Superfund Sites in Reuse in New York
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Applied Environmental Services
The 3.2-acre Applied Environmental Services Superfund site is located in Glenwood Landing, New York. Applied Environmental Services (AES) ran a chemical waste material blending facility and a hazardous waste storage facility on site. AES also recovered fuels from hazardous wastes at the site. Spills, leaks and other activities contaminated site soil and groundwater. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in June 1986. EPA removed drums and tanks, installed fencing and collected liquid waste. The site’s potentially responsible parties began soil and groundwater treatment efforts in June 1995; groundwater and soil treatment systems continue to operate today. The site is now in ecological reuse. It is home to a restored salt marsh, coastal shoreline and new habitat that support diverse salt marsh and coastal plant and animal species, including marsh vegetation, invertebrates, fish and birds.
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BEC Trucking
The 3.5-acre BEC Trucking Superfund site is located in Vestal, New York. Prior to the mid-1960s, the site consisted of unimproved marshland. The company that later became BEC Trucking filled the marshland. BEC Trucking used the property for truck body fabrication, painting and vehicle maintenance operations. In 1982, alerted by municipal officials, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation found about 50 improperly stored drums on the site and evidence of spills. The drums contained waste motor oil, metal cutting oil, paint thinners, solvents, methanol, toluene and petroleum distillates. In 1983, the property owner removed and properly disposed of the 50 drums and removed stained soils. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. In 1989, based on the success of the 1983 cleanup in reducing contaminant levels in groundwater, sediments and soils, EPA determined that cleanup required no further action. Monitoring of groundwater, surface water and sediments continued. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in October 1992 after testing found that significant contaminant migration was not occurring at the site. Currently, the property supports the storage of construction materials.
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Bethlehem Steel Corp./Lackawanna Plant
In Lackawanna, New York, fourteen 2.5-megawatt utility-scale turbines generate enough electricity to serve the needs of about 9,000 homes. A steel production plant operated at the Bethlehem Steel Corp/Lackawanna Plant Superfund site from the early 1900s until the mid-1980s. Contamination from the steel plant’s activities made the facility subject to an EPA investigation in the 1990s. Twenty years later, two energy companies, BQ Energy and UPC Wind, expressed interest in the site as a potential location for a wind farm. In 2006, EPA declared portions of the site cleaned up and safe for reuse. The companies worked closely with the Lackawanna City Council to obtain local approvals. They also conducted studies to ensure that the site could support wind facilities. By early 2007, construction began on eight windmills on a 30-acre portion of site. Known as Steel Winds, the project won the Phoenix Award as the largest urban wind farm in the United States and the first located on a former Superfund and industrial Brownfields site. Building on the successful development of Steel Winds, the City of Lackawanna moved a rail line to the site and extended new roads in the surrounding former industrial area. This encouraged redevelopment of the surrounding 400 acres along Lake Erie. In 2012, Steel Winds expanded the project to include six new turbines, which produce up to 15 megawatts in addition to the 20 megawatts produced by the original eight turbines. In September 2014, Lackawanna City Council approved the development of a 24-acre solar array at the site. Called Steel Sun, the array will include 13,000 solar panels that will generate enough electricity for 1,600 single-family homes.
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Brewster Well Field
The 30-acre Brewster Well Field Superfund site is located near the East Branch Croton River in Putnam County, New York. From 1958 to 1983, Alben Dry Cleaners operated a commercial facility on site and discarded dry-cleaning wastes in a nearby dry well. In 1978, testing revealed contamination in the Village of Brewster Well Field's water distribution system resulting from the improper waste disposal. Further testing revealed a large plume of groundwater contamination. In 1984, the Village and EPA's Office of Research and Development installed a treatment system to remove the contamination in area drinking water. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup crews removed and disposed of contaminated site sediments, sludge and soil in 1991. In 1996, EPA constructed a groundwater management system. The State assumed responsibility for its operations in 2007. After a car dealership began operating on the site, sampling showed contaminated vapors could affect indoor air quality. This led to the installation of a subslab mitigation system. Sampling from 2011 indicated soil had reached cleanup goals. Restrictions on site property use and for site groundwater remain. The car dealership continues operating their commercial business on site.
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Brookhaven National Laboratory (USDOE)
The 5,265-acre Brookhaven National Laboratory Superfund site is located in the town of Upton on Long Island, New York. Originally a U.S. Army camp, the site became a facility for the Atomic Energy Commission in 1947. Currently, the U.S. Department of Energy (USDOE) owns the site. Brookhaven Science Associates operates on site, developing nuclear, biomedical and environmental research projects. Former waste handling practices, as well as accidental spills and releases, resulted in site-wide contamination of ground water, soil and sediments. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in November 1989. Currently, USDOE leads site cleanup activities under EPA oversight. Since discovery of site-wide contamination, USDOE has removed and properly disposed of contaminated soil, removed contaminated storage tanks, and covered on-site landfills containing hazardous materials. Additionally, USDOE provided affected residents with new drinking water sources. USDOE also installed a ground water pump and treat system. As a precaution, USDOE ended operation of a High Flux Beam Reactor that created hazardous materials at the site. In 2011, Long Island Solar Farm, LLC completed a wholesale solar energy project at the site. A 200-acre solar array at the site generates 32 megawatts of electricity.
