F.O.I.L. Freedom of Information Laws Workshops

The Committee on Open Government is responsible for overseeing and advising with regard to the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), Open Meetings, and Personal Privacy Protection Laws.  The Freedom of Information Law pertains to the public’s right to government records; the Open Meetings Law concerns the public’s right to attend meetings of public bodies. 

Both of these statutes are based upon a presumption of access and, since their initial enactment, have undergone significant changes based largely upon recommendations made by the Committee. 

 Robert Freeman is the Executive Director of the Committee on Open Government. 

The Huntingtonian with assistance from Councilman Mark Mayoka has made arrangements for F.O.I.L officers and concerned citizens to attend a workshop with Mr. Freeman. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss their concerns including open F.O.I.L requests.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

2:00 pm at Jack Abrams School Auditorium

155 Lowndes Avenue, Huntington Station

 or

7:00 pm at Finley Middle School

Greenlawn Road, Huntington

If you are interested in attending please register by sending an e-mail to: editor@thehuntingtonian.com or call (631) 767-0324. 

 The workshop is free and all are welcome to attend.  When registering please include contact information (phone number or e-mail address and affiliation if any.) If there is a specific topic related to the Open Meetings or Freedom of Information Law that you would like more information about please indicate when registering.  They will make every effort to have it addressed.

Public Hearing on Brookhaven Landfill

Citizens Campaign for the Environment
Event Alert
Public Hearing on Brookhaven Landfill

Don't just complain at home – tell your town officials how much you love the smell of the landfill!

Tired of being dumped on?
                                          Tired of smelling garbage?
                                                                                           Sick of blowing ash?

Speak out!         Speak up!

Join the Brookhaven Community Coalition in opposition to another landfill expansion.
Brookhaven Supervisor Mark Lesko shocked everyone by proposing an expansion of the town's biggest monster – the landfill. This proposal comes only mere months after the Supervisor agreed to work with community members on a plan to take the needed steps to close the landfill.

For decades, the surrounding community has been plagued with dust, odors, and litter emanating from the ever-growing dump. The community has been promised several times that the end of life was near, yet the closure date is continually being pushed back. Enough is enough!

If everyone in the town benefits from the revenue the landfill generates, why doesn't everyone share the burden?

All community members are needed to join us at the Brookhaven Town Public Hearing on Tuesday, May 8. We need a closure plan, not another expansion.

When: Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 5:00pm
Where: Brookhaven Town Hall, One Independence Hill, Farmingville, NY

BCC members, stakeholders, and affected residents are all encouraged to attend.
Thank you for joining us. We hope to see you there!
Sincerely,
Your Friends at CCE

Islip Town Budget Task Force Finds: The Devil is in the "Details"

 $26 Million Dollar Deficit Projected for 2013

Putting the blame on the economic downturn, a lack of financial leadership and wasteful spending by the Town of Islip, the "Budget Task Force" predicted a $26 million dollar budget deficit for the year 2013.

Town of Islip Supervisor, Thomas Croci plans to "Swing for the fences and lay down a bunt.", when dealing with the budget shortfall revealed in a report issued today, at a press conference in Islip Town Hall.  Changes will be subtle in some cases- drastic in others, but all will attempt to chip away at the financial deficit while keeping the Town's sterling bond rating.

Supervisor Tom Croce speaks at Press Conference

Former Supervisor Phil Nolan was at the helm when the Islip economy fell off the proverbial cliff. According to Steven Flotteron, Islip Senior Town Councilman and Chairman of the Budget Task Force  
the Town will no longer kick the problem down the road.  Complete with charts and documents Supervisor Tom Croce, Mr. Flotteron and other Town Board members insisted it was not politics, but simple mathematics that was at issue here when the new Republican administration was asked by someone in the crowd if the Task Force was bipartisan.

The last administration simply spent more money than they were taking in.

Islip's fund balance rose from $42.3 million in 2002 until 2007, when the general fund balance was at its' peak of $75.4 million dollars.

From 2007 until 2011 the balance was $49.1 million...during the same time period Islip Town revenues rose from $76.7 million to a peak of $89.7 million dollars in 2006.

Since then, 2007 to 2011 there has been a sharp decline in revenues to $71.9 million in 2011.

This $26 million dollar deficit is the equivalent of 20% of the Town's entire budget and 85% of the Town's entire payroll.

Councilman Steve Flotteron,  released the preliminary findings of the report with other task force members, Dr. Edward T. Gullason and William Mannix who were instrumental in putting together the findings of the report according, to Mr. Flotteron.  They outlined how the Town's finances turned upside down.

Steve Flotteron points to deficit figures

Some of the forces were beyond the control of the Town, such as:  reduction in property taxes, due to foreclosures and problems from the burst of the housing bubble, the general economic downturn which resulted in lower sales tax revenues as well as higher unemployment, reduced individual spending and curtailed corporate investments, according to Mr. Flotteron and Mr. Mannix.

Other spending issues were the direct result of mismanagement by the former administration, including failure to trim spending when the financial distress was obvious.  Prior years surpluses were exploited to balance the budgets and instead of making tough decisions spending increased from 2007 through 2011, the tenure of Mr. Nolan's administration.

Mr. Nolan was recently touted for the job of running Suffolk OTB, which is already in financial distress.  If Mr. Nolan does for OTB what he did during his time as Supervisor of Islip, then it is "chalk" OTB is in for a bumpy ride.


Additionally, the state pension payments totaling $8 Million dollars were deferred by the Nolan administration until 2013 and decisions to issue bonds for short term borrowing were never made.



Cesspool Trucks and Street Sweepers..."The Devil's in the Detailing"


During Phil Nolan's watch there was detailing of Town of Islip trucks that are used as street sweepers and cesspool vacuum cleaners.  This was pointed to as an example not only of wasting thousands of dollars, but of the lack of common fiscal sense that would lead anyone to hand detail a work truck and charge the taxpayers over $3,500 dollars just to send it back to the street to get dirty the next day.
The vendor payments to "Polished to Perfection" in Bohemia, show over twenty charges of $150 or more for polishing faded panels on the Town street sweepers approved by what appears to be a signature next to the title "Dep.Comm".

Trucks such as these were "detailed" at a cost of thousands of dollars to taxpayers.

