Love Canal Timeline
1975 & 1976: These were years for high groundwater level which then caused 55-gallon drums to surface. Ponds became contaminated and basements oozed residue, and the area became permeated with chemical odors. Overall, there were 421 chemicals recorded in air, water, and soil samples in and around the Love Canal area.
April of 1978: The New York Department of Health Commissioner (Robert Whalen) declared the Love Canal area a threat to human health. He also restricted access to the area by fencing off the actual old landfill site.
May of 1978: After looking at some air samples from basements the US EPA concludes that toxic vapors are a severe health threat and State Health Department reveals a plan for medical studies of residents.
August of 1978: The Health Commissioner declared a health emergency at the Love Canal and ordered the closing of the 99th Street School as well as a temporarily evacuating pregnant women and children under the age of 2. The president also approved for emergency financial aid so the state could start buying the homes of 236 families, who were then relocated at the cost of $10 million.
