For Release: Thursday, June 28, 2007
DEC: ExxonMobil to Restart Cleanup at Greenpoint
Pumps To Operate Under Stricter Rules
At the direction of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), ExxonMobil will be restarting its oil recovery and groundwater remediation system on Thursday, June 28, 2007, at a massive oil spill site in the Greenpoint, Brooklyn, community. The restarting of this system is an important step in continuing to remove the oil contamination from the impacted area as DEC seeks to move forward on the cleanup.
As part of a cleanup agreement signed in 1990, ExxonMobil operated a system designed to remove and treat petroleum from below ground in the vicinity of former oil terminals along Newtown Creek. The system separated petroleum and other constituents from the groundwater and discharged the treated water into the Creek.
On February 8, 2007, DEC through the State Office of the Attorney General notified ExxonMobil of the state's intent to sue for discharges in violation of the federal Clean Water Act and other laws. ExxonMobil responded by shutting off the groundwater pumps of their remediation systems. Rather than continuing to pump and treat the underground petroleum, ExxonMobil set up a passive recovery system that resulted in less than 8 percent of the previous treatment capacity. Prior to shutting off their systems, ExxonMobil was recovering 1,110 gallons per day. After shutting down the treatment systems, ExxonMobil recovered only 87 gallons per day. This has resulted in increased oil migrating into Newtown Creek.
DEC viewed the shutoff as a deliberate violation of state laws and a substantial failure by ExxonMobil to accept responsibility for prior contamination.
Accordingly, DEC directed ExxonMobil to apply for a new State Pollution Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit. The company has submitted a permit application and DEC is currently reviewing it. The permit will contain more stringent limitations on the discharge to the Creek, and increase the monitoring requirements of ExxonMobil. The proposed permit will be subject to public review prior to any decision being made by DEC.
While the SPDES permit is pending, DEC has provided temporary authorization to ExxonMobil to operate their treatment system under DEC oversight with stricter discharge limitations, a required evaluation of interim technical measures to further limit contaminant discharges, and increased reporting requirements. ExxonMobil has agreed and will start up the system based on the more stringent requirements.
