Tract II - Highland Avenue State Superfund Site
Fact Sheet September 2012
Tract II Update: Cleanup Action to Begin at State Superfund (SSF) Site, Public Availability Session Announced: 10/2/12 at 6:30 p.m.
DEC invites you to a Town Hall Meeting to discuss the cleanup activities at the site. Drop in any time during the session to ask questions, view posters, and discuss the upcoming site activities.
Clean-up work is about to begin that will address the contamination related to Tract II Highland Ave ("site") located at 3001 Highland Avenue, Niagara Falls, Niagara County, under New York State's SSF. Please see Site Location for the map of the property.
The site is listed as a Class "2" site in the State Registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste Sites (list of SSF sites). A Class 2 site represents a significant threat to public health or the environment; action is required.
Documents related to the cleanup of this site can be found at the locations identified below under Where to Find Information. The cleanup activities will be performed by Brightfields Corporation, the developer for both the adjoining Tract I Highland Ave. brownfield site and the Tract II site, in cooperation with Honeywell International Inc.
By the Numbers:
Superfund Numbers:
18.06 acres - size of site
6,000 cubic yards - building materials (concrete & brick) generated during demolition of structures
68,000 cubic yards - contaminated dirt material to be treated
$6 million - cost of remedial work
Site Timeline:
1903 to 1911
Carter Crume Co. and Motor Battery Corp.
1911 to 1928
American Sales Book Co. and Motor Battery Corp
1928 to 1942
American Sales Book Co. and US Light & Heat Corp.
1942 to 1944
American Sales Book Co. and Autolite Corp.
1944 to 1953
Moore Corporation and Autolite Corp.
1953 to 1966
Moore Corporation and Electric Autolite Corp. (Later Prestolite Corp.)
1966 to 1967
Orchard Properties
1967 to 1972
Niagara Falls Industrial Center
1972 to 1982
City of Niagara Falls
1982 to 1984
Power City Distribution
1984 to 2012
City of Niagara Falls
2012
Brightfields Corporation
2012 - 2013
October: demolition of warehouse and underground garage begins
2013
Spring: Begin soil treatment and site remediation
Highlights of the Upcoming Cleanup Activities
The goal of the cleanup action for the site is to achieve cleanup levels that protect public health and the environment. The cleanup action for the site includes:
- Excavation of contaminated waste and fill materials from the eastern portion of the site;
- Removal of debris and other waste, unsuitable for treatment off-site for disposal;
- On-site treatment, via solidification/stabilization, of excavated waste and fill materials which exceed characteristic hazardous waste criteria;
- Consolidation of the treated soil on site and covered beneath a 1 foot soil cover pavement, or buildings in the commercial areas and 2 foot cover in the recreational areas.
Radioactive slag, commonly used as a sub-base beneath roadways and parking lots throughout Niagara Falls, was also identified on the Tract II property. New York State Department of Health (DOH) has determined that that slag poses no public health risk and DEC regulations require that the material be disposed of properly, if exposed during construction activities.
Next Steps - Demolition Work to Begin in October
Beginning this October, Brightfields will begin demolition of portions of the former Power City Warehouse located on the Tract I as well as other dilapidated buildings on Tract II. The demolition work will extend into 2013 and will include the underground garage structure located on Tract II. Prior to any demolition work, a fence will be installed around the perimeter of the property, the site will be cleared of debris, and any hazardous substances in the structures will be removed and properly disposed of offsite at an approved facility. Following demolition of the site structures, excavation, screening and treatment of the site soil/fill will commence. Following soil treatment the soil cover will be placed in the required areas and site redevelopment will commence with the park construction and installation of utilities to support the commercial redevelopment areas.
Air Monitoring
Six real-time air monitoring stations will continually monitor dust and weather during demolition and cleanup activities. These monitors will contain alarms to indicate if dust is exceeding limits set by governmental regulatory agencies. In the event any limit is exceeded, work will immediately cease, a thorough evaluation will be performed, and corrective measures will be taken prior to work resuming.
All air monitoring results will be posted for public review at the site on Highland Avenue and at the project document depository at the Doris Jones Family Resource Center.
Final Report
After completion of the cleanup, Honeywell will prepare a Final Engineering Report (FER). The FER will describe the cleanup activities completed and certify that cleanup requirements have been achieved or will be achieved. DEC will keep the public informed throughout the cleanup of the site.
Additional Details
Additional site details, including environmental and health assessment summaries, are available on DEC's website.
State Superfund Program
New York's SSF identifies and characterizes suspected inactive hazardous waste disposal sites. Sites that pose a significant threat to public health and/or the environment go through a process of investigation, evaluation, cleanup and monitoring.
DEC attempts to identify parties responsible for site contamination and require cleanup before committing State funds. GE, the responsible party for this site, bore all costs for the investigation and remediation of the site.
Where to Find Information
For more information about the SSF, visit DEC's website. Public interest in this project is valued and appreciated. Project documents are available at the following locations to help the public stay informed: People & Possibilities web site located in the upper right hand corner under Links Leaving DEC's Website and at:
NYS DEC Region 9 Office
270 Michigan Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14203
716-851-7220
(Call for appointment)
Doris Jones Family Resource Center
3001 9th Street
Niagara Falls, NY 14305
Who to Contact
Comments and questions are always welcome and should be directed as follows:
Project Related Questions:
Timothy Dieffenbach
NYS DEC, Division of Environmental Remediation
270 Michigan Ave
Buffalo, NY 14203-2915
716-851-7220
tedieffe@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Project Related Questions:
Ronald Chapin
Brightfields Corporation
333 Ganson Street
Buffalo, NY 14203
716-856-3333
rchapin@oscinc.com
Project Related Questions:
Avery T. Bates
Bates Consulting Firm
333 Ganson Street
Buffalo, NY 14203
716-903-0842
batesavery@hotmail.com
Site-Related Health Questions:
Matthew Forcucci
NYS DOH
584 Delaware Ave
Buffalo, NY 14202-1295
716-847-4501
beei@health.state.ny.us
For More Information
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Site Map
Tract II site map