The Town's information technology division spent $97,000  on software contracts for computer-software and data services that were never installed and never used.  Add to that, the Town, under Mr. Nolan purchased 100 computers that had the wrong operating system, requiring two employees months of work to make the necessary adjustments so the computers could be used by the Town.

As previously reported by Freelance Investigations, in 2009 Mr. Nolan gave raises to various executives while simultaneously laying off over 40 municipal workers.

The Department of Public Works was directed to use outside mechanics to repair Town vehicles when the same brake job that cost $1,000 could have been done by an Islip Fleet Service mechanic "working out of title" for a pay differential of just $36, according to the Budget Review Task Force.

This report is just the tip of the iceberg according to Mr. Flotteron and their task now is to find ways that services can be economized without the effect on the public wherever and whenever possible and without having to raise taxes.

To accomplish this, each Board member is a liason to a specific Town Department and will look for specific ways to save money.  If a job is cheaper to farm out, it will be.  If the municipal workers can do a job more economically, then it will stay in house.

An example given was the Industrial Development Agency closings that formerly were given to Huntington Town Councilman, Mark Cuthbertson, a good friend of Mr. Nolan.  The Town took the work back into the Town Attorney's office (where it had always been before the Nolan administration) and not only is the work now done for a fraction of the cost, the Town makes money from the closings as well.


                                               A Fine Mess of Parking Tickets


According to the report, Islip Town failed to collect fines on 12,000 parking tickets issued during the last three years.  The Town under Mr. Nolan, had reduced staff for processing of the tickets at the same time they increased issuance of tickets and so there is a "closet full" of uncollected tickets with penalties totaling an estimated $1.5 million dollars, according to the report.

That number may not be as high as estimated if the "illegal tickets" Mr. Nolan's Public Safety Chief; Larry O'Leary and his crew, issued are identified and dismissed... as they should be.
See Freelance Investigations:
 http://freelance-documentdrivennews.blogspot.com/2011_09_01_archive.html


In that article last year  Freelance Investigations found documents showing Mr. O’Leary allegedly issued over 100 falsified parking permits in 2010 and 2011 to persons living within two blocks of the Islip Town water park.  The permits  appeared official as they had a bar code and the Town seal and allegedly Mr. O’Leary’s signature on them.

 Mr. O'Leary's signature was on the illegal permits. If the signature is not Mr. O'Leary's, or if it was not forged and was used with his knowledge and/or permission (as a memo sent to Susan Pontillo, would indicate) the permits would still be illegal, because there was no resolution by the Town Board authorizing them.

Another problem with the permits was that the bar code that was used on the parking permits was from a book ISBN number.  

Islip Town never made a resolution authorizing either the permits or the parking signs. Public Safety officers allegedly put the signs up in the middle of the night on telephone poles and trees within a two block radius of the water park.  This would force most people to pay the $10 parking fee in the Town owned marina lot or get a ticket.  How many of the tickets that were unpaid are these  illegal tickets, issued without proper authorization?  That remains to be seen.

Putting signs on telephone poles is against Town ordinances and LIPA rules.

"No Parking" signs were placed on telephone poles...under Islip Town Code (Article 29), it is illegal to post signs of all types on trees and telephone poles.





THE FOLLOWING IS A COPY OF THE REPORT


 Town of Islip Budget Review Task Force Report 2012

SUMMARY
Research by Islip Town’s Budget Task Force has uncovered various factors that have resulted in a potential $26 million budget deficit in 2013. These include economic factors resulting from the Recession that reduced employment, mortgage-tax receipts, and business in general, a failure by the prior administration to curtail spending at a time when revenues were declining, a reliance on surplus funds to keep taxes from rising, and careless spending for top employee raises, unnecessary equipment, technology never implemented and a failure to collect parking violation fines. The Task Force will seek solutions to these and other issues that may arise.

THE TASK FORCE
Soon after taking office, Town of Islip Supervisor Tom Croci discerned that the Town would incur a $26 million budget deficit in 2013. The Town Board subsequently asked Councilman Steve Flotteron to chair a task force that would determine how the Town’s financial condition changed so dramatically and to make recommendations on how to solve the shortfall.


A $26 million deficit is the equivalent of 20 percent of the entire Town budget and 85 percent of the Town’s entire payroll (or the entire general fund payroll).

Before the Task Force could begin its work, however, it first had to identify the causes of the current budget pressures and how the Town’s financial condition changed so dramatically over the past decade.

FUND BALANCES, REVENUES, EXPENDITURES
Islip’s fund balance rose from $42.3 million in 2002 to a peak of $75.4 million in 2007. Since then, the trend has been in decline, to $49.1 million in 2011.

During this same period, Town revenues rose from $76.7 million to a peak of $89.7 million in 2006. Since then revenues declined sharply and in 2011 totaled $71.9.

The Town’s expenses remained steadily below revenues from 2002 to 2006. Expenses in 2002 were $71.7 million and rose steadily through 2007 to $89 million, when they first exceeded revenues by $3.1 million. Since 2007, although expenses trended lower, they exceeded revenues in every year through 2011, when the gap was $12.7 million. That gap continues to widen and the proposed level of expenditures, put forth in 2011, cannot be supported.

THE CAUSES
How did the Town’s finances turn upside down?

Economic forces beyond Town Hall’s control significantly shaped the Town’s financial health.  Core Town services are funded by the general operating fund, which relies heavily upon property taxes, mortgage tax receipts and franchise fees.  These resources have been battered over the last four years as the Recession diminished property values, forced home foreclosures and curtailed home sales. Moreover, unemployment has reduced individual spending and corporate investment.

Additionally, in each of the last four years, the Town has experienced structural budget deficits in which ongoing revenues were not sufficient to meet ongoing expenditures. Regrettably, the prior administration did not thoughtfully address these deficits by selectively reducing expenditures and services and establishing more efficient operating models. The looming financial distress was ignored. Recommendations to the prior administration by the Town Comptroller to either trim expenses or increase revenues went unheeded and prior years’ surpluses were exploited. In the 2012 budget, 17.3 million dollars of surplus funds was earmarked to balance the budget.

Significantly, difficult decisions were postponed, perhaps in the hope that the economy might right itself in the near future.  This, of course, has not yet occurred.

In addition, state pension payments totaling $8 million had been deferred by the prior administration budget until 2013 and decisions were made not to issue bonds for short-term borrowing.

