East Farmingdale Superfund Site Enters Monitoring Stage

Nearly a dozen East Farmingdale residents gathered at on Feb. 17 to learn the results of a comprehensive study by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) at the Superfund site where Target Rock Corporation in East Farmingdale is located.

According to their most recent sampling, testing, and monitoring of air, soil, and water around the site in late summer 2010, the overall groundwater is good and there is substantial decrease detections in the soil vapor.

“The levels are clearly dropping, which is good news for the neighborhoods surrounding the site,” said Bob Corcoran, P.E. Environmental Engineer 2 for the NYSDEC. He explained that their proposal is to take no further action, but to continue to monitor the groundwater, soil vapor, and indoor air quality. In addition, the proposed plan calls for Target Rock to place an easement on the property, develop a site management plan, maintain its heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and have periodic certification of institutional and engineering controls. Residents are urged to provide written comments and questions until March 15 to the NYSDEC.

Target Rock Corp., a division of Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Corporation, is a manufacturer of valves for nuclear power applications that began operation in 1981 and continues today. Representatives of Target Rock attended the February meeting but did not comment on the findings.

Because the Target Rock Corporation took responsibility for the site and its clean-up, no state funds were used. In 1996, the company conducted a hydrogeologic investigation to characterize groundwater across the site and identify potential downgradient receptors of contamination. From 2003-2004, the company removed an abandoned underground storage tank (UST) that was leaking into the soil and groundwater. Along the UST approximately 212 cubic yards of contaminated soil was removed.

In 2009, Target Rock conducted a remedial investigation to assess the effectiveness of previous removal actions and identify additional sources of contamination. Follow-up air quality and groundwater monitoring events were conducted in 2010.

The site, which is located at 1966 Broadhollow Road in East Farmingdale, was originally cited by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS) in 1983 for illegally discharging process wastewater into a drywell without a permit and for improperly storing drums of hazardous chemicals.

In 1986, New York State became involved in the site and found contamination leading to putting the site on the state’s Superfund Program as a suspected inactive hazardous waste disposal site. In 1992, NYSDEC conducted a Phase 2 investigation of the site. By 2003, the state found a leaking storage tank that posed a significant threat. Sites that pose a significant threat to public health and the environment go through a process of investigation, evaluation, clean-up and monitoring.

It is listed as a Class 2 site in the State Registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites and represents a significant threat to public health or the environment.

“The solution was to pump out the dry wells, remove a leaking UST and excavate contaminated soil,” said Corcoran.

The 11-acre site located in a commercial/residential area is bordered on two sides by residential neighborhoods. The closest home is 100 feet away, said Corcoran, but above the site at a sharp elevation. The contaminants of concern are chlorinated solvents, primarily trichloroethane (TCA) and tetrachloroethene (PCE) solvents used for cleaning metal parts.

Residents, especially those whose homes directly sit beside the site, questioned the study and future plans. “My backyard sits at eye-level with the top of Target Rock’s two building,” said one resident. “Have there been any health studies on the neighbors or the employees of Target Rock? We’d like you to test the air quality on the roof and share the results with us.”

“The proposed remedy is protective of public health,” said Renata Ockerby, public health specialist for the New York State Department of Health. “We have no indication of exposure to the public.”

Another resident questioned if the value of her home would suffer due to the site being so near. “We plan on declassifying this site in the future and environmentally it is a non-issue," said Corcoran. "We have very strict standards. We’ll be letting the Town of Babylon know that if they decide to rezone the property in the future, condos and homes can be built on top of the site but no farming or agriculture will be allowed.”