We the undersigned residents of Green Lake, surrounding Kettle Lakes, members of the Tully Community, and allies, oppose the construction of a Mirabito gas station currently being proposed at the intersection of Rt#80 and Lake Road, across from Burger King.  We petition you to deny the requested zoning approval, and prohibit future construction.

 

We are greatly concerned by the presence of an additional gas station in close proximity to Green Lake, our homes, and the potential adverse impact it will have on our health, safety, and property values. It will affect the quality of life of residents, as well as both the short- and long-term potential environmental impact to Green Lake’s watershed, lake water quality, drinking water potability and recreation at the community beach on Green Lake.

 

The current Zoning Code that regulates the location of structures is noted for the following highlighted purposes, which we urge you to reflect upon as you read on:

 

 Per 280-9 supplementary regulations:

Site plan review provisions are intended to promote the health, safety and welfare of the Town and to ensure the optimum conservation, protection, preservation, development and use of the natural and man-made resources of the Town.

Site plan review procedures will also be used to mitigate potentially negative impacts of new development on adjacent land and to conserve property values and visual quality as development occurs in the Town.

 

For these reasons, it is imperative that you protect the members of our community of Tully, NY against the hazards of living in close proximity to this additional gas station.

 

Numerous studies have shown the potential negative health implications that having a gas station in close proximity to residences may have on the welfare of those inhabitants, particularly the most vulnerable population– the Town of Tully’s children and elderly.

 

Per the AIR QUALITY AND LAND USE HANDBOOK: A COMMUNITY HEALTH PERSPECTIVE https://www.arb.ca.gov/ch/handbook.pdf

 

“Sensitive land uses” deserve special attention because children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with existing health problems are especially vulnerable to the non-cancer effects of air pollution. There is also substantial evidence that children are more sensitive to cancer-causing chemicals. Gasoline Dispensing Facilities should be avoided within 300 feet of sensitive land uses.

 

Some of the numerus compounds released from gas stations during vehicle fueling and from underground storage tank vents are benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene and xylene.

 

Here we will focus on Benzene, although this does not diminish the potential impact of other chemicals being released in individual gas or diesel spills or the nuisance traffic it would bring into our town.

 

Benzene is a genotoxic carcinogen in humans and no safe level of exposure can be recommended. The risk of toxicity from inhaled benzene would be the same whether the exposure were indoors or outdoors. – National Library of Medicine (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK138708/

 

Benzene’s health effects are both well-known and established in the medical community and can be easily evaluated in many articles and well respected journals; both the non- carcinogenic (non-Cancerous) and carcinogenic (Cancerous) effects include but are not limited to nausea, leukemia, lymphopenia, anemia, increased susceptibility to infections, headaches and low birth weight. Again, Benzene is a genotoxic carcinogen in humans and no safe level of exposure can be recommended.

 

Per the article: Vent pipe emissions from storage tanks at gas stations: Implications for setback distances

Benzene emissions from underground gasoline storage tank vents were sufficiently high to constitute a health concern at a distance of up to 524-feet.

Please note there are 3 residences within 600 feet of this proposed location, as well as a well trafficked Burger King. These  locations have a high volume of children and elderly living, visiting, and in close proximity.

 We urge you to protect children from these dangerous known hazards.

 

It is up to the residents of our community and the Tully Town Board to protect Green Lake, its watershed and surrounding area from potential irreversible damage, which could be caused by leakage, spillage and storm run-off as have been noted with other lakes across the country. A study released in the Journal of Contaminant Hydrology (Volume#170) suggests that fuel droplets spilled at gas stations — which occur frequently with fill-ups — could cumulatively be causing long-term environmental damage to soil and groundwater in residential areas in close proximity to the stations.  

 

We must conserve the value of our town and general welfare of the community by protecting us from the proposed Mirabito gas station.

 

Thank you.