Spending, in particular, was unwisely done in the last 5 years.  Among the most egregious examples include:

* In 2011, the Town Department of Public Works spent $3,545 to cosmetically detail street sweepers and two vacuum trucks (used to clean out storm drains). Operators of the equipment were not permitted time during the course of their work day to address the maintenance and cleaning of the equipment, resulting in more down time, more breakdowns and more money spent on parts and cleaning.
* The Town Public Safety Department over past years spent  thousands of dollars cosmetically detailing its vehicles.
* Hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on paving equipment that was never used by the Department of Public Works because of poor suitability to operating conditions in Islip.
* The Town’s Information Technology Division spent $97,000 on contracts for computer-software and data services that were never installed and never used.
* The Town purchased 100 personal computers with the wrong operating systems, requiring two months of work by two full-time town employees to make the necessary changes.
* In 2009, the prior Supervisor gave out raises to various top executives while at the same time he laid off 40 employees.
* In 2007, the Department of Public Works was directed to use outside mechanics to repair Town vehicles to make up for reduced staff and reduced overtime.  One manager cited the private cost of a brake job at $1,000, while an Islip Fleet Services mechanic working out of title could have done the same for a pay differential of just $36.

In addition:
The Town failed to collect fines on 12,000 parking tickets issued during the past three years due in part to increased ticketing at a time of staff reductions involving those who processed the tickets. Fines on unpaid tickets generally double every 30, 60 or 90 days they remain unanswered. Some individual outstanding tickets total as much as $770 if unpaid. A backlog of unpaid tickets, totaling an estimated $1.5 million, remains outstanding.

Actions that could have been taken in previous years’ budget cycles weren't and the result has heavily burdened the budget for 2013.

The Budget Task Force intends to cast a wide net to find ways for the Town to continue delivering services while figuring out a way to deal with the deficit, all without raising taxes. Tough decisions will be required to solve these issues.

2012 LONG ISLAND EARTH SUMMIT

April 22  is Earth Day.

What is Your Carbon Footprint?

This week on April 17, the Citizens Campaign for the Environment and Brookhaven National Laboratory held a combined  EARTH SUMMIT at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in an effort to combine " Good science and good advocacy to advance a 2102 Earth Agenda for Long Island".

Complete with tours of the BNL Solar Farm and individual workshops with distinguished experts discussing some pressing issues for Long Island the summit's  topics included,  the need to protect the Island's estuaries, rivers, bays and waterways and especially the need for protecting the potable water supply while also delving into potential future energy solutions.

Solar Panels at Brookhaven National Lab

Solar Panels Appear as Water From the Air

The conference was an all day affair, beginning for many with a tour of the highly successful solar farm,  which supplies power directly into the LIPA Grid.

Back at BNL's Berkner Hall and conference center there was a choice of several workshops in the early afternoon:


Toxic Tides:  What's Lurking in our Bays
with Dr. Chris Gobler, Professor, SUNY Stonybrook


Long Island's Energy Future:  Go Renewables!
 Meeting Our Energy Challenges
      100% Renewables=100% Possible
with Gordian Raacke, Executive Director Renewable  Energy Long Island (reLI)


Electrification and Long Island with Dr. Gerald M. Stokes, Associate Laboratory Director for Global & Regional Solutions, BNL

Later in the day the choice of workshops included:

Hydrogeology of Long Island:  Groundwater Threats and Contamination
-What Can We Do About It?
The Hydrogeology of Long Island 
with Dick Cartwright Hydrologist, US Geological Survey, New York Water Science Center
Drinking Water Threats and Solutions
with Maureen Dolan Murphy, Executive Programs Manager, Citizens Campaign for the Environment

and

Smart Planning:  Preserving Open Space, Our Natural World and Growing Long Island
with Eric Alexander, Executive Director of Vision Long Island
        David Calone, Chair of the Suffolk County Planning Commission and
        Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment

Informative Discussions at the Earth Summit

  WHAT ARE LONG ISLAND'S GREATEST ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES?


After the workshops there was a panel discussion moderated by Maureen Dolan Murphy ( Citizens Campaign for the Environment).  Ms. Dolan Murphy posed that question to a varied group of panelists including, Eric Alexander, Dave Calone, Richard Cartwright, Adrienne Esposito, Gordian Raacke, Dr. Gerald Stokes and Kara Hahn; Suffolk County Legislator, Neal Lewis; Executive Director of Sustainability Institute at Molloy College, John McNally; Rauch Foundation and Peter Scully; Regional Director, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.

With a little over three minutes for each panelist to answer the question of what are Long Island's greatest environmental challenges- their perspectives varied.

Gordian Raake (Renewable Energy Long Island) spoke about the rise of sea level and the effects of storm surges on all water edge properties.

Dr. Stokes discussed global and regional solutions being worked on at BNL and was particularly concerned of our need to be aware of climate change and its challenges, not wanting a "death of a thousand cuts" by ignoring the effects already being felt.
Droughts, fires and a rise in sea level could change Long Island forever.  Climate zones are already being changed by the Horticultural Society.

Neal Lewis (Executive Director of the Sustainability Institute of Molloy College) cited a specific goal of a decrease in Carbon Dioxide by 80% by 2050, with a more aggressive approach to have that goal reached by 2020.  Professor Lewis said the biggest challenge confronting our society is "politics".
"The political system is not working to protect our ecosystem."

David Calone, another panelist (Jove Equity Partners, a venture capital firm) who also sits on the LIPA Board of Trustees, said "Policy needs to change.  There needs to be an integration of agriculture and economic development."  Mr. Calone advocated for a redemption of the Pine Barrens credits and a push to finance sewers wherever possible.  At the present time Pine Barrens credits are not being redeemed or retired.

Eric Alexander (Vision Long Island) said that "Trying to retrofit our downtowns, with housing, energy and transportation is the goal." There are 15 Regional Plans currently being considered and 73 local plans are also still alive.  The problem is the banks aren't financing and SEQRA regulations may be too strong, according to Mr. Alexander.  There is a disconnect between Regional and Local Planning that needs to be addressed, he added.

