>>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR CHATBOX WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY NJM INSURANCE GROUP SERVING RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES PER MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY INSIDER NJ, A POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK DEDICATED TO NEW JERSEY POLITICAL NEWS.

INSIDER NJ IS COMMITTED TO GIVING SERIOUS POLITICAL PLAYERS AN INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR IDEAS, DISCUSSION AND INSIGHT.

ONLINE AT INSIDER NJ.COM.

♪♪ ♪♪ >>> HELLO, EVERYBODY.

WELCOME TO CHATBOX.

I'M JOANNA GAGIS IN FOR DAVID CRUZ.

LATER I'LL BE JOINED BY AL LUPIANO WHO HAS TRACKED MORE THAN 120 CASES OF EXTREME RARE BRAIN TUMORS AMONG GRADUATES FROM COLONIA, AND THEY'RE IN AND AROUND HIGH SCHOOL GROUNDS AND FIRST, WE BEGIN TODAY WITH MARK BARDEN, THE CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF SANDY HOOK PROMISE ACTION FUND.

A NON-PROFIT THAT HE AND OTHER PARENTS STARTED AT SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 20 YEARS AGO.

MARK'S 7-YEAR-OLD SON DANIEL WAS KILLED IN THAT SHOOTING.

THE SHOOTER TOOK THE LIVES OF 26 PEOPLE, 20 OF THEM LITTLE KIDS.

MARK, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

>> HAPPY TO JOIN YOU.

>> IT FEELS LIKE EVERY TIME WE TURN ON OUR TVs THERE'S A REPORT OF A MASS SHOOTING AND ANOTHER ONE THIS WEEK AND A MEDICAL BUILDING IN TULSA THAT KILLED FOUR PEOPLE, AND I HAVE TO ASK YOU, LAST WEEK WE WATCHED THE HORROR OF ANOTHER SCHOOL SHOOTING PLAY OUT IN UVALDE.

WHAT DID YOU GO THROUGH JUST EXPERIENCING THAT?

>> IT WAS DEVASTATING, JOANNA.

WE WERE JUST REELING FROM THE HORRORS IN BUFFALO WHERE GROCERY STORE SHOPPERS WERE SHOT TO DEATH AND TARGETED BECAUSE THEY WERE BLACK AND WE WERE WRAPPING OUR HEADS AROUND THAT ATROCITY WHEN WE HEARD THE NEWS COMING FROM U VALD XIE IT WAS DEVASTATING AND AS THE NEWS EMERGED TO HOW SIMILAR IT WAS, WE ARE CONTINUING TO PROCESS WITH THE TRAGEDY OF WHERE OUR 7-YEAR-OLD SON DANIEL WAS SHOT IN HIS FIRST GRADE CLASS IN SANDY HOOK ALMOST TEN YEARS AGO.

OUR HEARTS WERE BROKEN FOR THOSE FAMILIES AND MY WIFE JACKIE AND I FOUND OURSELVES TRACKING ALONG WITH THE MOMENT, THE MINUTES, THE HOURS AND THE DAYS AFTER THAT EVENT BY RELATING THEM TO OUR OWN EXPERIENCE AND I REMEMBER JACKIE LOOKING TO ME JUST OUT OF THE BLUE ON WHAT WAS LAST TUESDAY NIGHT WHERE SHE SAID TO ME THIS WAS THEIR FRIDAY NIGHT.

I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT SHE MEANT AND THAT THEY WERE THAT NIGHT TRYING TO WRAP THEIR HEAD AROUND THE FACT THAT THEIR CHILD HAD BEEN SHOT TO DEATH IN THEIR CLASSROOM AT ROB IN UVALDE AND SINCE THOSE MOMENTS, WE HAVE BEEN TRACKING WITH THAT AND JUST FEELING THE PAIN WITH THEM BECAUSE WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THAT, IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT THE WORLD CAN KEEP GOING AND THINGS JUST KIND OF UNFOLD AS THEY NORMALLY WOULD, WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO PROCESS SUCH UNIMAGINABLE, DEVASTATING PAIN.

I JUST SAY OUR HEARTS ARE BROKEN AND WE ARE WITH THOSE FAMILIES IN SPIRIT TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY.

