Hazardous Waste Cleanup to Cost State $3M

State officials will dole out more than $3 million of taxypayer's money to pay for the cleanup of hazardous waste on Oser Avenue in Hauppauge. 

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation released a plan on July 13 for the c The cleanup is projected to cost the state $3,019,702 over the next three years. 

In November 2000, the DEC has found traces of tetracloroethene, a dry cleaning fluid commonly known as PCE, carried from 100 Oser Ave. as far as New Mill Pond in Smithtown and Stump Pond in Blydenburgh County Park. 

Sands Textile Corporation, a textile manufacturer who leased 100 Oser Ave. from 1975 to 1985, used PCE to dry clean different textiles. It disposed of the chemical into two aboveground storage tanks and two below ground fuel oil tanks, which are believed to have leaked.

Bill Fonda, a spokesman for the DEC, said the state-hired contractor will begin moving the necessary equipment for cleanup of the Oser Avenue plume into place the week of Aug. 6. The drilling of new wells to take soil and groundwater samples, which may take place in residential areas, is scheduled to start in September and continue for four months, according to Fonda. 

Once the wells are drilled, the DEC's remediation plans calls for on-site chemical injections to control the PCE contamination through 2015. 

Due to the widespread area affected by PCE contamination, the DEC has labeled 100 Oser Avenue Class "2" site on the State Registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste Sites. It "represents a significant threat to the public health or the environment," according to the DEC. 

Funding for the cleanup will come from New York State's Superfund Program, designed to investigate, evaluate, cleanup and monitor inactive hazardous waste disposal sites. While the agency tries to identify company/party responsible before state funds are used, this project will be state funded by taxpayer money. 

Under the DEC's remedy, they plan to leave some untreated hazarous waste in the area so "a long-term monitoring program will be instituted." Monitoring will include the "groundwater, soil gas, indoor air, and the wetlands sediment and surface water." The agency will also develop a site management plans for the area's future.

Local residents who are interested in learning more about the cleanup can view the complete project documents by contacting the Nesconset branch of the Smithtown Public Library. 

A Fact Sheet from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has been attached to this document which DEC encouraged to be shared with residents and local business owners.