Toxic buildings pose danger to Glenmere Lake

State’s cleanup is already underway, By Edie Johnson Chester — Back when no one knew just how dangerous pesticides, lead-based paint, and asbestos shingles were to public health, several sheds and a pumping station containing these materials sat on the shore of Glenmere Lake. The structures were once part of the original 1,440 acres that belonged to the Glenmere Mansion estate in the early 20th century. Now badly deteriorated, they are on a separate 10-acre parcel that juts out into the lake. The property, located in the Town of Chester’s side of the lake, has long since been abandoned. Orange County took the property over after the owner failed to pay taxes. Most of the buildings are now piles of rubble, and the toxic materials they once contained have leached into the soil. Traces have been found in sediment 40 feet into the lake. Glenmere Lake supplies drinking water to the Village of Florida. Fearing the pollution would get worse if the toxic materials were disturbed, local officials called in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to assess the damage and propose a cleanup plan. Some immediate correction of the problem began last summer. Four oil storage tanks, one of which may have been leaking, was removed, along with a rusty boiler, 490 gallons of oil, and 250 tons — eight dump trucks’ worth — of contaminated soil. This area was retested, and the soil is now clean, although portions of the dilapidated structures remain. This week Michael Knipfing, citizen participation specialist of the DEC, held a public hearing at the legislative chambers to present their findings and to share plans to remove the remaining structures as well as toxic material which through erosion has traveled into the sediment. What they found Just how serious is the contamination? Soil borings across the site found cause for concern. State environmental officials said most of the contamination has been contained around the buildings. No contamination was found in the groundwater, they said. Joshua Cook, the project manager from the state conservation department, said the department took many soil samples. Before the cleanup, lead was found 9,000 parts per million (ppm) — far above the safety level of 63 ppm. Cook said that, given its proximity to the water, and the tendency for erosion to carry toxic materials toward the water, it poses a public health hazard. The state also found 30 ppm of arsenic around the site of Building #6. The safety limit is 13 ppm. The state assumes that pesticides may have been stored in the shed. Cook said the amount is not extreme. Every effort will be made to restore the site to pre-contamination conditions, he said. Alternatives considered While some sites can be fenced off and others treated, the threat to the water supply demands a full cleanup. The main issue is how to remove the remaining contaminated sediment in the lake without further polluting water only 100 feet from Florida’s intake valve. A moderate approach would be to remove the sediment hydraulically. A double silt curtain would be stretched around the area to prevent turbidity in the water from traveling. A second, more expensive approach would give more protection to the water supply. This method would close off the contaminated area with pilings set out into the lake. The sediment could then be completely removed. Experts predict this method will remove 2,000 pounds of sediment, or 10 truckloads. The state is weighing the pros and cons of each approach. The work is expected to take two to three weeks. This area is a favored habitat and migration path of the northern cricket frog, which is endangered in New York State. Cook said a field study found no frogs in the study site, but that the frogs were seen in the vicinity. State environmentalists are concerned that the frogs and other species could also suffer from toxic exposure. This type of remedial work is eligible for municipal Brownfields funding through the Clean Water and Air Act. The county would be required to contribute $1 million, with the state and federal governments paying the remainder. Florida Mayor James Pawliczek said his village is 100 percent behind the cleanup project, as long as it is done safely. He would like to see a watershed management plan, both for the water and for potential recreational uses. Land reclaimed by the state’s remediation may be added to the county’s parkland for passive recreation.

While small amounts of toxic materials were found in an area of sediment about 40 feet out in the lake, none of the groundwater is currently contaminated.” Joshua Cook, Project Manager New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Timeline
2006: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation accepted the site into their Environmental Remediation Program
2008: State takes field samples and does analyses
2010: Northern cricket frog study
2010: Four petroleum storage tanks and a boiler are removed.