Posted on April 16, 2018
By Tim Fenster, Lockport Union-Sun & Journal
The City of Lockport is allowing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to conduct more water and soil testing near Eighteen Mile Creek, as part of the federal agency’s cleanup of the creek.
Mayor Anne E. McCaffrey said EPA requested permission to take soil samples at 501 West Jackson St., and soil, groundwater and sediment samples in the rights-of-way along Clinton, Jackson and Monroe streets. The council voted unanimously Wednesday to authorize the testing.
“I’m in full support of them doing more testing,” McCaffrey said.
Since January 2017, EPA has been designing a work plan to remediate a 1-mile stretch of the creek south of Harwood Street. The $23 million project is the second of three phases in the cleanup of the creek between the city and Olcott/Newfane, and would utilize capping and dredging to remove pollutants.
The second phase will include dredging contaminated sediments in and along the creek at: the former United Paperboard Company property, 62 to 70 Mill St.; the White Transportation property, 30 to 40 Mill St.; Upson Park off Clinton Street; former residential parcels on Water Street; and near the dilapidated Clinton and William Street dams, which will be removed. Ttreatment at the old Flintkote property, 198 – 300 Mill St., will involve dredging and capping.
Michael Basile, EPA community involvement coordinator, said in January 2017 that it would take at least 18 months to design the work plan.
As of press time Thursday, EPA had not responded to requests for comment on the purpose of the additional testing or when the work plan will be complete.
Since shortly after Scott Pruitt was confirmed as EPA administrator in February 2017, agency officials have been required to receive prior approval before commenting publicly. Comments must be vetted by both the regional EPA office in New York City and the national headquarters in Washington D.C., and the process can take up to two days.
McCaffrey said EPA sent a letter to the city stating the testing will help the agency “determine the extent of the contamination” as part of its cleanup investigation.
The Eighteen Mile Creek Corridor site was added to the National Priorities List (U.S. Superfund list of hazardous waste sites) in March 2012. Investigations found the presence of PCBs, lead and other contaminants in the sediment in and around the creek.
PCBs are believed to cause cancer and can damage the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems in humans and animals. Lead can damage the nervous system and cause other health complications.
Some local anti-pollution activists criticized EPA for not disclosing the results of past testing or the date that the second phase of creek corridor cleanup will begin.
Anita Mullane, chairman of Citizens Against Pollution, said EPA previously told the group that test results would be kept confidential to protect the privacy of the property owners.
“Don’t you think the people of the city deserve to know which homes have cancer-causing chemicals on their properties?” Mullane said.
Jean Kiene said Upson Park should have signage warning visitors of the contaminants, saying this was a major concern of the late Shirley Nicholas, who won the EPA’s Environmental Champion award last June for advocating a cleanup of Eighteen Mile Creek.
“Certainly there are areas there that are severely contaminated. She felt it was important that signage be there,” Kiene said.
Source: Lockport Union-Sun Journal
