Region 9 - DER Success Stories

Cattaraugus County

Bush Industries (Site Number E905029 - The Bush Industries brownfield site is a 4.4 acre property that was formerly the location of the Setter Brothers/Bush Industries veneer manufacturing facility. The property had been involved in commercial operations since the early 1900's and was once the location of the Standard Oil facility, an apple evaporator facility, and a gasoline service facility. Cleanup action, called an Interim Remedial Measure (IRM), was performed in 2007 to remove approximately 3,400 tons of soil contaminated with petroleum and to demolish and properly dispose of asbestos-containing buildings and structures. The property was certified clean by DEC in November 2010. It is currently vacant and is owned by the Village of Cattaraugus.

Chautauqua County

DC Rollforms (Site Number 907019 - The D.C. Rollforms brownfield site, in the City of Jamestown, was a 2.4 acre property formerly the location of the Proto Tool Company, which was a unit of the Ingersoll Rand Company. Proto Tool manufactured specialty tools for mechanics, electricians, and plumbers until operations ceased in 1984. The tool making operations involved processes such as forging, machining, heat treating and quenching, electroplating, and vapor degreasing. The site, which encompasses the Chadokoin River, was contaminated with wastes generated from these processes. Primary contaminants of concern included trichloroethene, dichlorethene, vinyl chloride, toluene, xylenes, metals, and oil. Remedial activities, which included excavation of contaminated soil, construction of river barriers to prevent additional contamination, and shoreline stabilization, are complete. The property was certified remediated by DEC in July 2009.

Erie County

330 Maple Road (Site Number C915207 - The site is an approximately 26-acre large portion of the larger former Buffalo Shooting Club, located along Maple Road, and was used as a shooting range from approximately 1943 to 2006. Former shooting range operations have impacted on-site soil with lead and PAHs, which required excavation and offsite disposal that was completed from May to December 2011. The property was certified remediated by DEC in May 7, 2012. There is no construction to date but it is currently owned by a student housing developer (2014).

2137 Seneca Street/Former Pizza Hut (Site Number V00370 - This brownfield site was located on the south corner of Seneca Street and Kingston Place in a mixed commercial/residential part of the City of Buffalo. The site was approximately 2/3 of an acre in size and almost entirely covered by asphalt and a vacant restaurant. Historically, the site was once occupied by homes, a pharmacy, a retail tire store, and business offices. Prior uses also included a dry cleaning store and auto service garage, which presumably contributed to the site contamination. The site contained both contaminated groundwater and soil, which was treated and removed as the project progressed. The site was certified clean by DEC in December 2011. It is currently a Dollar General.

2530 Hamburg Turnpike (Site Number C915191) - This brownfield site was a vacant lot (Spill No. 04-74033) that was contaminated by old gasoline and petroleum products left by a filling station that had operated in the 1940s. Several hotspots of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds were excavated during the summer of 2005 and the work was completed in the fall of 2005. Certificate of Completion was signed on September 8, 2006. The volunteer planned to re-use the site for commercial purposes as a full-service gas station.

Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park (Site Number C915185) - The Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park site was once a vacant lot in an urban industrial area on the southern perimeter of the City of Buffalo. The site was comprised of a 25-acre portion of two larger parcels of the former Hanna Furnace iron foundry. The two larger parcels were each the subject of previous investigation and existing Voluntary Cleanup Agreements. Roadways have been constructed into the new development and the Site's current street address is 231 Ship Canal Parkway, Buffalo, NY. The Certificate of Completion was issued in December 2005. Since remediation work was completed, several manufacturers have built facilities on the land.

Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency West Property (Site Number C915195) - This site is the location of a former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) which was operated by various companies from 1848 to 1948. The 1.65 acre site was initially investigated by the owner - National Fuel Gas - during the period 1989 to 2004. (Refer to site #V00362). The investigation confirmed the presence of MGP wastes (containing benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, total cyanides) in soil and groundwater at the site. The site remediation consisted of excavation and off-site disposal of contaminated soils above the predetermined cleanup levels and backfilling with clean soil/material. Work was completed in 2006 and a Certificate of Completion was issued on November 30, 2006. The cleanup has resulted in the construction of an approximately 350,000 square foot HealthNow building at the remediated site.

