So, what’s up with the soil?
(October 18th, 2006)
It's been weeks since news of contaminated soil being used by International Speedway Corporation, the company planning to build a NASCAR track on Staten Island , came out. There has been a long enough time given to the company to give answers as to what was wrong with the soil that they were trying to cart into the Staten Island spot designated for the NASCAR track. After news about the contaminated soil came out, the company lost its license to bring soil into the property. As it is, many people are interested in finding out more about the contaminated soil and they demand to know what was wrong with the fill. Yet, Government Officials and representatives of ISC gave far-from-satisfactory answers.
Staten Island residents want International Speedway Corporation to be open about this issue. All they want is an answer….an answer that will help clear the air about what was wrong with the contaminated soil. At a news conference held outside the site of the future NASCAR track, Assemblyman, Michael Cusick, said that he expected International Speedway Corporation to be good neighbors and that they should provide the islanders with an answer. He further went on to explain that it's troubling to know that there's a report on problems relating to the soil and not know what it means.
Probing and prodding failed to elicit proper response from state, city agencies and International Speedway Corporation. John Graham, the vice president for ISC's Daytona in Florida , commented that they are continuing to work with the Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Sanitation to ensure that the fill is satisfactory. He went on to explain that the soil, which was bought in 2004, was in superior condition when it was purchased.
Following the tiff with The Department of Environmental Conservation, the Department of Sanitation followed suit – ISC lost its permit to cart fill from them too. And the Department of Sanitation remains mum on the issue too. All that was revealed is the fact that the soil may contain semi-volatile organic compound.