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State has no plans to conduct blood testing in Newburgh

Aug 05, 2016 12:03 am

Scott Waldman is reporting at Politico New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wed., Aug. 3, the state has no plans to conduct blood tests on residents in the city of Newburgh, where thousands may have been exposed to a toxic chemical linked to cancer. Cuomo said the tests will be ordered only if "the facts justify it." Newburgh's municipal water supply has tested at twice the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommended safety level for PFOS. Medical professionals who study toxic chemicals say blood tests are an important tool to monitor patient health. Newburgh city officials last month asked the state Department of Health to test residents, and volunteered to offer testing sites. On Wednesday, Cuomo said he had not heard Newburgh wanted the testing. PFOS is related to PFOA, and has been linked to serious health problems in humans. It is used in firefighting foam, including the type used at the Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh. The state is paying for a filter to remove the chemical from the city's water supply while the exact source is determined. The state Department of Environmental Conservation could designate the area a Superfund site, depending on the outcome of the investigation. Read the full story at Politico New York.