Two environmental cleanup projects totaling over $5 million are slated to begin around Corning in the coming weeks.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation is set to address contamination at the City of Corning Fire Department site located at 2 Corning Boulevard, along with the William Street Park site located at Dunbar Street and Hillvue Avenue.
The work at the Fire Department site is scheduled to begin first, with cleanup activities expected to start in late May, according to DEC. The project is expected to take about three months. The estimated price tag to implement the cleanup is approximately $634,000.
Meanwhile, cleanup activities are expected to begin in June at William Street Park. This project will also last about three months. Cleanup costs are estimated at $4.54 million.
Here’s what to know about each project.
Environmental cleanup at Corning Fire Department site
Cleanup of the Corning Fire Department property will be handled by T&R Environmental of nearby Bath.
The site is listed as a Class “2” site in the State Registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste Sites, representing a significant threat to public health or the environment. The primary contaminants of concern at the site are inorganics such as arsenic, barium, boron, cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury, and semi-volatile organic compounds which are present site-wide in soil, according to DEC.
The site covers approximately 8.68 acres. It is bounded by Corning Boulevard and Guthrie Medical Center property to the north, flood control land and the Chemung River to the south, residential and Memorial Stadium to the east, and Center Way and the Corning Family YMCA to the west.
A City of Corning Municipal Water Supply Well is located on the southeast portion of the site. The well is being analyzed for contaminants of concern as part of the Glass Manufacturing Waste Disposal Area.
During cleanup, the upper foot of soil that exceeds the Commercial soil cleanup objectives or contains ash, brick, and/or glass will be removed and replaced.
Environmental cleanup at Williams Street Park site
Groundwater & Environmental Services, Inc. will handle cleanup work at the Williams Street Park site, which covers a total of 28 acres.
DEC analyzed aerial photographs from 1938 through 1968 and identified areas of extensive disturbance along the length of William Street Park that are consistent with landfilling activities. Another Class 2 site, the primary contaminants of concern at the park are inorganics like arsenic, barium, boron, cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury, along with semi-volatile organic compounds that are present site-wide in soil.
The upper two feet of soils that exceed the Restricted-Residential soil cleanup objectives or contain ash, brick, and/or glass will be removed and replaced.
Alex Hamilton, city parks director, said the park will remain open but portions of the park will experience some interruptions as DEC remediates sections of the property.
The site will continue to operate as a park when cleanup is complete. The park includes a pavilion, two playground areas, recreational areas including a basketball court and a horseshoe pit, grass lawn areas, several buildings as well as flood control levy running east to west along the Chemung River.
Other environmental work planned around Corning
Another DEC cleanup plan for the Gibson Scrapyard located at 2972 Main Street in the Town of Corning has been approved at an estimated cost of a little over $1 million, though a timeline to begin work on the project has not been announced.
The site spans 3.2 acres and is located at the north end of Main Street in the Hamlet of Gibson within the town of Corning. The former Gibson Scrapyard site operated as an industrial waste landfill from about 1940-1950, and a scrap metal dump from 1950 to 1985, DEC officials said.
Meanwhile, DEC will be conducting a study of the Chemung River and several nearby creeks in the Corning area to better understand where ash, brick, and glass materials may be present. The study will focus on locating these materials and evaluating any related impacts to river and creek sediments, floodplains, wetlands, and surface water, the agency said.
The study will cover about 14.9 miles of river and tributary channels in and around Corning, with the work planned from May through October 2026. DEC advises that residents may see boats, survey equipment, and small teams working along the banks and within the river and creeks during this period. DEC said its crews will work to minimize disturbance while following environmental and safety requirements.
Findings collected this year will inform future decisions about additional investigation or potential cleanup actions.
This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: DEC to start cleanup at Williams Street Park, Corning fire station
Reporting by Chris Potter and Jeff Smith, Corning Leader / The Evening Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
