Nov. 7--The final report of an air-quality study in the Town of Tonawanda conducted by a state environmental agency showed a decrease of up to 56 percent of a dangerous carcinogen from July 2008 to June 2009.

Earlier monitoring data collected by the state Department of Environmental Conservation for the previous 12-month period found emissions of benzene were up to 75 times higher than recommended guidelines. The study found Tonawanda Coke Corp. to be the chief source of the benzene.

The latest study noted production at Tonawanda Coke was down 50 percent, suggesting that and operational changes could explain the reduction. The lowered level of benzene concentrations is still above recommended guidelines for the chemical, which is linked to leukemia, damage to the immune system and other health maladies.

Tom Gentile, chief of the DEC's Air Toxics Section, said the agency will continue monitoring two of the four test sites where benzene concentrations have been highest.

"We're trying to assess why we're seeing the reduction. Is it related to operational changes? Is it related to the downswing in coke production? Those are all things we will have to carefully evaluate," Gentile said.

A Tonawanda Coke employee told The Buffalo News the company had no comment.

Owner J. D. Crane has in the past denied company culpability, while blaming motor-vehicle exhaust as the main source of the emissions.

Earlier this month, Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N. Y., called Crane's explanation "not credible" and urged him to meet with community residents to hear their concerns.

The Environmental Protection Agency notified Tonawanda Coke this week it is requiring a sophisticated testing system next spring to detect leaks inside the plant.

"Those studies are very important. Hopefully they will show us exactly where these emissions are coming from," Gentile said.

The EPA is also expected to release an analysis of data collected from the plant in April.

Gentile said the DEC has been working with plant management to reduce emissions and identify leaks.

"Right now, we're working with J. D. Crane, and he's been working with us, and we're getting emission reductions, and that's what's really important." He said getting recent controls placed on an ammonia still helped.

"We know there was more than a ton a year of benzene probably from that emission point alone," Gentile said.

msommer@buffnews.com

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