1318 Niagara Street Site
Fact Sheet - June 2012
Interim Remedial Measure Proposed and Public Comment Period, June 4 - July 5, 2012
Introduction
Covered storage drums sit behind a chain linked fence at
the 1318 Niagara Street Site.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is reviewing a Draft "Limited Excavation and Soil Cover Interim Remedial Measure (IRM) Work Plan" for 1318 Niagara Street ("site") located at 1318 Niagara Street, Buffalo, Erie County. Please see the map for the site location. Documents related to the cleanup of this site can be found at the locations identified below under "Locations to View Project Documents."
How to Comment
DEC is accepting written comments about the proposed Draft Limited Excavation and Soil Cover IRM work plan for 30 days, from June 4, 2012 through July 5, 2012. The proposed plan is available for review at the locations identified below under "Locations to View Project Documents." Please submit comments to the project manager listed under Project Related Questions in the "Who Should I Call If I Have Questions about the Site?" area below.
Draft Interim Remedial Measure Work Plan
Contaminated soils at the site will be excavated and disposed.
An IRM is a cleanup activity that may be performed when a source of contamination or exposure pathway (the way in which a person may contact contamination) can be effectively addressed without extensive investigation and evaluation.
The draft IRM work plan identifies cleanup activities that include: excavation and offsite disposal of soil in areas with polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations greater than 10 mg/kg, backfilling excavations with clean fill, and placement of a soil cover consisting of one (1) foot of clean fill and four (4) inches of top soil with hydro-seed over the entire site.
DEC is conducting a public comment period because the IRM is likely to represent a significant part of the cleanup for this site.
Next Steps
DEC will consider public comments, revise the plan as necessary, and approve the IRM work plan in consultation with New York State Department of Health (DOH). The approved work plan will be made available to the public (see "Locations to View Project Documents" below). After the work plan is approved, the activities detailed in the work plan will be implemented. Upon completion of the work, a Construction Completion Report will be prepared that documents the activities that were performed.
DEC will keep the public informed throughout the investigation and cleanup of the site.
Site Background
Location: The 1318 Niagara Street Site is located in an urban area in the City of Buffalo, Erie County. The site is across from the intersection of Niagara Street and Lafayette Avenue.
Site Features: The site is an empty relatively flat lot and slopes to the west. The site is bordered to the west by Penn Central Railroad and beyond that by NYS I-90 and the Black Rock Canal.
Current Zoning/Use: The site is currently inactive, and is zoned for commercial use. The surrounding parcels are a rail corridor to the west, and commercial residential properties along Niagara Street to the north, south, and east. The nearest residential area is 150 feet east of the site.
Historical Use(s): From 1909 to 1987 the site was used as a brewery, and from 1987 to 2004 utilized by private owners for unknown purpose. Prior uses that appear to have led to site contamination include two 20,000 gallon underground storage tanks (USTs), a furnace pit, and nineteen 55 gallon drums containing PCBs and waste oil. In 2004 the City of Buffalo obtained the property through tax foreclosure and during demolition in 2006 found the USTs and furnace pit. An interim remedial measure (IRM) to remove surface soils impacted by PCBs as well as drums of waste and two 20,000 gallon tanks was completed in 2010. An additional Site Investigation was performed in the fall of 2011 to investigate any remaining contamination. A Site Investigation and Alternatives Analysis Report is expected in late 2012. The site remedial program is being performed by the City of Buffalo under the State's Environmental Restoration Program.
Site Geology and Hydrogeology: The site is overlain by 8-10 feet of fill underlain by 8-12 feet of silty clay to limestone bedrock. Shallow groundwater is at 20-25 feet, and generally flows to the west southwest.
Additional site details, including environmental and health assessment summaries, are available on DEC's website.
Who Should I Call If I Have Questions about the Site?
Comments and questions are always welcome and should be directed as follows:
Project Related Questions:
Mr. Anthony Lopes, P.E.
DEC Region 9 Division of Environmental Remediation
270 Michigan Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 851-7220
region 9@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Site Related Health Questions:
Scarlett E. Messier
NYS DOH
547 River Street
Troy NY 12180
(518) 402-7860
sem10@health.state.ny.us
Site Related Questions:
Mr. Dennis Sutton, C.P.G.
Office of Strategic Planning
920 City Hall
Buffalo NY 14202
(716) 851-6587
DSutton@City-Buffalo.com
Locations to View Project Documents
Project documents are available at the following locations to help the public stay informed.
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Central Branch
1 Lafayette Square
Buffalo, NY 14203
Phone: (716) 858-8900
DEC Region 9 Office
270 Michigan Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14203
Phone: (716) 851-7220
(Please call for appointment)
Electronic versions of project documents are available under "Important Links" in the right column.
