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Show DAILY HERALD Sunday, August 26, 2007 Is toxic tower next to WTC site a health risk? than 300 tests for asbestos Amy Westfeidt NEW YORK -P- anicked : Usa Rathke . It STOCXBRIDGE, Vt. . looks like a dump of soiled . . . . sheep's wool, a cottony green or white mass that's turning up on rocks and river bottoms, snarling waterways. Already a scourge in New Zealand and parts of the American South and West,' ' the aquatic algae called rock snot is creeping into New England, where ft is turning up in pristine rivers and alarming" fishermen and wildlife biolo- - . hard-tocatc- . gists. It scares me," said Lawton Weber, a fly fishing guide, . n who first spotted ft on the Connecticut River in northern Vermont in June. Its an aesthetic eyesore when its in full bloom mode and its impact on the trout population is going to be significant. Over the past 10 years, the algae with a scientific name of Ddymosphenia geminata, or didymo, has turned up in California, Washington, Alaska, . Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, the Da-kolas, Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee. Were starting to realize it's all over the place, said Karl Hermann, a regional waste' monitoring and assessment . . . ... . . . . . . . , Where ft once preferred rivhighaltitude, ers, rock snot has shown up in rivers in Missouri Arkansas and Tennessee, raising ques-tion- s about what triggers its growth. Dammed rivers pro-- . vide a constant water flow far ft to bloom, and drought and changes in sunlight may abp. (day a role. We think there are other factors that we don't yet know about, said Spaulding. In New Zealand, the algae V has infested as many as 55 .. waterways on South Island, growing up to 7 inches thick. Scientists are trying a cop- - .. per treatment to manage it, and anyone who knowingly , spreads the algae is treated as a criminaL The penalty: up to five years in prison andor a fine of up to $100,000. For now, the algae is in its early stages in New England, . forming nubby brown growths on rocks. "1 think all of the Northeast is tuned in to see what the effects will be, so they can start taking preventive measures,' said Mary Russ, executive director of the White River Partnership. "We're starting to realize it's all over . THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ... ' . coordinator for the Environmental Protection Agency in ' Denver. ' What started out in Vancouver Island in British Columbia "has suddenly just skyrocketed, he said.. The algae has the potential to bloom into thick masses with long stalks, blanketing the bottoms of some streams, threatening aquatic insect and ;. fish populations by smothering food sources. .. In New England, ft has turned up in the White River, Connecticut River, and the Batten Kill, a trout fishing mecca in southern Vermont thats h famed for its fish. Quebec is grappling with ft in Matapedia River in the lower , St.Lawrence. Theres no easy way to get ;. rid of it. Experts say the only hope is to keep it from spreading. But thats a lofty challenge, since a single cell car-rie- d ' on absorbent fishing gear or clothing can be transferred into other unknowingly waters. Vermont and New Hampshire have launched a radio ; campaign urging river users to scour their boats and dean their gear. "Please dont take chances, disinfect your fishing gear, said Scott Decker, program V supervisor with the New Hampshire Fish and Game De--. pertinent. Its unknown yet what effect. if any the algae win have on fish populations, according to Sarah Spaulding, an ecokv Rock snot arrival (dorms fishermen, wildlife biologists residents fear a partially dismantled bulkting where a . recent blaze killed two fire- - ' fighters and stripped away protective coverings may be ; releasing some of the toxic PaulLioy, a Rutgers contaminants that blanketed University professor who the neighborhood on Sept 11, has studied air quality near 20QL ground zero since the terror . ySome experts, however, attacks, said the dust in the , aren't so sure. building is not substantial The Aug. 18 blaze at the . enough to pose a serious derelict former Deutsche health threat. Bank building began on a .'. To get that layer of dust floor layered with asbestos, outdoors would take an awlead, mercury and other tax-- . ful lot of wind, said Lioy, ; ins blown in when the World' the deputy director of the Trade Center collapsed just Environmental Occupational across the street, even tiny Health Sciences Institute, aftats of human remains. De-- .' filiated with Rutgers. molition crews have reduced Any dust that did escape the 40tory tower to 28, but win- through the now-opeabout 15 of those floors had dows would be diluted, he yet to bedeaned, and the fire-- ' . said. Then youre asking ft exposed some of those floors . to come through the windows to the elements. .. and into their homes, and its ' I try not to dwell on the not a very large source : Environmental advocates ; possibility of dying from this stuff or sick, said are skeptical ' Kathleengetting who Moore, stares' .. We think that there should at the building from her. 10th be something showing up in floor apartment next door; these samples, said Kimberly Toxic debris was burning in Flynn, cocoordinator of 9111 ; there. ... Its twice as bad as it Environmental Action, This was before.'.' was a big fire. Black smoke ; But hundreds of air samples was billowing off of that buildfrom a dozen monitors posted ing, as everybody could see around the building before, and everybody could breathe." during and after the fire haven't shown contamination I Associated Press writer Devlin Barrett contributed to that exceeds federal limits called target levels. More ; .this report. : rivers Ill . have been negative, according to private analysts hired by the Lower Manhattan , Development Corp., the government rebuilding agency that owns the tower and is heading its cleanup and dis- - THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A3 the place." Karl Hermann Environ mental Protection Agency gist with the U.S. Geological Survey and the EPA. Bid many are concerned. Once you remove insects, young fish don't have anything to eat," Said David Deen, a Vermont lawmaker who is a fishing guide and river steward for the Connecticut River Watershed CoundL Growth is slowed at best, and at worst they could starve to death." In South Dakota, the algae is suspected of decimating brown trout populations in some ... spots. Not only does rock snot threaten fish, but fts an nuisance. Fishermen complain that they cant cast their lines or they pull them up covered in gunk, Jeff Williams, Arkansass trout program supervisor, said out-o- f staters were disappointed to find that the White River wasnt as clean of a river as it used to be. The gravel is covered with didymo." Once rare, the algae is perplexing scientists with the frequency of nuisance blooms. It seems to be something different this expansion and production of big masses in the U.S., "Spaulding said. . ; . . ly the Neb I Vermont Department On of Environmental - . Conservation: www.anr. state.vt.usdec I EPAj www.epa.govregion8 waterdidymosphenia I Federation of Fly Fishers: : www.fedflyfishers.org conDidymo.php . ' T V S , li jf y ' '. V' s'far , r I, 1 .. ', - &?' pv? X ' ? .i . ,4 '.I'. ln;f( I jt . T 5 v r . jf I ? - 'Jp .jp:. t r- Wvr. :& s. t, sv'.i g I fV - v - 's ... . y ,, , v. w v- r vT: ; - ' v S ;4 yt 3.Vv '-- jM , v , - V Vi 7 ' .s . v: . g rfSi. 5 I . I , hj-- -. . ' J t I. . ; 'x 1 J . I'y4'. w ;v ; , i - ' s w . t. C;.. .; 06 2!lS0siy i$sni tHUlilllfe liliglHil' WJllsT (liTP isw.nsty Jon Healy, American Fork, Utah; has a refreshing attitude and outlook on life. After a back injury left him inactive, over the course of three years Jon haci gained an extra 75 pounds. After his physician's recommendation, Jon joined Central Utah Clinic Wellness Institute to help him get back in shape. 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