WHEATFIELD, N.Y. — Following a series of groundwater, surface water and subsurface soil tests over the summer around the Niagara Sanitation Landfill and in neighboring backyards, the DEC announced Monday that there was no off-site contamination.

Nearby residents began filing suit a year ago against the town of Wheatfield and companies associated with the Love Canal waste that was dumped in the landfill in the 1960s, alleging that the waste was leaching into their homes.

Attorneys for the residents are rejecting the DEC's conclusions, calling them "incomplete."

"They have never tested inside any of these homes, and that's something we've asked them to do. We've offered to let them do testing inside the homes. We've sent them our data on our findings inside the homes," said Smith Stag, LLC CEO Mike Stag.  

Smith Stag revealed results of its own study to Spectrum News last June, saying they found 18 pesticides in homes that also exist in the landfill.

The data showed indoor contamination was 10 to 100 times higher than outdoor samples, with one home at 5,000 times higher.

"I would think that the DEC would do everything within their power to try to keep these people safe and try to figure out what the problem is, but I'm not seeing that. And it looks to me that they're either incompetent or they're trying to cover up the mistakes they've made over the many decades related to this site," Stag said.

Stag says the DEC is reaching conclusions and putting out statements in the public that are designed to make people think there's no problems, and is now seriously considering adding them to the lawsuit.

Spectrum News is scheduled to speak in-depth with a DEC representative Friday for more information on their testing methods.