HomeMy WebLinkAboutAll Newspaper Archive Articles Compiled.pdfUlysses water district bill surprises town board
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Reaves, Michele
Date:
Apr 14, 2004
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
Local
Text Word Count: 442
Document Text
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - Water in the recently completed Ulysses Water District #3 that serves residents and business along Route
96 from the Town of Ithaca to the hamlet of Jacksonville, will come at a higher price than expected.
A $2.65 million no -interest state loan, which officials thought could be paid back during the next 30 years, will now have
to be paid in 20 years, Supervisor Doug Austic told board members on Tuesday. He said the original offer was for 30
years, but two weeks ago they were only given the new option. Payments on the loan begin next year. He said he's not
sure how much the payments will be per year, but the variable loans require increased amounts over the 20 -year
period.
The 367 users - residents and business within the district who will pay whether they hook up to the service or not - have
already paid their first bill of $256.
Austic said that money would be used to defray the cost of the first loan payment next year. Payments cannot exceed
$650 a year.
A $73 operation and maintenance fee will also be charged for the life of the system. Both the loan payments and
maintenance fees could increase or decrease depending on the number of users on the system.
Six people connected to the service last Thursday, the first day that water was available. About 65 plumbing permits -
which cost $125 each - have been bought by residents in the district, according to town clerk Marsha Georgia.
"We're assuming some lime over the next year or so people will hook up," Austic said.
In other business, plans are already in place to replace sidewalks that were tom up and add some new sidewalk. The
town received a $6,685 federal Transportation Enhancement Act for the 21 st Century grant.
The town has to match the grant with $6,000, which can be a combination of cash and in-kind services, Austic said. The
town has $9,000 in its capital reserve fund for the project.
The project is estimated at $12,000 and should start within the next few weeks, using R. Myers Construction - the
company that lay the pipes.
The plan includes moving the bus stop in front of the Williams Insurance Agency, 1850 Trumansburg Road, to cut down
on traffic problems. The proposed sidewalk would run between the Exxon gas station and the insurance agency.
Sidewalk would also be placed on the other side of Jacksonville Road across from the gas station wrapping around the
comer of Trumansburg Road and Jacksonville Road, Austic said.
Contact: mreaves@ithaca.gannett.com
Loan repayment period shortened from 30 to 20 years
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
I of 2 1112/ 13 2:56 PM
EwToRTAL
ante
Jacksonv
It starts with a slu - h DSC that
has failed a
v
• •Itt recent • th�sf�5e- :. ent of Eiiviroa=
Yom" F
mental Conservation ,has been alternately described as
toothless, unaaringapd a political tool. The DEC's
investigation of contaimnated wells-and underground
fuel 'spills. in Jaclwnv7le adds inept to that list.
'The DEC's leadeiship role in Cornell University's
Lake Source Cooling Project and other local environ-
mental controversies can be endlessly debated and ana
lyied. But there is no grayarea regaiding Jacksonville,
whose residents have been tprmented by questions and
'concerns about Well pailOon since a•majorfuel spill
'20-plus years-ago.
This should be a chance fot the DECO inform and
take.charge. Instead, top many.Jadwnvdle residents . .
'!wx%left- n tile*& about 1beirhamlet's<gm+uon-
ment. The DE's stiiigish approach and'irief6ectua•l-
outreach were blasted at a Jacksonville Community
Association meeting this week. When thatgrouppmeets
.next month --- 7:15 p.m., Feb. 16; Jacksonville Commu-
nity Church'— the DEC should be thele to listen, -
i
The -massive DEC might be an easy target, but:there
are millions of New Yorkers who trust the agency to do
the right thing; In recent years, concerns about environ-
mental law enforcement in New York has been ques-
tioned by the U.S. Environmental Protection A jesi3 -
and some major watchdog groups... '
Allegations about the DEC's special treatment of
some environmental lawbreakers has also promo:
major investigation by the Assembly Committee.-ou
Environmental Conservatticcoyyn,, focusing ori dWx-c-c en%
permittin%Mt,�l7F� � and trnctu .
one hss n ar'�oun surce
'Teddy Roosevelt was governor, but the agency is only
arolgLA , , v *1 WeA runs-ihe garpufffom
res€y,frahx<iaimmgtsiouswastes.Its r
'..stated•responsibflit.i si ijde,'t. oncoumge.(public) par-
tidipation iii enviroathiptal affairs."
