St. Lawrence County, New York: An

Environmental Health Diagnosis

By :Katie Yang (Sophomore, Guilderland HSMentored by Krista Glanville,

RPI EcoEd Secondary School Research Program

This research paper includes an assessment of Saint Lawrence County in upstate New York. It identifies numerous environmental health problems in the county, stakeholders who play a part in these problems, and ways to prevent or help solve these problems. The research comes from a number of different sources from the media to government websites.

Abstract

St. Lawrence County is located in upstate New York

Surrounded by the Adirondack Mountains to the east, St. Lawrence River to the NW,

Population: 111,944 Geographic Size: 2685 sq miles

Largest county in New York State

Background

County Health Indicators

3

4

52

•Watershed Health1

•Air Quality

•Superfunds

•Climate Smart Communities

•Energy

•Envirothon Competition

6

County Health Indicators Cont.Watershed Health

St. Lawrence County is located in the St. Lawrence River Watershed.

Major Problems in this county include: • Acid Rain• Atmospheric deposition of Mercury• Agricultural Activities and Associated Runoff

• Hazardous Wastes in the Massena Area of Concern

Air QualitySt. Lawrence County did not have recent data

available for the quality of air in the county.

This indicates that the county government has not spent resources or does not have not the

resources to monitor the air quality.

Included is data from surrounding counties of St. Lawrence County.

St. Lawrence River Watershed

County Unhealthy Air Days for general population in 2012

Unhealthy air days for people with asthma in 2012

Since 2003, has air for asthmatics improved or gotten worse?

Franklin County

0 5 Improved

Jefferson County

0 0 Improved

Herkimer County

0 0 improved

County Health Indicators Cont.

SuperfundsSuperfund site- a hazardous waste site that poses as a threat to the health of the environment and humans that the government has put onto a list to remediate.

• Massena, New York- 1984

• This Area of Concern around the river has been contaminated by numerous companies who have dumped chemicals and hazardous waste into the St. Lawrence River.

• Lisbon, New York- 1990

• This superfund site was originally a disposal site for hazardous wastes such as petroleum.

Energy

Type of Energy % of County

Energy

Composition

% of National

Energy

Composition

Renewable 4.3 4

Hydroelectric 28.2 6.2

Nuclear 28.9 19.6

Oil 0.8 1

Gas 22.2 24

Coal 15.3 44.8

County Health Indicators Cont.

Climate Smart CommunitiesA climate smart community is a

community that the state and local government have partnered up in to

change that community economically, socially, and environmentally. In St.

Lawrence County, the city of Ogdensburg and the village of

Norwood are the only two climate smart communities.

Climate Smart Communities:•reduce greenhouse gas emissions •clean up local air pollution •improving infrastructure•increases economic growth

Envirothon CompetitionsThe Envirothon competition is an

annual competition for high school students where the students compete

for scholarships and recognition by showing their knowledge of

environmental science and natural resource managements.

Environmental Education helps the community by making more people

aware about problems in their surrounding environment in their

community.

Case Study #1: Lead Poisoning

Caused when an object that contains lead is consumed or when lead dust is inhaled.

Affects the nervous system, organs and other systems in the body.

47.1% of houses in St. Lawrence County were built before 1950.

Case Study #1: Lead Poisoning

In New York State it is mandatory to test all children for lead poisoning

Between the years of 2004 and 2007, 1% of children tested positive for lead poisoning

Between 2001 and 2004, only 43.7 percent of 1 yr. olds were tested. Only 20.5% of children at 2 yrs. old were tested.

Case Study #2: Agriculture 200+ types of Soil, 3 most uniqure are:

St. Lawrence River- Heavy clays & wet soils

Uplands- Mix of clays

Adirondack Mountains- Glacial till

Case Study #2: Agriculture Challenges in keeping the soil healthy:

Nutrient management

Drainage of Water in places with low elevation

Case Study #3: St. Lawrence River Industries built factories along the river side

and dumped their hazardous waste into the river.

Chemicals dumped in the river include: PCB’s Mercury DDE Mirex Nutrients Metals

Case Study #3: St. Lawrence River Effects of the pollution include:

Loss of fish and wildlife habitat Contaminated sediments Deformities in birds, fish, other animals

Solutions in restoring the river include: Remedial Action Plan between 3

governments Large area remedial projects by private

companies like General Motors

Conclusion

Sources