>> WHEN YOU SEE THE NEWS AND IT FEELS ALMOST LIKE A CONSTANT BARRAGE AT TIMES, I THINK ACCORDING TO YOUR WEBSITE, 948 SCHOOL SHOOTINGS HAVE HAPPENED SINCE SANDY HOOK.

THERE IS A POINT AT WHICH SOMETIMES PEOPLE CAN GO NUMB TO THIS.

YOU ALMOST FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO GO NUMB TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD.

WHAT DO YOU AND ALL THOSE WHO, UNFORTUNATELY, CAN'T GO NUMB TO THIS, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THESE FAMILIES AS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH IT?

>> TO THOSE FAMILIES IN PARTICULAR I WOULD SAY THAT JUST UNDERSTAND THAT THE GRIEVING PROCESS IS AS INDIVIDUAL AS WE ARE PEOPLE, AND THERE IS NO WRONG WAY TO DO THAT, AND TO GET FROM ONE MINUTE TO THE NEXT IS REALLY ALL YOU CAN DO AND TO DO THAT IN THE BEST WAY THAT YOU CAN, AND IF IT HELPS YOU AT ALL, LET THE FOLKS THAT WANT TO HELP YOU HELP YOU.

THEY ARE DESPERATE TO TRY TO COMFORT YOU.

THEY KNOW THEY CAN'T MAKE THIS GO AWAY AND THEY KNOW THEY CAN'T BRING BACK THEIR LOVED ONE.

SO LET THEM COOK A MEAL FOR YOU IF THAT WOULD HELP AND LET THEM SIT WITH YOU AND CRY IF THAT WOULD HELP AND BASICALLY, JUST DO WHATEVER YOU CAN AND KNOW THAT IF THERE'S EVER A TIME THAT YOU WOULD FIND ANY COMFORT OR HEALING WITH TALKING TO ME WHO IS LIVING THROUGH THIS AND COME CRYING WITH ME OR TALKING TO ME, I WOULD NEVER INSERT MYSELF INTO YOUR GRIEF, BUT THAT I WOULD BE HERE TO HELP YOU IN ANY WAY THAT I CAN, AND I ALSO, TO THE OTHER PART OF THAT QUESTION ABOUT GOING NUMB TO THIS, I WOULD ASK PEOPLE, I WOULD BEG PEOPLE, THE FOLKS WHO ARE NOT DIRECTLY TRYING TO SURVIVE MINUTE-TO-MINUTE IN THE TO A PREVENTABLE SHOOTING AND I WOULD ASK ANYONE ELSE TO HOLD ON TO THIS PAIN AND HOLD ON TO THE OUTRAGE AND DON'T LET IT FADE WITH THE NEWS CYCLE.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT LUXURY ANYMORE, AND I JUST -- I WOULD ASK YOU TO NOT ASSUAGE OR SOOTHE YOURSELF AND MOVE ON OR GO ON ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS AND LET IT TURN INTO ACTIVISM AND LET IT TURN INTO ENGAGEMENT AND LET IT TURN INTO TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO PREVENT OTHER FAMILIES FROM HAVING TO ENDURE THIS PAIN.

>> IT'S AN INTERESTING POINT.

YOU YOURSELF TURNED TO ACTIVISM.

YOU STARTED THIS NON-PROFIT.

WHAT IS THE MISSION?

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH?

>> FOLKS IN OUR COMMUNITY STARTED THIS LITERALLY THAT DAY.

I THINK IT WAS LEE WHO STOOD UP AND SAID WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING RIGHT NOW, I MEAN RIGHT NOW.

I CAME ALONG SEVERAL MONTHS LATER BECAUSE I JUST COULDN'T FUNCTION.

SO I USED CO-FOUNDER LOOSELY, BUT -- I -- I RECOGNIZED EARLY ON A REAL NEED TO TRY TO HONOR MY SON DANIEL AND TO TRY TO PROTECT OTHER FAMILIES FROM HAVING TO ENDURE THIS PAIN BY LOOKING TO SOLUTIONS AND FINDING A WAY TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN KNOWING IT WAS PREVENTABLE AND WE DID A LOT OF RESEARCH AND WE KNOW IT WAS PREVENTABLE BECAUSE THERE WERE ALMOST ALWAYS WARNING SIGNS, AND I CAN ALMOST REMOVAL MOST FROM THAT.