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Carroll & Dubies Sewage Disposal
The Carroll & Dubies Sewage Disposal Superfund site is located in the Town of Deerpark, New York. The 3-acre site includes parcels of land owned by the cities of Port Jervis, Carroll and Dubies. Site operators disposed of septic and municipal sewage waste in lagoons on the site until 1989. Site investigations in the early 1990s found that disposal activities had contaminated the lagoons, the surrounding soil and site groundwater. In response, EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990. Cleanup activities included removal, treatment and disposal of lagoon sludge and soil, natural attenuation of contaminants in the groundwater, institutional controls to restrict the use and installation of groundwater wells, groundwater monitoring, and surface water sampling. The potentially responsible parties completed the cleanup in 2000. The successful cleanup of the site enabled its beneficial reuse. In 2004, the City of Port Jervis began operating a small sand and gravel operation and Orange County owns a solid waste transfer station on a portion of the site. The Port Jervis Police Department also owns and operates a firing range on part of the site. Activities at the range do not conflict with the land use controls in place on the site.
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Computer Circuits
The 1.7-acre Computer Circuits Superfund site is located in an industrial area of Hauppauge, New York. In 1969, Computer Circuits began leasing the property from MCS Realty and conducted a circuit board manufacturing operation for commercial and military clients until 1977. Operators emptied waste liquids into several industrial cesspools around the outside of the facility building. Computer Circuits vacated the building in 1977. Groundwater monitoring revealed high levels of heavy metals and volatile organic compounds in groundwater at the site. The contamination posed a threat to human health, since all nearby residents obtained drinking water from the municipal wells. In response, EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1999. The current owner, 145 Marcus Blvd., Inc., is performing the cleanup with help from EPA. The company installed a soil vapor extraction (SVE) system on the north side of the building in 2005 and another on the south side of the building in 2008. The SVE systems remove site-related volatile organic compounds from two different source areas and address the migration of these compounds. The current owners continue indoor air monitoring to ensure a safe environment inside the building. Castle Financial Advisors, LLC now leases the building as an office space.
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Facet Enterprises, Inc.
The 31-acre Facet Enterprises, Inc. Superfund site is located in the Village of Elmira Heights, Chemung County, New York. Previous site operations included manufacturing bicycle and car engine parts. The facility also produced small arms during World War II. From the 1940s through 1978, site activities included the on-site disposal of heavy metal sludge, spent solvents and oils. These activities resulted in the contamination of site soil, sediment and groundwater with volatile organic compounds, inorganics and petroleum. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. EPA’s cleanup plan for the site included placing all contaminated soil and sediment under a cap, treating groundwater and instituting land use restrictions. Today, about half of the site property is developed. Motor Components, LLC currently manufactures engine starter drives and electric fuel pumps on the site.
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Forest Glen Mobile Home Subdivision
Forest Glen Mobile Home SubdivisionDuring the 1970s, illegal dumping of chemical wastes occurred at the 39-acre Forest Glen Mobile Home Subdivision Superfund site in Niagara Falls, New York. Developers inadequately covered an 11-acre area of the site formerly used for dumping. From the mid-1970s to 1980s, a mobile home park occupied this area. In 1987, an EPA site assessment found soil and groundwater contamination at the site. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. In 1990, permanent relocation of the 53 families who resided in the subdivision began. Cleanup activities included placing a fence around the site to prevent access, removing contaminated soil, consolidating contaminated soil in the former subdivision area and capping the area. The site’s extraction system removes contaminated groundwater from the site for treatment at the Niagara Falls Waste Water Treatment Plant. Groundwater monitoring and treatment continues. The land use at the site changed in 1999 from residential to commercial and industrial. In 2003, redevelopment of the site took place with the construction of a one-story 40,000 square foot commercial building over the cap. Today, the building operates as a distribution facility.
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Goldisc Recordings, Inc.
The 34-acre Goldisc Recordings, Inc. Superfund site is located in an industrial section of Long Island, New York. The site includes two one-story buildings on six acres with three acres of pavement. Between 1968 and 1983, two major companies operated at the site. Viewlex Audio Visual, Inc. manufactured audio visual and optical devices in one building. Goldisc Recordings, Inc. manufactured phonograph records in the second building. Wastes generated at the site included large amounts of nickel-plating wastes stored in aboveground storage tanks, hydraulic oil and smaller amounts of solvents. Site leaks and spills contaminated site soil and groundwater with heavy metals. In 1986, EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). Cleanup activities included the removal and off-site disposal of contaminated soils and dry well sediment located on-site. EPA routinely tested groundwater as part of a monitored natural attenuation program to address contaminated groundwater. EPA completed cleanup activities in 1998. The successful cleanup of the site allowed for the redevelopment of the site, which already included many commercial businesses. Consumers Kitchens and Baths operates out of the former Goldisc Recordings, Inc. building. Other site businesses include a ceramic tile company, a carton facility, a distribution center and assorted dry-goods operations. The most significant redevelopment activity that occurred at the site was construction of a Federal Express distribution center. The distribution center currently operates on part of the previously undeveloped site property. EPA continues to monitor the site groundwater.
