PRINTER'S NO. 1027
No. 34 Session of 1981
INTRODUCED BY WIGGINS, BORSKI, WHITE, EMERSON, OLIVER,
RICHARDSON, DEAL, EVANS, PUCCIARELLI, SWAIM, J. D. WILLIAMS,
O'DONNELL, RIEGER, COHEN AND McINTYRE, MARCH 23, 1981
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, MARCH 23, 1981
In the House of Representatives, March 23, 1981
1 WHEREAS, In a four-month investigation by the Philadelphia
2 Daily News, the City of Philadelphia was found to have an
3 abnormally high rate of cancer deaths; and
4 WHEREAS, According to the investigation, "the city's number
5 one cancer hot spot is South Philadelphia, west of Broad Street
6 between South and Taskers Streets, encompassing all of the 186th
7 Legislative District; and
8 WHEREAS, Again, according to this study the number two cancer
9 hot spot was found to be Port Richmond and Bridesburg sections
10 of Philadelphia; and
11 WHEREAS, The cancer death rate was found to be well "in
12 excess" of the expected or average rate in these two areas of
13 the city; and
14 WHEREAS, In the last National survey, Philadelphia County had
15 the eighth highest rate of death from cancer; and
16 WHEREAS, Since both communities cited are located in an area
17 of high industrial activity, the conclusion drawn by the
1 Philadelphia Daily News investigation is obviously a strong
2 connection between the existing industrial air pollution and the
3 abnormally high cancer death rate; therefore be it
4 RESOLVED, That the House Health and Welfare Committee be
5 directed to conduct an investigation to determine the levels of
6 air pollution and the deleterious toxic effects that they may
7 have on the health of the inhabitants of the City of
8 Philadelphia; and be it further
9 RESOLVED, That the committee report its findings to the House
10 of Representatives as soon as possible.
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