21 replies to this topic

[West3]

John Fitch, who needs no introduction here, has found himself in a difficult and potentially devastating situation. The condensed version is that he discovered two fuel oil tanks on his property that were leaking. He notified the Connecticut authorities, as he was obligated to do, which began a series of events which could wipe him out financially. The newspaper article can be found here:

http://vgmdays.com/fitcharticle.htm

Although I have never met the man, I understand him to be a genuine "good guy". His contributions to motorsport as well as his tireless efforts to improve safety on both road and track are legendary. He is someone who doesn't deserve to be in the situation in which he has found himself. The fact that his wife has been recently placed in a senior care facility, at some considerable expense, has not helped matters. I would like to start a grass roots effort to help Mr. Fitch and have contacted an acquaintance of his who told me that John is not above accepting donations from strangers. I feel this forum is an ideal place to start.

In the future it may be possible to donate via a PayPal account, but for now you may send your donation to:

John Fitch
433 Salmon Kill Rd
Lakeville, CT 06039-2409

For more information about the man, his website can be found here:

http://www.racesafety.com/index.html

Thanks!

[Jack-the-Lad]

John Fitch is a true hero. He has led a wonderful life. For something like this to happen to him at this stage of life truly is an outrage. I hope TNFers will be able to help him. I met him at Amelia Island last year where he shared many insights about his careers as a fighter pilot, engineer and racing driver.

I hope TNF members will post this on other web sites and forums as appropriate. I know it has been posted at www.ferrarichat.com

Jack

[rdrcr]

Well, after reading about his plight in that newspaper article, I concur he has some mitigation work to do on his property... Objectively though, it is his responsibility to keep his grounds and any heating oil tanks in compliance with all state and federal regulations. That said, I am certainly empathetic to hear that his situation has become problematic by his forthrightness to the DEP. What a bitch. Clean-up, depending on how big and how long the leaks were occurring, could be immense, in the hundreds of thousands of dollars perhaps.

I do applaud your grassroots effort and encourage assistance to Mr. Fitch. His contributions to our county and our nations' highway safety certainly warrant every ones considerations. His contribution to motorsports is a personal and passionate thing with us and that alone should be impetus enough to contribute to his cause.

Thank you very much for bringing this to our attention.

[David M. Kane]

Not to be too simplistic, but I met Mr. Fitch at the Research Center at Watkins Glen 3 or 4 years ago. He is not a young man. Does he have any children? Is there anyone helping him with the little day to day things.

He has done an awful lot over the years to help out others from what I've heard.

[Frank S]

I expect there is some reason the Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not mentioned on Mr Fitch's Safety site, but here it is for your edification and convenience:
http://www.fitchfuel...about/index.cfm

Results from the installation I know about are encouraging: a 2MPG mileage improvement on a 20MPG Mustang GT, as well as notable power increase:
http://www.allfordmu...-mustang-7.html or
http://tinyurl.com/33v8b7

Presuming Mr Fitch gets some share of the income from this thing. It may be a genuine contributor to engine efficiency, and even if not, a collector's item.

--
Frank S
San Diego CA
USA

[fbarrett]

Friends:

In the world of Mercedes-Benz, I've known John for years, and I encourage all of you to help him. John's friend Don Klein sent this press release yesterday:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FROM: Friends of Fitch
179 W. Main St.
Norwalk, OH 44857

CONTACT: Carl Goodwin
(419) 668 –2563
attlasstt@frontier.net


The State Of Connecticut Is Punishing A 90 Year Old
WWll Veteran For Doing The Right Thing.

“I suppose if I’d kept my mouth shut, none of this would have happened,” says John Fitch, referring to the oil contamination nightmare that has plagued him since he advised the state of Connecticut’s DEP five months ago that he suspected an old storage tank under his Litchfield County lawn might be leaking. But keeping mum when he suspects something is wrong simply isn’t this man’s style: John Fitch has devoted his life to “the greater good” for over half a century.