For more information:
- Reuse and the Benefit to Community: Goldisc Recordings, Inc. Case Study (2015) (PDF)(10 pp, 1.9 MB, About PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Gowanus Canal
The Gowanus Canal, an approximately 100-foot wide, 1.8-mile long canal, is located in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. The Canal borders several residential neighborhoods. Waterfront property next to the Canal primarily consists of commercial and industrial uses, including concrete manufacturing plants, warehouses and parking lots. Since the 1860s, the Gowanus Canal provided industrial boat access into Brooklyn. The Canal quickly turned into one of the nation’s busiest industrial waterways. Industries operating on the Canal included manufactured gas plants, coal yards, cement makers, soap makers, tanneries, paint and ink factories, machine shops, chemical plants and oil refineries. Operators along the shoreline disposed of untreated industrial wastes in the Canal. Raw sewage and surface water runoff has deposited additional wastes in the Canal for decades. Although much of the industrial activity along the Canal has stopped, high contaminant levels remain in Canal sediments. The New York-New Jersey Estuary, which EPA has designated an Estuary of National Significance, includes the Canal. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in March 2010. EPA selected a remedy for the Canal in 2013. The remedy, which is currently under design, includes removing contaminated sediment, capping dredged areas and controls to prevent raw sewage overflows and other land-based sources of contamination from compromising the cleanup. A post-industrial water-front tour at the Gowanus Canal site teaches participants about the history of the Canal and surrounding area, including everything from historic landmarks to houseboats. Since 2011, the Gowanus Canal Conservancy has worked with volunteers to create floating gardens in the waterway to advocate for greener spaces. Made with recycled materials and volunteer labor and expertise, the gardens host 30 different types of plants, like seaside goldenrod, smooth cordgrass and sumac. Local residents also use the Canal for recreational purposes, such as canoeing and kayaking.
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Haviland Complex
The 275-acre Haviland Complex Superfund site is located in the Village of Hyde Park, New York. The site includes an apartment complex, schools, a shopping center and a number of private homes. In 1982, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) discovered that septic system wastes from the area had contaminated groundwater with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Local investigations identified the Haviland Laundromat and Dry Cleaner and the Haviland Car Wash as the contamination source. In 1983, NYSDOH ordered the laundromat to disconnect its dry cleaning unit from the septic system and properly dispose of all wastes. The State notified all residents in the area of the situation and advised the use of bottled water. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. Cleanup activities included the use of whole-house water treatment systems and monitoring of the affected homes. Additional cleanup activities included the monitoring of natural processes to clean up contaminated groundwater. In the summer of 2000, the County extended the public water system to the site area, connecting all affected residents. In April 2008, EPA transferred the site to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). After 10 years of site monitoring, testing showed that contaminant levels had decreased to quantities close to cleanup goals. Actions taken by EPA and state and local agencies allowed the continued operation of the schools and businesses located on the site. In addition, cleanup activities allowed residents to continue living safely in their homes.
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Hiteman Leather
The Hiteman Leather Superfund site, located in the Village of West Winfield (the Village), New York, operated as a tannery for over a century. The Hiteman Leather Company abandoned the property in 1968 after it failed to meet environmental standards. State and federal investigations between 1988 and 1996 found high levels of metals in a lagoon area, site soils and river sediments. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1999. Cleanup activities included removal of the former tannery building’s foundation and excavation and on-site consolidation of contaminated soils and sediments. A soil cap now contains and covers the consolidated materials. Workers also revegetated the lagoon area, riverbank and wetlands. After the Village voiced its interest in reuse, EPA awarded West Winfield a Superfund Redevelopment Pilot grant in 2001. The grant supported development of a Reuse Assessment Plan for the site. EPA incorporated considerations from the Reuse Assessment Plan into their cleanup actions. The Village hopes to redevelop the site in phases. The Village constructed a much-needed sewer treatment system on part of the site to serve the downtown area. In addition to the on-site biking and hiking trails, local residents hope to develop a dog park on a portion of the Site overlying the soil consolidation area. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 2012. Site stakeholders expect the deletion to encourage additional redevelopment activities.
