Join the fight at Peabody Street

Hundreds of trucks rumbling over a dusty dirt road spewing carcinogenic diesel exhaust. Clouds of dust from the crushing of concrete. The dumping of demolition materials from before sunrise until after sunset.

“I can’t open my windows because of all the dust from the rock crushing. It is hard for my kids to play outside because there are so many trucks up and down the street. My kids are always getting bloody noses all day long.”

This is what residents on Peabody Street in Seneca Babcock are living with. Our newest members Jack, Diane, and their neighbors are organizing to improve the quality of life in their neighborhood. This February, the Clean Air board of directors voted to join their efforts.

Battaglia Inc. has operated in the neighborhood for less than ten years. In that time, the company has been cited numerous times by the Department of Environmental Conservation for violation of its permit. The DEC also found traces of silica dust on the window sills of residents. Crystalline silica has been classified as a human lung carcinogen, its dust can cause silicosis, which can be disabling or in some cases, fatal. When the dust enters the lungs it forms into scar tissue which reduces the lung’s ability to take in oxygen.

Clean Air is working to support the organizing of residents to reduce their exposure to silica dust and take back their neighborhood. We need to raise $5,000 this spring to support this work. We appreciate your previous contributions and thought you would be interested in supporting this neighborhood.  Can you help us by making a contribution? We’ll be posting thank yous and updates throughout the week on our social media keeping you up to date on our progress!