This Public Notice was prepared to provide information on the completed remedial investigation and proposed remedial cleanup alternative for 50 Elmwood Avenue in the City of Lockport, Niagara County, New York (Site, see map insert). A draft ABCA report was prepared documenting the remedial investigation and proposed remedial cleanup. Remediation is being funded through the Niagara County Brownfield Development Corporation (NCBDC) through competitively secured grants from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).
Spokesperson & Information Repository
The spokesperson for this project is Brian Smith, Director of Community Development for the City of Lockport, who may be contacted at City Hall, One Locks Plaza, Lockport, NY 14094, Phone: (716) 439-6688, email: bsmith@lockportny.gov.
The ABCA Report is available for review at the City of Lockport Department of Community Development and on the Niagara County brownfield program website at: https://www.niagaracountybusiness.com/brownfields.
Background
The 2.17-acre property at 50 Elmwood Avenue in the City of Lockport is a vacant asphalt paved parking lot with no structures. Historically, portions of the Site were developed with buildings associated with a foundry, residential dwellings, and a lumber yard. The Site has been a parking lot since the early 1960s. The surrounding area is a mix of single and two-family homes. The property is owned by 210 Walnut Street LLC, a subsidiary of the Greater Lockport Development Corporation (GLDC).
Completion of a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) in June 2018 revealed a few recognized environmental conditions that required further investigation. Completion of a Phase II ESA in May 2019 identified fill material containing concentrations of metals and semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) above levels that NYS allows for residential and active recreational uses.
Highlights of the Remedial Investigation
The Remedial Investigation (RI) consisted of 32 test pits (TPs) completed at the Site in a grid-like pattern with a focus on areas of former operations and/or structures. The geology at the Site consists of soil/fill materials overlying native soil beneath an asphalt parking lot. Mixed within the fill materials are man-made materials such as brick, concrete, limestone block, ceramic tile, ash, wood, metal, and glass.
Soil/fill samples were collected during the RI and submitted for laboratory analysis of the following chemicals: volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), metals, cyanide, pesticides, herbicides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Five (5) locations were identified that will require soil remediation because chemicals in the fill materials exceed what NYS allows for residential and active recreational uses.
Proposed Remedial Activities
An ABCA Report was prepared to identify and evaluate effective and implementable remedial alternatives for the Site and to develop a recommended cleanup plan that is protective of human health and the environment. The three (3) cleanup alternatives evaluated include: 1) No Action; 2) Excavation of all fill materials and 3) Excavation of contamination that exceeds NYS residential and active recreational use standards.
The no action alternative is not an option since the Site can’t be reused without some level of remediation. The second alternative is to remove all fill material across the entire site even though the majority of soil is nonhazardous. This alternative would result in the removal of approximately 16,800 tons of soil and replacement with the same amount of new soil at a cost of $1.9 million. This option is not feasible from both a cost perspective and the disruption to the community that would result. The third and preferred alternative is to remove impacted soil/fill from the five (5) locations identified and replace with clean soil. Approximately 719 tons of soil/fill would be disposed at a permitted landfill facility. A Site Management Plan (SMP) will be written for the site outlining procedures that must be followed in the event contamination is found in the future. The SMP will help assure the long-term protection of public health and the environment.
It is estimated that site remediation will commence in fall 2021 and take about two weeks. When remediation is complete, a Final Engineering Report will be prepared that summarizes work done at the Site.
Next Steps
Public comments on the ABCA will be accepted until Friday, July 30, 2021. Comments can be submitted in writing or electronically to Brian Smith at the contact information on page 1. The GLDC will then solicit bids from qualified contractors to implement the remedial cleanup.