THERE WERE ALMOST ALWAYS WARNING SIGNS IN THE AFTERMATH OF THESE HORRIFIC TRAGEDIES WE FIND OUT THAT THERE WERE WARNING SIGNS AND THAT IS WHERE WE FOCUS SO MUCH OF OUR WORK IN TRAINING PEOPLE HOW TO IDENTIFY THOSE WARNING SIGNS AND GIVING THEM THE TOOLS TO CONNECT SOMEBODY TO HELP BEFORE IT BECOMES A TRAGEDY, BEFORE THEY HURT THEMSELVES OR SOMEONE ELSE.

AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THAT.

TO THE COUNTRY AT NO COST AND STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED IN OUR PROGRAMS HAVE PREVENTED AT A MINIMUM THAT WE CAN SPEAK TO AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THAT STUDENT'S TRAINING AND SAY SOMETHING, WE HAVE PREVENTED NINE SCHOOL SHOOTINGS NOW.

NINE HORRIFIC TRAGEDIES AND UNTOLD LIVES SAVED AND ALL OF THESE TOWNS ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT WE WON'T KNOW THE NAME OF BECAUSE A TRAGEDY DIDN'T HAPPEN THERE, BECAUSE A MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT OR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT TRAINED IN OUR PROGRAMS WERE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THE WARNING SIGNS AND TAKE THOSE NEXT STEPS AND CONNECT THAT INDIVIDUAL TO HELP BEFORE IT BECAME A TRAGEDY.

>> YOU WORKED LAST YEAR WITH GOVERNOR MURPH TOE HELP NEW JERSEY SCHOOLS BE MORE PREPARED.

TALK ABOUT YOUR MISSION THERE AND WHAT NEW JERSEY IS DOING WHAT YOU THINK WORKS.

>> NEW JERSEY HAS BEEN DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB.

NEW JERSEY IS LITERALLY A MODEL FOR THE REST OF THE NATION.

GOVERNOR MURPHY HAS BEEN DOING AN AMAZING JOB AND AN OLD FRIEND EVER MINE THERE IS DOING GREAT WORK.

FINDING SOLUTIONS, IMPLEMENTING SAFETY POLICIES IN BOTH THROUGH THEIR LEGISLATURE AND THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED INTERVENTION AND VIOLENCE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS.

THEY HAVE REALLY TAKEN THIS SERIOUSLY AND THEY'RE DOING GREAT WORK AND THEY'RE GETTING GREAT RESULTS.

I HAVE SO MUCH RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FOR GOVERNOR MURPHY AND HIS ADMINISTRATION AND THE FOLKS THAT HE HAS PUT IN CHARGE OF BRINGING THE NUMBERS OF GUN VIOLENCE DOWN IN NEW JERSEY.

IT'S REALLY A MODEL THAT WE CAN ALL LOOK TO.

>> SOME OF THAT IS SAFE GUN STORAGE AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT LEGISLATION NATIONALLY, THERE IS GRIDLOCK AMONG OUR COUNTRY'S LEADERS, AND IT SEEMS THAT THERE'S A STEP THAT CAME OUT RECENTLY THAT THEY WOULD LIKE SOME COMMON SENSE LAWS PUT INTO PLACE.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE WHEN IT COMES TO ACCESS TO GUNS AND ANY LEGISLATION THAT WOULD CHANGE OR LIMIT ACCESS TO GUNS OR SPECIFIC TYPES OF FIREARMS?

>> WE -- WE -- WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOLUTIONS AVAILABLE TO US, JOANNA.

THERE ARE POLICY SOLUTIONS THAT DO NOT INTERFERE WITH ANYONE'S SECOND AMENDMENT RIGHT THAT OUR EVIDENCE-BASED RESEARCH SHOWS US THAT THEY'RE EFFECTIVE AND SAVE LIVES AND DON'T INFRINGE ON THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO OWN A GUN.

WE CLOSE A LOOPHOLE IN THE BACKGROUND CHECK SYSTEM AND THOSE ARE UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS AND RIGHT NOW, 40% OF GUN SALES AND TRANSFERS HAPPEN WITHOUT A BACKGROUND CHECK AND THAT'S LEGAL.

THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE.

WE KNOW THAT WILL SAVE LIVES AND WE HAVE RESOURCE THAT WILL SAVE LIVES.

