Based on the recommendation of its consulting engineer, the Public Safety/Emergency Management Committee decided to continue investigations into the P&C site as a location for a county jail.
Having already received Legislature approval March 17, committee members on Wednesday did not exercise their option to terminate a contract authorizing LaBella Associates to conduct State Environmental Quality Review Act and other facility studies at a cost not to exceed $176,800.
Results can be expected anywhere from six to 18 months from now, County Administrator James Wallace said.
County Attorney Robert Malone said the county retains its ability to terminate at any time throughout the process, though. Any services above and beyond the contract amount, such as environmental remediation, would also require further county approval, he added.
But officials were optimistic when asked about the site’s long-standing contamination issues.
After receiving LaBella’s initial report on Tuesday and discussing the matter with state Department of Environmental Conservation officials, Wallace said — in the words of the DEC — “minor concerns” related to contamination remain.
There is an anticipation, however, that a letter from the DEC closing its open spill site status will be sent to the property owner within the week, Wallace said.
Yet, the “closing” action actually just hands responsibility of removal of any future contamination over to the property owner, currently Richard Grossman, president of Gibraltar Management Company Inc., of Tarrytown, NY.
Grossman was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
Philip Waite, P&C site project manager for the DEC, has explained “closed” sites can have trouble obtaining funding from banks as well as encounter future contamination issues.
Leonard Hendrix, committee chair, said LaBella’s engineer puts remaining environmental cleanup at a maximum cost of $250,000.
Unable to provide a cost estimate to remove “residual contamination” from the petroleum spill established in 1994 at the former gasoline filling station, Waite has said he believes it will not be “significant.”
Extensive prior cleanup, which included removal of four underground gasoline tanks and well over 300 cubic yards of contaminated soil, was conducted under DEC supervision by Plumley Engineering, of Baldwinsville, according to DEC records.
And, costs associated with completed cleanup have been incurred by Glider Oil Company Inc., of Oswego, as responsible party for the contamination, according to Waite.
Representatives from both Glider and Plumley were unavailable Wednesday night to provide details on cost.
Even with cost of cleanup aside, the county’s major gamble on the P&C site continues to revolve around long-term risks tied to contaminated property.
The county does not own the P&C site and is conducting its investigation with cooperation from the current owner, according to Hendrix.
Meanwhile, the full impact of contamination on the county taking ownership is still unknown.
Hendrix said the county would address issues of ownership, be it through negotiation with Grossman or eminent domain procedure, after completion of the SEQRA investigation.
There is an example of existing policy towards contaminated property.
The county does not take ownership of contaminated or dilapidated tax-delinquent parcels through its In Rem foreclosure procedure, which Hendrix agreed is the policy.
To avoid complications associated with such parcels, the county would rather not seize land it is entitled to by law.
Herkimer, N.Y. —