For.m,a y Jacl�6tr4lle•residents, concerns about
-Vater water svpglies•and pontamination don't constitute an
affair; but an outrage. While some have moved —
eidw by mandate or choice.— others have remained,
hoping forsolne sense of urgency and consistency from
dii1JP_ What they've experienced is a cumbersome
bureaucracy +hose job perfommnce has beau clearly
_unacceptable,
Ithaca Journal
2000
Ulysses closes on lot for water station
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Mosley, Kandea
Date:
Dec 7, 2002
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
Local
Text Word Count:
330
Document Text
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - Plans to build a municipal water pumping station to serve Jacksonville residents moved forward this week
with the Town of Ulysses' closure on a 8,225 -square -foot lot.
Town Supervisor Doug Austic said officials are pushing ahead to secure financing for the $3.15 million water project.
"We're in the process of getting a bond attorney, applying for the loan and putting it out to bid," Austic said.
He said the goal is to have contractors break ground on the site sometime this spring.
"The whole thing won't be operational until probably September," Austic said.
The proposal to build the water station on Woolf Lane in the Town of Ithaca sparked protests from residents over the
summer who feared the station would spur development, threaten property values and create too much noise. Some
residents threatened to sue the Town of Ulysses.
The dispute was settled in November after Woolf Lane residents agreed to sign off on 15 deed restrictions that stood in
the way of the town's water project. The deed restrictions prevented the land from being used for anything other than
residential use.
"We decided to take an easier path and reach an agreement with them which we basically have," Austic said.
Austic said the town agreed to have the pumping station designed to resemble a small house.
"Then were going to landscape so you really can't see it, to make it unnoticeable," he said.
The pumping station will eventually move water from the Bolton Point water treatment plant into the Hamlet of
Jacksonville. Residents there have been trying to get a municipal water system since the 1980s following underground
gas leaks that polluted a handful of wells in the late'70s.
Town officials estimate the annual cost to residents to build Water District No. 3 will be $501 a year for 30 years. Austic
said about 350 residents will receive water through pumping station.
"But people building in that area will receive water, too," he said.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
I of 2 11 /2/13 2:13 PM
Ulysses closes on lot for water station -The Ithaca Journal: Are... http://pgasb.pgarchivercom/ithacajoumal/doc/377878581 htm...
Journal Staff ULYSSES - Plans to build a municipal water pumping station to serve Jacksonville residents moved
forward this week with the Town of Ulysses' closure on a 8,225 -square -foot lot.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproducHon or distribution is prohibited without permission.
2 of 2 11/2/13 2:13 PM
Gasoline f6u,"n-d an Ja_cksonville wells
By PHIUP LERMAN
Journal writer
JACKSONVILLE ---Gasoline leak-
ing into d, a ground from the Mobil
Gas Station on the corner of Jack-
sonville Road and Route a6 has ap-
parently seeped into the wells of
three homes across the street, ac-
cording to the homeowners and the
Tompkins County Health Depart-
ment.
Tho home,�ers say they can
"smell gasoline in the water from
their kitchen faucets.
John Andersson; director of en-
vironmental health for theTorripltins
County Health Department, said thk
while there is gasoline in the water,
there is no danger because the levels
are ver ow
v��ow entrations,there
doesn'�seern to be health prob-
lem," n ersson id. "But I would
not adyj sane to drink it."
He—said it seems very likely that
the gasoline is seeping from .the
Mobil Station, which is owned. by
$o r W riglri.
"I don'tthink there's any question
it was the gas station. Not with three
homes affected, all downhill from
the gas station," Andersson said.
Wright would noz comment aoout
the situation. His lawyer,
Trumansburg Attorney Martin
Luster. said 'there is no le� Efig
naw. 'Thi 'ere was a leakage problem;
the problem has been stopped."
He would not comment, however,
on whether either Wright or Mobil
Gil Co or
the gas appearing in the water of the
homesacross the street.
0. .,
Jacqueline Luce of 607 Jack-
sonville Road, said her family has
been drinking bottled water and not
washing dishes or cooking with 'the
tap water, which has smelled of
gasoline for the last three weeks.
-Her attorney, Edward Abbott, said
insist that
they tak'eresponsibility for the situ-
ation.. �r
If we drill a new well, and the
ground is saturated, who knows if
that's also going to be filled with
gas?" said Luce. "We'll just have to
wait and see."
Clemett Co., a Mattydsle contract-
ing firm, has dug up a targe area in
front of Wright's gas station. Work-
ers have repaired three leaks. An-
Ithaca Journal
March 15, 1979 (?�
dersson said. In addition, hesaid, the
workers have dug a well and are
pumping water out of --1 an at -
tem raw gaspine c out of
the ground near the three affected'
homes. Andersson said there is no
tray to tell yet whether or not that
will solve the problem.
