For Release: Tuesday, August 21, 2007
DEC Announces Brownfield Grant For Jefferson County
$177,500 Awarded for Investigation of Contaminated Site in Town of Alexandria
A $177,500 Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act grant for the investigation of environmental contamination at the former Robinson's Garage in the Town of Alexandria, Jefferson County, was announced today by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis.
"Through the Environmental Restoration Program (ERP), municipalities across the state are working with DEC to investigate and address contamination, with the goal of redeveloping and restoring their communities," Commissioner Grannis said. "These grants demonstrate New York State's commitment to economic development, environmental restoration, and provide positive benefits to our natural resources, public health, and local economies."
The property is located at 43816 NYS Route 37 in the hamlet of Redwood, Town of Alexandria. The 0.3 acre site is a former petroleum distribution center and motor repair shop that has not been commercially used since 1998. One structure remains on the site. Underground storage tanks and associated piping was removed by DEC in 2004. However, not all of the contaminated material from historic releases could be removed from the site due to the existing structure. The historic releases at this facility have contributed to the overall drinking water contamination issues in the Redwood community. Laboratory sampling has confirmed the presence of petroleum impacts at 110 homes in the community. Additional homes have been shown to be impacted by lead and bacterial contamination. The petroleum impacts from at least 20 separate releases have largely been addressed, however due to the local hydrogeological conditions, the impacts to drinking water will continue for several decades. In the winter of 2006, construction began to install municipal water to the community with an anticipated completion before December, 2007. The Town will take ownership of the former Robinson's Garage property in the near future in order to conduct this program.
The investigation will include evaluation of soil and groundwater both on-site and off-site. The deteriorated on-site structure will be removed to allow for investigation and removal of contamination from beneath the building.
The Town of Alexandria is eligible for state assistance through the Environmental Restoration Program (ERP) since it is not responsible for having caused the contamination. The grant provides up to 90 percent of eligible costs for on-site and up to 100 percent of eligible costs for off-site remedial activities. The Town of Alexandria will fund the balance of the costs.
The Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act authorizes $1.75 billion for important environmental programs. The Bond Act included $200 million for ERP grants to municipalities for costs associated with the investigation and cleanup of brownfields. To date, more than $155.8 million in Bond Act funding has been committed for 241 investigation and cleanup projects at brownfield sites throughout New York State. This funding includes 199 investigation projects totaling more than $76.4 million and 42 remediation projects totaling more than $79.4 million.
Other applications are under review by DEC and additional grants are anticipated in the near future. Brownfields are abandoned or underused properties where real or perceived environmental contamination hinders the potential for redevelopment.
