Obviously they have settled in the sediment where they will affect aquatic organisms, move further downstream and become magnified in the food chain. A truly meaningful study would look at the entire adverse impact of this spill, and not just test the surface water.

So people are fully justified not to trust government agencies nor to depend on falsely designed independent studies.

For other examples of inadequate study designs that do not identify the real environmental damage of toxic chemicals, visit www.biosolidsfacts.org.

Caroline Snyder

North Sandwich, N.H.