- Redevelopment of the Hiteman Leather Company Superfund Site (PDF)(1 pg, 76 K, About PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Hopewell Precision
The Hopewell Precision Superfund site is located in the East Fishkill, New York. Since the early 1970s, Hopewell Precision, Inc. manufactured sheet metal parts and assemblies on site. Operations included painting, degreasing and improperly disposing of related wastes directly on the ground. In 2003, EPA investigations determined that these activities resulted in the contamination of groundwater with volatile organic compounds. Initial cleanup activities included the installation of in-home water treatment units and ventilation systems for affected residents. The ventilation systems addressed vapor intrusion caused by the contaminated groundwater. In 2005, EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). Cleanup plans include using the monitoring of natural processes to cleanup groundwater contamination. The cleanup plan also calls for an alternate water supply for affected homes. These cleanup activities are still in the planning phase. EPA’s initial cleanup activities allowed for the continued use of the property throughout the cleanup process. Today, Hopewell Precision, Inc. continues to operate a custom sheet metal and machining company on site.
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Jones Chemicals, Inc.
The 45-acre Jones Chemicals, Inc. Superfund site is located in Caledonia, New York. Since 1939, the site has supported industrial purposes. Operations primarily included manufacturing and handling of water-treatment chemicals. Between 1960 and 1977, operations expanded to include repackaging of chlorinated solvents and petroleum chemicals from bulk. During routine handling and repackaging operations, chemicals spilled on site. In 1986, the New York State Department of Health found volatile organic compounds and chlorinated solvents at the site. Investigations concluded that chemical handling and repackaging activities contaminated soil and groundwater at the site. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1990. Cleanup performed by Jones Chemicals, Inc. included removal of storage tanks, soil vapor extraction and treatment and in-situ chemical oxidation. Cleanup also included groundwater extraction and treatment, followed by long-term monitoring. Evaluation of soil vapor intrusion is ongoing at the site. EPA’s cleanup plan allowed for continued use of the site throughout the cleanup process. Today, the Caledonia branch of Jones Chemicals, Inc. continues to manufacture and repackage various water treatment chemicals on site, which it supplies to customers throughout New York and Pennsylvania.
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Jones Sanitation
Located in a rural part of Dutchess County, New York, the 57-acre Jones Sanitation Superfund site includes wetland and wooded areas. The property owner disposed of septic and industrial wastes on site from 1956 to 1979. Over time, disposal activities contaminated groundwater and soil with heavy metals, oils, grease and volatile organic compounds. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987. In 1990, EPA took over the management of the site response and investigations from the state. Cleanup activities included the excavation, on-site consolidation and capping of contaminated soils, and monitoring of site groundwater. Restrictions on the site prevent development on the cap and the use of groundwater without prior EPA approval. EPA completed the site cleanup in 2001 and deleted the site from the NPL in 2005. The successful cleanup of the site allowed for the beneficial reuse of the property. Today, a cleared portion of the site serves as a parking and truck storage area. The cleanup also enabled ecological protection of wetlands and wooded areas of the site.
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Kenmark Textile Corp.
The 5-acre Kenmark Textile Corp. Superfund site is located in East Farmingdale, New York. Several textile dying, printing and screening businesses operated at the site beginning in the early 1900s. Site operators, including the Kenmark Textile Corporation and later the Susquehanna Textile Corporation, treated wastewater with chemicals. Operators then discharged the chemically-treated wastewater to outdoor lagoons. In 1986, EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). Cleanup included removing more than 50 drums of hazardous waste and other contaminated materials from the site. This ensured the safety of the public and the surrounding environment. In 1994, EPA determined that no further action was necessary at the site. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 1995. A variety of light industrial businesses, including a home furnishings company, a full-service beverage company, a local trucking and storage company, a glassware company, a roofing contractor services company, and a window and door installation company, now operate at the site.
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Liberty Industrial Finishing
The 30-acre Liberty Industrial Finishing Superfund site is located in Oyster Bay, New York. Beginning in the early 1930s, an aircraft parts manufacturer and a metal-finishing facility operated on the site. From 1940 to 1944, facilities at the site converted to manufacture products for World War II. After the war, aircraft parts manufacturing continued through 1957. At that time, the facility began to operate as an industrial park; metal plating and finishing, and fiberglass products manufacturing took place on site. From the 1980s until 2009, the site hosted light manufacturing facilities and warehouses. Industrial activities on site contaminated soil, sediment and groundwater. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. Cleanup included removal of underground storage tanks and contaminated soil and sediment and construction of groundwater treatment systems. Parties completed the remedy construction in September 2012. Groundwater treatment systems continue to operate. In July 2001, the Town of Oyster Bay (the Town) sought to use the western portion of the site to expand the neighboring 16-acre Ellsworth Allen community park. In October 2002, EPA entered into an agreement with the Town. It ensured the protectiveness of the site’s remedy and allowed the site’s reuse to move forward. In return for EPA waiving any potential Superfund liability for the local government and releasing Superfund liens on the site property, the Town made a substantial payment to EPA. The resources were to help fund cleanup activities and reimburse the Agency for its costs at the site. In September 2003, the Town acquired the site’s western parcel using its eminent domain authority. In July 2010, the Town took ownership of the 7.5-acre central parcel for the park expansion. Following EPA’s site cleanup and additional soil cleanup by the Town in 2010 and 2011 to meet state standards for residential reuse, the Town held community planning meetings for the Ellsworth Allen Park expansion. Preliminary plans for the park include a community center, ball fields, a multi-purpose sports field and green space. Site stakeholders also redeveloped the eastern portion of the site in 2010, locating a supermarket, bank and parking lot on site.
