NOCO Brownfield Cleanup Program Site

Fact Sheet - October 2009
Report on Environmental Cleanup and Investigation Activities at NOCO #S41 Site Available for Review and Public Comment

Introduction

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) requests public comment on a report about environmental cleanup and investigation activities at the NOCO #S41 site (the Site) in the City of Buffalo. It describes actions taken to address petroleum contamination at the site, ongoing investigation activities to determine potential impacts from contaminants other than petroleum, and possible alternatives for further action at the site.

The report, called the Remedial Investigation/ Alternative Analysis / Interim Remedial Measures (RI/AA/IRM) Report, is available for public review at the locations listed in this fact sheet. An electronic version of the report is also available (a link is provided in the right column).The public may comment on the report for 45 days, from October 28, 2009 to December 11, 2009. Written comments may be sent to the project manager listed on the opposite page or e-mailed to region9@gw.dec.state.ny.us.

Cleanup work at the site was performed by NOCO Energy Corporation (NOCO) under New York State's Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP). The goal of the BCP is to facilitate private-sector cleanup of brownfields. Brownfields typically are former industrial properties where redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of contamination.

Description of Cleanup Activities and Investigation Results Detailed in the Report

NOCO conducted an Interim Remedial Measure (IRM) in February, 2008 to address petroleum contamination at the site. An IRM is a cleanup action that can be conducted at a site relatively quickly to reduce risks to public health and the environment from a well-defined hazardous waste problem. Immediately following the completion of the IRM, NOCO began investigation activities to determine potential impacts, if any, from other contaminants. The investigation concluded in June, 2009. The RI/AA/IRM Report describes the investigation results and the cleanup activities.

IRM Activities

NOCO completed soil and underground tank removals in 2008. Specifically, the work included:

Removing and disposing three underground storage tanks, product dispensers, and piping; and
Excavating and disposing petroleum-impacted soil and groundwater, and backfilling the excavation with clean fill.

Investigation

Investigations conducted in the past indicated that the Site's soil and groundwater were impacted with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) associated with petroleum. The purpose of the 2008-2009 investigation was to assess if other contaminants, such as heavy metals, were also present at the site. The investigation found no other significant environmental impacts and confirmed that the IRM effectively addressed petroleum contamination.

For more detailed information about the cleanup and investigation activities, visit the locations listed below for a hard copy of the full RI/AA/IRM Report, or view the PDF version in the right column.

What Is the Next Step?

The RI/AA/IRM report concludes that the IRM successfully addressed contamination at the site and that additional cleanup work is not necessary. NYSDEC will consider public comment before approving the final RI/AA/IRM Report. NOCO will then submit a Final Engineering Report that describes all completed cleanup activities. NYSDEC will notify the public about future site developments through fact sheets similar to this one.

Site Background

The Site is located on the southeast corner of Genesee Street and Fillmore Avenue in a predominantly commercial and residential area of Buffalo, New York. The Site has been used for commercial purposes, including an automobile refueling and general retail facility. Previous releases of petroleum impacted the Site.

Who Should I Contact If I Have Questions About the Site?

Project related questions:
Michael Yount
NOCO Energy Corp.
700 Grand Island Blvd.
Tonawanda, NY 14150
(716) 845-4233

Environment related questions:
Bill Murray
NYSDEC
270 Michigan Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 851-7220
region9@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Health related questions:
Ian Ushe
NYSDOH
547 River Street
Troy, NY 12180
(518) 402-7880
ziu01@health.state.ny.us

Locations to View Public Documents

Public understanding and involvement are important to the success of New York Brownfields programs. To keep you informed, the NYSDEC has established the following locations where you can view project documents:

Buffalo and Erie County Public Library
Central Branch
1 Lafayette Square
Buffalo, NY 14203

NYSDEC's Buffalo Office
270 Michigan Avenue
Buffalo, N.Y. 14203
(please call for appointment)

Project documents are also available in PDF format by clicking the document links in the right column.