'Brownfield' site in Elmont to get funds for cleanup

A site on Hempstead turnpike, a few blocks east of Plainfield Avenue in Elmont, will receive $275,000 in funds to contamination clean up.

Thirteen municipally owned brownfield sites across the state will receive $8.4 million in NY Works II funding to cleanup and remediate the sites for redevelopment, state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens announced late last week. The sites are part of the state’s Environmental Restoration Program (ERP).

The Elmont site is located at 546 Hempstead Turnpike.

“The cleanup and restoration of brownfield properties such as these are critical to

safeguarding public health, protecting the environment and developing community assets that energize the economy and quality of life,” Commissioner Martens said. “The funding announced today is made possible by Governor Cuomo and the legislature who have championed the ERP through NY Works funding as a central part of the State budget.”

DEC received 13 applications and determined all are eligible for funding. DEC will use the NY Works II funding to complete the 13 ERP remediation projects. Municipalities and DEC will enter into agreements so DEC will undertake the remediation work directly with the municipality paying 10 percent of the project costs.

The NY Works funding allows existing ERP sites to advance beyond the investigation phase and begin cleanup work.