TO YOUR POINT, SECURE STORAGE OF FIREARMS.

CHILDREN ARE DYING BY HAVING ACCESS TO FIREARMS IN THE HOME EVERY DAY AND IT'S NOT BEING REPORTED AND FOLKS DON'T KNOW THAT.

SUICIDES ARE ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH, SUICIDE BY FIREARMS AND SO MUCH OF THAT IS HAPPENING WITH FOLKS WITH UNSECURED FIREARMS IN THE HOME AND THAT SEEMS TO BE THE LAW OF THE LAND.

AGAIN, IF YOU IDENTIFY AS A RESPONSIBLE GUN OWNER, FOLKS KNOW IT'S SERIOUS AND THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCE FESS THERE IS A CONSEQUENCE IF YOUR FIREARM IS LEFT ACCESSIBLE TO THOSE WHO HAVE ACCESS TO THEM.

>> 90% OF AMERICANS WANT THIS.

90% HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT AND ASKING FOR THEIR LEGISLATORS TO PLEASE IMPLEMENT THESE SAFETY MEASURES.

>> THE EXTREMIST PROTECTION ORDER ALSO KNOWN AS THE RED FLAG LAW AND ALSO PROVEN TO SAVE LIVES AND SOMEBODY IN THE HOME WHO IS THREATENING TO KILL THEMSELVES OR KILL OTHER PEOPLE CAN PETITION THE POLICE AND/OR THE COURTS TO SAFELY STORE THAT INDIVIDUAL'S FIREARMS UNTIL THEY ARE OUT OF CRISIS AND THEN THEY CAN PETITION TO HAVE THEM BACK AND THERE ARE PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES TO PROTECT THEIR RIGHTS AS A CITIZEN AND IT'S PROVEN TO SAVE LIVES.

SO THERE ARE SO MANY POLICY SOLUTION AVAILABLE TO US NOW AND WE DON'T NEED TO INVENT NEW LAWS AND THEY'RE ALL EXISTING.

WE CAN IMPLEMENT THESE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL BECAUSE 90% OF AMERICANS ARE ASKING FOR THAT.

WE CAN GO A LONG WAY TOWARD SAVING THESE LIVES AND PREVENTING THESE TRAGEDIES.

>> MARK, ARE YOU ENCOURAGED THAT JUST THIS WEEK THERE WERE A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS WHO MET TO TALK ABOUT POSSIBLE GUN LEGISLATION.

DOES THAT FEEL LIKE IN SOME WAY A STEP FORWARD?

>> THAT'S DEFINITELY A STEP FORWARD.

THAT'S MORE EMOTION THAN WE'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME IN PROBABLY A DECADE, THE FACT THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO COME TO THE TABLE AND LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS THAT THEY KNOW WILL SAVE THE LIVES OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS AND THEY KNOW THAT THEIR CONSTITUENTS ARE ASKING THEM TO DO AND THEY'RE JUST BEING ASKED TO DO THEIR JOB.

I DO HAVE A LOT OF HOPE IN THAT AND THAT THEY CAN COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON SOMETHING AND MOVE SOMETHING FORWARD THAT'S BIPARTISAN, THAT WILL PROTECT CITIZENS AND THEY'LL FIND OUT THAT THE -- THAT NOT ONLY WILL THE SKY NOT FALL ON THEM, BUT THEY'LL PROBABLY BE REWARDED IN THE POLLS FOR FINALLY STEPPING UP, HAVING THE COURAGE TO LOOK OUT FOR THE WELL-BEING OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS, SO I ENCOURAGE THOSE TALKSES AND I AM HOPEFUL THERE WILL BE POSITIVE OUTCOMES AS A REPORT.

>> AND IS YOUR ORGANIZATION REACHING OUT AND TRYING TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ACROSS THE AISLE.

>> WE'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE POLICIES SINCE DAY 1, JOANNA, AND THE SANDY HOOK PROMISE AND THE NUMBER ONE MISSION IS TO SAVE LIVES AND PREVENT OTHER FAMILIES FROM HAVING TO ENDURE THIS PAIN AND PREVENTABLE GUN VIOLENCE.

>> MARK, IN JUST THE FEW SECONDS THAT WE HAVE LEFT JUST TELL US WHO DANIEL WAS AND WHO DANIEL STILL IS IN YOUR LIFE AND YOUR HEART.