Cobey-Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park-Parcels 1&2(Site Number C915202) - A Brownfield Cleanup Application to remediate 12.3 acres of land at the Buffalo Lakeside Commerce Park (formerly the Hanna Furnace iron foundry) was accepted in 2006. The development included the building of an approximately 90,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility. The site is located on one of the commerce park's new roads, Ship Canal Parkway, in the City of Buffalo. Contaminants from the site's former use by Hanna Furnace including petroleum, metals and SVOCs impacted the soil. Comprehensive environmental studies were completed previously and the Volunteer submitted a Remedial Action Work Plan to remove all contaminated soils above site specific action levels encountered during construction. A soil cover was provided and is maintained under the Site Management Plan. Remediation and site redevelopment was completed in 2006. A Certificate of Completion was issued on December 7, 2006. The site is restricted to industrial use and is currently the location of Cobey Manufacturing.

East Ferry Street (Site Number 915175 - The East Ferry Street brownfield site was the former home of the Michael Heyman Company, which operated a zinc and lead smelting and refining facility on the 3.32 acre property. High concentrations of lead were detected in the ash and fill found on the site. In 2001 and 2004, DEC conducted off-site investigations, and the results indicated that the contamination extended to the west and into several other industrial and commercial properties. These findings prompted DEC to establish more extensive cleanup goals for the site. Cleanup included the excavation of 136,234 tons of lead contaminated soil and 77 cubic yards of PCB soils along with two underground storage tanks containing fuel oil. Old tires, construction and demolition debris was also removed. What was excavated was replaced with 104,156 cubic yards of clean fill. Cleanup work was completed in January 2008. Collaboration between DEC, the local church, and community leaders helped transform the brownfield into usable land.

Lackawanna Business Park (Site Number B00080 - This 8.14 acre site is part of a 54 acre planned Lackawanna Creekside Commercial Corridor. The area is largely abandoned or underutilized former industrial property. A Phase I Site Assessment was conducted in 1998 followed by a Site Investigation (SI). The results of the SI showed low levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals across the property with a small area of elevated chromium concentrations in surface soil. As a result of these activities, 428 cubic yards of debris were removed and properly disposed of or recycled from the site. In addition, 1400 tons of chromium-contaminated soil was excavated and properly disposed of. The site is currently vacant and zoned for industrial use. One parcel was zoned and is now home to Alliance Innovative Manufacturing Inc.

Outer Harbor Greenbelt (Site Number B00149 - The site is an approximately 16-acre portion of a larger (110-acre), vacant parcel of commercial land owned by the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation. The land was reclaimed from the harbor by filling activities which occurred over a period of nearly 100 years, from the 1870s to the 1960s. The northeastern portion of the property was once a municipal dump which received ashes, noncombustible rubbish and other residue from the City of Buffalo waste incinerators. Most of the property, including the Greenbelt site, however, is made up of sediments dredged from local slips, canals, and the Buffalo Outer Harbor shipping channels. Construction and demolition debris (e.g. concrete slabs and broken brick) from various local projects were also found in the fill along the shoreline. From approximately 1969 to 1988, the reclaimed land was used for the storage of dry bulk materials such as rock salt, zircon and sand, foundry sand, iron ore pellets, ball and china clay, gypsum, potash, and scrap metal. It was the disposal of the dredged harbor sediments and storage of the dry bulk materials that led to the Greenbelt site contamination. Remedial construction that included removal of contaminated soil, addition of soil cover, and shoreline stabilization, began in October 2006 and was substantially completed in August 2008. DEC signed the Certificate of Completion in April 2012, and the site is currently utilized as recreation space.

Niagara Street and Pennsylvania Avenue (Site Number C915223 - This 0.27 acre brownfield site, in the City of Buffalo, was home to an auto repair and gasoline retail facility, which contaminated the soil and groundwater with petroleum. Cleanup activities included the demolition of the structures on the site, removal of five underground storage tanks and piping, and excavation and off-site removal of impacted soil. DEC issued a Certificate of Completion in December 2009. The site is now a Family Dollar.

Tecumseh Business Park - Steel Winds area (Site Numbers C915205 - This 29.05 acre property once was home to the Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Lackawanna Works, and was formerly used for the production of steel, coke, and related products. Steel production on the property was discontinued in 1983 and the coke ovens ceased activity in 2000. Portions of the property were severely impacted by contaminants associated with steel and coke production. In 2006 and 2007, a portion of the Tecumseh property, now known as Steel Winds, was remediated and developed for a clean energy project. The Steel Winds site is a narrow, approximately 30 acre portion on the western edge of the Tecumseh property, located in the City of Lackawanna. The COC was issued in December 2007. Currently, the site is a gently-graded and vegetated parcel. BQ Energy and UPC Wind constructed an eight turbine wind farm that produces an estimated 20 mega watts of clean electric power. The wind turbines began full operation in 2007.

