For Release: Tuesday, February 17, 2004
State Signs Consent Orders with Honeywell for Cleanup
Company Pays State $4.2 Million for Costs Associated With Onondaga Lake Projects
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Erin M. Crotty today announced that DEC has entered into consent orders with Honeywell International, Inc. to address contamination entering Onondaga Lake from certain locations in the surrounding area. Under an additional agreement with DEC, Honeywell has paid the State $4.2 million in past oversight costs.
"Onondaga Lake and the surrounding communities have suffered because pollution has damaged the resource and limited recreational opportunities for the public,"Commissioner Crotty said. "The signing of these orders is the latest in Governor Pataki's ongoing efforts to protect Onondaga Lake and its residents while bringing the Lake back to its full environmental potential. The agreements with Honeywell and payment of past costs are necessary and positive steps as we continue to move forward to restore this valuable resource."
Honeywell has paid $4.2 million to the State for past costs associated with the State's oversight activities. In addition, the consent orders signed by Honeywell and DEC begin the cleanup process at certain locations around Onondaga Lake. The company will be required to perform an Interim Remedial Measure (IRM) at one area, conduct Preliminary Site Assessments (PSA) at two other sites, and develop and implement Remedial Design/Remedial Action (RD/RA) plan at another location.
The Harbor Brook site includes nearly one mile of lakeshore property and a parcel known as Wastebed B. In December 2003, Honeywell and DEC entered into a consent order for the performance of a major IRM at the Wastebed B/Harbor Brook site. The project will address potential sources of contamination to Onondaga Lake by constructing a vertical barrier to isolate, collect and treat groundwater before contaminants can enter the lake and one of its tributaries, Harbor Brook.
The area known as "Wastebeds 1-8" is comprised of more than 300 acres along approximately two miles of shoreline north of Exit 7 on Interstate-690. Sampling has documented the presence of contaminants at the site including benzene and toluene. The January 2004 consent order requires Honeywell to conduct a PSA at the site, and if warranted, a remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) to address the contamination.
Under the terms of a consent order signed in January 2004, Honeywell will conduct a PSA for approximately two miles of the western shoreline, a property referred to as the Ninemile Creek Dredge Spoils Area, where former marsh areas were filled with lake sediments in the late 1960s. Sampling in this area indicated significant levels of contaminants, including mercury. The order requires Honeywell to conduct a PSA at the site, and if warranted, a remedial investigation and feasibility study (RI/FS) to address the contamination.
The Semet Residue Ponds site consists of five lagoons and a brushy cleared area which together cover approximately 40 acres. The five lagoons contain approximately 80 million gallons of tarry waste residues from Honeywell's former benzol production plant. Honeywell is required to conduct a focused feasibility study (FFS) and generate and implement a remedial design/remedial action (RD/RA) plan for the site. Based on the results of the FFS, and following a period of public comment, the order also reflects that the State and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may evaluate a modification to the Residue Remedial Alternative, which had been previously selected in March 2002.
As a related matter, the U.S. District Court recently approved an amendment to the Onondaga Lake Consent Decree between the State and Honeywell. The consent decree currently governs the RI/FS for the Onondaga Lake bottom and for Geddes Brook/Ninemile Creek. The amendment requires Honeywell to pay more of the State's oversight costs as they accrue at these two sites. It also allows Honeywell an additional 60 days to submit its revised Feasibility Study for the Onondaga Lake bottom sediments.
The Solvay Process Company was founded in 1881 and is the earliest predecessor of Allied-Signal. The company was originally established to produce soda ash by the ammonia soda process. The original plant location in the Village of Solvay was subsequently expanded to three plant locations: the Main Plant, the Willis Avenue Plant, and the Bridge Street Plant. Wastewater discharges from the three plants, as well as contaminated groundwater, carried Honeywell contaminants, including large quantities of mercury, into Onondaga Lake and its tributaries. Allied-Signal's manufacturing operations in Solvay concluded in 1986. In 1999, Allied-Signal merged with Honeywell and took the Honeywell name.
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