Adrienne Esposito, the host and Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment (CCE) also gave her response as a panelist answering that the real challenge is to educate the public. To dispel the fear and ignorance and make people realize that the drinking water quality is degrading.  There was MTBE, a gasoline additive found in 330 test wells.  That is just a sample of one toxic carcinogen, there are many more found each year and sometimes the solution is blending good water to bad water to lower the amount in a given well that has exceeded maximum contamination levels according to government standards.  Getting this message out is the challenge Ms. Esposito and the CCE are tackling with conferences such as this Earth Summit.

Richard Cartwright, (U.S. Geological Survey) said the water supply itself was his greatest concern.
Since 1986 he has been involved with water-resource investigations of groundwater quantity and quality throughout Long Island and New York City. According to Mr. Cartwright, the Suffolk County Water Authority (SCWA) sees peak pumping use in the AM in the Spring and Summer.

Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn, who also Chairs the SC Legislature's Environmental Committee
pledged to bring back the information to the rest of the Suffolk County Legislature and to continue to protect Long Island's water supply by oversight and education.

Peter Scully (Regional Director DEC) said there is a real need to expand waste treatment facilities for Long Island but in the economic climate this is difficult. In the DEC also, the staffing is down and resources at the DEC are at a premium.  NIMBY'ism (Not In My Backyard)
is a real challenge for things to get accomplished and there is a need to balance development and environmental protection and a true need for the general public to look at things in a more long term way instead of just dealing with short range problems.  With the general public "out of sight out of mind", according to Mr. Scully.

John McNally, (Raush Foundation) was emphatic about the need to create a protection plan and an agency whose sole charge is to protect the aquifer.  Once again the idea of balance was put forth, in this case the challenges of climate change balanced against economic growth and the need to balance political courage with an informed citizenry.

David Spritzen (Long Island Progressive Coalition) said that on the state level Long Island receives only 3.5% of Federal waste water treatment dollars.  He said there was the need to leverage private investments and used the Caithness plant as an example of the need to use private capital to create public utilities.  More public announcements and involvement is the key, according to Mr. Spritzen.


A short question and an answer period was followed by the keynote speaker of the day and the topic was "Why We Should Leave Small Fish in the Sea."

                                Little Fish are Big in the Ocean Ecosystem

Ellen Pikitch, Professor and Executive Director Institute for Ocean Conservation Science was the keynote speaker.  Dr. Pikitch's research focuses on the interconnectedness of the oceans and the idea that species and habitats cannot be managed successfully in isolation.  Dr. Pikitch is on the forefront in work ranging from basic scientific innovations to domestic and international policy change- with the goal of improving ocean conservation worldwide.

Dr. Pikitch is the Chairperson of the new Lenfest Forage Fish Task Force, a team of policy experts and top scientists from around the world who will address the escalating environmental dilemma of the depletion of forage fish-(bait fish or small schooling fish), a crucial species in the food web.   These little fish such as sardines, anchovies, sand eels, frill and herring are food for other fish, mammals and seabirds, and are used for fish oil capsules for humans and in pet food (fish meal) as a filler.  Their loss signals the depletion of many other species including entire fish, marine mammals and seabird colonies.  Marine life is disappearing.

According to Dr. Pikitch, these fish are worth twice as much in the water where they feed the larger fish and keep the ocean's ecosystem in proper balance. Since these fish usually live in dense schools, they are relatively easy to catch in nets and so the recommendation of the Lenfest Task Force is to lower the catches by half- and tailor the recommendations for the needs of specific ecosystems.

Forage fish are 37% of the world's total marine catch: 31.5 million tons per year.  90% of the catch is processed or reduced to make fish meal and fish oil and for aqua and agriculture and industrial purposes.
On salmon farms: It takes 3-5 lbs of fish meal to create one lb of salmon
On tuna farms: It takes  20 lbs of fish meal to create one lb of tuna

These fish colonies are very vulnerable to collapse as their own food sources (plankton etc.) are highly variable and sensitive to the environment.  Collapses have occurred:
 In the 1950"s....California Sardines
           1970's....Peruvian Anchovies
           1970's...Namibian Sardines
           1990's....Japanese Sardines

Prior to 1953, the "Guano Island Birds" whose diet included forage fish, created fertilizer used in agriculture.  The birds were cut out of the process in 1953 and the fish were taken directly from the sea causing the seabird population to rapidly decline and the numbers have never recovered.

There are success stories such as in the Barents Sea, North of Norway and Russia.  Capelin fish supplies were severely depleted, and regulations were put into place so that if the biomass (total amount of fish) falls below 200,000 tons..then fishing is prohibited.  Capelin stocks are now abundant.

Case studies have improved scientists' understanding of the causes of collapses and Dr. Pikitch and her colleagues' approach to the problem includes conducting workshops, making site visits, teaching both the theory and practice, conducting case studies and collecting data on forage fish and predators.

Dr. Pikitch's research also focuses on advancing knowledge of vulnerable and ecologically important marine mammals, such as sharks whose populations are declining due to destructive commercial fishing practices and sturgeon whose prized caviar eggs put them at extreme risk.  Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Pikitch and the research of the Institute, international trade restrictions on great white sharks have been
instituted and the beluga sturgeon is now listed on the Endangered Species list and there is a U.S. ban on wild beluga caviar. Dr. Pikitch and her team developed sophisticated DNA-based forensic techniques to help identify shark species from a small piece of tissue, even from a dried fin.  Those techniques are now being used by enforcement agents to detect and prosecute illegal sales of shark fins and allowed Dr. Pikitch and her team to compile the first global estimate of the number of sharks killed for the shark fin trade.

Dr. Pikitch recommends a tiered management approach, focus on the predators both spatial and temporal and to cut forage fishing in half which leaves twice as many fish in the ocean in many ecosystems.  The key for scientists is an ecosystem-based management where the benefits reduce collapses and increase the catch of bigger fish.  Dr. Pikitch will attend the "Committee on Fisheries Conference" to be held in Rome this July.

Many Long Island Environmental Groups had tables at the conference and handed out literature, answered questions, got petitions signed and generally added to the quality and tone of the day.


                                                    DONT RUSH TO FLUSH

Citizens Campaign for the Environment were the co-host of the Summit.  They are very interested in stopping the improper disposal of pharmaceuticals.

    DO NOT FLUSH OLD, UNUSED MEDICINES DOWN THE TOILET

CCE wants people to know that according to the U.S. Geological Survey, the nations waterways have been testing positive for trace amounts of pharmaceutical contaminants with an estimated 41 million Americans drinking water from a source containing trace amounts of hormones, antibiotics, steroids and contraceptives in 80% of the water tested since 2002.

