Ecumenical Task Force of the Niagara Frontier Records - Love Canal Collections

Ecumenical Task Force of the Niagara Frontier Records, 1946-1995 (MS 65)

His. Note
Biographical Note
Scope/Content
Finding Aid
Scanned Docs

Historical Note for the ETF: The Ecumenical Task Force of the Niagara Frontier, Inc. (ETF) was founded in 1979 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of human and natural resources from chemical and radiological contamination in the Western New York area and within the Great Lakes eco-system. Its mission and purpose addressed the physical, psychological, social, economic, moral, and ethical issues inherent in the environmental concerns that impact persons and communities. Organizationally, the ETF was made up of approximately 75 voting members and a 25-person Scientific and Technical Advisory Board, selected annually. The Executive Board was elected from ten Western New York denominational institutions. From 1979-1988 Sister Margeen Hoffmann served as Executive Director of ETF and later Pat Brown took over the position from 1989-1991. To promote its mission of educating the public on the hazards of chemicals and toxic waste dump sites, the ETF expended resources in its public education programs. They participated in many local and national environmental conferences and presented informational talks to several religious, governmental, and educational organizations. Often it was necessary for ETF to pursue legal action. The ETF became involved in civil court cases against chemical polluters. When able, the ETF represented Western New York residents affected by toxic waste in litigation as an amicus curiae. For this, the Scientific and Technical Advisory Board was called to present testimony and scientific analysis for alternative remediation and technology. A large part of the ETF's work was dedicated to providing direct relief for victims of hazardous waste exposure in the Love Canal area. Prior to the relocation of remaining Love Canal residents in 1980, they provided counseling, temporary shelter, and other services to affected residents. Later they also served as intermediaries with state and local officials to facilitate the relocation process. Retained by the Love Canal Area Revitalization Agency, the ETF coordinated the review of all technical data on Love Canal issues and made impartial recommendations with respect to the habitability of the Love Canal area. Although the Love Canal disaster was the ETF's main focus, it was not the only one. They also worked for the betterment of the community after various chemical corporations including CECOS International, Inc. and Hooker Chemical and Plastics Corporation were responsible for the contamination of other local area sites such as the Hyde Park Landfill, the S-Area Landfill, and Forrest Glenn. See Series VIII, Hazardous waste management facilities, chemical companies and other toxic waste sites for more information on ETF's work for these other contaminated areas. The ETF dissolved in the early 1990's.

Historical Note for the ETF:

The Ecumenical Task Force of the Niagara Frontier, Inc. (ETF) was founded in 1979 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of human and natural resources from chemical and radiological contamination in the Western New York area and within the Great Lakes eco-system. Its mission and purpose addressed the physical, psychological, social, economic, moral, and ethical issues inherent in the environmental concerns that impact persons and communities.

Organizationally, the ETF was made up of approximately 75 voting members and a 25-person Scientific and Technical Advisory Board, selected annually. The Executive Board was elected from ten Western New York denominational institutions. From 1979-1988 Sister Margeen Hoffmann served as Executive Director of ETF and later Pat Brown took over the position from 1989-1991.

To promote its mission of educating the public on the hazards of chemicals and toxic waste dump sites, the ETF expended resources in its public education programs. They participated in many local and national environmental conferences and presented informational talks to several religious, governmental, and educational organizations.

Often it was necessary for ETF to pursue legal action. The ETF became involved in civil court cases against chemical polluters. When able, the ETF represented Western New York residents affected by toxic waste in litigation as an amicus curiae. For this, the Scientific and Technical Advisory Board was called to present testimony and scientific analysis for alternative remediation and technology.

A large part of the ETF's work was dedicated to providing direct relief for victims of hazardous waste exposure in the Love Canal area. Prior to the relocation of remaining Love Canal residents in 1980, they provided counseling, temporary shelter, and other services to affected residents. Later they also served as intermediaries with state and local officials to facilitate the relocation process. Retained by the Love Canal Area Revitalization Agency, the ETF coordinated the review of all technical data on Love Canal issues and made impartial recommendations with respect to the habitability of the Love Canal area.

