By Jeff Lipton
The state Department of Environmental Conservation removed contaminated soil and sludge from the Grove Cleaners site at 1220 and 1270 Peninsula Boulevard in April 1994, eliminating the source of much of the groundwater contamination. The DEC has continued to monitor the site, and has determined that groundwater contamination remains but is coming from a different source. The dry-cleaning business operated from August 1987 to July 1992.
As a result, the DEC is now proposing that no further remedial action be taken by the state, which will remove the 1.4-acre site from the registry of inactive hazardous-waste-disposal sites.
The DEC and the State Department of Health have scheduled a public meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library, 1125 Broadway in Hewlett. Officials will bring the community up to date on the cleanup and solicit input on the proposal to end remedial action at the site.
The Grove Cleaners site has been listed on a registry of inactive hazardous-waste sites and received a classification of 2 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the worst. It was considered to be a significant threat to public health, DEC officials said. Located near the property are Woodmere Middle School and a tributary to Motts Creek.
There is no future plan proposed for the site, said DEC spokesman Bill Fonda.
We have concluded our investigation, added Mark Lowery, another DEC spokesman. The results of the investigation indicate to us the site should be delisted, removed from the state's registry of inactive hazardous-waste-disposal sites.
We are finished with Grove Cleaners. We believe their contribution to groundwater contamination has been removed. We no longer believe the site to be a threat.
But, Lowery explained, there is still contamination from an upgradient source, which means, he said, It is coming from somewhere other than Grove Cleaners. But we don't know the source.
The federal Environmental Protection Agency is conducting a groundwater investigation of the whole Hewlett-Woodmere area, looking into possible contamination by as many as 20 dry-cleaners, officials said.
My understanding of the investigation by the EPA is that as many as 20 dry-cleaners may be contributing to the contamination in the Hewlett-Woodmere area, Lowery said. They have launched their own independent investigation.
It's not too common for the EPA to take on an area-wide groundwater investigation, he added.
The owner of the Grove Cleaners site, Nathan Serota, paid for the initial investigation and cleanup in 1994 but refused to pay for the rest, saying that his consultants indicated the contamination was coming from a different source upstream. As it turns out, [Serota] was correct, Lowery said. The state used Superfund money to complete the cleanup, he said.
Operations at the facility resulted in contamination of soil at the site as well as the groundwater beneath the site and beyond its boundaries. The primary contaminant was perchloroethylene, known as perc, a common dry-cleaning solvent. Shallow groundwater beneath the site and beyond its boundaries is contaminated with the chemical, DEC officials said. But public drinking water is available to all residences in the area, so exposure to groundwater contamination is not expected, the DEC said. Public water is tested regularly and must meet strict federal, state and county standards.
Lowery said the DEC was concerned about the indoor air quality of neighborhood buildings if the vapors seep into the soil and get trapped in buildings. He said the health department took soil gas samples and even air samples at nearby Woodmere Middle School, all of which showed no detectable level of harmful vapors.
DEC officials said they would only opt for a final remedy at the former Grove Cleaners site after careful consideration of all comments submitted during a public comment period, which ends Feb. 19. Based on the comments at the Jan. 29 meeting and written comments, or new information, the DEC may modify its plans or choose another remedial action. Comments may be sent to NYSDEC, Attn: Ms. Nancy E. Garry, project engineer, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-7015.
Copies of the investigation reports and other site documents are available at the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Library.
