The latest site in an industrially zoned area of northern Ridgewood slated for redevelopment requires a serious cleanup, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
A recent report found that there were several semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) and metals above cleanup guidelines at the site, located at 175 Woodward Ave., which had been used for storage of wooden pallets and shipping containers. Two mixed-use buildings, with ground-floor commercial space and apartments above it, are slated to rise on the site.
Soil vapor samples taken from the location revealed chlorinated solvents above the monitoring/mitigation level ranges established by the state Department of Health.
Now that the extent of the contamination has been assessed, the DEC is drafting a Remedial Action Work Plan (RAWP) to propose remedial actions to clean the site for redevelopment.
The RAWP proposes two cleanup options for the site: an unrestricted use soil cleanup plan, which would remove an estimated 850 tons of soil/fill from the site and properly dispose of it off-site; or the construction of a depressurization system underneath the building.
The unrestricted use option would, for development purposes, require that 75 percent of the property be excavated to depths of 11 feet below grade, while the remaining 25 percent will be excavated to 4 feet below grade. In addition, a hotspot area identified within 4 feet of the excavation site will be further delineated and excavated to depths of 14 feet below grade.
If the unrestricted use proposal is not selected, the DEC will move forward with plan B, which includes the installation of an active sub-slab depressurization system and a soil vapor barrier/waterproofing system below the concrete slab, as well as behind foundation walls of the proposed building. The plan also calls for the construction and maintenance of an engineered composite cover consisting of 6 feet of concrete slab below the footprint of the new building, and a concrete cap for the rear yard portion.
Before any form of cleanup takes place, the Office of Environmental Remediation (OER) is accepting public comments on the draft RAWP.
Residents can submit comments to Amanda Duchesne, project manager for OER, at 100 Gold Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10038, by phone at 212-341-2077 or by email at ADuchesne@dep.nyc.gov; and Shaminder Chawla, deputy director for OER at the same mailing address, by phone at 212-442-3007 and by email at SChawla@dep.nyc.gov.
The OER is accepting public comments on the draft RAWP for until Aug. 15.
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