By Liz McBreen
The site, located on New Hyde Park Road, was once a family-owned metal plating company that started in the 1920's. For years, says the EPA, the company did not dispose of volatile organic waste products properly. As a result, the groundwater and soil surrounding the site are now contaminated. In 1986, the property was added to the agency's Superfund list, a federally-funded program that cleans up sites such as the Genzale factory that pose environmental and health risks.
The Superfund program had began the cleanup soon after and was believed to be near completion when additional contaminants were found in the soil near the site two years ago. Patrick Hamblin, Environmental Protection Agency Remedial Project Manager, admits that these additional problems should not have been missed the first time.
As a result of these additional findings, the EPA, which runs the Superfund Program, hopes to demolish the building between Oct. and Dec. of this year. Additional sampling will then be done at the site to determine the extent of contamination.
According to a community update sent to residents by the EPA, once the contaminated soil beneath the plant is studied, "the EPA has also directed our contractors to move forward with the design of groundwater extraction and treatment system to clean up the contaminated groundwater underlying the building."
On Sept. 24, two informational meetings were held to let residents know how the situation will be handled. Some residents, including Gerry Alvino are angry because the EPA has not made their plans more accessible to the public prior to making decisions. "Several of my neighbors have cancer and my son is sick," said Alvino. "I am positive it is a result of the contaminants from that site."
In additions to health risks concerns that the plant poses, residents worried about additional problems that may result from the building being torn down. The nearest residence is within a few feet of the site and is home to five children.
Hamblin explained that precautions will be taken as at every Superfund site to ensure that the residents living in close proximity will not be effected. "The actual destruction of the building will not be any more dangerous than a home being torn down," said Hamblin, explaining that the contaminants that have to be extracted are underneath the concrete slab where the building currently stands.
The EPA's plan is to take down the existing building and immediately begin to clean out the contaminated soil underneath. The time frame of the project depends on the amount of funding that Superfund is able to put toward the site.
The Genzale Plating Company currently still owns the site. Once Superfund is finished cleaning it up, the property will be sold. Ten thousand dollars will go to the owner of the former business, and the rest will be put towards the cleanup project, according to EPA attorney Jim Doyle.
In response to residents' inquiries into how the taxes are paid on the site, Doyle said that when the property became a health issue, $500,000 was handed over by the former owner and was set aside in an escrow account controlled by the EPA. Genzale is not permitted to withdraw any money unless authorized. Money from this account is used only for reasons pertaining directly to the site, including tax payments.
State Health Department representative Wendy Kuehner explained that air monitors will be put along the fence line of the site during the demolition and excavation. "If at any time the level of contaminants in the air exceeds that deemed safe, an alarm will sound," said Kuehner." At that point, work on the site will cease and the necessary steps will be taken to bring the levels down."
A contractor who regularly works with the EPA will be in charge of the work on the site, but a specific work-plan has not yet been prepared. Hamblin assured residents that the work plan will eventually be published for public perusal at the library.
Addressing concerns of contaminants such as chromium and nickel in the water supply, Franklin Square Water District representative Dennis Kelleher said, "If the groundwater were tested, it is possible that contaminants would be found, but we constantly test to make sure that they are not in the public water supply."
If community members have any questions about the work that will soon be taking place at the site, or the site in general, Pat Hamblin can be contacted for more information at (212) 637-3314 or hamblin.patrick@epa.gov. Residents can also contact Cecilia Echols, Community Involvement Coordinator at (212) 637-3678 or echols.cecelia@epa.gov.
