EPA Proposes Plan to Remove Contaminated Soil from Tri-Cities Barrel Superfund Site in Broome County, N.Y.; EPA to Hold Public Meeting on August 16 to Discuss Plan (NY)
(New York, N.Y.) The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency has proposed an amended plan to clean up ground
water at the Tri-Cities Barrel Superfund Site in Fenton, N.Y. using
a variety of natural processes known as “monitored natural
attenuation.” The ground water is contaminated with
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), volatile organic compounds,
pesticides and metals, which can cause serious damage to
people’s health and the environment. The original cleanup
plan, selected by EPA in 2000, called for the extraction and
treatment of the contaminated ground water. Data collected since
the original cleanup approach was selected indicate that natural
processes are working to clean up the site. EPA will oversee the
periodic collection and analysis of ground water samples to verify
that the level and extent of contaminants are declining and that
people’s health and the environment are
protected.
The public is encouraged to comment on
EPA’s proposed plan until August 30, 2011. On August 16, EPA
will hold a public meeting to discuss the plan at 7:00 p.m. at the
Town of Fenton Town Hall at 44 Park Street in Port Cane, N.Y. The
proposed plan is available on EPA’s website at
https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/epa-region-2, Fenton Town Hall and EPA’s New York City
office at 290 Broadway, 18th floor, New York,
N.Y.
The Tri-Cities Barrel Superfund site is a
14.9-acre former barrel and drum reclamation facility. During the
reconditioning process, the interior and exterior of the drums and
barrels were cleaned and reconditioned using a variety of
chemicals. Between 1960 and 1980, liquid waste from the process was
discharged into a series of unlined lagoons on the site. EPA
removed over 350 drums, as well as all containers, tanks, process
equipment and buildings from the site. All of the equipment that
was used while the drum reconditioning business was still in
operation was decontaminated, all structures located on-site were
demolished, and the debris was disposed of off-site.
In 2000, EPA selected a remedy for the site in a
record of decision. It called for the excavation and off-site
disposal of contaminated soil and sediment and extraction and
treatment of the ground water to remove the contaminants. The
cleanup of the soil and sediment was completed in
2003.
The 2000 record of decision evaluated three
alternatives to address the site-wide ground water contamination:
no action, as required by the Superfund law; ground water
extraction and treatment; and monitored natural attenuation. At the
time the record of decision was signed, there were insufficient
data to demonstrate that monitored natural attenuation was
occurring at the site. Ground water extraction and treatment was
selected as the most appropriate cleanup alternative. Since the
record of decision, monitored natural attenuation has been
evaluated further, and sufficient data now exist indicating that
monitored natural attenuation is occurring at the site. Based on
this data, EPA is now proposing to change the ground water remedy
to monitored natural attenuation.
Members of the public can comment on EPA’s
proposed plan until August 30, 2011 and send them to:
Young Chang, Remedial Project Manager
U.S. EPA
290 Broadway, 20th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10007-1866
Fax: (212) 637-4251
Email:
[email protected]
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