Forget that he is a decorated combat pilot who shot down one of Hitler’s dreaded Messerschmidt ME 262 jets. Forget that he was taken POW and received a Purple Heart. Forget that he is the inventor of the Fitch Inertial Barrier, those ubiquitous yellow sand-filled plastic barrels whose strategic placement on highways across America have saved countless thousands of lives. Forget that Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell herself declared April 21, 2006 “John Fitch Day” in honor of his contributions to highway safety. And forget that as a legendary racing car driver he is the very embodiment of a true hero, as his election to numerous Halls of Fame will testify. Forget all that, and just consider the facts of this case:

Last October, Fitch told the DEP that he suspected an oil leak. He also (at his own expense) hired a local environmental services company to test his well water. The results indicated a petroleum concentration of 1.5 milligrams per liter, but no-one told him if that constituted a problem. Instead, the DEP ordered him to test all the wells within 500 feet of the tanks, again at his own expense. In November, the DEP advised him that although none of the wells was contaminated, he would have to remove the tanks and excavate the surrounding soil … again at his own expense. After excavating more than 3,000 tons of dirt (some of which was, in fact, contaminated), work had to be suspended because the resultant pit had filled with rainwater. Meanwhile, the contaminated soil, which was deposited in 15-foot high piles around Fitch’s property, was subjected to the effects of run-off because of rain and snow, a hazard that the state - not Fitch - created. “And there’s no end in sight,” laments the 90 year old. “In theory they can make me drain the pit and continue excavating. What’s worse, they can force me to cart the soil off and pay for it to be treated.”

To put that into perspective, Fitch has received estimates of $70 per ton to have this done, and that doesn’t include the cost of the excavation itself, nor the cost of filling in the pit with clean soil. One expert has estimated that the total bill could easily top $350,000. In the meanwhile, The Town of Salisbury mailed the Fitches a notice advising them of an $80,000 reduction in the assessed value of their home, with the words “Oil Contamination” overwritten across the page. “I’m completely bewildered by this,” says Fitch. “In effect, they have condemned our family home, making it worthless.”

But perhaps the most ironic –and frustrating fact about the situation is that the Connecticut DEP itself has no firm protocol for cases such as this. According to Fitch, Patrick F. Bowe, Director of the DEP’s Remedial Division, has advised the Fitches that it is up to them to work with a consultant to select the best alternatives, taking into consideration costs, permit requirements and potential risks to human health. “He is saying that either our consultant, whoever that may be, will know more about oil contamination remediation than the DEP does or, if the DEP knows more, it is not telling us!” says Fitch. And while all of this is going on, Fitch’s wife, Elizabeth, requires nursing home care at a cost of $10,000 a month.

Outraged by the State’s actions, John Fitch’s friends have banded together to provide some financial relief for the couple. Notably, the Vintage Sports Car Club of America has graciously offered to help with legal expenses, and this week a fund was established to help pay for the excavation and soil cleaning costs. Checks payable to “The Friends of Fitch Homestead Fund” may be sent to the Salisbury Bank and Trust Company, P.O. Box 1868, Lakeville, CT 06039.

For additional information and documentation, please see the contact information at the top of this release.

[end of release]

In the old days, neighbors and friends helped each other, and I'd like to think that the motorsport community still knows how to do so. I have no knowledge of John's financial situation, but I understand that his income has been limited, his support system is not the best, and his wife's illness has stretched him. If he didn't need our help, his close friends would not be asking us to help. So let's see what we can do for him.

Frank

[David M. Kane]

Who is Congressman and the Senator for Connecticut as well as the elected State Officials? These people are elected officials who react to citizens letters from their potential voters. A PR campaign will have an effect too.

Isn't the former Presidential candidate Chris Dodd from Connecticut? BTW the NBC Nightly News Anchor, Brian Williams, is a big race fan. He narrated the documentary on Dale Earnhardt. He was also a friend of Dale's who was his guest at his races several times.

[rdrcr]

I contacted Mark Steigerwald at the Center and he's received several inquiries simultaneously! He said they have some resources that could be put into play and he will be making inquiries soon.

I also had a telephone conversation with Carl Goodwin, a good friend of John. He has relayed the following regarding contact information and other info. I will post what he's sent me and urge you all to write and distribute the following as you see fit.


Contact Info:

Governor M. Jodi Rell
Executive Office of the Governor
State Capitol
Hartford, CT 06106
(860)566-4840

Senator Christopher J. Dodd
448 Russell Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-2823

Senator Joseph I. Lieberman
706 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
(202)224-4041

Christopher Murphy
Congressman, Litchfield County
501 Cannon House Ofc. Bldg.
Washington, DC 20515
(202)225-4476

Robert K. Schrepf
Editorial Page Editor
The Hartford Courant
285 Broad Street
Hartford, CT 06115
Fax (860)520-6941

Andrew Roraback
State Senator
455 Milton Rd.
Goshen, CT 06756
Andrew.Roraback@cga.gov/Senators/htm
(860)489-6880

Patrick F. Bowe
Director, Remediation Division
Connecticut Dept. of Environmental Protection
79 Elm Street
Hartford, CT 06106
tel (860)424-3074

John Adamian
Managing Editor
Hartford Advocate
121 Wawarme Ave., 1st Fl.
Hartford, CT 06114
(860)548-9335 fax
jadamian@hartfordadvocate.com

