Contaminants Found At Glendale Site
Though there is no significant health threat to the public, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is in the process of reviewing a plan to remove contaminants from a 6.8-acre portion of Atlas Terminals adjacent to The Shops at Atlas Park in Glendale.
Residents have the opportunity to provide their comments regarding the Brownfield site cleanup proposal for the property located at 82-00 Cooper Ave., which is occupied by several warehouses and a parking lot. In the past, the area was used for industrial purposes such as oil distribution, fabric dying, steel fabrication, plastic production and manufacturing of citrate magnesia, a laxative.
The draft plan, developed by Atlas Terminals in conjunction with the DEC as part of the Brownfield Cleanup Program, calls for the excavation of 66,000 cubic yards of soil which, through testing, were found to contain “contaminants of concern,” according to a fact sheet provided by the DEC.
“Contaminants of concern” are “sufficiently present in frequency and concentration in the environment to require evaluation for remedial action,” the sheet noted. However, none of the contaminants found in the testing were determined to be in high concentration.
Among the chemicals in the con- taminated soil include trace levels of benzopyrene, benzofluoranthene, mercury, copper, zinc, lead, tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethene (TCE).
Once the contaminated soil is removed, approximately 83,500 cubic yards of clean fill will be brought to and installed on the site, the DEC noted. Thereafter, Atlas Terminals and the DEC will put into place a remediation program with a goal of cleaning the site to the point where the site could be used for residential, commercial or industrial use.
Public comment regarding the project is being received by the DEC through June 28. The plans can be viewed online at www.dec.ny.gov; copies are also available at the Glendale library, located at 78-60 73rd Pl.
Once the public comment period has concluded, the DEC will make necessary revisions and issue a final decision document on the course of action to be taken at the Atlas Terminals site. The state Department of Health must also agree upon the cleanup plan before it can be implemented.
Comments and questions related to the project can be sent to Robert Filkins of the DEC by email at rhfilkin@gw.dec.state.ny.us, by phone at 1-518-402-9767 or by regular mail to his attention at the Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Environmental Remediation, 625 Broadway, Albany, N.Y. 12233-7016.
Health-related questions can be sent to Chris Doroski at the state Department of Health by e-mail at beei@health.state.ny.us, by phone at 1-800-458-1158, Ext. 27880, or by regular mail to his attention at the New York State Department of Health, Flanigan Square, 547 River St., Troy, N.Y. 12180-2216.
