F
requently Asked Questions
FAQs about PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS!
Does Protect Our Neighborhoods! favor any remediation?
Absolutely. We believe a vigorous program of treatment should encompass the core site the commercial/public corridor through the Michigan Inn site, the I-94/Jackson area to Maple Village and Vets Park. This should be proven to be maximally successful before any (if needed) leading edge remedy in the residential neighborhoods is considered. The Evergreen neighborhood remediation has been judged largely ineffective.
What if I don’t completely agree with the goal and position statement of PROTECT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS!?
Our goal is to get residents involved and to work to have our voices heard and included. Our site acts to facilitate that involvement. We are at a point where residents can no longer impact the MDEQ’s or court’s actions. Only by voicing our opinions to our representatives and holding them accountable, may we have an impact. See our comments to MDEQ for more info.

Our position statement reflects the beliefs of those of us who started Protect Our Neighborhoods! We recognize and welcome the spectrum of opinions on the issue. Our appreciation and respect for the awareness, intelligence and efforts of the citizenry helped us decide to create the group. Again, one of our goals is to help facilitate involvement. While our position statement is not meant to be a one-size-fits-all document, we do feel it represents a critical point of unity for many that often gets lost in the discussions of details of the proposed clean-up alternatives. We also believe our group, website and action alerts can work in concert with many approaches and concerns. Either way, we hope to provide some information that residents may find useful. Apathy is the danger- involvement is the goal.
Why use Protect Our Neighborhoods! Action Alerts?
These are designed to assist anyone interested in connecting with his or her representatives. Most important is the contact list. Use it to connect with your elected representatives and or others involved to express your opinion and to let them know you will hold them accountable. Use our Action Alert sample letters if they reflect your thoughts and can save you time constructing a letter.
Is Protect Our Neighborhoods! aligned or associated with any other agency, group or organization?
No, it is not the intention of Protect Our Neighborhoods! to ally with any group, agency or organization to the exclusion of others. Again, while we feel that our goal and position may work in concert with others, we do not attempt to speak for or represent any position and/or goal other than our own as listed in the Protect Our Neighborhood position statement.

We encourage everyone to become as educated as possible on the Dioxane issue. Protect Our Neighborhoods! was initiated due to our concern that the position that we share with many of our neighbors was not being represented in the process. Because of this, and as stated previously, we do not feel comfortable representing the positions of others. We do encourage neighbors to take advantage of the multitude of resources available including the numerous websites that can be located on the on-line.
Can you tell me how the Protect Our Neighborhoods! email list works? How do I subscribe or unsubscribe?
protect@umich.edu is a moderated list. All emails sent to the protect@umich.edu address are reviewed prior to being forwarded to individual members. By responding to an email sent from this address, a response will only go to the moderator, not the entire list. One only needs to send an email with "subscribe" in the subject line to protect@umich.edu to be included. While we greatly appreciate involvement and participation by as many as possible, one may unsubscribe by sending an email to us with "unsubscribe" in the subject line.
What is 1,4 Dioxane?  

Dioxane is a chemical solvent stabilizer that can cause cancer in laboratory animals. Here in Ann Arbor, 1,4-dioxane was used as a solvent for cellulose acetate, a component of micro-porous filters produced by Gelman Sciences (now owned by Pall Life Sciences). In humans, 1,4 dioxane is a probable carcinogen and the routes of exposure are either ingestion, inhalation or contact with the skin. Animal studies of dioxane have relied upon acute exposure (a small number of exposures at high concentrations), and the effects of 1,4 dioxane in its diluted form over a long period of time (chronic exposure) are largely unknown. To find out more details about dioxane, read the EPAs health sheet on this substance.

What is the history of the Pall Gelman Dioxane issue?   View the timeline provided by the City of Ann Arbor.

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Protect Our Neighborhoods! is not aligned with any group, agency or organization to the exclusion of others. While we feel that our goal and position may work in concert with others, we do not attempt to speak for or represent any position and/or goal other than our own as listed in the Protect Our Neighborhoods! position statement
.