Letters to the Editor

Hinesburg residents express concerns about CVU turf field

I oppose the installation of a turf field

By James Bruce
Hinesburg resident

I am opposed to the installation of an artificial turf field at CVUHS.

My concerns come as a tax-paying resident of Hinesburg, as a grandparent of five children in the elementary and middle school in Hinesburg, and as a PhD chemist.

I am concerned about:

• the potential for PFAS / microplastic / heavy metal contamination of Hinesburg water supply

• The potential cost for remediation of town water systems should they become contaminated (and fear that this cost will be borne by Hinesburg alone)

• The cost and environmental impact for removal and replacement of the turf field in as few as eight years

• The appearance of this as a “freebie” when it locks in future costs for replacement

• The refusal of the turf company to submit samples for independent testing

• the potential for harm to students: either from physical injury (NFL players have opposed the use of artificial turf) or from ingestion / inhalation of the various materials present in artificial turf

• The limitations of testing and “safe” limits. Testing does not look at all PFAS compounds. Do we really have enough data to set a “safe” limit? Does testing include all potential heavy metal or other suspect carcinogens?

• The use of highly polished sales brochures (and distribution of said in CVUHS) to position their products as safe using questionable science (referenced safety studies by authors with conflict of interest declarations, cherry picking studies, testing by a lab that I don’t consider to be actually independent)

I ask the school board to protect Hinesburg’s water supply and the safety of students by rejecting the proposal for artificial turf.

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Opposition to artificial turf installation; concerns about Zoom meeting

By Joe Iadanza
Hinesburg resident

This is a copy of the email sent to the CVSD school board after their May 19 meeting:

Dear members of the CVSD school board,

After listening to your May 19 meeting on Zoom and being unable to provide feedback due an issue the board recognized with the Zoom meeting, I am writing you with my comments.

As a resident of Hinesburg on a private well and within easy earshot of the CVU campus, I want to express my opposition to artificial turf installation at CVU for the following reasons:

• I have serious concerns about the materials used. Being on a private well, I am concerned about PFAS and microplastics entering my water supply. With the lack of clarity on materials, lifetimes, etc. and the growing knowledge on plastics decomposition, why would you willingly risk the health of Hinesburg residents? What will you do to ensure that there is no issue over time and what will you do (and who will pay) if there is an issue? Artificial turf is a choice, not a necessity. We should not be making choices that could endanger health or property

• As the father of a former CVU soccer player, I have serious concerns about the history of athletic injuries associated with artificial turf. Why would we knowingly contribute to youth injuries?

• Only a small minority of CVU students will ever use these fields, so why does the board continuously revisit this issue after we have voted against artificial turf several times? As noted earlier in your meeting, CVSD is facing significant challenges that affect the entire school population, from special education to funding and consolidation. Please focus your efforts on issues that affect the vast majority of the school-age population you serve.

• Much has been said about private funding for installation. Little has been provided about the long-term costs for maintenance and eventually disposal and replacement. I can only believe that, sooner or later, CVSD taxpayers will be on the hook for these costs. At a time when school funding becomes more tenuous every year, we should not be booking future expenses that aren’t absolutely necessary.

• What the state does in terms of school consolidation also needs to be considered. It was pointed out in the HCS / CCS re-configuration discussion that it might be better to hold off and see what direction the state takes. If this advice is good for determining where we educate our students, shouldn’t it also be heeded on where the minority of student athletes practice and play?

• Hinesburg already plays host to CVU. We deal with the traffic and traffic safety issues associated with CVU along with responsibility as a first-responder community. Enough is enough.

In closing, I would like to say how disappointed I was not to be given the opportunity to speak at the meeting due to technical issues. Had I known about this earlier and the comment period been longer, I would have changed plans and come in person. Please ensure these issues are fixed at all upcoming meetings so as not to deny those on Zoom a voice.

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Do you have an opinion on the proposed gift of a $5.5 million artificial turf field? We want to hear from you regardless of your position on the issue. Send a letter to editor@hinesburgrecord.org and include your name and, for verification (not for publication) your address and phone number.