?

THANK YOU, JOANNA.

WE USED TO HALF-JOKINGLY REFER TO DANIEL AS A CARETAKER OF ALL LIVING THINGS.

HE USED TO LOOK OUT FORS ALL OF HIS CLASSMATES AND HE HAD MAJOR COMPASSION AND HE WOULD PICK UP THE GRASSHOPPERS AND PUT THEM IN THE GRASS SO THEY WOULDN'T BURN IN THE SON.

WE THOUGHT HE WOULD HAVE SUCH A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THIS WORLD AND THAT WAS CRUELLY, VIOLENTLY TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM WHEN HE WAS SHOT IN HIS CLASSROOM AND I TRY TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO BE THAT PERSON WHO LOOKS OUT FOR OTHERS AND TO LEAD WITH COMPASSION.

>> MARK, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US AND DANIEL IS HAVING AN IMPACT ON THIS WORLD.

THANK YOU.

>> THANKS, JOANNA.

>> I AM JOINED RIGHT NOW BY AL LUPIANO WHO IS TRACKING MORE THAN A HUNDRED CASES OF EXTREMELY RARE BRAIN TUMORS ALL CONNECTED TO COLONIA HIGH SCHOOL IN WOODBRIDGE.

AL, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

THE STATE LAST WEEK HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE AND THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION WERE THERE.

THEY SAID THERE'S BEEN RADON TESTING AT THE SCHOOL AND NOTHING WAS FOUND SO CASE CLOSED.

ANY POSSIBLE FURTHER TESTING TO SHOW THERE MIGHT BE SOME CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TUMORS THAT YOU FOUND AND THE SCHOOL.

WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION JUST HEARING THE PRESS CONFERENCE?

>> I WAS A BIT FLABBER GAFRTED.

GOING INTO THE PROCESS, WE HAD NEVER STATED THAT RADON AND RADIATION WERE THE ONLY DEFINITIVE TESTS THAT WE SHOULD BE PERFORMING.

IT WAS ALWAYS MEANT TO BE PHASE ONE OF A MULTI-BROOCHED TEST.

THEY HAD DONE THESE TESTS EARLY APRIL AND MY UNDERSTANDING WAS WE WOULD IMMEDIATELY GO INTO AIR, WATER AND SOIL SAMPLES.

SO WHEN THE STATE HAD COME OUT AND THE COMMISSIONER SEAN LETOURET HAD STATED HE'S COMFORTABLE THERE'S NOTHING GOING ON HERE BASED ON ONLY ONE TEST, I WAS TRULY FLABBERGASTED.

>> THE STATE, YOU KNOW, GAVE DETAILED EXPLANATION AS TO HOW THESE CASES WERE REALLY ALL CONNECTED TO IONIZING RADIATION AND SO IF WE DIDN'T FIND THAT, CHANCES ARE -- THE CHANCE OF FINDING ANYTHING ELSE WAS SLIM TO NONE.

SO I WANT TO DIG DEEPER INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT.

YOU ARE AN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST AND DO THIS AS A LIVING AND YOU'VE BEEN THE ONLY ONE TRACKING THEM.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US BETWEEN THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THESE EXTREMELY RARE TUMORS THAT YOU FOUND?

>> SO WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND IS THE REASON WE CAN SAY CONCLUSIVELY THAT IONIZING RADIATION CAUSES VARIOUS CANCERS IN ADDITION TO PRIMARY BRAIN TUMORS IS WE HAVE EVIDENCE AFTER WORLD WAR II, AFTER CHERNOBYL OF WHAT RADIATION DOES TO THE HUMAN BODY.

THAT DOES NOT THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT CAN CAUSE CANCERS AND BRAIN TUMORS, BUT THAT'S BEEN PROVE KNOW BY SCIENCE.

THE PROBLEM WITH SCIENCE IS YOU CAN'T ASK SOMEONE TO BE EXPOSED TO A CHEMICAL AND THEN SAY WE'LL WAIT AND SEE IF YOU DEVELOP CANCER.

SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY THAT OTHER CHEMICALS DO NOT CAUSE CANCERS.

THERE'S ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE, BUT TRYING TO PROVE THAT IS VERY CHALLENGING.

