John Mason reports in the Register Star Dr. David Carpenter called the refusal of state agencies to do more credible testing of soot samples from the area around TCI following the massive Aug. 1 fire, “inexcusable.” Carpenter, an expert on the health effects of PCB contamination, spoke at a public forum in Ghent, Mon., Oct. 8. The event was, arranged by the Columbia County Environmental Management Council. Carpenter said the type of testing conducted after the event by state and federal agencies could have missed PCBs. Other ways of testing would have been more reliable. “I don’t think it’s appropriate to panic people,” he said. “But you’d like to have confidence that people are honestly and appropriately trying to get the right answers.” Carpenter said he was unaware of a similar fire, where the entire building was destroyed and the contaminants went into the atmosphere. Carpenter said he suspected danger to agriculture from the fire was minimal. Read the full story in the Register Star.