Community Mobilization for Environmental Problems: How a Grassro ...

further testing be conducted throughout the entire neighborhood—specifically, on the developed parcels atop former industrial land. Although the city claimed that proper tests had been completed on the lots that the city purchased from LTV/Republic Steel in 1986, city authorities agreed to the further testing that the residents demanded. In addition, the city hired an environmental testing firm that had not already conducted tests in the area to perform the soil sampling on other residential property in the neighborhood.

In late August 1999, Hickory Woods residents received a letter from the City of Buffalo informing them that soil testing had been completed on their properties and that PAHs were present. The letter stated:

In no instance has any level of PAH or other contaminant been discovered in the extensive Abby Street residential yard testing program that poses any immediate danger to any individual. [Furthermore,] we advised residents [of the original four lots] that such concentrations if touched repeatedly over the very long term, might cause an elevated risk of disease.

(City of Buffalo Department of Environment, 1999)

With this notification, residents began contacting city officials to clarify what was meant by “very long term” and “elevated risk.” Specifically, owners of the two houses adjacent to the four affected lots decided to see if others in the community were as interested in finding out more. An organized effort began in the community in October 1999 when two homeowners who lived a few houses away from the four original affected lots called a meeting. To notify other residents of the plan, they canvassed the neighborhood with flyers. At this gathering, those present agreed to hold future meetings under the official name the Hickory Woods Concerned Homeowners’ Association (HWCHA).³ Throughout the following months, group members met with representatives of the City of Buffalo Common Council at community meetings in order to explain the problems they felt needed to be addressed regarding the contamination in the community. The residents wanted further testing of the