For Release: Friday, July 30, 2004

Commissioner Crotty Announces Progress on Cleaning up Onondaga Lake

Feasibility Study Marks Important Step in Lake Cleanup Effort

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Erin M. Crotty today announced progress on the cleanup of Onondaga Lake. The Onondaga Lake Feasibility Study (FS) report submitted by Honeywell International Inc, coupled with information to be submitted by Honeywell in September 2004, will form the basis for DEC's development of a Proposed Remedial Action Plan (PRAP) slated for public review later this year.

"Today we move one step closer to cleaning up Onondaga Lake. The Feasibility Study and additional information to be submitted by Honeywell later this summer will allow the Department to propose a cleanup for public consideration late this fall," Commissioner Crotty said. "The various cleanup alternatives will be studied extensively by DEC engineers and scientists to select the most appropriate remedy to protect public health and the environment. Restoration of Onondaga Lake is a priority for Governor Pataki and me, and today we move even closer to our goal of restoring this great lake to its full potential as an environmental and economic resource, improving the quality of life of Central New York residents."

In a letter to Honeywell today, DEC found that the parties have agreed upon a detailed roadmap specifying additional information that Honeywell must submit by September 1, 2004, to address the remaining issues and complete an FS that is sufficiently complete for DEC to generate a PRAP. The PRAP will evaluate various remedial approaches for cleaning up the lake, present DEC's preferred remedial approach, and will be subject to public review and comment. The final cleanup plan will be selected and documented in a Record of Decision (ROD), which is slated for release in Spring 2005.

In May 2003, Honeywell submitted a Draft Onondaga Lake Feasibility Study Report, which was disapproved by DEC in November 2003. On May 3, 2004, Honeywell submitted the revised FS report. Since May 2004, the DEC has been working with Honeywell to make further revisions to the revised FS report. Substantial efforts and progress have been made to address DEC's remaining comments and concerns.

Honeywell's FS proposed alternatives ranging from no action to capping contaminated sediments in place and dredging contaminated sediments. Specific lakewide alternatives examined include:

355-acre cap with targeted dredging of 180,000 cubic yards over three years at total cost of $200 million;
355-acre cap with limited dredging of 500,000 cubic yards and recreation and habitat diversification over three years at a total cost of $237 million;
355-acre cap with minimal armoring and with dredging of 838,000 cubic yards over three years at a total cost of $261 million;
Extensive dredging of over 11,129,000 cubic yards with a limited 20-acre cap over a nine year period at a total cost of $1.2 billion; and
Disposal of non-hazardous dredged material at existing waste beds;

DEC requested that Honeywell evaluate additional alternatives that entail more extensive dredging and capping of contaminated sediments, including:

5 alternatives resulting in a 578-acre cap with various dredging depths of 1,207,000 to 3,490,000 cubic yards with a total costs ranging from $312 million to $519 million;
564-acre cap with more extensive dredging of 3,707,000 cubic yards over four years at a total cost of $533 million;
214-acre cap with extensive dredging of 12,184,000 cubic yards over nine years at a total cost of $1.35 billion;
2,329-acre cap with dredging of the entire lake or over 21,918,000 cubic yards over 17 years at a total cost of $2.33 billion; and
Additional information on the engineering and design for the use of the existing waste beds.

At its chemical production plants near Onondaga Lake, Allied-Signal, Inc., now Honeywell, used or produced hazardous and non-hazardous substances since 1917. In June of 1989, the State filed a legal action in US District Court against Allied, seeking environmental remediation and natural resource damages arising from the company's pollution of the Onondaga Lake system. The lake and related contaminated areas were listed on the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in December 1994 and is included on the State Superfund list. The hazardous substances and related contamination associated with the Onondaga Lake NPL site include:

The presence of mercury, and other heavy metals;
Contamination of fish flesh with mercury and other contaminants that render fish from the lake unsafe for consumption; and
Active and potential sources of hazardous substance pollution of the lake via surface and groundwater pathways that prevent or limit recreational use of the Lake.

Copies of project-related documents are available for public review at the Onondaga County Public Library, Syracuse Branch at the Galleries; the Atlantic States Legal Foundation (by appointment), 658 West Onondaga Street in Syracuse; and at the DEC Region 7 Office (by appointment), 615 Erie Blvd. West in Syracuse by calling (315)426-7403.

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