Long Island is a sole source aquifer region, which means residents rely on the groundwater for 100% of their drinking water.  Contamination of the groundwater by pharmaceuticals disposed of by flushing them negatively impacts public health and the environment.  (CCE brochure)

Groups who left literature or had a table and identified their websites would be happy to have you visit them to obtain more information on a variety of topics.  Their hope is that you get involved in any way possible so just press the link and it will take you directly to their web site.

Citizens Campaign For The Environment

Peconic Estuary Program

Sierra Club

Some notable groups present:

Citizens Campaign for the Environment:  www.citizenscampaign.org
Brookhaven National Laboratory: www.bnl.gov
Long Island Sierra Club: www.lisierraclub.org
Peconic Baykeeper: www.peconicbaykeeper.org
Peconic Estuary Program: www.PeconicEstuary.org
GROUP for the East End: www.eastendenvironment.org
Earth Share of New York: www.earthshareny.org
Group for the South Fork: www.groupforthesouthfork.org

The Cesspool Project which is a coordinated effort to find environmental solutions to the problems of malfunctioning cesspools on Long Island and their intrusion into the sole water source aquifer has been a joint effort of the following five groups representing 12 municipalities on Long Island.

Friends of the Bay (Oyster Bay): www.friendsofthebay.org
The Town of Oyster Bay: www.oysterbaytown.com/
Manhasset Bay Protection Committee: www.manhassetbayprotectioncommittee.org/
Oyster Bay/ Cold Spring Harbor Protection Committee: www.friendsofthebay.org/ 
Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee: www.hempsteadharbor.org/


Suffolk County Water Authority: www.scwa.com/
Vision Long Island:  www.visionlongisland.org
LIPA: www.lipower.org

GUEST EDITORIAL ON THE CARMANS RIVER PLAN...by MaryAnn Johnston

If the Carmans River is to be truly protected and flow clean in perpetuity...it must first be freed from some elected officials seeking to ride its currents to high places. More importantly, it must also be free from high intensity development and all the pollution of air, soil and, water emanating from such development; not only within but beyond its watershed boundaries. This is a future for the Carmans River Watershed and Brookhaven Town that many residents will support for our precious 'Jewel of the Isle".

And the real friends of the River are truly easy to find...they are publicly out front, members of the Brookhaven Town Council, and are found among those who showed up by the hundreds to voice their opposition to a plan that purported to "Save the River", while putting in place the very plan that could destroy it along with the entire rest of the town.

But the Carmans Four, elected officials and servants of the people, stood up as a strong bastion against the back room deals, the powerful special interests, the big money, the phony preservation plans and the seemingly endless political spin and streams of false and misleading information. Yes, Four members of the Brookhaven Town Board led an effort to block a scientifically indefensible plan that could not possibly achieve the worthy goal of "saving the river". 

The plan was hatched over many months, with untold number of secret closed back-room sessions, unannounced and unrecorded meetings between developers and special interest groups, and big deals for high density development that threatened to change Brookhaven communities forever. Oh yes, there was some small efforts to appear open, truly little more than mere lip service, There was no meaningful or cooperative community outreach efforts from planners, LIBI developers or even the misguided environmentalists. In fact, it now seems that the plan may have been used by some to identify areas secretly slated for multi-family development and get a big "jump start" on purchasing specifically identified parcels or perhaps setting the eligibility table for new Pine Barren credits ...so very convenient?

The thankfully thwarted plan would have served two big special interests goals: making it appear that developers were actually working to help "Save the River"; while also creating unencumbered rights to build thousands of multi-family rental housing all across Brookhaven. The need for such housing remains in question, considering there are some 20,000 foreclosures and abandoned homes lining one neighborhood after another throughout much of Brookhaven Town. 

Our young people want good jobs, that is their first order of priority, not a luxury apartment. Transferring development rights from the Carmans or any other watershed into more densely populated and stressed areas of the town was simply a non-starter. Allowing developers to by-pass Code requirements and avoid zone changes, and elected accountability and public review, by giving them the right to build multi-family housing in specific areas and council districts without regard to schools, 1st responders, or even the necessary infrastructure outside our downtowns was totally untenable.

Yes the Carmans Four are proponents for "Saving the River" -- Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld, Daniel Panico, Tim Mazzei and Connie Kepert -- each raised multiple serious objections, not only about the science in particular, but also how areas in the town where thousands of rental housing might be built or where transfer of development and property was to be located were selected. They stood firm against Supervisor Mark Lesko's plan developed by special interests and instead offered a viable alternative to save this most important natural resource. They also agreed to consider (if necessary), a plan to provide 'next-generation' housing. Clearly, any plan that is bad for our residents and communities must also be a bad plan for the River and the Town. 

These Four worked together and identified the plan's failures, recognized the failings of such an exclusionary process and questioned the findings and statements that high-density housing couldn't add any school children. Especially in a suburban environment, they recognized that without critical input from our school districts, communities and others...and not developers...the plan simply could not be supported.

After more than two and half-hours of seemingly endless verbal gymnastics, Supervisor Lesko was forced to withdraw the resolution to 'accept' the obviously flawed plan. Still, even presented with another alternative to "save the river", Supervisor Lesko and Council members Bonner and Walsh simply refused to allow any other process to displace the Carmans River Development Plan or to even permit the beginning of a public discussion on an "alternative vision".

Photo by MaryAnn Johnston

Notwithstanding, an alternative resolution will be presented at the April 24th Town Board meeting and the Four Heroes of the Carmans will stand ready to vote to move real preservation efforts forward.... with or without the support of the remaining three council members.

Finally, there are Four council members who actually listened to the community, carefully read the documents, (many released at the 11th hour), have now offered an "Alternate Vision" for moving ahead...one that will not include the destruction of any one area or the rest of the town. These Four are to be congratulated for their courage.

Now together we can look forward to a real Preservation Plan.  One that considers all factors provides avenues for meaningful community input and contribution and can be supported by all stakeholders, residents and communities...and not just special interests.

Hopefully, the seriously flawed plan that by-passed all local community-based planning principles as well as elected accountability does at last appear to 'lie dead in the water'.

