DEC to Field Questions Wednesday on Hastings' Waterfront Cleanup

A representative from the New York State Department of Conservation (NYSDEC) will discuss past and future cleanup activities on the Hastings waterfront Wednesday, beginning at 7 p.m. in the

Hastings' waterfront is divided into two parts: to the north is a 28-acre parcel owned by Atlantic Richfield Company, a subsidiary of BP/ARCO.  The southern portion, , is owned by Exxon/Mobil and has been undergoing remediation efforts throughout the summer.

Wednesday's informational meeting will deal with the northern BP/ARCO section only.

According to a fact sheet distributed by the DEC, the site—known as Harbor at Hastings—is listed as Class 2 in the State Registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste Sites, meaning that it "poses a significant threat to public health or the environment" and that "action is required."

During the early 1900's wire manufacturing operations caused the release of PCBs and metals "into the soil, groundwater and sediments," the DEC report further explains. Interim measures were taken to remove the hazardous chemicals, but the site remains too toxic to be developed.

The DEC has been working with the two responsible companies—The Atlantic Richfield Company and ARCO—to conduct further investigations and to evaluate various approaches to the cleanup.

The DEC reports that new information from recent investigations should help:

• Evaluate stability issues within the shoreline.
• Define the nature and extent of PCB contamination in the northwest corner of the site.
• Determine background levels of metals within the shoreline.
• Determine suitable cleanup approaches for the site.
• Support a separate "feasibility study" to develop and evaluate different options to clean up sediment contamination.

What's next?

According to the DEC report, the agency plans to develop a "Proposed Remedial Action Plan," which will describe "the remedy preferred by NYDEC to address the contamination at the site." The plan will include all the factors that weighed into their decision and all previous studies and attempts at remediation. The DEC expects to present the draft plan to the public by the end of this year, with a 30-day public comment period following its submission.

For more information on New York State's Superfund Program, which "identifies and characterizes suspected inactive hazardous waste disposal sites," click here.

This week's project update meeting will be held Wednesday, June 8 at the starting at 7 p.m.