For more information:
- Reuse and the Benefity to Community: Liberty Industrial Finishing Case Study (2014) (PDF) (8 pp, 833 K, About PDF)
- Redevelopment of the Liberty Industrial Finishing Superfund Site (PDF)(1 pg, 208 K)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Love Canal
Love CanalThe Love Canal Superfund site, located less than one mile from the Niagara River in Niagara Falls, New York, consists of a 70-acre site that includes a former 16-acre industrial landfill. In the 1890s, William Love dug the canal for a hydroelectric project. Since William Love never implemented the project, Hooker Chemicals and Plastics (now Occidental Chemical Corporation) bought the canal in 1942. For more than 10 years, Hooker Chemicals and Plastics disposed of hazardous waste at the site. By 1953, Hooker Chemicals and Plastics covered the landfill. The Niagara Falls Board of Education purchased the site from Hooker Chemicals. Beginning in the 1970s, local residents noticed foul odors and chemical residues and experienced increased rates of cancer and other health problems. In 1978 and 1980, President Carter declared two States of Emergency for the site, and evacuated more than 900 families from their homes. The severity of the site’s contamination led to federal legislation dealing with hazardous waste, including the passage of the Superfund law in 1980. EPA listed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1980 and began to work with New York State to clean up the site. EPA and New York State completed remedy construction in 1999. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 2004. Today, Love Canal includes more than 260 restored homes and 10 apartment complexes as part of a senior citizen complex. Some commercial and industrial redevelopment is slowly making its way into areas near the site. Glenn Springs Holdings, Inc. (a subsidiary of Occidental Pertroleum Corporation) currently manages the continued operation and maintenance of the on-site leachate collection and treatment facility and the landfill cap, as well as annual groundwater monitoring.
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Marathon Battery Corp.
The 70-acre Marathon Battery Corp. Superfund site is located in Cold Spring, New York. The Marathon Battery facility produced batteries for military and industrial use and released untreated industrial waste into the Hudson River and nearby marshes. The plant’s owners performed a limited cleanup of the contamination in the 1970s. However, studies revealed that high levels of metals remained in river sediments and surrounding wetlands. In 1983, EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). While the majority of contamination was in the marshes, heavy metal dusts were also inside and outside the plant, and in the yards of nearby homes. The potentially responsible parties (PRPs) demolished the battery plant and removed contaminated soils from the site and surrounding neighborhood yards. PRPs also removed contaminated sediments from the marshes and the Hudson River. Following cleanup, EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 1996. The following year, the Scenic Hudson Land Trust purchased an 85-acre parcel of land along the Hudson, which included a portion of this former Superfund site. EPA and the Trust entered into a Prospective Purchaser Agreement that enabled the Trust to redevelop the site without liability for any previous site contamination. The Trust added hiking trails for public use and renovated the site to highlight points of interest reflecting its Civil War industrial history. Now safe for public use and natural habitat, the site’s transformation benefits local residents and wildlife alike.
For more information:
- Redevelopment of the Marathon Battery Corp. Superfund Site (PDF) (1 pg, 151 K, About PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Mercury Refining, Inc.
Mercury Refining, Inc.The half-acre Mercury Refining, Inc. Superfund site is located in Guilderland and Colonie, New York. From 1956 to 1998, site operations included mercury extraction from batteries and other materials. Until 1980, operators disposed of waste batteries and other materials behind an on-site furnace building. This resulted in contamination of soil, sediment and groundwater. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Initial cleanup activities, performed by Mercury Refining, Inc., included removing and disposing of contaminated soil. In 2008, EPA selected a final cleanup plan to address remaining site contamination. Cleanup included excavation and off-site disposal of contaminated sediment and surface soil. The plan also included on-site treatment of groundwater and deep contaminated soils using solidification and stabilization methods. The responsible party completed cleanup activities in December 2014. EPA worked with the site owner to allow continued use of the property during and after cleanup activities. Today, Mercury Refining, Inc. uses an on-site building as an office and to process materials containing precious metals.
