities. They support each others families in times of need and they know and care about their neighbors.



    Mr. Spivak got a few things right, but he did not paint an accurate picture of Somerville . Is there some truth to the allegations of the plaintiffs in this case, . . . possibly. Only time and independent scientific investigation will tell. Is Somerville a Toxic Town where almost everyone is sick and dying from the irresponsible actions of Koppers and BNSF at the tie plant . . . possibly. But the evidence, based on the number of people who grew up in Somerville and those who still live there, who are not suffering from cancer and who have not had children born with birth defects seems to indicate that perhaps his reporting on Somerville was at best, inaccurate and at worst irresponsible!



    The public has a right to know, but they also have a right to know all the facts, and journalist have a responsibility to accurately and fairly report all the facts. People really are smart enough to read and form their own opinions.



    Marc Lockard

    Somerville resident from 1949 to 1970

    SHS Class of 1968

    Comment by Marc Lockard — December 30, 2007 @ 09:12AM

  7. I have so much stuff! What do I do with all of it?

    These were the exact questions I was asking myself until I heard of this new service named Grand Slam Garage Sales. They’re fantastic! They run the whole garage sale hassle free. All there workers arrive on time, in uniform, and ready to work hard. GSGS sets up the sale on Friday, runs the entire sale on Saturday, and the best part; everything that isn’t sold in the sale is taken to goodwill! They charge a very reasonable base price of $450, considering they do it all, guarantee at least $50 to the customer, and normally make over $800 in a sale (meaning hundreds to the customer). Also, they offer 2 other services including the “Clean Sweep Item Removal Service” and the “Pinch Hit Pressure Washing.”

    The garage sale they did for me generated $1,326 and I stayed inside watching TV during the sale and went over to a friend’s house! They really did it ALL…

    Go to www.GrandSlamGarageSales.com and check it out for yourself!

    Comment by Michelle Jones — January 14, 2008 @ 06:52PM

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