We at Tonawanda Coke Corp. understand the ease with which industry can be made targets of often-unfounded allegations of environmental harm and how attractive those claims can be to media. While these types of allegations play well with the media, they usually cannot be sustained when viewed in the clear light of supportable facts, science and analysis.

The News’ implied claim in an editorial that air emissions from the TCC plant have caused or are somehow responsible for causing personal injuries to any of our neighbors is reckless, unfounded and cannot be supported — and, we believe, has been stated merely to trigger negative public response.

The News states that we have been “uncooperative.” Simply because we have not returned News calls or decided we did not want to try our case in the media does not mean we have been uncooperative. We have cooperated and continue to cooperate with the regulatory agencies in charge of overseeing our facility. TCC has been and continues to be in full compliance with its lawfully issued DEC air permit.

It is stated both in the editorial and a News article that a study found Tonawanda Coke emits benzene up to 75 times higher than recommended guidelines. That is absolutely untrue. The community air quality study did not find that TCC was the cause, the primary, the only cause of elevated levels of contaminants, more specifically benzene. If you read the report closely, elevated levels were found at a site some distance from our facility but immediately adjacent to the Thruway, Youngmann Highway and South Grand Island toll barrier. There are at least 52 facilities permitted to discharge air pollutants in this corridor, including bulk petroleum storage and transload facilities, a fly ash landfill, chemical treatment plants and at least eight diesel commercial truck facilities.

Both the editorial and article discuss excess benzene releases from the TCC plant. TCC does not release benzene in excess of the DEC permit criteria and does not, in fact, release large amounts of benzene, period. We have reported that TCC has generated less than 10,000 pounds per year.

Tonawanda Coke has not been sitting idly by during this period. Significant improvements have been made, resulting in substantial reductions in air contaminant releases. Also, while some folks have felt the claim that elevated benzene levels for the Tonawanda air corridor are caused or substantially contributed to by cars and trucks is not “credible,” the DEC disagrees, noting that since the early 1990s “motor vehicles are by far the single largest source of air pollution in New York State.” In the monitoring site area it is diesel, large trucks and cars everywhere, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Our company has been a good neighbor and employer for decades. We have invested significantly in our community, maintained jobs and tax revenues and fostered economic development, while many others have not.

J. D. Crane owns Tonawanda Coke Corp.