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Mohonk Road Industrial Plant
The 15-acre Mohonk Road Industrial Plant (MRIP) Superfund site is located in High Falls, New York. Since the 1960s, site operators conducted industrial activities on site including metal finishing, wet spray painting and store fixture manufacturing. In 1994, testing revealed contaminants affected water in at least 70 homes near the site. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1999. Cleanup activities included the removal and off-site disposal of contaminated soil and waste. Groundwater cleanup actions included the construction and operation of a groundwater removal and treatment plant. In 2007, EPA completed construction of a new public water supply system to provide potable water to the residences or businesses impacted by site groundwater contamination. In 2008, EPA addressed additional groundwater contamination found in the plume located furthest from the site. In 2011, EPA transferred the treatment portion of the site operations to New York State. EPA continues to monitor site the far-field groundwater plume. Kithkin Corp. purchased part of the site property in 1993 and now leases the building to several commercial businesses, including a small woodworking company and an arts initiative project. EPA’s cleanup plan allowed the on-site businesses to continue operating throughout cleanup activities.
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Newtown Creek
Newtown Creek is a 3.8-mile-long tidal water body in New York City (the City). The creek is a tributary of the East River and has five principal tributaries. In the mid-1800s, the area adjacent to the creek was a busy industrial hub. The area included oil refineries, petrochemical plants, fertilizer and glue factories, sawmills, and lumber and coal yards. The transportation, handling and dumping of oils, chemicals and metals contributed to the creek’s contamination. In addition to the industrial pollution, the City began dumping raw sewage into the creek in 1856. Agencies including the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and EPA have collected contaminated surface water and sediment samples at the site since 1980. Local facilities have also conducted investigations and cleanup under state and federal programs to stop hazardous discharges into the creek. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in September 2010. EPA identified at least six parties as potentially responsible for contamination in the creek and expects to identify more as studies progress. Remedial investigations and fieldwork are ongoing at the site. Many factories and facilities still operate along the creek and the local community occasionally uses it for recreational purposes such as fishing and kayaking. In early 2015, the Newtown Creek Alliance built and launched a “living dock” , a floating wooden raft with marsh grass growing through the center. By late 2015, the dock supported a miniature reef. Mussels, shrimp and other shellfish inhabit the bottom of the dock while wading birds like herons benefit from the top.
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Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. (Saratoga Springs Plant)
EPA worked closely with the community of Saratoga Springs, New York, and the site owner at the Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. (Saratoga Springs Plant) Superfund site to protect human health and the environment. Alongside cleanup activities, EPA, the site owners and the community incorporated preservation of historic community resources and recreational reuse into site cleanup plans. As a result of coal tar contamination, EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List in February 1990. As part of the cleanup of this former coal gas manufacturing facility, plans included demolition of the site’s historic brick roundhouse. The site owner preserved and relocated the building, which is over a century old. The 70-foot-diameter structure is one of only a handful left in the United States. EPA also adjusted cleanup plans for areas next to Spring Run Creek to assist local efforts to construct a recreational trail. Today, pedestrians and bicyclists enjoy the 1.2-mile Spring Run Trail. The path follows an old railroad bed along the fault line of historic natural springs. It connects Saratoga Springs’ downtown with nearby recreation areas and shopping centers.
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North Sea Municipal Landfill
The 131-acre North Sea Landfill Superfund site is an inactive municipal landfill owned and operated by the Town of Southampton, New York. The landfill accepted trash, construction debris and septic system waste from 1963 to 1995. The site consists of four areas: Cell No. 1, Cell No. 2, Cell No. 3 and former septic sludge or scavenger lagoons. Site monitoring found that disposal activities resulted in the contamination of groundwater, surface water and soil with heavy metals. Monitoring also found evidence of leachate from the landfill. In 1986, EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). Cleanup activities included closure of Cell No. 1 by constructing a landfill cap and perimeter gas venting system. EPA determined that groundwater required no action because contaminant levels were within EPA's acceptable risk range. All cells are now permanently closed and Cells No. 2 and No. 3 are no longer part of the site. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regulates those cells under its municipal waste landfill closure program. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 2005. The successful cleanup of the site allowed for beneficial reuse of the property, providing valuable public resources and services to the local community. The Town of Southampton built a recreation center, which also houses recreation-related businesses, within the landfill property. Another portion of the site is a community recycling center.
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Old Bethpage Landfill
The Town of Oyster Bay (the Town), New York, disposed of municipal and industrial waste at the 68-acre Old Bethpage Landfill Superfund site from 1957 to 1986. In 1979, local and federal officials identified contaminated waste at the landfill that posed a risk to the local drinking water supply. In 1983, EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). In 1988, the town began to clean up the site, with oversight provided by the State of New York. The Town installed a system to capture, store and treat liquids leaking from the landfill. In addition, the Town built a cap over the site and revegetated the area. When the landfill began to produce a great volume of methane, the Town installed a methane gas collection system, operating a methane co-generation facility at the site and selling the electricity generated by burning the methane. The methane co-generation facility closed in 2002 when methane production began to decline. Today, the Town of Oyster Bay operates a municipal transfer station and recycling center on site at the Solid Waste Disposal Complex.
