Will seacoast cancer cluster task force continue?

So far Governor-elect Chris Sununu has not indicated whether he will continue the Governor’s Task Force on the Seacoast Cancer Cluster Investigation. 

Governor Maggie Hassan created the volunteer Task Force last summer to coordinate state and local agencies investigating a higher than expected number of rare childhood cancer cases on the seacoast.  Members include state officials, local officials, legislators, and seacoast residents.

In its meeting this week, the Task Force issued an interim report on its progress.  The state identified roughly two dozen families with children who suffered one of two rare cancers.  The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) sent a detailed questionnaire to those families, but only a handful of questionnaires came back.  The task force report recommends additional effort to get data through those questionnaires.

The report also recommends additional investigation and monitoring of water supplies around landfills, particularly the Coakley landfill.  The task force proposed replacing private wells with municipal water near the Coakley landfill.

Supporters of the task force are particularly concerned about the possible link between environmental factors – such as pollutants from Coakley landfill – and rare childhood cancers.  The task force helps keep the public abreast of the investigation across state agencies.

The task force is not required for state agencies to continue their investigation, however. 

Do you have an opinion on the seacoast cancer cluster or the task force?  Let us know in the comments.