WE KNOW THINGS TRIGGER CANCERS AND WE CAN'T SAY CONCLUSIVELY WE DO.

BENZENES AND PCBs AND PEHs AND THINGS THAT WE KNOW ARE VERY LIKELY TO BE CARCINOGENIC, THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE NEED TO BE LOOKING FOR NEXT.

NEVER DID WE THINK DOING A RADON SAMPLE WOULD BE THE BE ALL END ALL.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OTHER TYPES OF TESTING, WHAT WAS DONE AND WHAT FURTHER TESTING WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE?

>> RADON TESTING IS NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU DO WHEN TRYING TO BUY OR SELL YOUR HOME.

IT'S EXPOSED TO THE AIR AS RADIONUCLEID ARE COLLECTED, WE CAN GIVE YOU A READING OF RADON IN YOUR HOUSE AND ANYTHING ABOVE FOUR IS CONSIDERED A PROBLEM, ANYTHING BELOW IS CONSIDERED INFORMATION, BUT NOTHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT.

THAT'S THE ONLY SAMPLING THEY'VE DONE.

WE HAD INTENDED FOR THEM TO CONCURRENTLY DO SOIL BORINGS, LOOKING FOR SUBSURFACE PROBLEMS AND PULLING AIR OUT OF SOIL BORINGS TO SEE IF WE HAD BURIED DRUMS AND DO WE HAD CHEMICALS AND DO WE HAVE A GASOLINE LEAKING FROM THE NEARBY GAS STATION AND THERE ARE VARIOUS THINGS THAT CAN CAUSE THESE PROBLEMS AND WE HAD ANTICIPATED THEM DOING AIR SAMPLING WHICH IS DOING FOR THINGS THAT ARE VOLATILIZED INTO THE SCHOOL AS WELL AS DOING SOIL SAMPLING WHICH IS LOOKING FOR THINGS THAT ARE STILL IN THE SOIL THAT ARE ONLY VOLATILIZING INTO THE SCHOOL AND CAN BE LEAKING DOWN INTO THE AQUIFER AND SPREADING THE CONTAMINANT ACROSS THE TOWN.

WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT THIS IS NOT ONLY LINKED TO COLONIA HIGH SCHOOL.

YES, WE HAVE A VERY HIGH INCIDENT RATE OF THOSE WHO ATTENDED AND THOSE WHO WORKED THERE, BUT HALF A MILE TO A MILE AWAY WE HAVE CLUSTERS OF PEOPLE REPORTING SIMILAR CANCERS, RARE CANCERS AND BRAIN TUMORS AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THERE'S A LOT MORE HERE GOING ON THAN JUST LOOKING FOR RADON AND CALLING IT A DAY.

>> SO TWO FOLLOW-UPS THERE AND WE'LL GET INTO THE HEALTH AND THE RATES IN JUST A MOMENT, BUT YOU HAD RAISED CONCERNS THAT JUST TEN MILES AWAY WAS THE SITE OF THE MANHATTAN PROJECT WHERE WE KNOW THERE WAS CONTAMINATED FILL THAT WAS SET ASIDE THERE.

THE STATE SAID WE SAW NO HISTORY OF ANY OF THAT CONTAMINATED FILL EVER BEING USED ON THE GROUNDS OF CLONIA HIGH SCHOOL AND MUCH OF THE SOIL WAS USED IN THE BILL AND SO NO SOIL TESTING IS REQUIRED.

WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT?

>> THAT'S GREAT.

SAYING IT HASN'T COME FROM ONE LOCATION IS JUST THAT.

IT DIDN'T COME FROM THAT LOCATION.

THE STATE HAS NOT OLD US IF ANY SOIL WAS USED OUTSIDE THE FACILITY.

THERE'S NO WAY TO KNOW WHAT WAS DUMPED THERE.

JUST BY SAYING THAT IT WAS A VIRGIN LAND AND THERE WERE TREES GROWING, DOESN'T MEAN PEOPLE WEREN'T ILLEGALLY DUMPING ON THE PROPERTY FOR YEARS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MID-6 s IN NEW JERSEY.

ORGANIZED CRIME WAS RUNNING RAMPANT.

PEOPLE WERE BURYING ILLEGAL DRUMS ALL OVER THE PLACE AND IT WAS NOT UNHEARD OF TO STICK DRUMS UNDERNEATH THE BUILDING AND POUR A CONCRETE SLAB ON TOP.