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Old Roosevelt Field Contaminated GW Area
The Old Roosevelt Field Contaminated Ground Water Area Superfund site is located in the Village of Garden City, New York. Between 1911 and 1951, the site supported private and military aviation activities. Now the aviation field is home to a shopping mall. Prior to 1951, site operations included the use of chlorinated solvents for aircraft manufacturing, maintenance and repair operations during and after World War II. Site activities resulted in the contamination of public supply wells and groundwater. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 2000. Cleanup activities included a groundwater treatment system. The site received $10 million of American Resource and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding in 2009. EPA used the funds to continue groundwater cleanup activities. Construction of the treatment system began in March 2011 and ended in December 2011. The successful cleanup of the site allowed for the beneficial reuse of the property. Once a contaminated airfield, the site now serves as home to the Roosevelt Field Shopping Mall and Garden City Plaza.
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Onondaga Lake
The Onondaga Lake Superfund site is located in the Towns of Geddes and Salina, Villages of Solvay and Liverpool, and the City of Syracuse, New York. The entire site includes Onondaga Lake (the Lake), several lake tributaries, and upland areas around the Lake. Industrial operators and municipal wastewater treatment plants regularly released wastes into the Lake for over a century. The local government banned public fishing at the Lake due to contamination in 1970. Although the local government reopened the Lake for recreational fishing in 1986, a fish consumption advisory is still enforced. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1994. Cleanup activities conducted to date have included demolishing buildings and removing or treating contaminated soil and sediment. Cleanup also included hydraulic control and treatment of contaminated groundwater and restoring site vegetation and wetlands. Cleanups conducted at upland areas has enabled reuse of properties for commercial redevelopment and expansion of municipal wastewater treatment facilities. In 2014, Honeywell completed dredging of contaminated sediments in the Lake in accordance with a cleanup plan issued by the State of New York and EPA. Cleanup activities continue, but the community has already seen a change in the Lake area. More than 60 species of fish now live in the Lake, whereas only 9 to 12 species were recorded in the Lake in the 1970s. In early 2015, the State of New York and Onondaga County commenced construction of a new outdoor amphitheater as a part of a larger lakefront revitalization effort utilizing a combination of federal, state, local, and private funds approved by local and state governments in 2014. Future plans include improving streetscapes and connecting recreational trails around the Lake. Currently, a bicycling and walking trail runs through a portion of the site.
For more information:
- Redevelopment of the Onondaga Lake Superfund Site (PDF)(1 pg, 1.1 MB, About PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Pasley Solvents & Chemicals, Inc.
The Pasley Solvents & Chemicals, Inc. Superfund site is located in Hempstead, New York. The 75-foot by 275-foot site is a former tank farm previously used for the storage of oils, solvents and chemicals. Site operations included chemical delivery, transfer and storage. Poor waste handling and storage practices resulted in the contamination of on- and off-site soil and groundwater with volatile and semi-volatile compounds. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986 and selected a cleanup plan for the site in 1992. Cleanup activities included the treatment of contaminated soil and treatment of the groundwater plume. Monitoring results confirmed the success of the soil and groundwater cleanup. In 2011, EPA deleted the site from the NPL. The successful cleanup enabled the redevelopment of the site. Plato Holding LLC bought the property in August 2003 and worked with the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) to use the site as a police station. The MTA paved a portion of the site and installed an office trailer.
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Preferred Plating Corp.
Preferred Plating Co., Inc.The 0.75-acre Preferred Plating Corporation Superfund site is located in Farmingdale, New York. Metal plating operations involved the use of various chemicals on site from 1951 until 1976, when the business filed for bankruptcy. Site activities resulted in the generation, storage and disposal of hazardous waste and wastewater. The company improperly disposed of the untreated wastewater into pits on site. This led to contamination of soil and groundwater. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. In 1994, EPA excavated and removed contaminated soil for off-site treatment and disposal. Between 1994 and 1996, groundwater sampling showed a significant decrease in contamination levels as a result of site cleanup. Ongoing groundwater monitoring ensures that the remedy remains protective. The successful cleanup of the site allowed for the beneficial reuse of the property. Today, the site is home to multiple businesses, including an automobile repair shop.
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Ramapo Landfill
The 86-acre Ramapo Landfill Superfund site is located in the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York. Before 1972, the site was a source of gravel. The Town of Ramapo then used the excavated area as a landfill for municipal and construction debris until the late 1980s. The landfill accepted sludge wastes from a cosmetics company, a pharmaceutical company and a car manufacturer. Other substances reportedly disposed of in the landfill include sewage sludge, municipal refuse, asbestos, construction and demolition debris, yard debris, paint sludge (presumably from an automotive plant) and liquid wastes from a paper company. Landfill activities resulted in the contamination of groundwater with metals and volatile organic compounds. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983. The Town of Ramapo led the cleanup, installing groundwater extraction wells to enhance the existing leachate collection system. A local treatment facility cleans groundwater from the landfill. The Town also capped more than 54 acres of the landfill and installed a drainage system for runoff water. Remedy construction ended in 1997. Today, local agencies use parts of the site. The Town of Ramapo’s Police Department has a gun range on site. Rockland County’s Solid Waste Management Authority also runs a composting facility.
