(Schenectady, NY) Schenectady County officials today declared victory in their seven year battle to get the federal government to clean up the former Scotia Navy Depot in Glenville, NY.
“At last, the federal government has agreed to clean-up the land at the former Navy Depot in Glenville,” said Judy Dagostino, Chair of the Schenectady County Legislature. “This will not only protect our environment, but will boost our economic development efforts in the Glenville Business and Technology Park and Schenectady County.”
The federal government’s landlord, the General Services Administration (GSA), has signed a Federal Facility Site Remediation agreement with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The agreement commits GSA to moving ahead with clean-up plans at the former Navy Depot. Under terms of the agreement, the federal government is responsible for cleaning up the environmental issues caused when the Depot was in operation. Most Navy functions at the site ended after the Vietnam War.
The primary concern is a groundwater plume containing trichloroethylene (TCE) that has been identified at a depth of 70 feet below the surface of the Depot property. The plume, according to tests done by NYSDEC, is within a portion of the Great Flats Aquifer protection zone and is headed toward the Mohawk River. The aquifer is the multi-billion gallon underground water supply providing high quality drinking water to almost all Schenectady County residents.
TCE is a chemical often used in solvents for industrial purposes as a degreaser. It was likely used during repair and assembly of trucks and other vehicles at the former Navy Depot. TCE has been linked with cancer and other health hazards.
“The TCE plume must be stopped and the federal government has finally owned up to its responsibility to fix the environmental damage caused by the former Navy operation,” said Cathy Gatta, a member of the County Legislature representing Glenville and Niskayuna and a member of the Schenectady County IDA. “This is a great day for residents of Glenville who want to see this property cleaned up and put back on the tax rolls.”
Schenectady County officials were pleased when in March of 2010, GSA agreed to a NYSDEC Record of Decision (ROD) outlining the environmental problem and a plan to fix it. Since then County officials kept pressing both federal and state officials to get an agreement signed. The County identified clean up of the Depot as a priority for its unified economic development team back in 2004 and worked with State and federal officials including the NYTS Congressional Delegation to forge an agreement on the cleanup plan.
The solution involves installing a “zero valent iron permeable reactive barrier” beneath the surface of the Depot at a cost of approximately $3 million to $4 million. This type of barrier has proven to be effective in stopping TCE plumes and breaking down the TCE so that it is no longer a health threat.
GSA has agreed to install such a barrier and implement a long-term monitoring program to confirm that the barrier is effectively addressing the groundwater contamination.
With the clean up issue finally resolved, County officials are hoping that GSA will proceed with the transfer of 65 acres it still owns at the former Navy Depot setting up the potential to redevelop the site and place it back on the tax rolls. The site is located just off Exit 26 of the NYS Thruway.
Ray Gillen, Commissioner of Economic Development and Planning for Schenectady County said, “Job one was protecting the environment and getting the Depot cleaned up. The next step is trying to redevelop the parcel for new jobs and new tax base.”
Schenectady County officials thanked Congressman Tonko, Senator Schumer, Senator Gillibrand, Governor Cuomo and DEC Commissioner Martens for their help in getting a final agreement signed.
Contact:
Joe McQueen
(518) 388-4772