MaryAnn Johnston

President, ABCO (Affiliated Brookhaven Civic Organizations Inc)

Chair: Land Use and Environment Committee

http://abcoonline.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=16&Itemid=29

EDITORIAL OPINION*******

Letter to Delegate Kathy Byron Regarding Forced Transvaginal Ultrasounds

 Delegate Byron:

       I cannot believe it was a woman who introduced the legislation requiring pregnant woman to have a transvaginal ultrasound before having an abortion.  Who do you think you are?  What gives you the right to demand that a pregnant woman have a six inch probe inserted into her vagina and then you add "Oh but she doesn't have to look at the picture".  What is your point then?

      This is the first time the government has demanded a medical procedure for a woman.   Are you a medical doctor?  What gives the government the right to demand a medical procedure on a woman without a medical license?  This is a gross violation of a woman's civil rights and this law must be stopped immediately.  What gives you the right to make this decision for all women in Virginia?  You should be ashamed of yourself.

                 I live in New York, but I will actively work to make sure this bill is overturned if it is passed and help make sure that anyone who voted for it will lose their next election by spreading the word that you...a so-called woman's advocate and your legislative cronies have truly crossed the line here.

                  You talk about the HPB virus vaccine being forced on women as a government intrusion and then you pass this law?
   
     Your quote.."  State efforts to mandate the HPB vaccine in minors have raised a variety of concerns. The substitution of our judgement for the judgement of parents is exactly the type of  government intrusion into healthcare that America rejected at the poles last November."
         
        Your other GOP colleagues talk about "Obama-care"  being overly controlling and then you do this?

 Governor Bob McDonell who supports this heinous bill for mandatory transvaginal ultrasounds,  thinks airport pat downs are over the line and against your civil liberties, but sticking a probe into a woman's vagina is not?  So I guess he wouldn't mind a six inch probe in his penis mandated by law...right?

         Republicans say they want less government intrusion...but you want to stick a probe into a woman's body by government decree?  You are hypocrites of the highest order.  Once again...shame on all of you...this is a forced violation of women tantamount to rape.

     "What ever happened to the Republicans being the party of personal liberty?" as Jon Stewart stated so eloquently on a recent program?

    Jon Stewart also noted that another Virginia Republican who voted for the bill, Del. Bob Marshall, called federal health care "akin to forcible economic rape", so he thinks being forced to buy something you don't want is forcible economic rape yet doesn't think sticking a six inch wand into a woman's vagina against her wishes is rape.   You and these people need to be voted out of office as soon as possible.

                                                                                           Colleen Callan
Freelance Producer/Investigative Reporter

I will be posting this letter and your contact information on my blog site:  "Freelance Investigations".
I do hope you get many calls and letters regarding this issue.                                              

Kathy Byron
523 Leesville Rd
Lynchburg, VA 24502
(434) 582-1592
(804) 698-6722
DelKByron@house.virginia.gov

Do You Have Jet Lag or Bleed Air Contamination?

How many times have you gotten off a plane feeling woozy, or unexplainably ill?  Did you chalk it up to jet lag or “air sickness”?

Of course crossing time zones can cause “jet lag” and take a few days to adjust.  But the same feelings can be produced on short-haul flights which experience what is known as a “fume event”; the insidious problem of toxic oil fumes leaking into aircraft cabins which can cause severe long-term damage to thehealth of both passengers and flight crews,  according to Captain John Hoyte who wrote an article for Nexus Magazine.                                                                                                  

In June, 2010 the U.S. Senate approved an amendment by Senator  Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) that required the FAA to conduct a study of the air quality in the cabins of all U.S. airliners to determine the level of toxicity to crews and passengers.

Aerotoxic Syndrome, is a term coined in 1999 by Dr. Harry Hoffman, Professor Chris Winder and Jean Christophe Balouet, Ph.D. and is the name given to the illness caused by the long term effects of breathing contaminated cabin air in an aircraft.

“Fume Events” in which cabin air is contaminated, occur in 1 in 2000 flights according to a United Kingdom government website, while other reports claim 1 in 100 flights is a more accurate figure.
Flight crews on certain aircraft report experiencing some fumes to a degree on nearly every flight.

“Bleed Air” is warm compressed air supplied directly from the engine which is used to obtain a comfortable environment and sufficient air pressure at high altitudes for proper breathing. Bleed air is mixed inside the aircraft in a 50/50 ratio with re-circulated cabin air.

The following contains Nexus Magazine excerpts from their Feb-March 2010 article titled:
BEST KEPT SECRET IN AVIATION:  AEROTOXIC SYNDROME with full credit and attribution to be given to both Captain Hoyte and Nexus Magazine.com. where noted.

Captain John Hoyt, a former commercial airline pilot, is the Chairman of the Aerotoxic Association, a support group for sufferers of Aerotoxic Syndrome.

Captain Hoyt writes of his experience as a BAe 146 pilot in the Nexus article:

I enjoyed extremely good health until 1989…I suddenly developed Alzheimer’s type symptoms of failing memory, speech difficulties and trouble with thought processing which left me feeling permanently intoxicated.  As I was on permanent night flying duties, I logically put these symptoms down to the anti-social hours and I kept quiet for fear of losing my job…By 2005 by which time I had become a Training Captain on the BAe 146 but was now day flying, my memory was appalling and I knew that I was a hazard not only to myself, but to my passengers.  In August 2004, I had “failed safe” by walking off a BAe 146 just prior to take-off for a difficult approach into Salzburg airport, Austria, as I was convinced that I was about to kill not only myself but all of my passengers.  I finally stopped flying in early 2006 at 49 years of age, confused as to how my excellent health had progressively failed over a 16 year period, leaving me a “zombie-like vegetable”. I would be diagnosed by aviation specialist doctors in early 2006 as suffering from “chronic stress”, but 12 months later I knew without any doubt whatsoever that I had actually been “chronically poisoned” by repeatedly breathing oil fumes in the BAe 146.  Like so many others around the world, I would unfortunately discover “the best kept secret in aviation” and a major cause of mysterious, undiagnosed ill health, mainly in aircrew but also in airline passengers who can become equally adversely affected from just one bad flight.    (Captain John Hoyte/Nexus Magazine.com article) 

Senator Feinsteins’ amendment was included in the FAA’s $17 billion dollar Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act and required the FAA to complete a study of cabin air quality within one year.  According to Feinstein’s statement entered onto the Congressional Record: The amendment was designed to ensure the FAA has the necessary information to protect the American public from exposure to harmful contaminants while flying.   The amendment also provided the FAA with the authority to mandate that airlines allow air quality monitoring on their aircraft for the purposes of the study.
                             
