Letters: Show gratitude during National EMS Week; Identifying PFAS in Centre County

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Show gratitude during National EMS Week

May 19-25 is National EMS Week — a recognition established in 1974 by President Gerald Ford. This year’s theme, “Honoring our Past. Forging our Future,” recognizes EMS practitioners and the important work they do — 24/7/365. EMS is an emergency service organization, prepared and equipped to provide the best care available under some of the most austere, strenuous conditions, along with being the community public health “safety net,” dealing with everything from mental health crisis, to substance abuse issues, to medication concerns and mobility issues throughout the community they serve. EMS providers also conduct first aid, CPR and community/child safety programs throughout the year.

In 2020 (the latest official statistics available) the PA EMS System responded to a little over 2.2 million requests — with close to 76% of those being for “emergency” assistance. That is a little over 4 requests per minute, every minute of the year. Whether paid or volunteer, Basic Life support or Advanced, arriving by ground or air, all EMS providers are dedicated professionals.

They are our family, friends and neighbors who make sure they are prepared every day to help you get through that day. Please join me in thanking the EMS agencies, support staff and practitioners who serve your community. Tell them how much you appreciate their commitment and find out how you can assist them in providing this service.

Tim Nilson, executive director of Seven Mountains EMS Council

Identifying PFAS in Centre County

The United States Geological Survey found PFAS in Spring Creek and Bald Eagle Creek during a statewide survey in 2019.

Moshannon Group received a Conservation Grant in 2022 to conduct a survey and help determine the extent and sources of PFAS in Spring Creek and Bald Eagle Creek. Four sources of PFAS have been identified.

PFAS enters Spring Creek from the State College Regional Airport stormwater discharge, the Benner Spring Mines Member aquifer, University Area Joint Authority wastewater treatment plant, and Bellefonte Borough wastewater plant.

Spring Creek analysis results are listed from upstream of Big Hollow near Houserville to below Fisherman’s Paradise:

  • USGS Houserville Gage: No PFAS Detected

  • UAJA wastewater effluent: PFAS Detected

  • Spring Creek off Rock Road south of I-99 overpass: PFAS Detected

  • State College Regional Airport Big Hollow stormwater: PFAS Detected

  • Spring Creek Rock Road: PFAS Detected

  • State College Regional Airport Rock Road stormwater: PFAS Detected

  • Spring Creek Canyon Benner Spring: PFAS Detected

  • Spring Creek Water Quality Network Site #415: PFAS Detected

  • Bellefonte Borough Wastewater Treatment Plant effluent: PFAS Detected

Sample results show the PFAS in Bald Eagle are coming from Spring Creek:

  • Bald Eagle Creek CCPaSEC Milesburg Site upstream of Spring Creek: No PFAS

  • CCPaSEC Fisher Farm Site downstream of confluence: PFAS Detected

  • Water Quality Network Site # 413: Intermittent PFAS

PSU’s State College Regional Airport stormwater contains PFAS from sites contaminated by the use of Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) firefighting foam.

David T. Roberts, Bellefonte

Trump damaged independent federal judiciary

The New York Times (May 12) reports that “Justice Clarence Thomas denounced the ‘nastiness’ and ‘lies’ that have shadowed him in recent years as public scrutiny has mounted over his wife’s efforts to subvert the 2020 election and the luxury gifts he accepted from billionaire friends.”

He failed to identify any specific lies and he cannot excuse his own cavalier disregard for judicial ethics.

I decline to hold a pity party for a man who has disgraced SCOTUS specifically and our judicial system generally. He should resign. Judges and lawyers should unite in calling for his resignation.

Public contempt for our judicial system is at an all-time high. Despite some obvious exceptions, i.e. Clarence Thomas, we mostly have honorable judges. An independent judiciary is what stands between a functional civilized western democracy and autocracy or chaos. We must defend our judicial system from its rotten apples (Thomas) — and from politicians who would corrupt it (Trump). It’s past time we demand accountability from those who would flaunt the rule of law for financial gain or partisan politics.

Until Trump, presidents from both parties have respected common views on judicial qualifications and practiced a measure of restraint in allowing politics to control judicial appointments to the federal bench. That flew out the window under Trump when he appointed three doctrinaire Supreme Court Justices and multiple inexperienced lower-court judges with a political agenda, such as Aileen Cannon.

Trump damaged our independent federal judiciary in his first term. He’d destroy it in a second term.

Mary Bruce Serene, State College