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Rowe Industries Ground Water Contamination
The 8-acre Rowe Industries Ground Water Contamination Superfund site is located in the Village of Sag Harbor, New York. Since the 1950s, different companies have used the site to manufacture electronic devices and transformers. Site activities included the storage of solvents behind the facility. Ground water and soil contamination led EPA to add the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1987. Cleanup activities included removal, treatment and disposal of contaminated soil off site. Treatment of groundwater is ongoing. EPA’s cleanup plan allowed the continued use of the site throughout cleanup activities. Several businesses continue operating on site. These include an electronic devices manufacturer, an ice company, a landscaping business and an awning manufacturer.
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SMS Instruments, Inc.
SMS Instruments, Inc.The SMS Instruments, Inc. Superfund site is located in a light industrial area in Deer Park, New York. The site consists of a 34,000-square-foot building on a 1.5-acre lot. Buildings or asphalt cover about 90 percent of the site. From 1971 to 1983, SMS Instruments, Inc. maintained military aircraft components and dumped wastewater into a leaching pool. The firm also stored jet fuel in an underground tank and stored corroded and leaking drums in an unprotected outdoor area. These improper handling and disposal practices contaminated groundwater and soil. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. To clean up the site, EPA removed the jet fuel tank; pumped, filled and sealed the leaching pond; cleaned up contaminated soil and treated groundwater. Following EPA’s deletion of the site from the NPL in September 2010, light industrial uses resumed. Currently, Datacomm Cables Inc., a retail merchant of electronic cables and accessories, operates on site.
For more information:
- Reuse and the Benefit to Community: SMS Instruments, Inc. Case Study (2014) (PDF) (6 pp, 1.1 MB, About PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Syosset Landfill
Syosset LandfillThe Syosset Landfill Superfund site occupies about 38 acres in the Town of Oyster Bay, New York (the Town). The landfill operated from 1933 until 1975, accepting commercial, industrial, residential, demolition, agricultural, sludge wastes and ash wastes. A site inspection in 1982 found that former landfill practices had contaminated site soil and groundwater and had created the potential for exposure to landfill gas. EPA added the site to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. Cleanup activities included installing a permanent ventilation trench to prevent potential gas vapor migration from the landfill to neighboring residences and an elementary school, as well as a cap to contain waste buried at the site. After EPA completed cleanup and determined that the site does not pose a risk to human health, EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 2005. The Town of Oyster Bay returned the site to productive use. The site now includes a salt storage facility, an equipment storage facility and a vehicle parking area for municipal sanitation trucks. In 2009, the Town received American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds through the U.S. Department of Energy Clean Cities Alternative Fuel and Advanced Technology Vehicles Pilot Program. The funds helped the Town build a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station at the site. The station allows the Town to fuel 44 sanitation trucks with CNG. The Town completed the fueling facility in 2011. Recently, EPA began discussions with a local development group about a multi-use development plan at the Syosset Landfill site. The conceptual plan includes reusing the landfill for passive and active recreational activities. EPA will continue to work with the developer and ensure continued protection of human health and the environment throughout the reuse process.
For more information:
- Redevelopment of the Syosett Landfill Superfund Site (PDF)(1 pg, 177 K, About PDF)
- Superfund Site Profile Page
Tronic Plating Co., Inc.
The half-acre Tronic Plating Co., Inc. Superfund is located in Farmingdale, New York. From 1968 to 1984, the Tronic Plating Company operated at the site within a portion of an industrial park in the area. The company provided electroplating and metal protective coating services for the electronics industry. Facility operators discharged industrial wastes containing copper, silver, iron, zinc, lead and cadmium into a storm sewer and four underground leaching pools. These practices contaminated groundwater, soil and sediment with volatile organic compounds and metals. EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. Cleanup included removal of contaminated soil and sediment. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in 2001. Today, the site has returned to productive reuse. Three small businesses operate on the portion of the industrial park formerly occupied by Tronic Plating Company.
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Wide Beach Development
When temperatures climb and Lake Erie begins to thaw, residents of the Wide Beach Development in Brant, New York, prepare for the annual migration of summer vacationers to this scenic resort town. Vacationers and homeowners alike come to this area for the beauty and relaxation that Lake Erie has to offer. Between 1968 and 1978, the Wide Beach Development Homeowners Association sprayed thousands of gallons of waste oil onto area dirt roads. This helped to control dust. Some of the waste oil contained polychlorinated biphenols, a suspected carcinogen. In 1983, EPA placed the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) to address risks to human health and the environment. EPA worked closely with the state and the homeowners to remove contaminated soil from roads and yards. This also allowed for continued use of 60 residential homes. After completing cleanup activities, EPA deleted the 55-acre site from the NPL in 1994.
For more information:
Superfund Site Profile Page