Lauren Bishop

Click here to download the "Activist ties lead to Cayuga Lake" Ithaca Journal article in PDF format

Although there are health risks with visiting a lead-contaminated area of Fall Creek gorge near Ithaca Falls, most people visiting the site probably have not had enough exposure to the toxic element to cause problems, a state health department official said Friday.

Members of an Ithaca company and a citizens' group are calling for the immediate cleanup of the popular swimming, hiking and fishing area. As early as 1995, the state Department of Environmental Conservation has documented high levels of lead and visible lead shot there stemming from the defunct Ithaca Gun factory nearby.

ITHACA -- An Ithaca company and a citizen's group are calling for the immediate cleanup of a lead-contaminated site on land the City of Ithaca plans to turn into a park.

The city purchased the more than 10-acre piece of Fall Creek gorge, that includes Ithaca Falls, from Cornell University in March for $1. Now, it's faced with the cleanup of the site between Stewart Avenue and Lake Street, where the state Department of Environmental Conservation has documented high levels of lead contamination from the Ithaca Gun Co.'s former factor in 1995.