Former Doro Dry Cleaners
Fact Sheet December 2012
Former Doro Dry Cleaners Update: Investigation to Begin at State Superfund (SSF) Site
Doro Dry Cleaners site before Site Investigation
DEC will soon begin a detailed environmental study at the Former Doro Dry Cleaners ("site") located at 3460-3466 Genesee Street, Cheektowaga, Erie County. Please see Site Location for a map. Documents related to the cleanup of this site can be found at the location identified below under Where to Find Information.
The site is listed as a Class "2" site in the State Registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste Sites (list of State Superfund sites). A Class 2 site represents a significant threat to public health or the environment; action is required.
Site Timeline
40 years
Dry cleaning facility
2008
Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
2010
Phase II Environmental Site Assessment
2011
Nearby homes were evaluated for soil vapor intrusion
2012
Phase II Environmental Assessment - property east of site
2013
Remedial Investigation report to be released
Investigation Work Plan
The investigation work plan, called a "Remedial Investigation Work Plan," was prepared by DEC under New York's SSF Program. The investigation will be performed by DEC. The investigation will assess conditions on-site (and, if appropriate, off-site).
Highlights of the Site Investigation
The site investigation has several goals:
- Define the nature and extent of contamination in soil, surface water, groundwater and any other parts of the environment that may be affected;
- Identify the source(s) of the contamination;
- Assess the impact of the contamination on public health and the environment; and
- Provide information to support the development of a proposed remedy to address the contamination.
Next Steps
The information collected during the investigation will be summarized in a Remedial Investigation report which is anticipated to be made available in mid - 2013. In addition, DEC will conduct a "Feasibility Study" which uses information gathered during the site investigation to develop and evaluate potential ways to clean up contamination related to the site. Another possibility is that the information collected during the site investigation may support the conclusion that no action, or no further action, is needed to address site-related contamination.
DEC then develops a draft cleanup plan, called a "Proposed Remedial Action Plan". This plan describes the remedy preferred by DEC, or a no action or no further action alternative. The draft cleanup plan summarizes the decision that led to the preferred remedy by discussing each alternative and the reasons for choosing or rejecting it. The goal of the plan will be to ensure the protection of public health and the environment. DEC will present the draft cleanup plan to the public for its review and comment during a 30-day comment period and at a public meeting.
Background
Location:
The Former Doro Dry Cleaners Site is located at 3460-3466 Genesee Street, on the corner of Genesee and Colden Court, in the Town of Cheektowaga, Erie County, New York. The site is located in a commercial and suburban setting, near Union Road and NYS Route 33.
Site Features:
The main site features include two attached buildings with parking areas located to the south and west. Directly to the north is undeveloped land covered by grass, bushes and trees; immediately adjacent and west of the open lot are the backyards of several homes. Located to the east is commercial property consisting of a large plaza.
Current Zoning/Uses:
The site, zoned for commercial use and is currently inactive, but had been used primarily for dry cleaning for approximately 40 years. Surrounding parcels are currently used for a combination of residential and commercial use. The nearest residential area is located immediately adjacent to the site to the west- northwest.
Historical Uses:
Prior uses that have led to site contamination include the storage and use of chlorinated solvent for the dry cleaning facility.
Completed site investigations include a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (2008) and a Phase II Environmental Site Assessment (2010). A 2012 Phase II Environmental Assessment of the commercial property immediately east of the site was also completed. The investigations found the groundwater to be contaminated with a volatile chemical known as tetrachloroethene (also known as perchloroethylene or PERC, a commonly used dry cleaning solvent).
In early 2011, homes nearest the facility were evaluated for soil vapor intrusion and where necessary the sub slab depressurization systems were installed.
Site Geology and Hydrogeology:
Based on the Phase II investigations, it is suspected that native soil, consisting of combinations of gravel, sand, and/or clay, is present beneath concrete/asphalt surfaces across the site to depths of at least 13 feet. Sub-grade layers consisting primarily of brown sand were encountered at some locations. Native soils were mostly noted as stiff or hard, which may have caused equipment (direct push soil probe) refusal at each boring location.
Groundwater flow is anticipated to be to the west, toward an unnamed intermittent creek located beyond a residential neighborhood. A site wide groundwater study will be conducted to confirm this.
Additional Details
Additional site details, including environmental and health assessment summaries, are available on DEC's website.
State Superfund Program
New York's SSF identifies and characterizes suspected inactive hazardous waste disposal sites. Sites that pose a significant threat to public health and/or the environment go through a process of investigation, evaluation, cleanup and monitoring.
For More Information
We encourage you to share this fact sheet with neighbors and tenants, and/or post this fact sheet in a prominent area of your building for others to see.
*Receive Site Fact Sheets by Email
Have site information such as this fact sheet sent right to your email inbox. DEC invites you to sign up with one or more contaminated sites county email listservs available. It's quick, it's free, and it will help keep you better informed.
As a listserv member, you will periodically receive site-related information/announcements for all contaminated sites in the county(ies) you select. You may continue also to receive paper copies of site information for a time after you sign up with a county listserv, until the transition to electronic distribution is complete.
Where to Find Information
Public interest in this project is valued and appreciated. Project documents are available at the following location to help the public stay informed.
NYS DEC Region 9 Office
270 Michigan Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14203
716-851-7220
(Call for appointment)
Who to Contact
Comments and questions are always welcome and should be directed as follows:
Project Related Questions:
David Locey
DEC, Division of Environmental Remediation
270 Michigan Ave
Buffalo, NY 14203-2915
716-851-7220
dplocey@gw.dec.state.ny.us
Site-Related Health Questions:
Matthew Forcucci
NYS Department of Health
584 Delaware Ave
Buffalo, NY 14202-1295
716-847-4501
beei@health.state.ny.us
Site Location
Aerial view of the Former Doro Dry Cleaners site