Although the Love Canal disaster was the ETF's main focus, it was not the only one. They also worked for the betterment of the community after various chemical corporations including CECOS International, Inc. and Hooker Chemical and Plastics Corporation were responsible for the contamination of other local area sites such as the Hyde Park Landfill, the S-Area Landfill, and Forrest Glenn. See Series VIII, Hazardous waste management facilities, chemical companies and other toxic waste sites for more information on ETF's work for these other contaminated areas.

The ETF dissolved in the early 1990's.

Biographical Note for Pat Brown: Patricia A. Brown was a resident of the Love Canal area in Niagara Falls, New York. After toxic chemicals from the nearby chemical dumpsite were discovered seeping into residents homes, Brown took action and volunteered with the newly formed Ecumenical Task Force. Soon she was employed as the executive secretary for the organization and later became the ETF Resource Center manager, developing and operating the organization's library. In 1989 Brown took over as Executive Director and continued to expand the ETF's programs in research, activism and education. She gave speeches, and participated in government hearings and committees. Personally she continued to develop her activism beyond the ETF by becoming involved in the Niagara Falls Hazardous Materials Advisory Committee, the Environmental Liaison Committee, the Niagara Falls Chamber of Commerce, the Toxics in Your Community Coalition (based in Albany, NY), and the Niagara County Legislature Citizens Advisory Committee. Pat Brown died in February 1999. Biographical Note for Sister Margeen Hoffmann: Margeen Hoffmann was born to farming parents in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota on April 25, 1936. In 1957, she achieved her life objective of becoming a Sister of St. Francis. Sister Margeen earned her bachelor of education degree in 1968 from the College of St. Teresa and completed her master's in social planning and community organization at Boston College in 1974. Sister Margeen Hoffmann's first experiences with disaster recovery and interfaith response were the 1978 floods in Rochester, Minnesota. Sister Margeen served as Executive Director of the Rochester Area Churches Emergency Response from 1978-1979 before coming to the Ecumenical Task Force in July 1979 as Executive Director. Known for her tough stance and compassion, Sister Margeen was the leading force behind the ETF. As Executive Director of an interfaith agency, she pulled together the religious community, and fought for the rights of Love Canal residents. Sister Margeen worked with local, state, and federal government employees, as well as health experts, on the environmental and health studies conducted at Love Canal, in addition to the remediation. She was a public figure who frequently appeared on the media and at public events to speak about Love Canal. After 10 years of leading the ETF, Sister Margeen left in 1988 to work as an environmental negotiator for the Mediation Center of Niagara. In 1991, she returned to Minnesota to work as a temporary consultant to the Gift of Life Transplant House, an organization that provided a warm and home-like atmosphere to transplant recipients at the Mayo Clinic. Sister Margeen stayed with the Gift of Life for the remainder of her life, serving as Executive Director for 16 years. On August 3, 2007, Sister Margeen Hoffmann passed away at the age of 71 due to health complications. References: Gregoire, J.F, Haugh, E., and Stegall, D. (2007, Fall). In Memoriam of Sister Margeen Hoffmann. Sharing the Gift, 6(4), p3. In Remembrance: Sister Margeen Hoffmann. (2007, Fall/Winter). Renewal, p4.

Biographical Note for Pat Brown:

Patricia A. Brown was a resident of the Love Canal area in Niagara Falls, New York. After toxic chemicals from the nearby chemical dumpsite were discovered seeping into residents homes, Brown took action and volunteered with the newly formed Ecumenical Task Force. Soon she was employed as the executive secretary for the organization and later became the ETF Resource Center manager, developing and operating the organization's library.

In 1989 Brown took over as Executive Director and continued to expand the ETF's programs in research, activism and education. She gave speeches, and participated in government hearings and committees. Personally she continued to develop her activism beyond the ETF by becoming involved in the Niagara Falls Hazardous Materials Advisory Committee, the Environmental Liaison Committee, the Niagara Falls Chamber of Commerce, the Toxics in Your Community Coalition (based in Albany, NY), and the Niagara County Legislature Citizens Advisory Committee.