WE KNOW THIS WAS GOING ON.

THIS WAS NOT ONLY GOING ON IN NEW JERSEY.

IT WAS GOING ON ALL ACROSS THE TRI-STATE AREA.

I THINK JUST BASED ON THAT ALONE, IF WE DON'T TAKE SOIL SAMPLES TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING GOING ON UNDERNEATH THIS SCHOOL, SHAME ON US.

>> SO, AL, DEPEND OF HEALTH COMMISSIONER JOINED THE PRESS CONFERENCE LAST WEEK AND SHE SAID, LISTEN, WHEN WE COMPARE THE RIDS OF PEOPLE IN NEW JERSEY AGAINST OUR CANCER REGISTRY TO SEE HOW MANY FROM A CERTAIN REGION WE CAN EXPECT TO GET CANCER OR EXPECT TO HAVE CERTAIN BRAIN TUMORS BECAUSE MANY TUMORS ARE NOT CANCEROUS AND THE FINDINGS THAT AL LUPIANO ARE RIGHT IN LINE WHERE WE EXPECT THE POPULATION TO BE AND THE RISK OF LIVING HERE IN NEW JERSEY.

WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE?

>> I DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE NUMBERS THAT THEY PRESENTED.

SO WITH ANY STATISTICS, GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT.

THEY'RE NOT SHARING WITH US WHAT THE COHORT WAS AND ANOTHER PROBLEM I HAVE WITH HER CONCLUSIONS, THEY'RE LOOKING AT A 50-YEAR TIME SPAN.

THESE BRAIN TUMORS HAVE A 20-YEAR LATENCY.

SO INCLUDING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS THAT WERE THERE LAST YEAR IS SIMPLY SILLY.

THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT CLEAR OF BRAIN TUMORS.

THEY MAY NOT HAVE DEVELOPED THEM YET, SO USING A 50-YEAR COHORT ARTIFICIALLY INFLATES THE EXPECTED NUMBERS.

NOW, I DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT EPIDEMIOLOGY.

I'M A GRUNT.

I COLLECT FACTS AND FIGURES.

I AM WORKING WITH A TEAM OF DOCTORS AND EPIDEMIOLOGISTS RIGHT NOW AND THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE DATA AND THEIR INITIAL CONCLUSIONS ARE THEY'RE VERY, VERY MUCH FLAWED.

WE KNOW THE RATES ARE TEN UNDER 100,000.

THEIR CONCLUSION OF THE POPULATION SIZE OF COLONIA HIGH SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE 105 BRAIN TUMORS DEFIES LOGIC.

THEY'RE LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS NOW, AND I HOPE THEY REPORT TO ME NEXT WEEK AND GIVE ME CLEAR DIRECTION ON WHETHER OR NOT THE STATE'S CONCLUSIONS ARE CORRECT OR INCORRECT.

>> WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU IN TERMS OF KEEPING THIS BATTLE GOING BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, THE STATE'S CASE IS CLOSED?

>> SO THE SIMPLEST SOLUTION FOR ALL OF THIS IS TO TAKE SAMPLES.

THE DEP WILL NOT BE THE ONE DOING THE SAMPLES AND NEITHER IS THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

THE EPA IS READY AND WILLING TO GET INVOLVED AND TAKE SAMPLES IF THEY ARE ASKED.

THEY'RE BASED OUT OF EDISON, NEW JERSEY.

THEY'RE SITTING THERE WAITEDING FOR THE DEP TO GET DIRECTION.

THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM IS TO ASK THEM TO COME IN AND COMPLETE THE TASKS THAT ARE NECESSARY.

>> AL, IS IT POSSIBLE, COULD IT BE THAT THE CONTAMINATION IS NOT IN THE COLONIA HIGH SCHOOL, BUT RATHER WOOD A BRIDGE AT LARGE?

>> WE LEARN SOMETHING DURING THE TOMS RIVER.

THAT INVESTIGATION TOOK FIVE YEARS TO GET OFF THE GROIND.

PARENTSES WERE COMPLAINING MY CHILD IS DYING OF CANCER AND NO ONE WOULD LISTEN.

WE'RE DOING THE EXACT SAME THING HERE.

WE HAVE THE SMOKING GUN.

