For Release: Thursday, July 8, 2010

DEC REPORTS: 15,000 Spills Tackled, 39 Major Cleanups Completed, $21 Million Recovered in 2009-10

Annual Remediation Report Highlights Progress Across New York

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) tackled 15,000 spills across the state, completed major cleanups of 39 large-scale contaminated sites and collected nearly $21 million in fines and reimbursements related to cleanups in the 2009-10 fiscal year, according to a report recently released.

DEC's "Environmental Remediation Annual Report" also documents more than 5,000 petroleum and chemical storage facilities that were registered and licensed, expanded cleanups of former manufactured gas plants, and an initiative launched to clean up abandoned underground fuel storage tanks using federal stimulus money. The report covers sites under the agency's Superfund, brownfield, spill, vapor intrusion, manufactured gas plant, and other remedial programs.

"The range of accomplishments demonstrates just how far-reaching and comprehensive DEC's mission is," said Commissioner Pete Grannis. "Polluted parcels were cleaned up from Long Island to Lake Erie to the St. Lawrence Seaway. We tracked down and dealt with 4,000 spills in the Hudson Valley alone. Through this important work, DEC follows through on its promise to conserve, improve and protect New York's natural resources."

Report highlights include:

Superfund Sites: Not only were cleanup actions completed at 27 sites (listed at the bottom of this page), but also remediation progressed at another 123 sites in fiscal 2009-10. To date, New York has completed 1,490 Superfund cleanups, with 878 sites underway.
Brownfield Sites: Under this program, which works to encourage private developers to remediate and rehabilitate abandoned industrial sites, 12 major cleanup actions were completed. Another 50+ sites made significant progress, from conducting initial investigations to carrying out interim remedial measures.
More than 15,000 spills were addressed, with DEC compelling polluters to pay costs in 97 percent of the cases. (To see a regional breakdown of the Spill Resource Program , visit the DEC website.
More than 5,000 petroleum and chemical storage facilities were registered and more than 6,000 inspected. Registrations and inspections are akin to preventive maintenance measures that help DEC stay on top of storage facilities to limit the damage from leaks and spills. To view the Bulk Storage Programs 2009/2010 Progress and Statistics please visit the DEC website.
Stimulus Funds for Cleanups: DEC began to utilize $9.2 million provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to remediate dozens of leaking underground petroleum storage tanks across the state.
DEC collected more than $16 million in reimbursements from parties responsible for contamination at Superfund sites, in addition to oversight costs collected for the administration of other remedial programs.

"Our staff work very hard to protect the environment and the public from the effects of contaminated sites - both large and small," DEC Deputy Commissioner for Remediation and Materials Management Val Washington said. "I would like to thank them and our many partners in the public and private sector for the continued diligence that is helping to improve our communities throughout the state."

For more information: Access DEC's searchable database of environmental remediation sites on the website. To locate and map remedial sites in New York through DEC's mapping gateway visit the DEC website.

Also, DEC prints and mails thousands of documents each year to keep the public informed about the investigation and cleanup activities at contaminated sites. Recently, DEC has initiated a pilot program to distribute this information electronically in a quicker and more efficient way by using email listservs. People interested in signing up for one of the counties currently participating in this pilot can do so by filling out the information requested here at the Contaminated Site Email Listservs . DEC will continue to add more counties on a region-by-region basis.

Superfund Site Cleanups in Fiscal Year 2009/2010 With All Remedial Actions Completed:

A.K. Allen: Site Number 130100; Mineola, Nassau County
Spectrum Finishing Corp.: Site Number 152029; West Babylon, Suffolk County
Con Edison Arthur Kill Station (waterfront): Site Number 243022; Staten Island
Mayer Landfill: Site Number 336027; Blooming Grove, Orange County
Former Bouchard Junkyard: Site Number 411014; New Lebanon, Columbia County
Luzerne Road PCB Landfill: Site Number 557010; Queensbury, Warren County
New York Emulsions Tar Products: Site Number 633031; Utica, Oneida County
Camp Georgetown: Site Number 727010; Georgetown, Madison County
Trimmer Road Landfill: Site Number 828012; Parma, Monroe County
Cuba Municipal Waste Disposal: Site Number 902012; Cuba, Allegany County
Peter Cooper -Markhams: Site Number 905003B; Dayton, Cattaraugus County, Essex Chemical - Hope Site: Site Number 907015; Jamestown, Chatauqua County
Dow Craft Rollforms: Site Number 907019; Jamestown, Chautauqua County
Moog Inc. (Bldg. 11): Site Number 915164; Elma, Erie County

Significant Remedial Actions Completed at Superfund Sites in Fiscal Year 2009/2010; Additional Work Ongoing:

Grumman Aerospace (Bethpage facility): Site Number 130003A; Bethpage, Nassau County
Naval Weapons Ind. Reserve: Site Number 130003B; Bethpage, Nassau County
RUCO Polymer (Hooker Chemical): Site Number 130004; Hicksville, Nassau County
K-Intersection St. - Hempstead MGP: Site Number 130086; Hempstead Nassau County
Brookhaven National Laboratory: Site Number 152009; Upton, Suffolk County
Niagara Mohawk MGP (Water St.): Site Number 442029; Troy, Rensselaer County Hudson River PCB Sediments ("phase 1"): Site Number 546031; Saratoga County
NYSEG MGP (Central Ave): Site Number 546033; Mechanicville, Saratoga County
Niagara Mohawk MGP: Site Number 557016; Glens Falls, Warren County
Harbor Point MGP: Site Number 633021; Utica, Oneida County
LCP Chemical: Site Number 734049; Solvay, Onondaga County
Seneca Army Depot: Site Number 850006; Romulus, Seneca County
Former Gastown MGP: Site Number 915171; Tonawanda, Erie County

Brownfield Cleanup Sites With Remedial Actions Completed:

Gateway Center at Bronx Terminal Market (Eastern section): Site Number C203015; Bronx
Foundation for Torah Studies: Site Number C224126; Brooklyn
West 61st Street Tennis Court Area: Site Number C231059; Manhattan
BASF Corp.: Site Number C442035; Rensselaer, Rensselaer County
College Park: Site Number C447037; Schenectady, Schenectady County
Former Endicott Johnson-Ranger Paracord (southern sec.): Site Number C704048; Johnson City, Broome County
Former General Circuits Inc. Property: Site Number C828085; Rochester, Monroe County*
Former Vogt Mfg.: Site Number C828119; Rochester, Monroe County
Former Steve Joy's Sunoco: Site Number C828134; Rochester, Monroe County
Former Griffin Technology: Site Number C835008; Farmington, Ontario County
Former NL Industries Foundry: Site Number C915200; Cheektowaga, Erie County
ExxonMobil Oil Former Buffalo Terminal: Site Number C915201; Buffalo, Erie County*

* These sites had a remedial action completed in fiscal year 2009/10, but other remedial actions are still open at the site.