Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Valley Stream Long Island Rail Road station may soon be the site of a cleanup by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, which opened public comment on their website last week on a plan to remove harmful chemicals from the site.
Officials said mercury and arsenic were discovered at the location. Mercury can damage the central nervous system when ingested, and arsenic can cause damage to the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. They were found at the MTA’s power station on the corner of Rockaway Avenue and Sunrise Highway. Mercury levels in certain areas of the site were as high as 26 parts per million, more than four times the recommended limit, while levels outside the plant were as high as 198 parts per million. Arsenic levels were found to be as high as 72 parts per million, also four times higher than the recommended limit.
The DEC is recommending a remediation plan to excavate and replace the affected soil. Public comment on the DEC’s website will remain open until Feb. 27. The MTA will consider those comments before deciding on whether to approve the cleanup in March.
The station is one of 17 proposed for remediation. If approved, work would start within one year of the project’s approval. It is projected to last one month.
Mercury and arsenic leeched into the ground from equipment used before 1979, according to the DEC. The equipment was removed and replaced in that year.
Mayor Ed Fare said he was glad to see the site would be addressed.
“I support their cleanup efforts,” he said. “Anything the LIRR can do to make the site non-hazardous and safe for our residents, safe for those nearby should obviously be done.”
