Thomas Augostini – Incumbent Candidate for Town of Union Councilman
| # ……. | Question ………… | Answer ………… |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Were you aware of the controversial Lithium-ion battery recycling-incineration issue in Endicott before you received this questionnaire? | Yes |
| 2 | Are you aware of IBM’s past serious contamination of Endicott and its effects on the residents? | Yes |
| 3 | Did you know that the water in Endicott is contaminated by 1, 4 Dioxane which the state also restricted and that Endicott is in the top 10 of contamination statewide? | Yes |
| 4 | Did you know that the Environmental Working Group (EWG) reported that contaminants in Endicott’s drinking water (data analyzed between 2012-2017) contained a high number of cancer-causing substances that were far in excess of the legal limits? | Yes |
| 5 | One of the reasons given for approving the project is that the area is already contaminated. Do you think the contaminated areas in Endicott should be cleaned up? | Yes |
| 6 | Taking into account the above, do you think that Endicott should accept a first-of-its-kind battery recycling-incineration process in the United States that will release serious toxins and four known human carcinogens into the air as mentioned in the DEC’s Air Permit of March 2020? | No |
| 7 | Do you think it is acceptable in the 21st Century for communities to be forced to accept a polluting industry? | No |
| 8 | If the majority of your constituents were opposed to a proposal would you fight for them? | Yes |
| 9 | Have you talked to Mayor Jackson about the project and the benefits to the Village of Endicott? | Yes |
| 10 | Has Stephen Donnelly, PR firm for Sungeel MCC, contacted you about the project and asked for your support? | Yes |
| # ……. | Question ………………………….. | Answer ………………………….. |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | What is your opinion of the proposed Lithium-ion Battery Recycling-Incineration facility? | I don’t know how a project like this can be considered without a Site Plan Review, a Special Permit from the Village Board, review of emergency preparedness plans, compliance of DOT transport guidelines and fire avoidance and suppression mitigation. |
| 12 | What do you think is the biggest risk? | Storage of hazardous chemical and materials, transportation of material, fire and explosion risk. |