Pat Brown died in February 1999.

Biographical Note for Sister Margeen Hoffmann:

Margeen Hoffmann was born to farming parents in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota on April 25, 1936. In 1957, she achieved her life objective of becoming a Sister of St. Francis. Sister Margeen earned her bachelor of education degree in 1968 from the College of St. Teresa and completed her master's in social planning and community organization at Boston College in 1974.

Sister Margeen Hoffmann's first experiences with disaster recovery and interfaith response were the 1978 floods in Rochester, Minnesota. Sister Margeen served as Executive Director of the Rochester Area Churches Emergency Response from 1978-1979 before coming to the Ecumenical Task Force in July 1979 as Executive Director.

Known for her tough stance and compassion, Sister Margeen was the leading force behind the ETF. As Executive Director of an interfaith agency, she pulled together the religious community, and fought for the rights of Love Canal residents. Sister Margeen worked with local, state, and federal government employees, as well as health experts, on the environmental and health studies conducted at Love Canal, in addition to the remediation. She was a public figure who frequently appeared on the media and at public events to speak about Love Canal.

After 10 years of leading the ETF, Sister Margeen left in 1988 to work as an environmental negotiator for the Mediation Center of Niagara. In 1991, she returned to Minnesota to work as a temporary consultant to the Gift of Life Transplant House, an organization that provided a warm and home-like atmosphere to transplant recipients at the Mayo Clinic. Sister Margeen stayed with the Gift of Life for the remainder of her life, serving as Executive Director for 16 years.

On August 3, 2007, Sister Margeen Hoffmann passed away at the age of 71 due to health complications.

References:

Gregoire, J.F, Haugh, E., and Stegall, D. (2007, Fall). In Memoriam of Sister Margeen Hoffmann. Sharing the Gift, 6(4), p3.
In Remembrance: Sister Margeen Hoffmann. (2007, Fall/Winter). Renewal, p4.

Scope and Content Note: Contains the records and papers of the ETF including: minutes, organizational files, Executive Directors Sister Margeen Hoffmann and Pat Brown's papers, correspondence, clippings, records on ETF functions, subject and resource files, records regarding other Love Canal organizations, reports on habitability and remediation, subject files of other environmental organizations, records of other WNY hazardous waste sites, subject files of companies dealing with hazardous waste, and litigation file resulting from hazardous waste disposal. In order to be consistent with names throughout the MS 65 finding aid, some organizations will be referred to as: Hooker Chemical and Plastics is referred to as "Hooker Chemical" throughout the finding aid even after it was purchased by Occidental Chemical in 1968 The Unites States Environmental Protection Agency is referred to as "United States EPA" The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is referred to as the "New York State DEC" The New York State Department of Health is referred to as "New York State DOH"

Scope and Content Note:

Contains the records and papers of the ETF including: minutes, organizational files, Executive Directors Sister Margeen Hoffmann and Pat Brown's papers, correspondence, clippings, records on ETF functions, subject and resource files, records regarding other Love Canal organizations, reports on habitability and remediation, subject files of other environmental organizations, records of other WNY hazardous waste sites, subject files of companies dealing with hazardous waste, and litigation file resulting from hazardous waste disposal.

In order to be consistent with names throughout the MS 65 finding aid, some organizations will be referred to as:

Hooker Chemical and Plastics is referred to as "Hooker Chemical" throughout the finding aid even after it was purchased by Occidental Chemical in 1968
The Unites States Environmental Protection Agency is referred to as "United States EPA"
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is referred to as the "New York State DEC"
The New York State Department of Health is referred to as "New York State DOH"