                                             EXPOSURE IS A ‘SERIOUS MATTER”

Senator Feinstein calls exposure to the “toxic soup” of contaminated air that contains carbon monoxide gas as well as chemicals that can damage your nervous system called tricresylphosphates (TCP’s)  “a very serious matter”.

Exposure to TCP’s can initially cause stomach ache and muscle weakness followed by delayed memory loss, tremors, confusion and other symptoms, according to Feinstein’s testimony for the Congressional Record.  Nickel, Cadmium and Beryllium are also in the jet engine oil and have been found in the blood
of pilots and crew members tested after exposure to fume events, according to the Aerotoxic Association website.

Mobil Jet Oil II (made by Mobil Oil Corp), according to the Material Safety Data Bulletin (MSDS)- contained on the Aviation Organophosphate Information Site, has Tricresylphosphate (TCP) listed as one of its ingredients.  In the hazards identification section it states:

Overexposure to TCP by swallowing, prolonged or repeated breathing of oil mist, or prolonged or repeated skin contact may produce nervous sytem disorders including gastrointestinal disturbances, numbness, muscular cramps, weakness and paralysis.  Paralysis may be delayed.

As far back as 2004  “The FAA concluded that the problem was so “unsafe” that it called for repetitive detailed inspections of the inside of each air conditioning duct to prevent impairment of the operational skills and abilities of the flight crew caused by the inhalation of agents released from oil or breakdown products, which could result in reduced controllability of the airplane.”, according to Senator Feinstein.
Yet to date no action action to change has occurred.

                                A DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW IS THE CAUSE

According to Captain Hoyte  as stated in the Nexus Magazine article, the problem began in the early 1960’s.Prior to then, engineers provided compressed air in high altitudes to support breathing, by designing mechanical compressors that did the job well.  All of the early jet airliners such as the DC-8 and Boeing 707 used this separately compressed air.  In the early 1960’s the “bean counters” looked for cheaper and simpler ways to provide that air.   All jet engines have vast amounts of compressed air available from the forward section of the engine, before the fuel is added and burned. Soon the engineers would take this hot engine air and pipe it into the cabin.  They would call it “bleed air” as it was “bled off” the jet engine compressor section. Despite the fact that many engineers warned if the “bleed air” should become contaminated with oil from within the engine or hydraulic fluid, then everyone in the plane would be breathing a contaminated mixture of air and oil, this new method was accepted and incorporated into new aircraft. The risks were calculated as negligible versus the financial savings and every aircraft from that period forward, including turboprop planes use the bleed air system to get compressed air into the cabin…even AIRFORCE ONE.                                                                                (Hoyte/Nexus)


In March 2009, the President of The American Society of Heating,
Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) requested the FAA “investigate and determine the requirements for bleed air contaminant monitoring and solutions to prevent bleed air contamination”, according to Senator Feinstein who also noted that in 2007 ASHRAE developed voluntary model standards to protect air craft cabin air quality.

Only the new Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner has gone back to the independent heating system so the air is no longer circulated from the engine through the cabin.  This is probably thanks to Senator Diane Feinsteins efforts and her legislation that demanded the FAA take a closer look at this serious problem in 2010.

Captain Hoyte tells of the history of the problem in the Nexus article:

The first bleed air jets were the Boeing 727 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-9, but it would be 36 years before Boeing would suddenly decide in 1999, not to use bleed air in future designs.It would build a new type of jet:  the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.The jet would be made of a completely composite materials and have a relatively high cabin pressure.  But Boeing would never be able to admit that it had ditched bleed air, as it continued to build bleed-air aircraft.  Obviously it would take many years for a complete change of technology… Since 1963, there has been an ongoing debate as to how clean the bleed air is.  Boeing itself admits that in abnormal situations, mainly when oil seals “rarely “ fail, the engine oil can contaminate the air. This leads to the claim that the air is “generally safe in normal operations”.  But what about abnormal operations:  the every-other-day-occasions?  What Boeing does not acknowledge readily is that oil seals do not always fail suddenly but often fail slowly over many hours, leaking oil into the air. The fact is that the bleed air and oil are allowed to mix due to:  a basic design feature which deliberately allows small amounts of  oil to pass through oil seals to provide lubrication...the fact that jet engine oil seals prefer a constant temperature environment to perform “normally” and tend to leak when warming up or cooling down...the fact that when power changes are made, such as on take off or descent when an incredible number of revolutions are suddenly increased or decreased, there are differing tolerances within the jet and the potential for oil to leak.  There are a number of basic facts which now must be presented.  There will always be a few minor differences, but the following facts are known:   Aircrew and passengers generally breathe the same air;  if the pilot is sick, so will the passengers be sick.   All jet aircraft use bleed air:  turbo props, Air Force One, corporate jets.  The chemicals in the jet engine are extremely toxic, especially since an organophosphate (OP) is added to make engines last longer and provide fire-retardant properties. So what are organophosphate chemicals?  They were developed during World War II by the Germans, specifically to do harm to human nervous systems.  They have since been used in pesticides e.g. sheep dip-hence the dreadful nuerological illnesses affecting many sheep farmers in the UK during the 1980’s and 1990’s.  Gulf War military personnel were also exposed to OPs and became mysteriously ill.  It is known that chronic exposure to Ops can go on to change personalities and character and affect relationships and moods and devastate lives.  Does any of this sound familiar?                                                          (Hoyte/Nexus)        

How prevalent is this problem how long has it been known and what can be done about it?
“Breathing organophosphate fumes in a confined space is more hazardous than breathing in tobacco smoke and scientists agree that a cocktail of chemicals working together synergistically is collectively many times more dangerous than any chemical in isolation,” according to Captain Hoyte. The UK Mandatory Occurrence Reporting Scheme for June and July 2009 shows a fume event being recorded on average every second day or approximately 18,000 passengers per year being exposed to toxic chemicals   It has also been suggested that only around 4% of fume events are reported. University College London calculated in 2006 that 196,000 UK passengers are exposed to toxic gas each year.  The UK Committee on Toxicity citing pilot reports contradicts the government findings that “fume events” occur in one in 2,000 flights, they say it is closer to one in 100 flights.                                                                (Hoyte/Nexus)


Neurotoxic properties of organophosphates have been known since before WW II, but according to the Aerotoxic Association website the first well-documented case is a C-130 Hercules navigator becoming incapacitated after breathing contaminated cabin air in 1977.