Niagara County

1 Bristol Avenue (Site Number E932125 - This 1.0 acre brownfield site in Lockport was used at one time for agricultural retail. Oil and gas storage tanks at the site leaked and impacted the area with petroleum products. Previous investigations indicated that the site's soil and groundwater were impacted with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and metals. Contaminated soils and underground storage tanks at the site were excavated and removed. DEC determined the cleanup actions fully addressed contamination in February 2009, and a Certificate of Completion was issued in August 2009.

4 New Seventh Street (Site Number C915203 - The site is approximately 1.66 acres and is located at 4 New Seventh Street in the City of Buffalo, Erie County. The subject property was vacant land located in a predominantly commercial and residential area of the downtown area of the City of Buffalo. The subject property was formerly used as a coal yard (1889-1899), a gasoline service station (1927-1966), and for manufacturing purposes. Environmental investigations were conducted in 2003-2005. An IRM was conducted in 2006 which excavated and removed 4,395 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the site. DEC issued a Certificate of Completion on December 22, 2006.

915 Cleveland Avenue (Site Number C932133 - The 915 Cleveland Avenue brownfield site is a .803 acre parcel of land located in a predominantly commercial and residential area in the City of Niagara Falls. The site is a portion of an area that has been redeveloped as the Niagara Falls Municipal Complex. It is located 0.2 miles from the Niagara River. Historically, site had been used for commercial purposes, including an auto repair/service facility and dry cleaning facilities. These activities contaminated the site. A 2008 investigation confirmed that these activities had contaminated the soil with solvent-based VOCs, petroleum compounds, and to a lesser extent, heavy metals. These contaminants were present in subsurface soil and groundwater. Interim remedial measures conducted at the site successfully addressed contamination. DEC issued a Certificate of Completion in October 2010.

1501 College Ave (Site Number C932134 -This 12.25 acre BCP site is located in the north end of the City of Niagara Falls. It is situated in a generally industrialized area with nearby multi-family housing. Union Carbide operated the site as a manufacturing facility from 1910-1986. Products that were manufactured included specialty machined graphite, carbon liners, cathode blocks, and furnace electrodes. After 1986, the site was operated by Niagara Vest Corporation and later had been the site of illegal vehicle stripping and dumping. Known and suspected contaminants are Petroleum, SVOCs, Metals, and PCBs which were impacting soils. Remediation included the removal of contaminated water, PCB contaminated soil, construction debris, petroleum contaminated soil, Non Friable Asbestos containing materials, and waste oil. As a final step the site received a final clean soil cover. DEC issued a Certificate of Completion on December 31, 2012.

2250 Factory Outlet Boulevard (Site Number C932127 - The site is located at the north corner of Military Rd and Factory Outlet Blvd. in the Town of Niagara. The parcel is approximately 5 acres in size and was formerly occupied by Grossmans Lumber. The principal site contaminant is chromium, which was detected in shallow soils (less than 5 feet) in several areas of the site and appears to from past filling activities. Approximately 1,569 tons of chromium contaminated soil was disposed as hazardous waste. Approximately 5,359 tons of non-hazardous soil was also removed. The excavations were backfilled, and a Certificate of Completion was issued on December 14, 2007. Long term restrictions on the site limit the property to commercial use and restrict groundwater usage. NFTA has since constructed a bus terminal on the site.

6157 South Transit Road (Site Number C932130 - The brownfield site was a ~3.67 acre parcel located along South Transit Road and was used as an automobile dealership and service facility from approximately 1962 to 2008. Former automobile service and repair operations impacted on-site soil/fill and groundwater with VOCs and SVOCs. Remediation at the site, including excavation and removal of impacted soil and removal of abandoned underground storage tanks and associated piping, successfully addressed the contamination. DEC certified cleanup complete in October 2011. The site is currently the location of an automobile dealership.

7503 Niagara Falls Boulevard (Site Number C932126 - This site is approximately 0.89 acres. The property was formerly occupied by several commercial establishments, including various auto parts sales and auto repair facilities, leading to soil contamination. Known or suspected contaminants include chlorinated solvents such as TCE, PCE, as well as their degraded products. The groundwater and saturated soils in two small areas of the site have been impacted. Remediation work included injection of bioremediation material into the soil. The IRM field work was completed in November 2006. DEC issued a COC in February 2008. It has been redeveloped as a Wendy's Restaurant. Construction of the fast food restaurant has been completed and it is currently operating.

Commerce Square (Site Number E932141 - The Commerce Square Site in Lockport, NY was the former home of Harrison Radiator, a manufacturer of automobile parts. Preliminary environmental assessments indicate that the 8.6 acre site is contaminated with low concentrations of petroleum constituents in highly localized areas around former underground storage tanks, not under any of the buildings on the site. The site is currently classified as N* (No Further Action).

