By MIKE CAPUTO
The DEC invited the public to a special presentation on March 19 that outlined a volunteer cleanup plan at a contaminated property at Front Street and Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow.
There was a sense of comfort and relief among the handful of residents who did attend.
"I just wanted to know what is happening and wanted to know what is going on," said East Meadow resident Randy Schultz, who lives on Cole Drive. "It sounds like we have a good handle on it."
There were nearly dozen residents at the meeting who attended in addition to some officials from local government, the school district, the water authority and the DEC. A DEC official said that meetings over the years attracted hundreds of residents.
The contaminations were detected in an environmental site assessment of the Melody Cleaners property back in 1999. Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE), hazardous substances that were detected, were once used in dry cleaning agents at Melody Cleaners. PCE was a substance used historically most dry-cleaners because of its superior ability to remove stains. Dry-cleaners, including Melody in 2002, have since replaced PCE-based agents with safer, non-toxic alternatives.
"Basically, it was just a practice," said Brian Jankauskas, a DEC Project Manager. "It's just unfortunate."
DEC officials explained that the contaminant have not impacted local wildlife or aquatic life. Health and DEC officials insisted that measures have already been taken to keep people from contacting the contaminant, and that it does not affect the public drinking water system.
The Lowden Family Trust signed a Voluntary Cleanup agreement with DEC and, which now includes Nicholas Capparelli, Margaret Ann Capparelli, and Joseph Capparelli as co-volunteers.
"I'm not happy it is there," Schultz said, "but I can't go shovel and dig it out."
Copies of DEC investigation reports and other documents are available at the East Meadow and Levittown libraries .
Written public comments can be submitted up until March 31, by sending them to Brian Jankauskas, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Environmental Remediation, 625 Broadway, 11th Floor, Albany, N.Y. 12233-7015.
Comments about this story? MCaputo@
liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 287.
