The Natick Cancer Study Task Force is charged by the Natick Selectmen:

To ascertain by survey and/or use of existing data collection system, if cancer rates in Natick are extraordinary and if so are the extraordinary rates identifiable geographically.

To determine, with the assistance of the appropriate technical expertise and testing, the potential cause of whatever extraordinary rates may exist.

To recommend a plan to eliminate the potential causes of extraordinary cancer rates.

All are invited to access our Webpages, via your computer or your library's:

by an Altavista or Yahoo! Web search on natick and cancer, or

by URL = http://www.gis.net/~dmiller/cancer.html

Vice Chairperson: Carol Scannell (leave message at 508/654-5042)

Associate Chairperson: Tom Branham (tbsy@worldnet.att.net)

Town Coordinator: Roger Wade, Director of Public Health (508/651-7244; RWade1947@aol.com; Natick Board of Health, Room G10, Natick Town Hall, 13 East Central Street, Natick, MA 01760)

Other Members: Jay Ball, Mary Brown, Beth Donnelly (Columbia Metrowest Medical Center, Framingham, 383-1096), Jill Miller, Catherine Rizzo, Mary Ellen Siudut.

Ex-Members: Beth Alcock, Ken and Jody Collins, Sandra Crossman, Sue Fioretti, Hal and Marty Garvey, Robert Goldkamp, David and Maureen Graham, Helen Johnson, Eugenia Kennedy, Bonnie McCormick, Ellen McKeon-Levine, Jim and Ann Morse, Helen Osborne, Carol Rossi.

Some of our much-appreciated Advisors, Liaisons and Volunteers: Mel Albert, Theresa Barry (Mass. Dept. of Public Health), John and Meg Bradford, Bob Campbell (Mass. Dept. of Environmental Protection), Donna Casey, Dr. Richard Clapp (founder of Massachusetts Cancer Registry and its Director, 1980-1989; Boston Univ. School of Public Health; John Stone Institute), Sandra Crossman, Kevin Doherty (Knoll Environmental), Robin Fink, John Jao, M.D. (Columbia Metrowest Medical Center, Framingham), Mass. Sen. Cheryl Jacques, Marco Kaltofen (Boston Chemical Data, and Citizen Co-Chair of US Army Natick Laboratories' Restoration Advisory Board), John Krikorian, M.D. (Columbia Metrowest Medical Center, Framingham), Dr. Ferren MacIntyre (University College, Galway, Ireland), Mass. Sen. David Magnani, U.S. Congressman Ed Markey, Bonnie McCormick, Mike Norris (US Geological Survey), Ron Ordway, Ruth Ruiter, Chi Ho Sham, Peter Silbermann (Earth Tech), Susanne Simon (US ATSDR), Martha Steele (MDPH), Mass. Rep. Doug Stoddart, Don Tata (for Natick DPW), Charlie Thrasher, Joan Van Tassel, Brenda Watkinson, Dick Whelan (Kennedy Middle School Weather Station), Charlene Zion (MDPH).

Moderated by Jill Miller, minutes by Carol Scannell and Mary Ellen Siudut.

Attendees (*=Steering Committee, **=Non-members):
Mel Albert, Tom Branham*, Mary Brown, Dr. Ferren MacIntyre (Univ. of Galway)**, Jill Miller, Catherine Rizzo, Carol Scannell*, Mary Ellen Siudut.

Agenda Items:

1. Our corrected 1998 meeting schedule (all Mondays in 1st-Fl.Aud, except as noted) is:

1/5 (Rm. 205), 1/20 (Tues., Rm. 205), 2/2, 2/17 (Tues., Rm. 205), 3/2, 3/16, 4/6, 4/20, 5/4, 5/18, 6/1, 6/15.
2. Historical Research: Natick Historic Society did not notify Dick before its mailing. As our request for its members' help won't be mailed, he has requested opportunity to address an upcoming meeting..
3. Jill reports that about 1,250 cancer mortalities have been located and about two-thirds are now mapped; perhaps 500 more need to be researched.
4. Cancer Groupings: Jill awaits replies from Dr. Krikorian and Beth Donnelly. She submitted a list of  "Cancer Codes" with her suggestions next to codes, for Dr. K.’s professional opinion.
5. Jill reviewed her notes from Dr. Krikorian's Nov. 3rd visit:

