Long Island, NY, Fluoridation History

LONG ISLAND FLUORIDATION HISTORY

                 
Around 1954 Roslyn residents discussed but never fluoridated.

On May 9, 1958 Manhasset “Voters Turn Out in Record Numbers to Defeat By Four To One Proposal to Fluoridate Public water Supply,” according to Manhasset Mail. (Manhasset Lakeville Water District) 

“This was Long Island’s first referendum on fluoridation,"  according to the newspaper.

About 1962, Riverhead stopped several years of fluoridation because it corroded the pipes.

In 1975, the Nassau County-based New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation, Inc. (NYSCOF) was formed to successfully thwart a NY state-wide fluoridation mandate bill by creating a bill to ban fluoridation.  

NYSCOF incorporated in 1979 (a not-for-profit organization) 

Other state-wide attempts occurred prior to 1975.

Further, bipartisan state bills to curb or ban fluoridation, or for a moratorium, were introduced in subsequent years, co-sponsored by numerous state legislators, including a significant number of legislators from Long Island. 

In 1978/1979, the Nassau-Suffolk Health Systems Agency, when Health Systems Agencies had a lot of influence and were federally funded, tried to fluoridate Nassau and  Suffolk Counties.

NYSCOF spokespeople presented their data at a meeting of the Governing Board consisting of high level officials, including the Health Commissioners of both Nassau and  Suffolk Counties.  Sympathetic state legislators wrote to the Health Systems Agency on NYSCOF’s behalf. 

A Fluoridation Symposium was agreed to.  A format was developed, including allowing presenters to question each other along with the audience.  NYSCOF lined up professionals to testify on its behalf.  The public forum was called the “Fluoridation Educational Symposium."

After weeks of preparations, NYSCOF was notified, in 1980, that the professionals who were supposed to speak in favor of fluoridation could not participate in the Symposium after all. Therefore, the Symposium did not take place and all plans to implement fluoridation/fluoride programs were tabled. 

In 1983, Levittown stopped 29 years of water fluoridation by a 2 to 1 vote of water company customers (spearheaded by the Levittown Safe Water Association and NYSCOF and backed by many community groups). 

In 1991 both Nassau and Suffolk Counties were targeted for fluoridation, again.  After hearing from constituent groups and individuals, County Executive Tom Gulotta’s opposition to fluoridation stopped the Nassau Health Commissioner from proceeding.

However, in Suffolk County, residents, groups and legislators opposed the Suffolk County Health Commissioner’s plan to fluoridate Suffolk County. The Suffolk County Legislature voted down fluoridation after much constituent dissent and media attention. This legislature was  angry they hadn’t been consulted by the Health Commissioner in the first place.

In 1995, Carle Place stopped fluoridating their water supply on their own.

In 1996, residents (including citizens, local neighborhood and civic organizations, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, County Executive Tom Gulotta and others) successfully demanded 23 years of fluoridation be stopped in the Nassau County homes bordering NYC and receiving NYC’s fluoridated water from Jamaica Water Supply (Now the Water Authority of Western Nassau County). Up until then, 28,000 Nassau County Homes in Bellerose, Elmont, Floral Park, Stewart Manor, North New Hyde Park, North Valley Stream, and parts of Franklin Square, were receiving NYC’s fluoridated water without consent

NYSCOF representatives were presented with a Pen Certificate by Senator Owen H. Johnson, when legislation was passed to prevent health commissioners or other unelected officials from having the authority to fluoridate the water without the expressed permission of the local elected governing body. 

We have no first hand knowledge of this; but Newsday reported  that, in 1952, fluoride testing began in Nassau County with Carle Place fluoridating and Mineola acting as the control city. Dr. Kumar of the NYS Dep’t of Health didn’t have any information on this. 

By the way, these are the New York State Communities which have stopped or rejected fluoridation:  Suffolk, Nassau & Rockland counties, Albany, Elba, Naples, Levittown, Canton, Corning, Johnstown, Oneida, Carle Place, Beacon, Poughkeepsie, Riverhead, Central Bridge Water District, Homer, Ithaca, Rouses Point, Pulaski, Romulus, Amsterdam, Manhassett and, most recently, Walden. 

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