Public Safety/Emergency Management committee members said Monday they expect to receive findings very soon of a study on preliminary feasibility of locating a new county jail at the P&C site on Route 28 in the village of Herkimer.
As a result, following a Legislature session Wednesday at 2 p.m., the committee plans to make a decision on whether or not the P&C site, which is considered an “open spill site” by the state Department of Environmental Conservation, is worth the risk.
At stake initially is approximately $166,000, approved by the Legislature March 17, to continue a three-phase proposal from LaBella Associates, of Rochester.
Phase one, which cost a previously estimated $10,000, is being discussed Wednesday. Then, if a favorable opinion is returned, phases two and three — State Environmental Quality Review Act and facility studies that account for the remaining funds — will be approved by the committee.
There is, however, a resolution clause allowing for the county to terminate studies at any point in the process if unforeseen difficulties arise.
Following a committee meeting Monday, legislators Leonard Hendrix, chairman, and Jeffrey Stone, member, agreed there are “concerns” with the site, referring to pre-existing contamination.
Both said the county was aware going in of minor environmental issues. The hope is that phase one results find the county would incur minimal costs in the event it moves forward, Stone added.
County Administrator James Wallace said the county would be forced to re-evaluate all approved sites if the report eliminates the P&C site.
But according to contamination records for the site and comments from Philip Waite, DEC project manager, there are potential problems associated with placing the jail at an “open spill site.”
Despite extensive cleanup removing the bulk of contamination at the site, which was formerly a gasoline filling station, “residual contamination” remains, Waite said in a phone interview.
A very small area of surface soil and one groundwater well are still contaminated as a result of a petroleum spill established in 1994, he said.
Waite explained much of the soil can be “easily dug up” and the DEC previously identified Glider Oil Company Inc., of Oswego, as a responsible party for the contamination.
Basically, there is leftover contamination from initial removal of soil and gasoline tanks.
Unable to provide an estimate of the cost to remove the leftovers, Waite said he believes it will not be significant.
The county’s risk doesn’t come into effect until after the cleanup though.
Once the DEC allows the responsible party to clean up the site it closes the spill, Waite said.
The liability to development is related to possible future environmental work being required.
Although DEC closes the spill record, the location remains subject to further environmental investigations and work if it gets worse, Waite explained. The presence of this risk has the “possibility” of affecting the likelihood of banks approving loans to similar sites, he added.
Contamination details according to DEC records obtained through a Telegram Freedom of Information request:
A 2003 report compiled by Plumley Engineering, of Baldwinsville, found:
• The DEC in 1994 established a spill record at the site, which it referred to as the Herkimer Citgo kiosk gasoline filling station.
• During facility upgrades, petroleum-contaminated soil was discovered and 10 cubic yards of soil was removed at the time, the report states.
• A site investigation in 1996 included soil borings and installation of groundwater monitoring wells.
• The filling station closed operations in 2002.
Plumley’s Summary:
• In 2003, four underground gasoline storage tanks were removed; the kiosk, pump island and canopy were demolished and removed; and about 100 cubic yards of contaminated soil beneath the pump island was excavated.
• Residual contamination in soils below the groundwater was observed below the north dispenser.
• Groundwater samples, limited to one of three wells, contained contamination concentrations exceeding state standards.
• Possible future remediation was deemed necessary.
A 2004 Plumley Engineering report found:
• Residual petroleum contamination is still present at and below the groundwater table.
• A groundwater well returned a slight impact of contamination.
• Further environmental remediation and evaluation was recommended.
A 2007 DEC report from Philip Waite, project manager, found:
• A contaminated soil pile related to the spill and remediation resulted in petroleum contaminated runoff to an adjacent property.
• The adjacent contamination and soil pile have since been addressed, Waite said.
A 2008 Plumley Engineering report, which followed the continuation of a remediation program and groundwater sampling, found:
• In June and December of 2006, a total of 260 tons of petroleum impacted soil was removed during construction of remedial program trenches.
• As late as April 2008, groundwater contamination at sampling wells had decreased significantly.
• Plumley recommended discontinuing further remediation at the site and establishment of sampling programs.
Herkimer, N.Y. —