Finding Aid MS 65 View full finding aid

Finding Aid MS 65

View full finding aid

Love Canal Online Documents This Ecumenical Task Force documents scanned on this site were supported in part by a Library Services and Technology Act grant awarded to the Western New York Library Resources Council by the State Education Department of the University of the State of New York in 1998. (Please note: documents were scanned in 1998 and saved as low resolution gif images. Printing quality may vary). ETF reports \| testimonies \| newspaper coverage \| other reports \| health reports \| legislation Reports of the Ecumenical Task Force Progress Report: To Address the Love Canal Disaster: an interfaith response, March 1979 - August 1980 (125 pages) PDF of the entire document Progress Report II: To Address the Love Canal Disaster: an interfaith response, August 1980 - September 1981 (138 pages) PDF of the entire document Fundraising manual: Earthcare: Lessons from Love Canal: A Resource & Response Guide, March 1987 (178 pages) PDF of the entire document Annual Report, 1985-1986 (33 pages) PDF of the entire document Annual Report, 1986-1987 (29 pages) PDF of the entire document Annual Report, 1987-1988 (40 pages) PDF of the entire document [return to the top] Testimonies of Love Canal Residents James L. Clark (Clark's section from the "Testimony of Anne Hillis and Jim Clark"), March 28-29, 1979 (9 pages) PDF of the entire document Loretta Gambino, April 5, 1979 (2 pages) PDF of the entire document Lois M. Gibbs, March 21, 1979 (15 pages) PDF of the entire document Anne Hillis (Hillis's section from the "Testimony of Anne Hillis and Jim Clark"), March 28-29, 1979 (7 pages) PDF of the entire document Anne Hillis, May 3, 1979 (4 pages) PDF of the entire document Luella Kenny, April 2, 1979 (4 pages) PDF of the entire document Luella Kenny, May 21, 1980 (4 pages) PDF of the entire document Eileen Matsulavage, April 5, 1979 (14 pages) PDF of the entire document Grace M. McCoulf, April 5, 1979 (3 pages) PDF of the entire document Marie Pozniak, May 3, 1979 (5 pages) PDF of the entire document [return to the top] Newspaper Coverage Niagara Gazette [return to the top] Other Progress and Status Reports Status report by the Love Canal Relocation Task Force, August 1, 1980 (46 pages) PDF of the entire document Report of Governor's Panel to Review Scientific Studies and the Development of Public Policy on Problems Resulting from Hazardous Wastes, October, 1980 (52 pages) PDF of the entire document Love Canal Chronological Report by the Love Canal Homeowners Association, April 1978 to January 1980 (37 pages) PDF of the entire document A Special Report to the Governor and Legislature by the New York State Deptartment of Health, April 1981 (73 pages) PDF of the entire document Report on the New York State Subcommittee on Hazardous Waste, undated (114 pages) PDF of the entire document [return to the top] Reports on Chemical Testing and Environmental Health Hazards Environmental Protection Agency Testing Report: Chemical Waste at Love Canal, October 18, 1977 (13 pages) PDF of the entire document Draft report: Analysis of a Groundwater Contamination in Niagara Falls, New York, July 28, 1978 (60 pages) PDF of the entire document Final report: Quantification of Toxic Material in Ambient Air at "Old Love" Canal, circa 1978 (40 pages) PDF of the entire document Final draft: Love Canal Information Document, Love Canal Remedial Action Program, April 9, 1982 (78 pages) PDF of the entire document Environmental Monitoring at Love Canal, volume 1, May 1982; includes an abstract and overrview. (318 pages) PDF of the entire document Controversy Health Hazards at Love Canal: testimony of Dr. Beverly Paigen, March 21, 1979 (21 pages) PDF of the entire document Conference paper: The Love Canal: A Sociologist's Perspective by Adeline Levine, March 16, 1979 (20 pages) PDF of the entire document Draft paper: Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in the Love Canal Area by Nicholas J. Vianna et al., April 1980 (37 pages) PDF of the entire document Booklet: The Other Side of Love Canal: Facts vs. Fallacies, presentation made by Hooker Chemical and Occidential Chemical Corporation to the financial community, July 1980 (24 pages) PDF of the entire document Love Canal: a Bibliography compiled by Marja I. Hart and Joseph C. Umhauer, Science and Engineering Library, State University of New York at Buffalo, June 1981 (106 pages) PDF of the entire document Final report for the Federal Emergency Management Agency: Love Canal: The Social Construction of Disaster by Martha Fowlkes and Pat Miller, October 1982 - January 1983 (156 pages) PDF of the entire document Habitability Habitability of the Love Canal Area: An Analysis of the Technical Basis for the Decision on the Habitability of the Emergency Declaration Area -- A Technical Memorandum, (NTIS report #PB84-114917), June 1983. (62 pages) PDF of the document Love Canal Emergency Declaration Area Proposed Habitability Criteria, November 1985 (842 pages) PDF of the entire document New York State Department of health: Technical Review Committee transcripts of meetings on the "Matter of Meeting Concerning Determination of Criteria and Strategy Having to do with Habitability of Love Canal" Meeting #1, March 14, 1984 (169 pages) Meeting #2, undated (partial transcript) (161 pages) Meeting #3, May 3, 1984 (236 pages) Meeting #4, June 29, 1984 (306 pages) Meeting #5, July 26, 1984 (321 pages) Meeting #6, September 26, 1984 (303 pages) Meeting #7, November 14, 1984 (324 pages) [return to the top] Legislation and Public Policies ETF Legislative Files Letter from New York State Attorney General Robert Abrams to Governor Hugh Carey explaining that grounds exist for lawsuits on toxic waste sites, April 23, 1979 (6 pages) PDF of the entire document ETF Telegram to President Jimmy Carter, May 19, 1980 (1 page) PDF of the entire document New York State Legislative Hearings Public hearing transcript: New York State Assembly, Committee on Environmental Conservation hearing on the future uses of the Love Canal land, February 17, 1983 (701 pages) PDF of the entire document Public hearing transcript: Status of Hazardous Dump Sites and Toxic Substance Regulation in New York State, May 3, 1979 (303 pages) PDF of the entire document Public hearing transcript: New York State Assembly hearing on toxic wastes, May 10, 1979 (230 pages) PDF of the entire document Public hearing transcript: New York State, "Status of Hazardous Waste Dump Sites and Toxic Substance Resolution in New York State", May 11, 1979 (209 pages) PDF of the entire document Public hearing transcript: New York State Assembly hearing on toxic waste, May 17, 1979 (192 pages) PDF of the entire document Hearing transcript: State of New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Interagency Task Force on Hazardous Wastes report on inactive hazardous waste disposal sites, October 1979 (104 pages) PDF of the entire document

