Environment DEC
From the June 2005 issue
Grant to Support Cleanup of Former Welch Foods Site in Chautauqua County
Investigation work completed at the site confirmed the presence of asbestos-containing material in the building
Governor George E. Pataki announced a grant for more than $783,000 to Chautauqua County for the cleanup of environmental contamination at the Former Welch Foods site in the Village of Brocton. The funding is available through the 1996 Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act Environmental Restoration Program (ERP).
"By cleaning up abandoned brownfield sites and restoring these properties to productive use in the community, we are helping to revitalize local economies across our state," Governor Pataki said. "I'm proud that our efforts are helping communities like Brocton improve the quality of life of residents and bring new jobs and economic opportunity to the region."
Plans for Property
Chautauqua County acquired the property located at 54 West Main Street via tax foreclosure in August 2000. Following the cleanup, the county hopes to redevelop the 2.4-acre property for commercial or light-industrial use. Currently, the property contains the abandoned portion of an industrial building that will be demolished as a component of the remedial work at the site.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Acting Commissioner Denise M. Sheehan said, "Under the leadership of Governor Pataki, New York has seen more brownfields move toward complete redevelopment than almost any other state in the nation. With today's funding, we can ensure that the environment and the health of surrounding residents are protected by removing contamination at the site, while providing the community an opportunity to redevelop it into an economic asset for the people of Chautauqua County."
Site History
The site was developed in 1859 for use as a wine cellar and was used by Welch Foods for the processing and storage of wine and grape juice products until the mid-1980s. Following Welch Foods' closure of the facility, Chautauqua County Forest Products used the site for limited storage until the mid-1990s. Since that time, the site has largely been unused.
Chautauqua County completed an environmental investigation of the site in 2002 which found soil contamination and asbestos-containing materials present in the building. The county did not identify any impacts to the groundwater during the investigation.
Remediation Process
In addition to demolition of the building, remediation of the site will include excavation and off-site disposal of contaminated fill material and soil, removal and off-site disposal of the complete building drainage system and its contents, removal and off-site disposal of all potential PCB-containing equipment and abatement of asbestos-containing materials. These actions will prepare the site for the redevelopment envisioned by the county.
Chautauqua County is eligible for state assistance through the ERP because it is not responsible for the contamination. This grant provides 50 percent of the eligible cost of the demolition and 90 percent of the eligible cost of remediation.