He said that cervical cancer should be categorized separately, because it usually is caused by a virus. Catherine pointed out that some stomach cancers can be caused by H. pylori (Helicobacter pylori) bacteria; should these stomach cancers also be grouped with cervical cancers?
Dr. K. re the gestation period (exposure to incidence) for some types of cancers: 10-20 years for solid tumors, 11-15 years for lymphomas and immune-suppressant types, about 7 years for pancreatic, under 2 years for acute leukemia and myelodisplasia (degeneration of the myelin sheath around nerves in the brain, spinal canal, etc.).
6. (executive session) Members (and Mel and Ferren, who have signed Sensitive-Data Agreements) viewed Peter's new mappings and discussed possible improvements such as age groupings (Pediatric vs. Elderly cancers). [Ferren also suggests we generate two or three random "cancer-incidence" mappings (say, one out of four houses), as a control.]

Discussed news item: Fertility-drug usage appears to be related to liver cancer. Mel observed similarity, to past DES treatment (for prevention of miscarriages) causing cancer in offspring.
7. ? asked: What happened to material dredged out of Nonesuch Pond?
8. Discussed and modified Dick and Jill's draft list re Task Force status and direction. Let's allot at least a half-hour discussion at our next meeting. Modified list is:

Mapping Project:
-Will the current project give us sufficient answers?
-What are the strengths and drawbacks of project?
-Do we want more work done? What work? What focus? Cancer groupings, age groupings.
-Random generation of maps for comparison (Ferren's comment, above)
-Different overlays: surface contour, water, sewer lines, land use (indust., office, agri., residential; locations of factories and potential pollution causing industries, etc.)
-Should we extend mapping beyond Natick borders in areas of acute interest?
Cancer-Rate Graphing Project:
-Is this useful?
-How can we improve its usefulness?
-What are strengths and drawbacks of this project?
Town wide Cancer Survey:
-How would we conduct such a survey?
-What are strengths and drawbacks of this project?
-Can we afford to do a survey (both financial and man-power)?
-Grant money expenditure (approval, timing, constraints, etc.)
-To what use should we put the $50K? Survey? Expert analysis of maps?
Historical-research Project:
-What are strengths and drawbacks of this project?
Task Force Goals, Directions and Longevity:
-What results do we hope to draw from maps?
-Will we be able to find a cause?
-If we think we find something, what actions do we take?
-Future plans to utilize volunteers?
-How much commitment do members and volunteers have for further tasks? (Was, "What do we expect is the level of commitment for members moving forward?")
-What is a likely completion date?
Reporting:
-Shall we publish a paper, and/or a How-To book?
Meeting format:
-Do we want to bring in more speakers, experts?

Deferred items:

9. Later, Dick will submit past bills for reimbursements to volunteers.
10. Later, Tom and Carol will propose revised letter to volunteers.

 

 
 
 

Action items:

11. Dick to bring old mappings (and Peter's new ones) to future meetings.
12. Dick to bring draft list re NCSTF status and direction (see above).
13. Dick to investigate $50K-funding arrangements.
14. Dr. Krikorian, Jill to address cancer-grouping issues.
15. Roger to report re private-drinking-well options.
16. Roger to present "limited" data re pesticide use.
17. Jill to report re volunteers status.
18. Catherine will moderate our next meeting.

1. Treatability Study update: Early test results indicate good clean-up of contaminated groundwater, still determining how well it can cover entire underground plume area. (Pegan Cove ice cover may be thinned by this new, 50-to-60-deg.-F. discharge; warning signs will be posted for ice skaters and ice fishermen.)
2. Storage Area Removal update: 1,380 tons of contaminated soil safely excavated, stored and transported to Plainville Laidlaw Landfill. Clean fill substituted. Completed in early December.