Love Canal Online Documents

This Ecumenical Task Force documents scanned on this site were supported in part by a Library Services and Technology Act grant awarded to the Western New York Library Resources Council by the State Education Department of the University of the State of New York in 1998.
(Please note: documents were scanned in 1998 and saved as low resolution gif images. Printing quality may vary).

Reports of the Ecumenical Task Force

Progress Report: To Address the Love Canal Disaster: an interfaith response, March 1979 - August 1980
(125 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Progress Report II: To Address the Love Canal Disaster: an interfaith response, August 1980 - September 1981
(138 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Fundraising manual: Earthcare: Lessons from Love Canal: A Resource & Response Guide, March 1987
(178 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Annual Report, 1985-1986
(33 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Annual Report, 1986-1987
(29 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Annual Report, 1987-1988
(40 pages)
PDF of the entire document

[return to the top]

Testimonies of Love Canal Residents

James L. Clark (Clark's section from the "Testimony of Anne Hillis and Jim Clark"), March 28-29, 1979
(9 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Loretta Gambino, April 5, 1979
(2 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Lois M. Gibbs, March 21, 1979
(15 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Anne Hillis (Hillis's section from the "Testimony of Anne Hillis and Jim Clark"), March 28-29, 1979
(7 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Anne Hillis, May 3, 1979
(4 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Luella Kenny, April 2, 1979
(4 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Luella Kenny, May 21, 1980
(4 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Eileen Matsulavage, April 5, 1979
(14 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Grace M. McCoulf, April 5, 1979
(3 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Marie Pozniak, May 3, 1979
(5 pages)
PDF of the entire document

[return to the top]

Newspaper Coverage

Niagara Gazette

[return to the top]

