Tecumseh Phase II Brownfield Cleanup Program Site
Fact Sheet - June 2009
Environmental Investigation Work Plan for Tecumseh Phase II Site Available for Public Comment
Introduction
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) requests public comments as it reviews a draft work plan, called the Remedial Investigation (RI) Work Plan, to investigate the Tecumseh Phase II Business Park Area, a portion of the former Bethlehem Steel property, located at 1951 Hamburg Turnpike in the City of Lackawanna, Erie County. The environmental investigation work will be performed by Tecumseh Redevelopment, Inc (Tecumseh) as a participant in New York State's Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP). The BCP provides financial incentives for private property owners or future property owners to clean up and redevelop brownfields. Brownfields typically are former industrial properties that are difficult to redevelop because of the real or perceived presence of environmental contamination.
Public Comments about the RI Work Plan
NYSDEC is accepting written public comments about the draft environmental investigation work plan for 30 days, from Wednesday June 3 until Thursday July 2, 2009. It is available for public review at the locations identified at the end of this fact sheet, as well as on the NYSDEC website (link provided below). Written comments should be submitted to the NYSDEC project manager listed below.
Background
The Phase II Business Park Area is a section of the 1,100 acre former Bethlehem Steel property that is now owned by Tecumseh Redevelopment. Tecumseh acquired the entire Bethlehem Steel property in 2003, and BQ Energy cleaned up a portion at its western end in order to construct 8 wind turbines. The portion of the property where the wind turbines now sit is known as Steel Winds I.
The Phase II area covers 173 acres. At one time it housed some of Bethlehem Steel's steel making operations that environmentally impacted the site.
Highlights of the Proposed Environmental Investigation
The remedial investigation has several goals:
- Define the nature and extent of contamination in soil, surface water, groundwater and any other impacted media;
- Identify the source(s) of the contamination;
- Assess the impact of the contamination on public health and/or the environment; and
- Provide information to support the development of a Remedial Work Plan to address the contamination.
The investigation will be performed by Tecumseh with oversight by NYSDEC. Tecumseh intends to investigate groundwater and soil/slag-fill within the Phase II Business Park Site for the purpose of characterizing potential sources of contamination and identifying/evaluating cleanup alternatives. The environmental investigation work plan identifies the scope of the investigation and the means by which it will be completed.
Next Steps
NYSDEC will consider public comments when it reviews the draft Remedial Investigation Work Plan for the site. After the plan is approved, Tecumseh may proceed with the environmental investigation of the site. It is estimated that the investigation will be completed and a draft investigation report will be available by the end of 2009. NYSDEC will keep the public informed during the investigation and cleanup of the Phase II site with fact sheets similar to this one.
Who to Contact
Comments and questions are always welcome and should be directed as follows:
Environment Related Questions
Mr. Maurice Moore
NYSDEC Region 9
270 Michigan Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 851-7220
E-mail: mfmoore@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Health Related Questions
Mr. Cameron O'Conner
New York State Department of Health
584 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14202
(716) 847-4501
E-mail: cho01@health.state.ny.us
Project Related Questions
Mr. Thomas Forbes
Benchmark Environmental Engineering & Science, PLLC
2558 Hamburg Turnpike Suite 300
Lackawanna, NY 14218
(716) 856-0599 Ext. 15
E-mail: forbes@benchmarkees.com
If you know someone who would like to be added to the project mailing list, have them contact the NYSDEC project manager above. We encourage you to share this fact sheet with neighbors and tenants, and/or post this fact sheet in a prominent area of your building for others to see.
Locations to View Project Documents
The public may review important project documents at the following locations:
Lackawanna Public Library
560 Ridge Road
Lackawanna, NY 14218
Phone: (716) 823-0630
NYSDEC Region 9 Office
270 Michigan Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 851-7220
(Please call for appointment)
The RI Work Plan is also available on the Region 9 Environmental Remediation Project Information web page. Scroll down to the Tecumseh Phase II entry under the Erie County heading.
