PUBLIC NOTICE OF THE PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF THE TOWN OF YORKTOWN TO DISCONTINUE THE FLUORIDATION OF THE TOWN PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on September 24, 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Edward M. Chen issued an Order finding that “fluoridation of water at 0.7 milligrams per liter (‘mg/L’) – the level presently considered ‘optimal’ in the United States – poses an unreasonable risk of reduced IQ in children” (“Federal Court Order”);

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that 0.7 mg/L is the dosage the Town was utilizing to fluoridate its water supply;

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that on September 26, 2024, based on the Federal Court Order, the Town made an emergency determination to suspend the fluoridation of the town’s public water supply (“Emergency Suspension”);

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that on September 26, 2024 the Town provided public notice and notice to the N.Y.S. Department of Health of the Emergency Suspension;

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Town discussed the Emergency Suspension at a public Town Board meeting on October 1, 2024;

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that public comments were received concerning the Emergency Suspension during the Courtesy of the Floor portion of the October 1, 2024 meeting;

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that a public hearing to amend the Town Code provision requiring fluoride treatment was scheduled and conducted on October 15, 2024;

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that at said public hearing the Town Board heard comments for and against fluoridation of the Town’s water, and testimony was offered from medical professionals, including Westchester County Health Commissioner Sherlita Amler, MD and Carl H. Tegtmeier, Dmd;

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Town has considered comments received from Dionne Richardson, DDS, MPH, from the N.Y.S. Department of Health;

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Town has reviewed and taken specific notice of the extensive data and studies included in the Federal Court Order;

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the Town, after due deliberation and consideration, has determined that it is appropriate and in the best interests of the Town to analyze whether it is appropriate and in the best interests of the citizens of the Town to fluoridate the Town’s public water supply;

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that based on the foregoing, the Town has now reached a preliminary determination to continue the Emergency Suspension and discontinue the use of fluoride in the Town public water supply and, based upon that preliminary determination, to proceed in accordance with the requirements of New York Public Health Law Section 1100-a to discontinue the fluoridation, in the event the Town Board subsequently determines to make a final determination; and

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that, in reaching said preliminary determination the Town has further considered the existence of alternatives to fluoridation that are widely known and commonly accepted and that include such normal and routine actions such as the maintenance of good oral hygiene through regular brushing and flossing, maintenance of a balanced nutritional diet as well as topical applications of fluoride toothpaste, fluoride dental treatments and fluoride mouth washes; and

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that the anticipated date of discontinuance is January 21, 2025.