By DEBBIE ROSEN
Future of contaminated land worries residents
Clues to the future of the former Cibro Oil site continued to emerge last week as one potential buyer contacted neighbors and another lawyer was revealed.
Residents began holding meetings earlier this year to find out what was going to happen to the 11-acre Harbor Isle property, which has been declared contaminated by the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
Last week, Hebert Balin of the law firm Certilman, Balin, Adler and Hyman still declined to confirm or deny that he represented Michael Posillico of Posillico, Inc., an asphalt company, in the purchasing of the property. However, at least one neighbor said she has been contacted by Mr. Posillico to discuss his plans for the property -- townhouses.
Mr. Posillico did not return calls seeking his comment for this article.
While Mr. Posillico's involvement remains unconfirmed, another attorney for a potential buyer has been named. Tom McKevitt, deputy Town of Hempstead attorney, said last Friday he had been told by Cibro attorneys that Walter Gummersell of the law firm McMilllan, Rather, Benett and Rigano was also representing a potential buyer. Mr. Gummersell declined to name his client and Cibro Oil did not return calls.
Even though Cibro Oil filed for bankruptcy in 1992, it still holds the deed and title to the land.
While the potential buyer remains a mystery to residents, meetings between this person and the DEC continue. According to DEC representative Mark Lowry, a study of the site's contamination will be conducted in the near future. Scattered samples at a depth of 150 feet will be taken to map out where any concentration of contamination may be found.
The DEC found a fuel-oil spill on the property in 1988 when above-ground storage tanks were moved. At that time, monitoring wells were installed.
The DEC said residents can anticipate activity to begin right away. The land will be tested by a Geoscope, a tube that punches holes into the ground. No odors should be caused by the process.
If the property is purchased, any and all plans for clean-up will have to be approved by the DEC. "Based on the data, a remediation process would require our approval with end points on the plan until clean-up standards are met," Mr. Lowry said.
If the potential buyer does plan to build townhouses, a change of zoning would be needed. The land is zoned as industrial. It would also mean stricter clean-up requirements, according to the DEC.
Residents sitting on the Harbor Isle Steering committee, formed earlier this year when rumors about the proposed purchase began to surface, are concerned about possible health hazards from living near the site and what disturbing the contamination might do. Mr. Lowry attempted to put residents' minds at rest, saying that "Any remediation plan is a health and safety plan that would ensure the health of homeowners and workers on the site."
As for appearance, atorney Balin said, "Any type of development would be a lot better than what is there now."
He continued, saying "I assure you, when and if a client of mine buys the land, they would reach out to the community. But, that discussion at this time is too premature."