Electruk Battery (Site Number E932132 - The 1.4 acre Former Electruk Battery site in the Town of Lockport produced lead acid batteries from 1990 to 1996. A fire in 1995 damaged the facility and contaminated the property with lead. A cleanup action known as an interim remedial measure addressed contamination at the site by removing contaminated groundwater and soil from the area, and no further cleanup actions were deemed necessary. DEC issued a Certificate of Completion in March 2012. The site is currently occupied by Moley Magnetics, a manufacturer of electromagnets and accessories.

Globe and Solsil (3807 Highland Avenue, Site Number C932145 - The 22.25 acre Globe and Solsil brownfield site was located in a heavily industrialized area of Niagara Falls and was surrounded by current or former heavy industrial properties. It was used for a number of industrial purposes, which contaminated the property mainly with toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heavy metals. Cleanup activities included the removal of aboveground storage tanks, excavation and removal of both hazardous and non-hazardous soil, and removal of 54 drums of hazardous waste. DEC certified the site cleanup completed in June 2010. The site is now occupied by Globe Specialty Metals Inc., a manufacturer of silicon for photovoltaic cells.

Former Mill No. 2 (Site Number C932150 - The Former Mill No. 2, located on 18.52 acres of land in a highly industrialized urban area of Niagara Falls, historically housed paper manufacturing, finishing and packaging operations of finished goods. The facility consisted of several interconnected buildings which were constructed between 1923 and 1974. The former mill was taken out of service several years ago and had fallen into disrepair. A portion of the site had also experienced a significant fire that caused additional structural deficiencies and contributed to the overall building decay. Several radioactive "hotspots" were identified during the environmental investigation in addition to chemical contamination. Cleanup activities on the site included removal of the structures on-site and removal of radioactive and chemically contaminated soil. DEC issued a Certificate of Completion in June 2012. The site is currently owned by GreenPac, and operates as a manufacturer of green packaging solutions.

Remington Rand (Site Number C932142 - This 1.8 acre brownfield site consisted largely of several dilapidated industrial-type buildings that fell into disrepair. Over the last 100 years, it had been used for industrial and manufacturing purposes. Contaminants including petroleum, chlorinated solvents, PAHs, metals, and PCBs impacted soil and groundwater. Several IRMs were performed to address contamination. They were completed in August 2010. The site will be redeveloped for restricted residential purposes. DEC signed the Certificate of Completion on November 30, 2010.

SGL Carbon (Site Number C932146 - The former SGL Carbon manufactured graphite in Niagara Falls. The site is located on 17.1 acres of land from 6100-6200 Niagara Falls Boulevard. Environmental issues on the site include waste and ash disposal, and documented spills and petroleum releases. PAHs and metals have been detected in site soils. The Brownfield Cleanup Agreement originally signed by Ashland Advanced Materials, LLC was terminated in March 2011 because of failure to meet deadlines, and because no hazardous waste was detected above acceptable levels, the site was designated N* (No Further Action).

Whirlpool Rapids Bridge (Site Number V00655 -Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, constructed in 1897, is one of the three bridges connecting the United States and Canada in the Niagara Falls NY area. The Bridge structure and property have been owned and operated by the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission since 1937. Adjacent areas include the Niagara River and the vegetated river gorge wall and slope. The area is part of the New York State Parks system and includes a hiking path which crosses the site along the gorge floor. Over time the bridge and surrounding areas became contaminated with lead, heavy metals and PAHs. Contamination came from blast cleaning the bridge which left behind spent abrasives and paint waste. As a remedy 1,037 tons of soil was excavated and disposed of at a hazardous waste landfill. The trail around the bridge was restored with a much improved landscape. The project received a release letter from DEC on June 23, 2006.

Wyoming County

A&A Metals (Site Number C961011 - The 12.1 acre site was originally used in the early 20th century by Kaustine Furnace & Tank Corporation, a manufacturer of large steel tanks. A&A Metal, Inc. was the last known owner and operator of the site. A&A also manufactured large metal tanks and industrial smokestacks and ceased operations at the site in 2001, and the site has been abandoned since 2002. Previous environmental investigations at the site identified elevated levels of oil-like semi-volatile organic compounds in the wood floor blocks within the building, within fill materials observed on the side slopes of the parking lot, and within the sand blast residue. Additionally, elevated levels of metals (including lead) that exceeded New York State standards were observed in fill materials. Since, however, no hazardous waste was found, the site did not meet the requirements for inclusion on the registry, and the site has been classified N* (No Further Action). Further actions will be taken under Spill No.1109868.

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