Andy Bromage
Managing Editor
New Haven Advocate
900 Chapel St., Ste. 1000
New Haven, CT 06510
(203)787-1418 fax
abromage@newhavenadvocate.com

Mark Brackenbury
Managing Editor
(203)789-5708
New Haven Register
40 Sargent Dr.
New Haven, CT 06511
letters@nhregister.com

Steve Winters
Editorial Page Editor
(203)330-6203
Connecticut Post
410 State St.
Bridgeport, CT 06604
edit@ctpost.com

Jim Zebora
Managing Editor
(203)625-4470
Greenwich Time
20 East Elm St.
P. O. Box 9307
Greenwich, CT 06830
Latters.greenwichtime@scni.com

Mary Connolly
Editorial Page Editor
(203)731-3362
mconnolly@newstimes.com
The News-Times
333 Main St.
Danbury, CT 06810
(860)792-8730 Editorial fax

Mary Dempsey, Editor
(860)489-3121 ext. 333
editor@registercitizen.com
The Register Citizen
190 Water St., P. O. Box 58
Torrington, CT 06790


Please send any changes to:
Mr. Carl Goodwin
179 Main St.
Norwalk, OH 44857
(419)668-2563
attlastt@frontier.net


Announcements Detailing background info and current status:


Dear Friends of Fitch,

Attached Word documents consist of
1). The first formal press release for Friends of Fitch
2). The background information concerning the situation at John's home.

Please excuse us if you have received this from us or other sources. We are implementing a mailing list of interested parties. Please feel free to send this to others you think would be interested.

The same information will be found at:
http://www.cwnicholl...itch/fitch.html

Thank you for your kind support!
John Fitch

____________________________________________________________________________
Attachment:

FROM: Friends of Fitch
CONTACT: Carl Goodwin
179 W. Main St.
(419) 668 –2563
Norwalk, OH 44857
attlasst@frontier.net

Background Information (not intended for release with above announcement)

Please note it is not the Fitch family intention to be contentious or critical. That may appear to be the case but it represents the only possible conclusion after 50 years of exposure to contaminated soil, and the critical finding that the eight most vulnerable down-gradient neighbors wells have tested clean.

Beyond the initial consent to excavate the contaminated soil, the Fitches did not participate in the decisions that created the obligations now incumbent upon them. That includes the decision to cease excavating and refill the cavity left by 3000 tons now stockpiled on the Fitch property.

The town of Salisbury mailed a notice to John Fitch of an $80,000 reduction in the assessed value of the Fitch house, with “Oil Contamination” overwritten across the page. This is only the beginning. The Fitch house is now non-negotiable, i.e., worthless.

If the Fitches had been advised of optional methods of detoxification of soil by passive, bio-remedial or other in situ means, they would have insisted on a delay of such a decision to allow a thorough evaluation of alternative methods of remediation.

The Fitch well has been tested clean twice, and seven other neighbor’s wells most likely to be affected because of their location down-gradient from the release source in the path of excavated soil and the groundwater flow, have all been tested clean.

Before they were tested, Fitch had suggested that if the eight wells were clean, nothing further be undertaken until such time that a contaminated well is discovered. If and when it is, technologies available at that time can be reviewed, from bioremediation to auxiliary or remote wells, to resolve any problems that remain. That is where negotiations stand as of March 25, 2008.

We are now informed by the D.E.P. that the life of UST tanks prior to the expectation of leaks is only 15 years – a well-kept secret.

Certainly a petroleum taste or odor in drinking water would be unpalatable, but how does that extrapolate from unpleasant taste to a hazard to public health, which implies a harmful, noxious substance that presents a threat to health, or to life itself. Tainted drinking water is obviously unacceptable, but remedies do exist, such as auxiliary wells or a potable water supply from a remote well.

“The Fitches are advised it is up to them to work with a consultant to select the best alternatives, taking into consideration costs, permit requirements and potential risks to human health.” That is a quote from Director Bowe, Remediation Division of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. He is saying that either our consultant, whoever he may be, knows more about oil contamination remediation than the DEP does or, if the DEP knows more, it is not telling us.

The Connecticut agencies involved have delivered numerous requests and orders, which are difficult for a layman to differentiate among, that require the services of technicians including engineers, chemists, attorneys and an office staff more appropriate to a major corporation than to an average home owner who happens to have a UST (Underground Storage Tank) that may or may not become a Significant Environmental Hazard, as the Fitch home is now classified.

The CT DEP, its Remedial Division and an assembly of licensed engineers, consultants and approved laboratories, effectively overwhelms the typical homeowner, being without an office staff and the technical knowledge to cope with the legal authority of trained professionals.

