Carriage Cleaners Site
Historical Overview Summary of Both Carriage Cleaners Site and Adjacent Newcomb Oil Site (Former Citgo Gasoline Station Site)
Carriage Cleaners Site
In September of 2003, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the Monroe County Department of Health (MCDOH) were notified of gasoline vapors in the sanitary sewer along Torrington Drive. Concurrently, the NYSDEC was overseeing the investigation of a gasoline release at the Newcomb Oil/Citgo Station at 2087 Monroe Avenue, located near Torrington Drive. Facility inventory records indicated that approximately 8,000 gallons of gasoline may have been released over a several month period.
During subsequent investigation and remediation activities associated with the Newcomb Oil Site, select samples revealed the presence of tetrachloroethene (PCE). PCE is a chlorinated solvent commonly used in the dry cleaning industry. The presence and distribution of PCE, implicated Carriage Cleaners (2101 Monroe Avenue) as a likely contributor to the ground water and indoor air contamination. Based on the PCE contamination, the Carriage Cleaners site was subsequently listed as a Class 2 site on the NYSDEC Registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites (Identification Number 8-28-120) in April of 2004. A Class 2 designation means the site poses a significant threat to public health or environment and clean up action is required. As a Class 2 site, a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study is required to assess the nature and extent of contamination.
Based on the results of indoor air monitoring during the oil spill investigation, a total of 11 sub-slab ventilation systems were installed in homes located on Torrington Drive, Brooklawn Drive, and Hampshire Drive, as directed by the MCDOH. A total of five ventilation systems were subsequently installed at properties located on Monroe Avenue following indoor air sampling during the Carriage Cleaners investigation.
NYSDEC Completes Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study and Prepares Proposed Remedial Action Plan
Following completion of the Remedial Investigation in January 2007 (details below) and evaluation of possible remedial alternatives in a Feasibility Study in September 2007, the NYSDEC prepared a Proposed Remedial Action Plan (PRAP). The PRAP was made available for public review and placed in the document repositories on February 29, 2008. It is available in two parts, Text and Tables (29 Page PDF, 900 KB), and Figures 1-8 (8 Page PDF, 1.1 MB). The PRAP identifies the proposed remedy, summarizes cleanup alternatives considered, and discusses the reasons for this preference. At the same time the PRAP was released, the NYSDEC issued a fact sheet announcing the proposed remedial action and announcing a public meeting and the start of a 30 day public comment period on the proposed cleanup action. The 30 day public comment period is from March 1, 2008 to March 31, 2008.
Highlights of the proposed remedy include excavation of contaminated soils, the installation of a soil vapor and groundwater extraction system, and imposition of an environmental easement with periodic certification. The image below illustrates the components of the preferred cleanup alternative:
NYSDEC Announces Public Meeting - March 13, 2008
The NYSDEC and New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) will hold a public meeting on March 13, 2008 at 7:00 P.M. at the Town of Brighton Town Hall Auditorium. At the public meeting, NYSDEC and NYSDOH representatives will:
- Describe results of the site investigations;
- Explain the proposed remedy;
- Answer your questions about the remedy; and
- Receive your verbal or written comments about the proposal.
Remedial Investigation History - September, 2004 NYSDEC Issues Work Assignment to State Standby Contractor
On September 15, 2004, the NYSDEC issued a Work Assignment to a State Standby Contractor: O'Brien & Gere Engineers, Inc. The Work Assignment authorized O'Brien & Gere to move forward with the completion of a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study at the Carriage Cleaners site located in the Town of Brighton, Monroe County, New York. In February 2005 O'Brien & Gere completed Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study Work Plan documents. These documents outline the scope of the investigation and the procedures that will be followed to ensure the collection of representative environmental data. Prior to the start of field activities, the Work Plan documents were approved by the NYSDEC and the NYS DOH. Once approved, the Work Plan documents were made available at the document repositories established for the Carriage Cleaners site.
November, 2004 NYSDEC Holds an Availability Session and Public Meeting
On November 18, 2004, The NYSDEC, in cooperation with the NYS Department of Health, Monroe County Department of Health, and the Town of Brighton, held an Availability Session and Public Meeting. The November 18, 2004 meeting represented the third public meeting to discuss recent and upcoming investigation and remediation activities associated with both the Carriage Cleaners site and the adjacent Newcomb Oil site (former Citgo Gasoline Station). The slides included in the November 18, 2004 Public Meeting are available as one of the links listed above (Public Meeting Slides, November 18, 2004).
April, 2005 NYSDEC Completes Comprehensive Indoor Air Monitoring Program
Between April 4, 2005 and April 13, 2005 the NYSDEC completed the Indoor Air Monitoring component of the Carriage Cleaners Remedial Investigation. The Indoor Air Monitoring program included the collection of samples from 22 locations near the Carriage Cleaners site. The indoor air monitoring was completed to determine if contaminants, known to occur in site ground water, are impacting indoor air quality. This is a process referred to as vapor intrusion. Based on the indoor air monitoring results and comparisons to the NYS Department of Health guidelines, we have determined that no additional vapor mitigation systems are necessary. To confirm the initial sampling results, the NYSDEC completed an expanded indoor air monitoring program in January and April 2006. A total of 50 properties were included in the two indoor air sampling programs. The map above illustrates the indoor air sampling locations and the locations where mitigation systems have been installed.
May, 2005 NYSDEC Completes Subsurface Drilling/Monitoring Well Installation Program
For three weeks in May, the NYSDEC installed a total of 10 ground water monitoring wells at and near the Carriage Cleaners site. These wells will allow the NYSDEC to collect ground water quality samples and to better understand ground water flow directions and groundwater quality. The image below show the installation of a ground water monitoring well at the Carriage Cleaners site.
The following images illustrate some of the field activities completed as part of the Carriage Cleaners remedial investigation.
Outdoor Soil Vapor Sampling
Groundwater Sampling
These images show examples of indoor vapor monitoring canisters.
Canister in basement
Canister on slab
Canister in living space
Additional Information
Should you have questions regarding the status of the investigation and cleanup of the PCE release, you may contact:
Jason Pelton
Project Manager
Remedial Bureau D
Division of Environmental Remediation
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-7017
(518) 402-9815 or
Toll-free 1-888-459-8667
Should you have questions regarding the status of the investigation and cleanup of the gasoline release at the former Citgo station, you may contact:
Carl Hettenbaugh
Environmental Program Specialist I
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Region 8 Office
6274 East Avon-Lima Road
Avon, NY 14414-9519
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 - 4:45
(585) 226-5432
For health related questions you may contact:
Mark Leszczynski
Monroe County Department of Health
111 Westfall Road - PO Box 92832
Rochester, NY 14692
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 - 4:30
(585)-274-6052
Joseph Albert
Monroe County Department of Health
111 Westfall Road - PO Box 92832
Rochester, NY 14692
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 - 4:30
(585)-274-6904
Debbie McNaughton
New York State Department of Health
335 E. Main Street
Rochester, NY 14604-2127
585-423-8069
At the Town of Brighton you may contact:
Thomas Low
Commissioner of Public Works
Town of Brighton
2300 Elmwood Ave.
Rochester, NY 14618
(585)-784-5225
More about Carriage Cleaners Site:
- Carriage Cleaners Project Schedule - DEC Moves Forward With Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study for the Carriage Cleaners Site, Town of Brighton. Carriage Cleaners Project
- Map - General Area of Follow-Up Sampling - General area for follow-up monitoring for the Carriage Cleaners Site, Town of Brighton.