Moderated by Tom Branham, minutes by Carol Scannell and Mary Ellen Siudut.

Attendees (*=Steering Committee, **=Non-members):
Mel Albert, Jay Ball, Tom Branham*, Dick Miller*, Jill Miller, Carol Scannell*, Peter Silbermann**, Mary Ellen Siudut.

Agenda Items:

1. Dick announces Toxic Action '98 conference at Boston College on March 21st. Members who attended last year's conference were very favorably impressed. Cost will be $25 per attendee.  NCSTF will reimburse member cost.

NCSTF can become a conference sponsor; this costs $40, and includes two free tickets (a net saving of $10). Unanimously approved. Jay feels there would be no legal problem with our sponsorship.
2. Review Nov. 24th visit with Selectmen: This item is postponed because Mary Brown is absent.
3. Discussion of Task Force status and direction (prior to inputs from Catherine, Mary):

-We will invite experts to view our maps and make informed observations, to give further direction.
-We support further mapping by groups of cancers, by age groups, and by time (probably 2-year rolling averages) -- hopefully as animated visuals -- to better analyze the current data.
-Per a suggestion by Ferren MacIntyre, Peter will provide two random mappings of about the same number of points (currently 1,069) as on our map (for each house in Natick, say a 20% liklihood of plotting), to see how similar the patterning is to our data mapping.
-Opinions are discussed re commitment, interest, longevity of the group, our goals, direction and projects. No decisions are made.
4. Private-well concerns: This discussion is postponed because Roger Wade is absent.
5. Pesticide spraying records: This discussion is postponed because Roger Wade is absent.
6. Historical research: Dick still does not have a date when he will address the Natick Historical Society. Peter does have information on land uses in town (landfills, toxic waste sites) but says he hasn’t wanted to clutter the mapping with these sites until that is necessary or desired.
7. Volunteer projects: Jill reports that volunteers near completion of current assignment -- to fill in missing addresses, occupations, etc., from cancer-death certificates in Town Clerk's Office. Jill has been updating the database with their inputs, says that "Printing industry" and perhaps "Natick Labs" seem more prominent than others.
8. Cancer groupings: Jill has expedited, not received replies from Dr. Krikorian or Beth Donnelly.
9. Dick informs members of a Harvard Public Health Lecture, 12:30pm this coming Monday.
10. Mapping project (executive session): We view and discuss a new map from Peter.

Dick reports receiving an anonymous tip this week, that a local company's contaminated wastewater recently was being (and may still be) routed into the groundwater and Lake Cochituate instead of into the sanitary sewer.  Dick will discuss this situation with Roger Wade, who may already be aware of it.

Deferred items:

11. Later, Dick will submit past bills for reimbursements to volunteers.
12. Later, Tom and Carol will propose revised letter to volunteers.

 

 
 
 

Action items:

13. Dick to bring draft list re NCSTF status and direction (see above).
14. Dick to investigate $50K-funding arrangements.
15. Dick to arrange sponsorship with Toxics Action '98.
16. Dick to arrange expert viewing(s) of mapping.
17. Dick to discuss pollution report with Roger Wade.
18. Dr. Krikorian, Jill to address cancer-grouping issues.
19. Roger to report re private-drinking-well options.
20. Roger to present "limited" data re pesticide use.
21. Jill to report re volunteers status.
22. Next meeting to be moderated by Catherine Rizzo? else, Carol Scannell.

Moderated by Catherine Rizzo, minutes by Mary Ellen Siudut.

Attendees (*=Steering Committee, **=Non-members):
Mel Albert**, Dick Miller*, Jill Miller, Catherine Rizzo, Carol Scannell*, Peter Silbermann**, Mary Ellen Siudut, Roger Wade.

Agenda Items:

1. Dick passed out brochures for Toxic Action '98, at Boston College on Saturday, March 21st. Our NCSTF is a co-sponsor.
2. Review Nov. 24th visit with Selectmen: This item is postponed because Mary Brown is absent.
3. Cancer groupings: Jill has expedited, but not received reply from Doctor Krikorian.
4. Private-well concerns: Roger Wade reported that, unfortunately, the Health Department does not have good records on existence and use of private wells in Natick. The records only go back 20 years.  Roger is assigning a Sanitarian to gather data on wells. Once they are located, he would like to see Natick have these wells tested, possibly applying for a grant to pay for this. These wells may never have been tested for organics, which should be done.