The gasoline, he said, apparently,
seeped through the soil. It is believed
that the leak is from aline connect-
ing u gas pump rD an un erground
gas
However, during the heavy rains
last week, some gasoline was seen
above ground near the gas station,
and appeared to run'alona a storan
sewer jin a e_th'ree
homes accor -.ng..t"h prssnt_And
some of a people -who live in the
neighborhood.
In addition to Luce, Andersson
said the other two homeowners that
have reported a problem are Dennis
OLN.OL and William Hughes. The
three homes are nex o eaL other
on Jacksonville Read.
The Mobil ail Corp. engineer who
has been in Ithaca working on the
problem could not be reached for
comment. ,
Fresh water within
sight for Jacksonville
ByDOB1EBURTON
JACKSONVILLE—For the first time in this, ham-
let's history, a water district, giving these 135 houses
fresh and unpolluted water, may become a reality.
But, says Town of UIysses Supervisor Martin
Luster, if action'by the residents isn't taken within the
next. week; Jacksonville will lose its chance—for the
time being anyway.
Luster says that Jacksonville could very well be in
the running for the competitive bidding -for money for
a water district, funded by the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development. HUD re4uires that
51 percent of the district be low and moderate income.
Because of more liberal current guidelines and the use
If action is not taken in the next
week, the chance may be lost for
the proposed Jacksonville water
district.
of a survey instead of census information, Luster says
Jacksonville has a good chance to compete for -the
HUD funds.
This past weekend about 135 surveys were hand
carried to Jacksonville homes, asking for information
that included income levels and house locations within
the district. Luster says if enough people respond to
the survey before the July 9 deadline and there is proof
of the 51 percent low and.moderate income families,
then they have until Augusi 1 to prepare a .'`massive
grant proposal" that is'sent to HUD. Jacksonville
does meet the health and community aspects for a
water district approval.
Luster stressed the importance of people responding
to the survey. "Identification is not required, no one
has to sign the form," he says. "But it is vital to get as
many responses as possible mailed back by July 9."
Luster says envelopes were furnished.
continued on back page
Water district
At this time Luster says there aren't any formal
boundaries 'for the water district, a rough sketch has
been made for application purposes as: Route 96 from
the Andra residence to Cold Spring Road; Jackson-
ville Road from Kraft Road to Meked Road; Cold
Spring Road from Route 96 to Podunk Road; and
Swamp College Road to Halseyville Road.
Residents have for some time known of the im-
purities in their well water. Gasoline, nutrients, and
other substances have polluted many residents' water
supplies.
Trumansburg Free Press
July 3, 1984
By HELEN MUNDELL
the new regulations, as now written,
met
laumai Staff
-A new, state law requiring that
would be prohibitive for small ser-
vice station owners. Her organiza-
petroleum storage tanks he tested
tion recently conducted an informa-
1
periodically for leaks -has service
station owners •worried and home-
. tionaI meeting • about the . regu-
lations.
O ±
owners with contaminated . wells
cheerinYork's
About 60 people attended, includ-
New Legislature passed
ag
• eight .form Ithaca, and most of
them were unhappy with the law,
V
the' law last year in the wake of
she said. �
numerous
numerous gasolineleaks that have
ed groundwater in many
"We realize we'll have to go undercont'
'
areas, including Tompkins County.
some type of (testing) system, and
some of the smaller businesses
But about 20 Pint of the
region's gasoline stations will close
If
will ;
have to close their gas pumps,"
Savino said. "But we haven't,
the -law -is enforced, said Roxana
Savin; executive director. of the
given
up hope.. We're going to try to gef
ServiceStation Operators Associa-
tion
some relief at the public hearings In !
the fall.„ j
of Southern New York Inc.�
That would be in addition to the 40
Putting In a new tank would cost.
+
percent of the county's' service sta.
about •$70,000 under the new law,
tions that closed between 1975 and
1883, mostly for economic reasons.
' compared with $36,000 to $40,000
under present regulations, she said.
Regulations' for the storage tank
'Savin also . said that testing of
>�
law are being written and could take
existing tanks would cost $400 to $700
'
effect early neat year. Those rules
would affect municipalities; busi-
Per tank, in addition to the .$13,000
cost of filling a gallon tank
■�
tankssnesses and farms that have storage
before it kali be tested,
tested.
