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Community Voices Concerns about DIFT |
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Kathryn Savoie,
Environmental Program Director at ACCESS, led a press conference on May 21 to
insist that the Federal Highway Administration conduct a health impact study of
the proposed Detroit Intermodal Freight Terminal
(DIFT) project, a truck-rail freight project proposed for South
Dearborn/Southwest Detroit area. ACCESS staff, area residents, researchers from
University of Michigan School of Public Health, and representatives of Salina
Elementary School, Ecology Center, Southwest Detroit Environmental Vision,
and state Representative Steve Tobocman gathered to
voice concerns that health will not be studied in the Michigan Department of
Transportation’s Environmental Impact Statement
for the DIFT. The proposed DIFT project would greatly increase
the number of diesel trucks in the area. Diesel exhaust can cause many health
problems, including cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular health
problems. Dr. Adnan Hammad, Director of the ACCESS Health & Research
Center, stated that he’s deeply concerned that a
health study is not being conducted, citing that 15% of children in this area
already have asthma and there is another 8% that go undiagnosed. |