State Superfund Program - 2008/2009 Progress and Statistics
Plants and wildlife return to a landfill
along the edge of Jamaica Bay
remediated through the State
Superfund Program. Photo courtesy
of Great Eastern Ecology.
The Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Site Remedial Program (also known as the State Superfund Program) is an enforcement program whose mission is to identify and characterize suspected inactive hazardous waste disposal sites and to investigate and remediate those sites found to pose a significant threat to public health and environment.
Recent Progress
As of March 31, 2009, DEC identified 2,317 sites, not all of which are or were on the Superfund Registry, that needed to be evaluated. Of those sites, 1,428 have been cleaned up or were determined to not require any further action. The remaining 889 sites are either currently being addressed or will be in the near future. During SFY 2008/2009, parties responsible for the contamination reimbursed the State approximately $13.2 million for State Superfund Program costs.
| Registry Class | Class Description | Number of Sites |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Causing or presenting an imminent danger of causing irreversible or irreparable damage to public health or environment - immediate action required. | 0 |
| Class 2 | Significant threat to the public health or environment - action required. | 516 |
| Class 3 | Does not present a significant threat to the public health or environment - action may be deferred. | 75 |
| Class 4 | Site properly closed - requires continued management. | 264 |
| Class 5 | Site properly closed, no evidence of present or potential adverse impact - no further action required. | 17 |
| Total Number of Sites on the Registry | 872 |
The Remedial Process
Since the remedial process for a site can take a number of years to complete, DEC tracks progress, not only by the number of sites completed, but also by the number of major remedial elements (projects) started and completed for a site. The major remedial elements are site characterization (preliminary site assessment), remedial investigation/feasibility study, remedial design/remedial action (construction), and interim remedial measure.
| Remedial Element | Starts - SFY 2008/09 | Starts - Life to Date | Completions - SFY 2008/09 | Completions - Life to Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Site Characterization | 42 | 1,095 | 20 | 979 |
| Remedial Investigation/ Feasibility Study | 34 | 1,325 | 33 | 1,022 |
| Remedial Design | 39 | 810 | 29 | 697 |
| Remedial Action | 42 | 784 | 24 | 674 |
| Interim Remedial Measure | 36 | 967 | 26 | 910 |
Federal Superfund - National Priorities List
Of 85 sites on the National Priorities list (NPL) in New York State as of March 31, 2009, 49 have remedial action completed, 23 have remedial action underway, three have remedial design underway and ten have remedial investigation underway or completed.
Technical Assistance Grants (TAG)
Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) are available to eligible community groups to obtain independent technical assistance for interpreting existing environmental data about an eligible site, commenting on the eligible site's remedial activities and proposals and disseminating this information to the community. Eligible sites are Class 1 or 2 Registry sites and significant threat sites in the BCP. DEC accepts TAG applications continuously throughout the year. Funding is limited to $50,000 per site.
During SFY 2008/09, three TAG applications were received. The application related to the K-Metropolitan Manufactured Gas Plant site in Brooklyn was approved; one related to the K-Bayshore Manufactured Gas Plant site on Long Island was deemed ineligible; and, one related to the Tract II Highland Avenue site, located in Niagara Falls, was under review and pending approval as of March 31, 2009.
| Status | SFY 2008/09 | Life to Date |
|---|---|---|
| Applications Received | 3 | 10 |
| Applications Approved | 1 | 3 |
| Applications Pending Approval | N/A | 1 |
| Applications Deemed Ineligible or Withdrawn Prior to Approval | 1 | 6 |
More Information
More information about the State Superfund Program. (leaving the Environmental Remediation Annual Report pages)
State Superfund Program Success Story - Pennsylvania and Fountain Avenue Landfills.
More information about the Technical Assistance Grants Program. (leaving the Environmental Remediation Annual Report pages)
Back to the Environmental Remediation 2008/2009 Annual Report main page.
