Middleport Community Input Group FAQs (frequently-asked questions)

The CIG typically meets on first or second Mondays or Thursdays of the month on a rotating basis. Please check this Web site for the next month's meeting dates.

The CIG meets at the Masonic Hall at 20 Main Street in the Village. The hall is located between the laundromat and the Police station/Village hall on the west side of the street. It is also known as the Cataract Lodge. The doorway is on the right side of the building next to the laundromat. The meeting room is to the back so the building may look dark from the street but the door will be open on meeting nights.

The CIG has been meeting since November 2006. Prior to that, some CIG members, who are also members of the Middleport Remedial Advisory Group (MRAG), met for approximately 2 years with Dr. Dan Watts of the New Jersey Instititute of Technology, to become familiar with the RCRA environmental program in Middleport.

On the main menu to the top left of this site, there is a lisitng called "Member List." Just click that active link and it will take you to a page that has a list of all registered users on this site.

The meetings are agenda driven. Sometimes there is time for a question and answer session but many times there is not. If anyone has a question pertaining to the topic being discussed, they should feel free to ask. Because of time constraints it may be necessary to limit discussion if it gets too far from the topic.

Notes are taken during the meetings and these notes are posted on the web site. They are not word for word notes but a summary of what was said. However names are typically attached to statements. If anyone wishes to remain anonymous, they should say so.

The group welcomes all opinions to be expressed at the meetings however when decisions are made the majority rule. This is an emotional topic for many so if those emotions run high some restraints to the conversation may be needed. The group frowns on arguments between meeting attendees.

The major focus of the group is the community. In cases where there is an individual concern for a particular property, that owner should discuss it with the proper people outside of the group meeting environment. There are opportunities before, after and during the mid way break at the meetings for individual discussions. Also the FMC house on Vernon Street is open on Tuesday's and Thursdays. The phone number is 735-7939.

Anyone who owns property or lives in Middleport or a defined area surrounding the village is welcomed to attend the group meetings. This area consists of the Niagara/Orleans County line on the east, Carmen Rd. to the west, Pearson Rd. to the north and Route 31 to the south.

The Mission Statement of the CIG can be found on the right sidebar of this site. It is in the third blue box. Simply click the highlighted text that says "click here" and the CIG Mission Statement will open up for you.

CIG stands for Community Input Group. MCIG for Middleport Community Input Group.

Anyone may ask a question concerning the remediation process, what will happen during remediation, how properties are determined they need remediation, various remediation techniques, etc. or topics being discussed during the meetings.

Issues individual property owners have regarding personal concerns such as testing or sampling on their property, particular landmarks on their property such as small buildings, a pool, a shrub or a tree, dying vegetation after remediation, etc. need to be directed to the people performing the remediation which in this case is FMC.

Residents of Middleport have a legal right to gather and to be a part of whatever occurs in the village regarding remediation. This right is guaranteed by EPA regulations. Being part of the CIG is an opportunity to become educated about the remediation process and have a say in what the community would like to have as an outcome. It is the opportunity to have a dialog with both Industry and Government and to have meaningful input. Attending CIG meetings is an opportunity to make the outcome for Middleport the best possible one for the greatest number of citizens of the Village.

The meetings start at 5:30 PM with the open session involving FMC representatives, the agencies and residents who do not wish to join the CIG ending around 6:45. A session which includes CIG members only follows the break, ending at 8:00 PM.

There are 3 groups involved in the remediation planing: the government (the agencies), industry (FMC), and the residents. Residents are an integral component in the whole remediation process in Middleport. The residents, in forming the CIG group, have collectively gathered to help one another research, study, and understand all the implications of the remediation process and the alternatives. The residents, collectively in meetings, are independently trying to interpret what is the best for Middleport. The residents have a great stake in the outcome which will have an affect on the way the village looks and property values.

The meetings follow an agenda established at the previous meeting. There is usually time for attendees to ask questions of the topics being discussed. There is also time before, after and during the break between sessions to ask questions of either CIG members, FMC reps or agency reps.

Attendees of meetings have the opportunity to ask questions which are particular to their property before or after the meeting and during the break. If anyone doesn't have a chance to express their concern they can visit or call the FMC house on Vernon St or leave a message on this Web site.

There are three separate government agencies involved in the remediation process and planing. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the New York State Department of Health (DOH). The EPA has regulations governing soil clean up objectives but do not necessarily set what the level of contamination should be for arsenic. The state agencies have set that number based on studies of state background levels.

Of course. The meetings are very relaxed and people eat the light refreshments (which can be finger sandwiches, veggies, dip, chips, cookies, etc) served at the meetings. Beverages are also provided.

The EPA regulations on Public Participation set down the ground rules for the interaction of citizen groups, government agencies and the facility (FMC). By rule, the other two organizations must listen and consider citizen comments and requests. Also on this web site are a list of accomplishments the CIG has had in it's one year existence.