Other Progress and Status Reports

Status report by the Love Canal Relocation Task Force, August 1, 1980
(46 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Report of Governor's Panel to Review Scientific Studies and the Development of Public Policy on Problems Resulting from Hazardous Wastes, October, 1980
(52 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Love Canal Chronological Report by the Love Canal Homeowners Association, April 1978 to January 1980
(37 pages)
PDF of the entire document
A Special Report to the Governor and Legislature by the New York State Deptartment of Health, April 1981
(73 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Report on the New York State Subcommittee on Hazardous Waste, undated
(114 pages)
PDF of the entire document

[return to the top]

Reports on Chemical Testing and Environmental Health Hazards

Environmental Protection Agency Testing

Report: Chemical Waste at Love Canal, October 18, 1977
(13 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Draft report: Analysis of a Groundwater Contamination in Niagara Falls, New York, July 28, 1978
(60 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Final report: Quantification of Toxic Material in Ambient Air at "Old Love" Canal, circa 1978
(40 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Final draft: Love Canal Information Document, Love Canal Remedial Action Program, April 9, 1982
(78 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Environmental Monitoring at Love Canal, volume 1, May 1982; includes an abstract and overrview.
(318 pages)
PDF of the entire document

Controversy

Health Hazards at Love Canal: testimony of Dr. Beverly Paigen, March 21, 1979
(21 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Conference paper: The Love Canal: A Sociologist's Perspective by Adeline Levine, March 16, 1979
(20 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Draft paper: Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes in the Love Canal Area by Nicholas J. Vianna et al., April 1980
(37 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Booklet: The Other Side of Love Canal: Facts vs. Fallacies, presentation made by Hooker Chemical and Occidential Chemical Corporation to the financial community, July 1980
(24 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Love Canal: a Bibliography compiled by Marja I. Hart and Joseph C. Umhauer, Science and Engineering Library, State University of New York at Buffalo, June 1981
(106 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Final report for the Federal Emergency Management Agency: Love Canal: The Social Construction of Disaster by Martha Fowlkes and Pat Miller, October 1982 - January 1983
(156 pages)
PDF of the entire document

Habitability

Habitability of the Love Canal Area: An Analysis of the Technical Basis for the Decision on the Habitability of the Emergency Declaration Area -- A Technical Memorandum, (NTIS report #PB84-114917), June 1983.
(62 pages)
PDF of the document
Love Canal Emergency Declaration Area Proposed Habitability Criteria, November 1985
(842 pages)
PDF of the entire document
New York State Department of health: Technical Review Committee transcripts of meetings on the "Matter of Meeting Concerning Determination of Criteria and Strategy Having to do with Habitability of Love Canal"

Meeting #1, March 14, 1984 (169 pages)

Meeting #2, undated (partial transcript) (161 pages)

Meeting #3, May 3, 1984 (236 pages)

Meeting #4, June 29, 1984 (306 pages)

Meeting #5, July 26, 1984 (321 pages)

Meeting #6, September 26, 1984 (303 pages)

Meeting #7, November 14, 1984 (324 pages)

[return to the top]

Legislation and Public Policies

ETF Legislative Files

Letter from New York State Attorney General Robert Abrams to Governor Hugh Carey explaining that grounds exist for lawsuits on toxic waste sites, April 23, 1979
(6 pages)
PDF of the entire document
ETF Telegram to President Jimmy Carter, May 19, 1980
(1 page)
PDF of the entire document

New York State Legislative Hearings

Public hearing transcript: New York State Assembly, Committee on Environmental Conservation hearing on the future uses of the Love Canal land, February 17, 1983
(701 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Public hearing transcript: Status of Hazardous Dump Sites and Toxic Substance Regulation in New York State, May 3, 1979
(303 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Public hearing transcript: New York State Assembly hearing on toxic wastes, May 10, 1979
(230 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Public hearing transcript: New York State, "Status of Hazardous Waste Dump Sites and Toxic Substance Resolution in New York State", May 11, 1979
(209 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Public hearing transcript: New York State Assembly hearing on toxic waste, May 17, 1979
(192 pages)
PDF of the entire document
Hearing transcript: State of New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Interagency Task Force on Hazardous Wastes report on inactive hazardous waste disposal sites, October 1979
(104 pages)
PDF of the entire document