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Hanna Furnace Parcel 3 (Union Ship Canal) Environmental Restoration Project Site

Site Number B00164

Fact Sheet - January 2009

Public Meeting to Be Held on Proposed Public Park at Union Ship Canal

IntroductionRailroad remains spanning the Union Ship Canal

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the Buffalo Urban Development Corporation (BUDC) invite you to attend a public meeting regarding environmental restoration and park development activities for the planned Union Ship Canal Public Open Space (Park Site), which is part of the Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park (Commerce Park) located in the City of Buffalo adjacent to the City of Lackawanna municipal boundary line. The Commerce Park is an industrial park currently being developed by BUDC and the Erie County Industrial Development Agency (ECIDA).

At the meeting, representatives from NYSDEC, Erie County, BUDC, the City of Buffalo, and the design consultants will discuss restoration, development and design activities conducted to date, as well as future plans for the Park Site. The representatives will be available to answer questions from the public. The draft design documents for the proposed Park Site will be available for your review at the locations listed at the end of this fact sheet, as well as the DEC website (link provided at bottom of page). The final design is expected to be completed by Spring 2009.

Environmental restoration work at the Park Site will be performed under the Environmental Restoration Program (ERP) authorized by New York State's 1996 Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act. The ERP provides financial assistance to local governments for the cleanup of brownfield sites. A brownfield is currently unused or under-used property that may have been used for industrial purposes in the past and no longer contributes to the tax base of a municipality. Brownfields may be, but are not necessarily, environmentally contaminated.

Park design aspects of the project are being partially funded by the federal government's Transportation Enhancement Program (TEP) that is managed through the NYSDOT. The County of Erie is providing the local matching funds required by the NYS ERP and federal TEP programs.

This fact sheet is being provided to explain previous and proposed activities at the Park Site and to provide ways you may obtain more information regarding the project.

Site Background

The proposed Park Site is referred to as Parcel 3 of the Commerce Park. It is a 200 foot-wide strip of land surrounding the eastern end of the Union Ship Canal, covering approximately 22 acres. Prior to industrialization, the area was predominantly marsh land. The historical disposal of fill materials (e.g., slag, cinders, demolition debris, and dredged sediments) and the subsequent operations of an iron smelting facility contaminated site soil and groundwater with hazardous substances, including heavy metals and semi-volatile organic compounds.

NYSDEC issued a Record of Decision (ROD) for the Park Site that authorized cleanup measures including a soil cover system, canal sediment cover system, canal wall stabilization, eco-restoration, and park development. The ROD is based on the results of the Site Investigation conducted between June 2001 and March 2003 and recommendations presented in the June 2003 Site Investigation and Remedial Alternatives Report.

Description of Proposed Remedial Site Work and Park Construction

The proposed remedial and park development work, which will allow for passive recreational use of the Park, includes five major elements as outlined in the ROD and is summarized below. The work will involve:

Land Cover System:

  • Removing surface debris;
  • Regrading the Park Site landscape;
  • Installing a soil cover consisting of 18-inches of imported clean fill and 6-inches of topsoil, which will be seeded and mulched; and
  • Constructing a concrete promenade and various trails (e.g., asphalt, crushed concrete, crushed stone).

Canal Wall Stabilization:

  • Stabilizing portions of the northern and eastern canal walls by constructing an underwater berm along the base of those sections at potential risk of collapse.

Canal Sediment Cover System:

  • Covering sediments east of the Route 5 bridge with geotextile filter fabric and a 1-foot thick stone/gravel cap;
  • Removing large debris, such as submerged automobiles, from the bottom of the canal prior to construction of the underwater berm and canal cover system;
  • Placing a temporary concrete structure at the west end of the canal to reduce potential for migration of contaminated sediments from the western portions of the canal into the remediated portion of the canal.

Ecological Restoration:

  • Restoring ecological areas and features, such as reef groupings, benthic substrates (water bed sediments that support organisms that live on or in the sediments), submerged and emergent wetland plantings, and an inland embayment area.

Park Development:

  • Constructing the park in phases with the first phase focusing on utilities, Park Site drainage, landscaping, parking, and trail aspects of the Park design.

Since there is a limited amount of funding available, certain components of the project will be bid for construction as potential alternate items, in order to maximize the use of available funds.

Public Information Meeting

A public meeting will be held from 6:00 - 9:00 PM on February 17, 2009 at Valley Community Center, where the Project Team will discuss restoration/park development and design activities conducted to date and future plans for the Park Site. They will be available to answer questions from the public. The format for the meeting will consist of an open house from 6:00 - 7:00 PM. Formal presentations will begin at 7:00 PM, followed by a question and answer period.

Who Should I Call If I Have Questions About the Site?

Should you have any question about this project, please feel welcome to contact these representatives:

Site Related Project Questions
Mr. Peter M. Cammarata or
Mr. David A. Stebbins
BUDC
275 Oak St
Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 856-6525

Site Related Environmental Questions
Mr. David P. Locey
Project Manager
NYSDEC
270 Michigan Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 851-7220

Site Related Health Questions
Mr. Matt Forcucci
Public Health Specialist
NYS Department of Health
584 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14202
(716) 847-4385

Locations to View Project Documents

Public interest and input in this project is valued and appreciated. To keep you informed, BUDC and NYSDEC have set up three locations at which you may view site-related project documents. These locations include:

Offices of BUDC and ECIDA
275 Oak St
Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 856-6525
(Please call for appointment)

DEC Region 9 Office
270 Michigan Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 851-7220
(Please call for appointment)

Buffalo and Erie County Public Library
JP Dudley Branch
2010 South Park Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14220
(716) 257-9500

You may also view documents on the DEC website. Go to the Region 9 - Environmental Remediation Project Information page and look for the Union Ship Canal entry under the Erie County heading.