The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced recently that the Con Edison Third Avenue Yard will be remediated under the State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program. NYSDEC will accept public comments on the draft Remedial Investigation Work Plan through September 8, 2017.
The Third Avenue Yard is a nearly seven-acre site bounded to the north by 1st Street, to the south by 3rd Street, to the west by 3rd Avenue, and to the east by 4th Avenue. Con Edison currently uses the property as a utility service center, which includes storage, fleet fuel dispensing, a repair garage, parking of fleet and staff vehicles, administrative offices, and a truck flushing area.
The site was a tidal wetland until 1860, when it was covered with fill, and then housed Washington Park, the home ballpark of the predecessors to the Brooklyn Dodgers, until approximately 1918, when it was converted into warehouse space.
The remedial investigation will define the nature and extent of contamination in soil, surface water, groundwater and any other parts of the environment that may be affected. Elements of the investigation will include:
• Installation and sampling of soil borings to determine the extent of PCBs, manufactured gas, petroleum and urban fill contamination.
• Installation and sampling of additional groundwater wells to determine current groundwater conditions.
The investigation will inform the creation of a cleanup plan, which will also be subject to a 45-day public comment period.
The proposed Remedial Investigation Work Plan is available for review at the following locations:
Brooklyn Public Library – Pacific Branch
25 4th Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217
Phone: (718) 638-1531
Brooklyn Community Board 6
250 Baltic Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-643-3027
Project-related questions and can be directed, and comments on the Draft Remedial Investigation Work Plan submitted, to:
Michael Haggerty
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation
Division of Environmental Remediation
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-7017
Phone: 518-402-9688
Email: michael.haggerty@dec.ny.gov
Site-related health questions can be directed to:
Gregory Rys
New York State Department of Health
Empire State Plaza Corning Tower Room 1787
Albany, NY 12237
Phone: 518-402-7860
Email: BEEI@health.ny.gov
Click here for a copy of the project Fact Sheet.
More information about the site and contaminants found in its soil and groundwater are available here.