200 Ship Canal Brownfield Cleanup Program Site
Fact Sheet - June 2009
Environmental Cleanup Plan for 200 Ship Canal Parkway Site Available for Public Comment
Introduction
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) welcomes public comment as it reviews a draft cleanup plan, called the Remedial Work Plan, for the 200 Ship Canal Parkway Site in Buffalo, Erie County. In the past the site was used for the manufacture of iron, which contaminated soils and groundwater with metals and semi-volatile organic compounds. Comments on the plan will be accepted from June 8 to July 23, 2009 and may be submitted to the NYSDEC project manager listed below.
Work at the site will be performed under New York State's Brownfield Cleanup Program. The BCP provides existing or potential property owners financial incentives to promote the voluntary cleanup, redevelopment, and revival of brownfield sites. Brownfields typically are former industrial sites that have been environmentally compromised, making redevelopment of the site more difficult. 200 Ship Canal Parkway, LLC entered the BCP in October 2008 and plans to construct up to 140,000 square feet of multi-tenant commercial, light industrial, and/or warehouse space.
Site Background
The 200 Ship Canal Parkway Site (Site) is a 5.7 acre parcel of vacant, former industrial land that is located within the Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park (BLCP). The BLCP is a 275-acre business park being redeveloped from what was the location of heavy industrial operations for the manufacture of pig iron by the Hanna Furnace Company.
The BLCP is located near the southwestern corner of the City of Buffalo and is partially occupied with three new light industrial/commercial businesses. For development purposes, the BLCP was subdivided into four sub-parcels based on prior uses by Hanna Furnace. The subject Site is located within Sub-parcel 2 which was the primary location of the manufacturing operations of the Hanna Furnace facility.
The southern portion of what is now the BLCP was purchased in 1902 by the precursor to the Hanna Furnace Corporation. In 1903 the Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Railroad, initiated construction of the Union Ship Canal, originally called the Goodyear Slip, and provided barge access to the pig iron manufacturing operations for transport of raw materials and products via Lake Erie. In April of 1930, the name changed from the Buffalo Union Furnace Corporation to the Hanna Furnace Corporation. During peak production, the Hanna Furnace Site employed over 800 workers and could produce up to 3100 net tons of iron per day.
In 1982 Hanna Furnace Corporation shut down all operations at the plant, and by 1985 most of the plant's structures had been dismantled. In 1998 the City of Buffalo took title of the property for non-payment of taxes. In 2001 and 2002 the remainder of site structures was demolished to make way for redevelopment of the site.
Possible Health Impacts
Petroleum-impacted subsurface soil/fill is present at the site, as are slightly elevated concentrations of cyanide. Currently, access is unrestricted because of the unattractive nature of the vacant site, and there is little evidence of past trespassing or illegal use of the site. Anyone illegally accessing the site could be exposed to site related contamination identified in certain areas of the site. The proposed cleanup plan will address areas of known contamination.
What Does the Draft Remedial Work Plan Involve?
Elements of the Remedial Work Plan include:
- Cleaning and sealing or removing a petroleum-containing pipeline;
- Removing and managing petroleum impacted soil/fill;
- Placing a cover system over the entire site;
- Placing institutional controls, such as an environmental easement, to restrict future use of the site; and
- Completing routine site inspections and maintenance.
Next Steps
NYSDEC will consider public comments before it approves and finalizes the Remedial Work Plan. The approved plan will be available for public review at the locations listed below and on the NYSDEC website (link provided below). After it is approved, 200 Ship Canal Parkway, LLC may proceed with the environmental cleanup work at the site. The environmental cleanup work is expected to be completed in the fall of 2009. Site redevelopment construction will begin next year and should be completed in the fall of 2010. NYSDEC will keep the public informed about significant project milestones at the 200 Ship Canal Parkway Site through fact sheets similar to this one.
Who Should I Call If I Have Questions About the Site?
Environmental Questions
Mr. David Locey
Project Manager
NYSDEC
270 Michigan Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 851-7220
Development Questions
Mr. Timothy Greenan
Project Manager
Savarino Companies
26 Mississippi Street, Suite 100
Buffalo, New York 14203
(716) 332-5959
Health Questions
Mr. Cameron O'Connor
Public Health Specialist
NYSDOH
584 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14202
(716) 847-4385
Locations to View Project Documents
To keep you informed, NYSDEC has set up two locations at which you may view project documents. These locations include:
Buffalo and Erie County Public Library
JP Dudley Branch
2010 South Park Ave.
Buffalo, New York 14220
Phone: (716) 823-1854
NYSDEC Region 9 Office
270 Michigan Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14203
Phone: (716) 851-7220
(Please call for appointment)
You can also view project documents online at the Region 9 Environmental Remediation Project Information page. Look for the 200 Ship Canal entry under the Erie County heading.
