News from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

For more information contact: Lori O'Connell, 518-402-8000

DEC Announces Brownfields Grants for Westchester, Herkimer, Orleans and Monroe Counties

More than $1,124,000 Awarded for Environmental Cleanup Projects

ALBANY, NY (09/25/2007; 1507)(readMedia)-- More than $1,124,000 in Environmental Restoration Program (ERP) grants for the investigation and remediation of environmental contamination at sites in the Town of North Salem, the Village of Dolgeville, Village of Medina, and the City of Rochester were announced today by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis. These grants are being funded through the 1996 Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act.

“The grants announced today demonstrate New York State’s commitment to economic development and environmental restoration, and provide positive benefits to public health,” Commissioner Grannis said. “Through the ERP program, municipalities across the state are working with DEC to investigate and address contamination, with the goal of redeveloping and restoring their communities.”

These grant recipients are eligible for state assistance through the ERP since they are not responsible for having caused the contamination. The grants provide up to 90 percent of eligible costs for on-site and up to 100 percent of eligible costs for off-site remedial activities. Grant recipients will cover the balance of the costs.

The Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act authorizes $1.75 billion for important environmental programs. The Bond Act included $200 million for ERP grants to municipalities for costs associated with the investigation and cleanup of brownfields. To date, more than $160.8 million in Bond Act funding has been committed for 248 investigation and cleanup projects at brownfield sites throughout New York State. This funding includes 203 investigation projects totaling more than $77.4 million and 45 remediation projects totaling more than $83.4 million.

Other applications are under review by DEC and additional grants are anticipated in the near future. Brownfields are abandoned or underused properties where real or perceived environmental contamination hinders the potential for redevelopment.

The ERP grants announced today include:

$296,468 to the Town of North Salem: For the remediation of environmental contamination at the Dino & Artie’s Transmission Site in the Town of North Salem, Westchester County.

The Town of North Salem will remediate the property located on Route 22, consisting of approximately 0.8 acres. The property was formerly the location of Dino & Artie’s Transmission Shop and two residential buildings. The Town of North Salem obtained the property in 1993 for non-payment of taxes. Contamination of soil and groundwater at the site was primarily a result of several underground petroleum storage tanks (USTs), poor housekeeping at the garage, and disposal of waste oil into a septic tank and subsequently the ground. Much of the contamination at the site was addressed during the investigation phase of this ERP project through Interim Remedial Measures (IRMs). IRMs included the excavation of nine USTs and three dry wells and over 1,100 cubic yards of contaminated soil associated with those areas, as well as the asbestos abatement and demolition of the onsite buildings. The site is now vacant.

The remediation will include depositing a two-foot clean soil cover and continued monitoring of the remedy and groundwater quality on and around the site. Any buildings constructed at the site must have a sub-slab depressurization system incorporated into their design in order to prevent exposure to contaminated soil vapor. The current plan for redevelopment is as a multi-unit residential property.

$233,650 to the Village of Dolgeville: For the investigation of environmental contamination at the Former Silvernail/Vaza Property, in the Village of Dolgeville, Herkimer County.

The Village of Dolgeville will investigate the property located at 102 South Main Street, consisting of both a 0.25-acre parcel and a 0.38-acre parcel, once a gas station, service garage, bulk petroleum storage and dispensing facility. Numerous USTs are known to be on-site as well as piping and dispensing equipment. Groundwater and soil contamination are likely on site and are related to the past petroleum distribution operations. The Village plans on taking ownership of the property through tax foreclosure proceedings. The Village intends to return the site to commercial use.

The investigation will include the removal of tanks and impacted soils. Soil sampling, groundwater sampling, and an evaluation of surrounding properties will be conducted. Confirmation sampling will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the removal activities. Any remaining contamination will be evaluated in the alternative analysis report. If cleanup goals are achieved, the Village intends to return the site to commercial use.

$121,500 to the County of Orleans Industrial Development Agency (COIDA): For the investigation of environmental contamination at the undeveloped portion of the former Abex Facility in the Village of Medina, Orleans County.

COIDA will investigate the property located at 3959 Bates Road, consisting of 35.6 acres of undeveloped property. Adjacent properties include mainly industrial and vacant land. The site was used for handling foundry sand from the former Abex Facility from the 1960s to sometime in the 1980s. The foundry sand was used in making molds for casting metal parts and was handled in a number of lagoons or settling ponds on the property. A preliminary investigation conducted in 1992 indicated that elevated lead concentrations are present in the soils within the former lagoon areas.

The investigation will include the collection and analysis of samples of surface soils, subsurface soils, groundwater, and sediment from the site. The investigation will also consider the potential off-site impacts. In addition, an IRM will be proposed to address the removal of significantly contaminated soil on the site. The COIDA anticipates some type of industrial use.

$472,714 to the City of Rochester: For the investigation of environmental contamination at the Andrews Street Site in the City of Rochester, Monroe County.

The City of Rochester will investigate the properties located at 300, 304-308, and 320 Andrews Street and 25 Evans Street, City of Rochester. The properties consist of four parcels with a combined area of approximately 1.49 acres. The site is located inside the Inner Loop near the intersection of Andrews Street and Bristol Street. There are four one and two-story buildings located on the site. The buildings were constructed in 1925, 1920, 1965, and 1950. The site had been used for various commercial and industrial uses since the early 1920s such as plumbing supply, electrical supply, bakery, printer, commercial bus depot, bus garage, gas station, chemical sales/distribution, dry cleaning equipment distributor, fuel oil contractor and warehousing. The City of Rochester acquired 300 Andrews Street in 1997 and 304-308 and 320 Andrews Street as well as 25 Evans Street in 1990. Since 1990, Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments were completed at the various parcels of the site. The Phase II Environmental Site Assessment indicated soil and groundwater contamination from several volatile organic compounds, most notably tetrachloroethene (PCE).

The investigation will include the excavation of test pits, the advancement of soil borings, installation of groundwater monitoring wells, subsurface and groundwater sampling. It is anticipated that an IRM will be completed for the removal of PCE/VOC contaminated soils in the vicinity of the garage located at 304-308 Andrews Street. The data collected during the investigation and IRM will be used to complete an evaluation of clean-up technologies, and to select the most effective and efficient technology to achieve remediation objectives. The site is currently zoned Center City Design, and it is anticipated that the site will be redeveloped for mixed residential/commercial use.