Natick now has a Septic System Database, created from old on-paper septic system files cross-matched against sewer and water billing records. This database could be cross-referenced and used as an aid in locating existing wells. Roger thinks there are only about 35 wells in town. However, before the department collected that sewer data, he had thought that only a few hundred of the thousands of private septic systems were already recorded. There turned out to be 1,750 already-recorded septic systems in town, and there may be 500-800 more that have not been recorded. Roger hopes to develop a Well Database, in order to track well data as he now can track septic system data.
The Commonwealth's (State's) Septic Management Program provided Natick with grant money to organize the septic records into a database. This will be helpful in starting the proposed pump-out regulations and supervision. The Natick Board of Health does have some jurisdiction over these systems. Recent Title 5 wording supports municipal management of private septic systems. Approximately 80% of Natick's 11,000 homes are on town sewer.
Abandoned wells can be dangerous, especially uncapped shallow wells.  All abandoned wells should be properly capped. Also abandoned wells can leave a direct vertical channel for the spread of groundwater pollution between strata. However, correctly-drilled wells, encased in durable metal and bedrock, should restrict the flow of solvents.
5. Pesticide spraying records: Roger gave a very informative, historical report on Pesticide Spraying in Natick.

1946: Pesticide spraying in Natick began, for mosquito control. Natick's usage of chemicals tracks the broader pattern, and reflected then-current public thinking. Natick started truck spraying of DDT over the entire town on a 21-day cycle. Brooks were cleared. Airplanes specifically targeted the Sunkaway, the Town Dump and other large, inaccessible swampy areas. Enthusiastic homeowners phoned to request that their backyards be sprayed. Similar reports continued for many years.
1957: DDT and Chlordane were sprayed around town, alternating, a total seven times. Helicopters were used to spray Nonesuch Pond and the Sunkaway. Parks were treated for poison ivy.
1958: The whole town was sprayed seven times, alternately with DDT and Chlordane.
1959: The town purchased a portable fogging machine for spraying areas not reachable by truck..
1960: The town was sprayed five times using the truck-mounted mist blower. A helicopter continued to be used for specific spraying in swampy areas. DDT was applied as a dust on shallow ponds, after the first freeze.
1961: Spraying continued, seven times alternating DDT and Chlordane.
1962: Again seven times, alternating DDT and Chlordane. This was the last year Natick was sprayed with these chemicals.
1963: Natick was sprayed five times with Malathion.
1965: First reference in the reports, of "insecticide spraying issues" clarified before spraying started.
1966: A new mist blower was used to apply Malathion more carefully.
1977: A new orange truck was purchased for spraying. There was an encephalitis scare this year.
1980: 160 households requested spraying of their backyards.
1983: The first year that there was NO truck spraying.
1984: Began use of ULV (Ultra-Low-Volume) sprayer which was mounted on a pickup truck. This applied much less Malathion.
1985: 700 acres were sprayed with Abate 4E. This was our last use of non-biologicals as pesticides and larvacides.
1986: BTI granules (a biological) were sprayed from a helicopter. ULV sprayer was not operational.
1987 through 1989: No reported spraying.
1990: First year of membership in Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project (in 31 towns), which continues to spray lightly or not at all.
Notes: Many landscapers have used Sevin, but the Town has not in recent years, and probably not at all. To make the water clear of algal blooms, Dug Pond is treated with alum each year; this makes the water clear by flocculating algae to it, then sinking to the bottom. Years ago Nonesuch Pond was treated with 2,4,5-T, which has been associated (Silvex, perhaps other brands) with dioxin contamination although none has been found in Nonesuch Pond. Nonesuch Pond continues to be treated yearly, under the control of a neighborhood group rather than the Town. The Mass. Div. of Forests and Parks has sprayed copper sulfate into Lake Cochituate for algae treatments in some past years.
6. Historical research: Dick reported that this initiative has been stymied. Mel proposed that he and Dick draft a letter to the membership of the Natick Historical Society, which could be formally read at its next meeting. Dick and Mel and Roger will draft this, online. This letter will describe our proposal and request help from individual volunteers.
7. Current volunteer projects: Jill reported that the Death-Certificates research project is nearly completed.
8. Discussion of Task Force Status and Direction:

Our main focus currently is to create a computer-resident "movie" that animates aspects of our cancer-mortality database. This can better illustrate the time progressions, focus on logical cancer groupings, and use different overlays for topography and land use. Once this movie exists, we expect to want it reviewed by different experts. The identification of "hot spots" will guide the application of a local cancer-incidence survey, water and soil analysis, etc.
9. State Budget Line Item: The prior topic led into a discussion of how/if we propose to spend the current $50,000 State appropriation. The MDPH wants a preliminary answer by March 15th on what we plan to do, and we will focus on that at our next meeting.

So far, we propose that they encumber the funds (hold over until the next fiscal year, which begins in July 1998) for some of the following expenditures: (we will assign dollar amounts next meeting):
purchase ArcView software and training
purchase hardware (ZIP drive, CDROM writer)
funds to conduct a town-wide or local health survey
expand the mapping work
services of an epidemiologist
services of a nosologist (data analyst) and/or related consultants
services of a statistical geographer
services of a technician to aid in research
water/soil/dust analysis
Note: We consider groundwater mapping desirable, but beyond the scope of the current funding.
10. Natick Cancer-mortality Mapping (sensitive data, in executive session): Dick reported on several recent meetings to review our mappings with experts; he anticipates more of same.

Peter's (and Steve Morse's) latest mapping was compared to three they have done using similar mappings which were randomly-generated. Similar lines and clusters appear on all maps, indicating that it is unrealistic to draw conclusions from the patterns without further understanding. A reprint of the actual-data mapping will be done, using equivalent (simplified) symbols in order to further normalize these mappings for this comparison.

Deferred items:

11. Later, Dick will submit past bills for reimbursements to volunteers.
12. Later, Tom and Carol will propose revised letter to volunteers.

 

 
 
 

Action items:

13. Dick, Peter, Roger to draft proposal for $50K State Budget line item.
14. Dick, Mel, Roger to draft message formal request to Natick Historical Society.
15. Members to plan to attend Toxics Action '98.
16. Dick to continue hosting expert reviews of mapping.
17. Roger to report back re recent pollution report.
18. Dr. Krikorian, Jill to address cancer-grouping issues.
19. Jill to report re volunteers status.
20. Next meeting to be moderated by Carol Scannell.

• Special Break-Out Session: questions answered, section by section, re completed T-25 Draft Phase II Remedial Investigation Report (on file at NLabs, Natick Health Dept., Morse Institute Library).
• NLabs describes its effort to find source of current Mercury discharge into sanitary sewer. If this proves to be "industrial", it must be corrected; if "personnel", perhaps not.

Moderated by Tom Branham, minutes by Jill Miller.

Attendees (*=Steering Committee, **=Non-members):
Mel Albert**, Jay Ball, Beth Donnelly, Dick Miller*, Jill Miller, Catherine Rizzo, Peter Silbermann**.

Agenda Items:

1. Many agenda items were tabled, awaiting developments.
2. Jill reported that the cancer-groupings reply was still overdue from Dr. Krikorian. Beth said she had that now. (Cheers!) She returned Jill's form, now annotated by Dr. Krikirian. Jill will re-enter that information on computer and e-mail it to Peter.
3. Dick announced that Natick will provide a Town-licensed copy of ArcView 3.0 computer software for three months, so Jill and he can volunteer time to start the "movie" phase of the data analysis. Thanks to Jay and others, this expensive software may be available within the week.
4. Tom led a discussion about the proposed letter to the MDPH (for it to encumber the $50,000 State Budget line-item for utilization beyond this fiscal year). We decided to group the suggested uses under four different categories: data collection, data analysis, data processing, and documentation/reporting. Dick's current work schedule keeps him from drafting the letter although he can help edit it. Tom will draft the main part, with Peter and Jill drafting paragraphs on their work to date. The result will be reviewed by the members via e-mail and/or fax.  Dick will arrange with Martha Steele to meet and discuss this (and our recent findings) with MDPH, either at our next NCSTF meeting or shortly thereafter.
5. (executive session) Peter shared a new printout of the prior mapping, with a new analysis by Natick's 27 census blocks: using the three random mappings we discussed last meeting, he has coded each census block as lower, within, above (and over 20% above) the spread of the random values for that census block. We expected a rather similar result for each census block, but this analysis shows a surprisingly strong pattern which is unexpected and, so far, unexplained. For our next meeting, Peter will make three more random mappings (for a total of six) and then will redo tonight's analysis based on that data.

 

 
 
 

Deferred items:

6. Later, Dick will submit past bills for reimbursements to volunteers.
7. Later, Tom and Carol will propose revised letter to volunteers.

 

 
 
 

Action items:

8. Tom, Peter, Jill, Dick, Roger to draft proposal for $50K State Budget line item.
9. Dick, Mel, Roger to draft message formal request to Natick Historical Society.
10. Members to plan to attend Toxics Action '98.
11. Dick to continue hosting expert reviews of mapping, await mapping software.
12. Roger to report back re recent pollution report, private-well use, pesticide spraying.
13. Dr. Krikorian, Jill to address cancer-grouping issues.
14. Jill to report re volunteers status.
15. Next meeting to be moderated by Catherine.

Moderated by Catherine Rizzo, minutes by Mary Ellen Siudut.

Attendees (*=Steering Committee, **=Non-members):
Mel Albert**, Jay Ball, Mary Brown, Dick Miller*, Jill Miller, Catherine Rizzo, Peter Silbermann**, Mary Ellen Siudut.

Tentative Agenda (until minutes are approved at next meeting):

1. Toxics Action '98 on March 21st - who will attend? (Dick - 5 min.).
2. March 18th special meeting re Natick Fluoridation (Dick - 5 min.)
3. Review Nov. 24th visit with Selectmen (Mary Brown - 10 min.).
4. Proposal for State-Budget usage (Tom - 20 min.).
5. Private-well follow-up (Roger - 5 min.).
6. Pesticide spraying follow-up (Roger - 5 min.).
7. NLabs discharging mercury (Dick - 5 min.).
8. Historical research (Dick - 5 min.).
9. Volunteer projects, etc. (Jill - 5 min.).
10. Cancer groupings (Jill - 5 min.).
11. New mapping software (Dick re ArcView, Tom re Topo - 5 min.).
12. (executive session) Mapping project (Peter - 15 min.).

Sponsored by Natick Selectmen, attended by Board of Health, etc. The Natick Fluoridation Study Committee presented and discussed the results of its 4-1/2-month effort to answer the question, Should Natick Fluoridate?. The forum's objective was to help answer questions from the public regarding whether or not fluoridation of Natick's public water supply serves any purpose in an era
of fluoridated toothpastes, high fluoride levels in breads, meats, vegetables, sodas, etc., and whether or not, as its proponents claim, the practice is absolutely safe.
  The Natick Fluoridation Study Committee spoke for itself and stood by its October 1997 study report: briefly, that "the risks of overexposure to fluoride far outweigh any current benefit of water fluoridation."
  The Board of Health had two non-members speak for it: Dr. Anthony Capobianco (a past Board member and currently its official Physician to the Board), and Dr. Myron Allukian (Director of Community Dental Programs for the Boston Dept. of Public Health). Both stated that they and many government agencies find fluoridation safe and desireable. Dr. Allukian further stated, regarding the 7,000 Natick voters (and, presumably, more non-voters) who have asked that it be left out of their drinking water, "They are not being forced to drink it; they can drink bottled water, or move out of Natick." It was also explained that, although Natick Town Meeting voted against water fluoridation in 1981 and 1997, its one vote in favor in 1988 is binding; thus they started fluoridating Natick's water supply several months ago. I am unaware of any online Natick Board of Health position paper, but many views pro and con are available on Marco Kaltofen's local web page, Drinking Water Fluoridation Pros and Cons.
  Natick Selectman Jay Ball introduced, and Mel Albert moderated. About sixty people attended.
  Upcoming Town Meeting Article 19, on this topic, would allow the current desires of Natick's citizens to be binding on the Board of Health.