WE HAVE PEOPLE SAYING I'M EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS, PLEASE HELP ME AND THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL AGENCIES DON'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED.

WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY.

WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO GO IN AND DO A THOROUGH STUDY.

DO THE STUDY, PROVE TO PARENTS THERE'S NOTHING HERE AS OPPOSED TO TELLING PEOPLE YOU'RE REALLY NOT EXPERIENCING THESE SYMPTOMS.

YOU REALLY DON'T HAVE A PRIMARY BRAIN TUMOR AND YOU AREN'T EXPERIENCING ANY HEADACHES.

IT'S VERY EASY TO BE DISMISSIVE, DO THE SCIENCE, DO THE WORK AND PROVE US WRONG.

>> DO YOU BELIEVE AT THE END OF THE DAY SOME OF THIS COMES DOWN TO MONEY AND FUNDING?

>> WELL, I HOPE THAT'S NOT THE CASE.

IT SURE DOES SEEM THAT WAY TO ME.

I THINK WE'RE DEALING WITH VERY SIMPLISTIC HUMAN PROTECTIONS.

THEY DON'T WANT ANYTHING THAT WILL MAKE THEM LOOK BAD.

I UNDERSTAND THAT.

I UNDERSTAND THE MAYOR IS UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE TO MAKE THIS GO AWAY, BUT I ALSO THINK HE NEEDS TO REALIZE HIS LIABILITY IS INCREASING DAILY.

IF WE DO A STUDY A YEAR FROM NOW, A MONTH FROM NOW, A DAY FROM NOW AND WE FIND SOMETHING, THE PARENT ARE FIRST THING PARENTS ARE GOING TO SAY WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THIS IN APRIL?

WHY DID YOU WAIT UNTIL NOW TO LOOK AND IGNORANCE IS NOT AN EXCUSE.

WE'VE BEEN TELLING PEOPLE THERE IS A PROBLEM.

PROVE US TO THERE ISN'T A PROBLEM AS OPPOSED TO YOU SAYING I NEED TO PROVE TO YOU THERE IS.

WE HAVE OVER 200 INDIVIDUALS NOW AFFECTED.

124 WITH PRIMARY BRAIN TUMORS, 95 WITH RARE AND CURIOUS CANCERS.

THAT, TO ME IS A CLUSTER.

YOU CAN CALL IT ANYTHING YOU WANT.

YOU CAN SAY IT'S STATISTICALLY NORMAL.

IT IS NOT NORMAL FOR A POPULATION THIS SIZE TO HAVE THIS MANY ISSUES AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO PROVE.

>> TO BE CLEAR, YOU WERE AFFECTED BY A BRAIN TUMOR.

YOUR WIFE AND YOU DID LOSE YOUR SISTER AND YOUR SISTER HAS FOUR KIDS WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH OR ARE STILL GOING THROUGH COLONIA HIGH SCHOOL.

>> CORRECT.

AL, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO US TODAY FOR THIS IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.

THAT IS ALL OF THE TIME THAT WE HAVE.

I WANT TO THANK MARK BARDON FOR SUCH AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.

I WANT TO REMIND YOU TO BRING TO THE NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS TO GET MORE CHATBOX, REPORTER'S ROUNDTABLE AND NJ BUSINESS BEAT AND ALSO BE SURE TO CATCH NJ PBS'S NEW MUSIC SOUND CHECK AT 9:30 P.M. WHERE OUR HOST, JEN ECKHART TALKS ABOUT THEIR SONGS AND THE CENTER FOR THE ARTS AND ALONG WITH MUSIC ICON JIMMY BUFFET AND KENNY LOGGINS ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE WORKING WITH JAKE.

YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS THIS ONE AT NJ PBS.

I'M JOANNA GAGIS IN FOR DAVID CRUZ.

FOR DAVID AND OUR ENTIRE TEAM.

THANKS FOR BEING WITH US.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR CHAT BOX WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY MJM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

PROPOESHL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY INSIDER NJ, A POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK DEDICATED TO NEW JERSEY POLITICAL NEWS.

INSIDER, NJ, IS COMMITTED TO GIVING SERIOUS POLITICAL PLAYERS AN INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR IDEAS, DISCUSSION AND INSIGHT.

ON-LINE AT INSIDERNJ.COM.

♪♪ ♪♪