There are several viable solutions to this problem which probably won’t be realized until the problem is addressed as the true menace to the health of those who fly that it is.  Frequent fliers should be the most alarmed, but also pregnant women, very young babies and any persons with breathing issues are also at greatest risk.

In November, 2009 a French Company, NYCO S.A., which manufactures aviation lubricants and more (specifically aviation jet engine oils in its plant in Tournai, Belgium) sent a letter regarding the Potential Toxicity of Jet Engine Oils to the European Aviation Safety Agency Rule Making and Product Safety Secretariat. NYCO has a long distinguished history in the field of military aviation oils having developed the engine oil for the Dassault “Mirage” fighter.

In 2006, according to the letter:

NYCO became aware of the possibility of contamination of bleed air by engine oil vapours, in case of mechanical deterioration of the seals of the APU or propulsion engines, this bleed air being used for the conditioning of cabin air on commercial aircraft.  Such an inhalation exposure scenario was never considered by the company, as under “normal” conditions of use of the engine oil, only mechanics working on the engine were to be exposed, and only to cold and liquid engine oil.

The letter goes on to declare that:

Whilst NYCO can not make a statement on the potential impact of those oil vapours on the health of passengers and aircraft crew, because it is impossible to assess the exact quantity of oil being released into the cabin, the public reports of both passengers and crew members exhibiting various health disorders was a concern to NYCO and deserved attention. 

As the reports of doctors and university researchers indicated that most of the symptoms were consistent with organo-phosphate intoxication (neurotoxicity), similar to the symptoms of farmers exposed to pesticides, the focus was put on the organo-phosphate anti-wear additive that is present at 2-3% in jet engine oils.  Tri-cresyl-phosphate (TCP), is used in all commercial engine oils with the exception of NYCO oils, as NYCO favoured the use of isopropylated triphenylphosphate (TIPP) as an alternative to TCP from the late 70’s (when TCP became listed by the French Ministry of Health as a chemical causing professional disease in that period). “Turbonycoil 600” contains this additive in lieu of TCP.
NYCO then conducted research at the University of Washington to evaluate comparatively the various organophosphates for neurotoxicity.

A total of 15 organo-phosphates were tested some being commercially available others synthesized for the purpose of the study, in order to understand the relation between chemical structure and neurotoxicity is ( which is measured by the levels of  irreversible inhibition of BChE).

NYCO concluded that general rules between the chemical structure and BChE have been found and that specific organo-phosphates inducing a much lower inhibition have been identified.The best candidiates were tested to assess their efficiency as anti-wear additives in engine oil formulations.  NYCO found that some could be successfully used in engine oils with an adequate adaption of the formulation, without degrading the overall oil performance.

To that end they filed a patent application concerning these new oil formulations which have the potential to reduce overall neurotoxicity “by several orders of magnitude” comparatively to oils containing the same concentration of TCP.

Switching to safer oils such as those being developed by NYCO is one possible solution, NYCO’s new formulation has already been approved for use in most airliners.  Of course the best and obvious answer is to build planes like the Dreamliner where instead of bleed air, cabin air is supplied by electrically driven compressors.

There are some simple steps to be taken in the meantime according to the Aerotoxic Association:
       *   Installation of Bleed Air Filters       *   A less toxic oil formulation (like NYCO’s)       *  Contaminated air detectors in the bleed air supplies.

Senator Feinstein’s amendment was a good start to examining the problem, but the Aerotoxic Association believes this is not enough.

Various government and regulating authorities have commissioned research, but so far have not been able to conclusively prove a link between contaminated cabin air and chronic health problems, although numerous independent studies show clear evidence of this link.  Corporate profit, conflicts of interests and ineffective control by government and regulating authorities means that the industry as a whole is in denial.

There are three ongoing court cases in the USA where both aircrew and passengers are suing Boeing for long-term ill health for aerotoxic syndrome.  Recently in Australia a crew member won the first court case for exposure to a fume event linked to her health problems.

The BBC mentioned “Aerotoxic Syndrome” for the first time in September 2009 after conclusive proof from a doctor had established a link between serious ill health in pilots and breathing oil fumes, although this was downplayed by “the establishment” as not peer reviewed, according to Captain Hoyte's article.
In November, 2007 the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee asked that the chemicals in fume events be urgently identified.  Cranfield University, which enjoys very close relations with BAE Systems and other highly ethical aerospace companies was scheduled to publish these findings by March 15, 2010.The publishing of the report is still pending.

                          WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS AND WHO IS AFFECTED?
Symptoms may be acute i.e. for a short period of time after a flight, or chronic i.e. long lasting, according to the Aerotoxic Association website.

Fatigue- feeling exhausted even after sleep
Blurred or tunnel vision
Shaking and tremors
Loss of balance and vertigo
Seizures
Loss of consciousness
Memory impairment
Headache
Tinnitus
Light-headed
Dizziness Confusion/cognitive problems
Feeling intoxicated
Nausea
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Coughs
Breathing difficulties (shortness of breath)
Tightness in chest
Respiratory failure, requiring oxygen
Increased heart rate and palpitations
Irritation of eyes, nose, throat and upper airways

Primarily the toxins affect the central nervous system and vary in their effects depending on the genetic and physical variables of those exposed.  One persons' body may have less success than another at detoxifying contaminants and so be affected after just one exposure, while others may be exposed over long periods or after a serious fume event with little or no affect.  Symptoms may be short-lived or remain long term, but with repeated exposure may become more severe and last longer.

Airlines provide no protection against fume events.  The aircraft "drop down masks" partially recirculate air, so would not be effective at removing contaminants.  They are designed for use only during the loss of cabin pressure.                   (Information obtained from the Aerotoxic Association website)

If you would like to know more visit:
www.aerotoxic.org/www.nexusmagazine.com/ http://feinstein.senate.gov

Once again attribution for all of the information from Captain John Hoyte should be credited directly to Nexus Magazine in their Feb-March 2010 Edition.
Visit their website to view the article in its entirety.
    Link: http://feinstein.senate.gov