"And then if they do' find some -
Gasoline spills are a serious prob-
thing wrong, obviously it would be a
lem, having "a tendency to affect a
lot.
of people,” said John •Fieit
tremendous shock to any business,
be it large or small,' she added. -
C
regional. oil spill engineer with the
Department Transportation
But the I cost of a about $5 a spill also
is high. It cases about a gallon to
of in
Syracuse. •'
recover spilled gasoline; and much
ne;
LeTheThe federal Environmental pro-'
Agency has said that one
of it Is never recovered. The un-
recovered gasoline can''cause' prob-
up In nearby. ,
gallon of gasoline is enough to con- lens, such as turningl and making the water to
taminate
the water source of .a city
unfit
drink.
Of 50,604 people, according to Arthur
Wiese, spokesman for the American
It has been estimated that there
'+
Petroleum Institute.
itegnlations in the state law's Ore= .
are hbout 2 million under ound
.
storage . tanks in the country, and.
'
'
lindnary draft provide that:
•.Petroleum storage facilities
that 75,000 to 100,000 of them are
1'ea•king, sAid , the petroleum
I
I
holding more than 1,100 gallons be
registered with the'state. *
r
recently to atts Wiese, while in Ithaca
end a seminar at'
• Tanks
Cornell University.
more thaii 10 years old be
tested for Ieaks every five years,Wi
said that 'about 7oo,000 of
the tanks are associated
+
• Leaking tanks be replaced.
with ail
Mail
' 1
• New tanks and new installations
meet strict new standards to
sales a gasoline, and about half of
those are owned by major oil com-
son
pre-
vent leaks.
Pardee. The other 1.3 million tanks
awned
'
The state expects to revise the
regulations In September, In -farms
are. by Other businesses,
"r
and governmental units, be
E.
comments from. the
public.' It also to
said. They, too, would be required to
abide by the new regulations.'
plans conduct •
-public hearings in October on the
Tompkins County has 10 or' 12'
leaks
regulations, which might then take
effect early in 1885,
ayear,most of them minor ,• '
accordipg to spill engineer Fietze.
®�
Savin said the cost of abiding by '
And Tompkins County is one of
the clean counties," he said. Fietze ,
Ithaca Journal
Wednesday, August 89 1984
serves Onondaga, -Oswego, Wayne,
Cayuga, Seneca and Cortland coun-
ties, in addition to Tompkins.
In 1980, his office investigated
about 100 cases. Last year, it dealt
with about 140, and this year he
expects more than 200.
Fietze said he is not sure why the
number of cases has increased so
rapidly, except that people are be-
coming more aware.of the passible
dangers. Increased awareness could
lead to more reports. He also esti-
mates there has been a 10 percent
increase in the number, of tank
failures because of the advancing
age of most of the tanks.
Fietze said the American Petrole-
um Institute estimates a steel tank
will last 15 years in this area,
Without protection. In other areas,
the estimate is 30 years. The Iife of a
tank depends on the acidity of 'the
soil, the water table, and other
conditions, he said.
One of the largest spills in
Tompkins • County since 1980 oc-
curred last year at Patterson's Ser-
vice Station.at 221 N. Aurora St. in
downtown Ithaca. About 1,360
gallons of gasoline leaked through a
hole in a tank, Fietze said,
The 'tank was removed and a
recovery hole was put in, but not
much gas was found. "Most of it•got
away from us," Fietze said.
"Either the ground soaked up a lot
of it, •or it, moved out toward the
lake." -
Nicolay P. Timofeeff, professor of
geography at the State University of
New York at Binghamton, said the
gasoline could reach Cayuga Lake..
But by the time it did, it should not
..be a—threat because the volume of
water in the lake would dilute it
below dangerous levels, he said.
Timofeeff said he would be more
concerned that the fumes from the
gasoline would move into base-
ments, where they could cause prob-
lems.
He warned any, residents whose
basements do contain gas fumes not
to ,insert a fan in the basement to
.blow the air out. Instead, fans
should be placed outside the base-.
meet, ' to blow fresh air .inside. It j
Recent county. spills
The size and effect of oil and
gas spills can vary widely. These
are among the recent incidents
recorded in Tompkins County:
• 1984: In Jacksonville, -a sub-
mersible pump in a frame well
leaked, contaminating the well.
In South Lansing, in a case still
under .investigation; gasoline, ap-
parently from.'an abandoned gas
station across from Rogues Har-
bor Inn, has. contaminated one
Well and possibly another.-
- 1983; At 581 Warren Road,
home heating oil from an under-
ground tank contaminated a well
on the property, which is owned
by Cornell'University.