  [In providing this brief personal report on a related meeting, I also note that water fluoridation tends to polarize debaters into two sides, each convinced that all who don't agree are on the other side. For the record: I am a trained scientist, have attended meetings and read literature pro and con, and don't consider myself on either side of the technical debate. I am concerned but not convinced regarding long-range cancer questions attached to fluoridation. I have become concerned and convinced that Natick's current dilemma -- whether to apply greater-than-recommended levels of fluoridation (when added to the greatly-increased levels now present in canned and bottled foods, toothpastes and the like) to the public water supply -- is best served by finding other ways to treat those who desire or require further fluoride treatment to prevent cavities. I support the recommendation of the local, Selectmen-appointed group which independently studied and provided its above-noted recommendations.        --A. Richard Miller, 980323]

• This year, the NCSTF was a co-sponsor of this annual conference of the Toxics Action Center. Public invited; $25 included breakfast, lunch and many excellent workshops. The keynote speaker was Dr. Barry Commoner.
• The TAC Annual Conference is excellent and offers many benefits for our project. Members who attended were Dick and Jill Miller and Mary Ellen Siudut. Others from Natick attended, as well.
• For information on this annual event, call the Toxics Action Center at 617/292-4821.

• (This meeting was held, but has not yet been reported.)

Tentative Agenda:
• Toxics Action '98 on March 21st - feedback (Mary Ellen, Jill, Dick - 15 min.).
• Proposal for State-Budget usage (Tom - 20 min.).
• Private-well follow-up (Roger - 5 min.).
• Pesticide spraying follow-up (Roger - 5 min.).
• NLabs discharging mercury (Dick - 5 min.).
• Historical research (Dick - 5 min.).
• Volunteer projects, etc. (Jill - 5 min.).
• Cancer groupings (Jill - 5 min.).
• New mapping software (Dick re ArcView, Tom re Topo - 5 min.).
• (executive session) Mapping project (Peter - 20 min.).

The Natick Cancer Study Task Force appeared before the Selectmen (its appointing board) to explain its proposed use of the available $50K funding for the next phase of its study. Instead, the Selectmen voted 4-1 (Jay Ball in the minority) to disband the Task Force with thanks. An appeal to meet separately for further discussion was unsuccessful.

(Partial report) NCSTF members met informally to discuss further action. Without support of Selectmen the State's $50K will not be available to our project or others, unless Natick Board of Health were to be the local conduit. This already was proposed by Martha Steele of MDPH, and the NCSTF wants to explore that possibility. However, Roger Wade (Natick's Health Director) has not returned our messages for three weeks except for a brief discussion (late afternoon of April 13th) that he "thinks it can work, and his Board has asked him to investigate that."

Environmental Open House, re toxic plume clean-up at NLabs. Public  turn-out was good.
  Earlier in the week, SSCOM and the Town of Natick jointly announced that SSCOM will pay $2.6M toward Natick's $4M well-head water clean-up facility. It is not clear whether this will be in addition to SSCOM's own clean-up facility, or in exchange for a scaling-down of the SSCOM facility.

We offer two corrections to this good article:

We offer two corrections to this good article, and our comment:

To be announced. Community members interested in becoming new RAB members are invited to attend.

Note: This meeting was rescheduled from February 25th.

The Natick Cancer Study Task Force again proudly co-sponsors this extraordinary annual event, and recommends it to interested readers.

The entire day's talks, workshops and exhibits cost $25 per person. A brochure is available from the Toxics Action Center at 617/292-4821 in Boston, or read about it online.

We hope to see you there!