Electruk Battery Environmental Restoration Program Site
Fact Sheet - February 2009
No Further Action Proposed for Former Electruk Battery Site; Public Meeting Announced
Introduction
A proposal to take no further environmental cleanup action at the Former Electruk Battery site in the Town of Lockport is detailed in a document called the Proposed Remedial Action Plan (PRAP) issued in February 2009. A meeting will be held on Tuesday March 5, 2009 at 7 PM at the Town of Lockport Town Hall (6560 Dysinger Road, Lockport) to discuss the proposal. At the meeting, representatives from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) will be available to answer questions from the public.
Work at the site is being conducted under the Environmental Restoration Program (ERP) established by New York State's 1996 Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act. Through the ERP, DEC provides financial assistance to local governments for the cleanup and restoration of brownfield sites. Brownfields are currently unused, abandoned, or idle properties that may have been used for industrial purposes in the past but no longer contribute to the tax base of municipalities.
Site Background
The site is located at 4922 IDA Park Drive in the Lockport Industrial Park. It is approximately 1.4 acres in size and is currently occupied by an approximately 14,000 square foot building. The surrounding parcels are used for commercial, light industrial and agricultural purposes.
Electruk Battery used the site for the manufacturing of lead acid batteries from 1990 to 1996. A six-alarm fire in January 1995 damaged the facility and forced it to close in 1996. In 1997, the Town of Lockport Industrial Development Agency hired a contractor to investigate the site. The investigation revealed the presence of a number of lead sludge- and sulfuric acid-containing vessels staged in the loading dock area outside the building. Lead dust covered the interior of the building (the 1995 fire exacerbated its spread) and contaminated the top layer of soil in several areas. Additionally, the building contained drums and smaller containers of solvents, as well as two bulk acid storage tanks.
In 1998, the NYSDEC requested that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) perform an emergency removal action. USEPA assessed the site, determined that a removal action was required, and completed the action in June 1999. The USEPA did not pursue any investigation into potential on-site groundwater contamination or soil contamination caused by former site activities.
An environmental investigation, or remedial investigation (RI), was completed in Fall 2008. It focused on determining the nature and extent of contamination, if any, in the surface soil, subsurface soil, surface water, groundwater and on-site structures. Analysis of samples collected during the investigation indicated that the surface soil contains lead concentrations above soil cleanup standards that make it safe for unrestricted redevelopment. Subsurface soil analysis indicated no elevated concentrations of contaminants above the unrestricted use soil cleanup objectives, and groundwater analysis indicated no contaminants above ground water standards. However, analysis of the water and sediments found in three onsite floor trenches indicated significant lead concentrations. Because of this contamination, a cleanup action known as an Interim Remedial Measure (IRM) was performed to remove sediment and water, clean the trenches, and backfill them with clean fill. An IRM is conducted when a source of contamination can be effectively addressed before completion of the RI.
A report called the Remedial Investigation/Alternatives Analysis/Interim Remedial Measure (RI/AA/IRM) Report explains the environmental investigation, cleanup actions to date, and alternatives for future cleanup actions. The RI/AA/IRM report was issued in December 2008 and is available for review at the locations listed below and the DEC Region 9 Environmental Remedial Project Information page (see link at bottom of page).
For more information about lead, visit the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's ToxFAQs web page. A link is provided in the right column.
Description of the Proposed Remedial Action Plan
The NYSDEC, NYSDOH, and the Town of Lockport believe that no further remedial action to address the environmental contamination is needed at the site. However, due to the fact that lead levels remain in the soil above the unrestricted use criteria, issuing an environmental easement to restrict site use to its current commercial/industrial use is appropriate. In addition to the environmental easement, a site management plan must be prepared and an annual certification by the site owner must be made to the NYSDEC certifying that the conditions of the easement are being maintained. The selection of these actions as the proposed final remedy is detailed in the Proposed Remedial Action Plan, which is subject to public comment until March 25, 2009.
What Is the Next Step?
The PRAP and the RI/AA/IRM are available for review at the Region 9 Remediation web page and the locations listed below. The NYSDEC will host a public meeting on March 5, 2009 at the Town of Lockport Town Hall to present the findings of the remedial investigation and the Proposed Remedial Action Plan for public comment. In addition, a 45 day public comment period will run from February 9, 2009 through March 25, 2009. Written or email comments can be submitted to the NYSDEC project manager listed below.
Who Should I Contact If I Have Questions About the Site?
Environmental related questions
Michael J. Hinton, P.E.
NYSDEC
270 Michigan Ave
Buffalo, N.Y. 14203
(716) 851-7220
Health related questions
Matthew J. Forcucci
NYSDOH
584 Delaware Ave.
Buffalo, N.Y. 14202
(716) 847-4385
Locations to View Public Documents
Public understanding and involvement are important to the success of New York Brownfields programs. To keep you informed, the Town of Lockport and NYSDEC have established the following locations where you can view project documents:
Town of Lockport Town Hall
6560 Dysinger Road
Lockport, N.Y. 14094
(716) 439-9520
NYSDEC's Buffalo Office
270 Michigan Avenue
Buffalo, N.Y. 14203
(716) 851-7220 (please call for appointment)
You may also view project documents at DEC's Region 9 Environmental Remediation Project Information page. Look for the Electruk Battery entry under the Niagara County heading.
