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MTA Presents Air Quality Findings Of 2nd Avenue Construction Project To Public

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The MTA held a public meeting Thursday night to address health concerns regarding its 2nd Avenue subway construction project.

Upper East Side residents sat through the nearly hour and a half presentation at Hunter College in which the MTA reiterated claims it made last week -- that there was no danger to public health. From September until October, scientists collected samples at 10 locations.

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"We are not endangering the public health," MTA Capital Construction President Michael Horodniceanu said. "Our study was vetted by EPA and we stand by our findings."

After a rise in complaints, the city commissioned an air-quality study late last year but the results, which were posted on the MTA's website, show the daily blasting is not hazardous.

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Area residents however are sure if they are convinced.

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"It's already 3 years of breathing in God knows what. So do I care what they're doing now? I think it's great for the people who live Downtown when they get down there with the construction," one woman told 1010 WINS' Eileen Lehpamer.

"Whom do you believe? I don't know. I'm concerned," said another man.

The findings of the study blamed the spike in some pollutants on traffic and buildings' dirty boilers. The findings acknowledge the "sulfry" and "smoky" odors are impacting nearby residents.

Inspectors found those living closest to the so-called "muck buildings" -- which house all the excavation materials -- are most affected by the dust. But still, they said the fumes are not creating a health hazard.

Even so, last month, well after the monitoring period ended -- the MTA made some changes to the site -- which included adding a wet burlap sack to trap some of the dust.

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