Indications are that these matters will be resolved only at great expense and under the threat of penalties, liens and court action for noncompliance.

Cost breakdown of possible second excavation after pumping out the groundwater as described in the Release Draft of March 25,2008.

It is clear that the authority of the DEP is unlimited. Hence, the DEP could order a second excavation of the original site.

Berkshire Environmental, LLC, has suggested proceeding to pump out the groundwater in order to excavate the contaminated soil which was not accessible due to the incursion of groundwater.

If that is undertaken, the consequences will be (with costs based on previous tasks) :

Removal of the fill now replacing the originally excavated 3000 tons of contaminated soil $60,000
Pump out groundwater (estimated) $5,000
Excavate remaining contaminated soil (est. up to 3000 tons) $60,000
Disposal of 3000 tons of contaminated soil at bid of $70/ton $210,000
Refill second excavation of 3,000-ton cavity 15,000
Total $350,000

This would be the second major excavation of contaminated soil, a continuation at the original site.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Frank S
I expect there is some reason the Fitch Fuel Catalyst is not mentioned on Mr Fitch's Safety site, but here it is for your edification and convenience:
http://www.fitchfuel...about/index.cfm

Results from the installation I know about are encouraging: a 2MPG mileage improvement on a 20MPG Mustang GT, as well as notable power increase:
http://www.allfordmu...-mustang-7.html or
http://tinyurl.com/33v8b7

Presuming Mr Fitch gets some share of the income from this thing. It may be a genuine contributor to engine efficiency, and even if not, a collector's item.

Presumably so...

These devices wouldn't sell in great quantities, I wouldn't think. People tend to believe in them or not believe in them depending on their own whims. People who use them mostly can testify that they work, and absolutely so. People who say they don't work have almost universally had nothing to do with them.

It's not as if they're the only brand of this device on the market either. The origins of these go back to the 1920s, I'm told, and I understand there are seven makers selling them in Australia alone.

[David M. Kane]

Richard:

Good job on putting that list together. Carl is a good friend as we all can see from his actions. Looks like it's time to start contacting the powers to be.

[rdrcr]

Well, thanks Dave, but the credit, (contact list included), should go to Carl - I am just relaying info as I receive it...

I've written some of the above contacts and additionally, Bill O'Rielly - he might love a story like this one.

IMO, those ignorant bureaucrats in Connecticut require a public flogging.

[Jack-the-Lad]

Does anyone have any new information about John Fitch's predicament?

Jack.

[red stick]

Originally posted by Jack-the-Lad
Does anyone have any new information about John Fitch's predicament?

Jack.

Same question. Anyone know what progress has been made?

[Bjorn Kjer]

Sad, thats how I feel . Why are human beings such beasts ? My thoughts are with John and his wife and family. I hope they somehow get to know that ! And I wish for a positive progress. Decorated or not , well known or not , 90 years of age , and thats what you get ?

[David M. Kane]

Write the Govenor of Connecticut, he's the one who had "John Fitch Day"! What fine way to repay a man who you honored as a citizen of your State who came with auto safety measures that saved many of your citizens lives!

[Jack-the-Lad]

Today the rules must be followed without exception or modification! Local aparatchiks shall have the final say! Must be applied equally to all! (Unless you're a commissar). Individual circumstances shall be subordinated to the welfare of the masses! No exceptions can be made!

Next! Papers, please!

Jack

[simon drabble]

I presume all who have expressed strong support on this thread have contributed to his appeal....

[Jones Foyer]

Ah, John Fitch is the man who drove the 300SL at Bonneville in 2005.

Super cool guy. Terrible situation he's ended up in- I wish him the best of outcomes.

[Jack-the-Lad]

Originally posted by simon drabble
I presume all who have expressed strong support on this thread have contributed to his appeal....

I have. What about you?

Jack.

[Bjorn Kjer]

I give John Fitch my empathy , I believe thats more worth than a single Danish voice to some US authority , and certainly dont think that anonymous voices from nowhere will help !

[simon drabble]

Originally posted by Jack-the-Lad


I have. What about you?

Jack.

I haven't because to be honest I contribute a lot to charities that I have a stronger empathy to - however it amuses me when you get lots of people on threads like this giving it the big "he is a great bloke its a scandal etc..." and then they dont contribute. I respect the fact that you have....

[simon drabble]

Originally posted by Bjørn Kjer
I give John Fitch my empathy , I believe thats more worth than a single Danish voice to some US authority , and certainly dont think that anonymous voices from nowhere will help !

I think they were more interested in a financial donation.........