• 1982: A fuel oil- tank at a
private home started leaking and
contaminated the family's well.
The Dryden Busy Hee lost a
few hundred gallons of gasoline
through a hole in a pipe.
In Newfield, .a bulldozer hit a -
Mobil pipeline. Between 12,000
and 20,000 gallons of gasoline
leaked out and were lost. About
8,000 gallons were recovered.
• 1981: The Texaco station at
the corner of Seneca and North
Meadow streets in Ithaca lost
about 1,200 gallons of gasoline
through a hole.' Most of the
gasoline was - recaptured in a
recovery well on the property.
An above -ground home heating
oil tank in Groton leaked. into a
family's basement.
1980: The Groton Busy Bee
lost, about 3,50.0 'gallons of
gasoline through a hole in a tank.
Most of the gasoline was -re,
covered from a nearby stream
and from a recovery well.
At Agway in Ithaca, an above-
ground tank overflowed while it
was being.refilled.
One of the most troublesome
leaks occurred about 1978 in
Dryden, where, the Southworth
Library was closed for months
because gasoline fumes made the
building uninhabitable.
might take several weeks to several
months to get rid of the gasoline
fumes, he said.
According to Timofeeff, when
gasoline escapes it separates into-.
three parts: One part becomes va-
por, which can travel along pipes
into basements. The vapor also can
move uphill through soil, making it
difficult to track, he said. It is both
toxic and explosive.
Another part
remains a liquid, and
stays fairly close to the spill area,
he said.
The third part dissolves in water.
This part contains benzines,
toluenes and xylenes, as well as
some hydrocarbons, which dissolve
in the grqurnd water and move in
solution within the ground water.
The dissolved material Is the most
troublesome, Timofeef said. It can
move freely and travel long dis-
tances, depending on the particular
characteristics of ground water in
that location.
Benzines are known to cause
cancer and are highly toxic, he said,
but can be removed from water by
activated carbon filters.
(r\
• • •
ami. ies*
sue
ove r ta. ted W
''e. 1- -1 S'
By..H ELEN MUNDELL Which owned the underground tanks, butMobil eVidew. -
Journal Staff ly could not find a leak.
Two Jacksonville families are suing Mobil Oil Corp. Aftbr about six months,'gasoline started ghowing u�•
for $125,000 each, claiming that gasoline from a nearby nearby wells; Luce. said, and Mobil dug up the tacks:
Mobil service station has contaminated their wells. and piping and discovered, some leaks in the pipes.
William and Esther Hughes and Clayton and Jac- Luce said that about flour yeho earlier; gasoline ba •
quellneappeared in the cellar- drains of some -houses near the
February.
Luce of Jacksonville filed separate 'suits in, station. "It was so strong we.had to leave the windowi
February. 'Z'he cases are scheduled to be .heard in open,!' " he said. "We Were afraid of "
September in Tompkins County Supreme Court. p explosions. Luce`
Yn addition, Danby well -driller C. Fpger Howell ifs said. that,gaspline seeped'into the well owned by John;
Kraft, a neighbor, and Mobil paid for a new well.
suing the families .for $5, apiece fon the cast When gasoline fmt appeared in the Luce arid Hughes`
drilling two new: walls, which.
which- also have becomea wells the
contaminated. Howell also is suing 'the' oll company. . y met with engineers from the stats Depart
meat of T tansgortatign and Mobil .dTficialsi. Luon said;
Mobil has refused to pay the .bilis for the new.weils Mobil • agreed 'to drill new wells, anq meanvihlle buye
but agreed to install oil filters, a project slated to.start bgttl' 'd yPater tor.people with contaminated -wells.: •
nett -week. i�ut after Howell gilled the tta�w wells* Mgbflnaed
The families have, been drinking bottled .Water for to pay for .thein-, ssiylnd'HowellIs• bRLs-iiiere tbb- : ►
nearly five years, Clayton Luce said their propleMs* Luce -said. ;
began in 1979, when there was a gas leak at the ften Mobil started, ppplying the Luces Wiih bottled;
Jacksonville Mobil station on Route 96. water 4% yearn ago, the company asked the bomer
Luce said-s�tationrovvner Roger Wright notified •Mobil, Turn td WELLSp Page H
Ithaca Journal
Wednesday, August 8; 1984
Wells —
Continued from Page 1
owners to sign.a paper saying it was
not responsible for the contamina-
Uon of -the wells even -though it was
supplying water; Luce said, but they
consulted their attorney and refused
to sign. "If we'd signed it, they'd
have been off the hook," he said.
Dennis:O'NeA of Route 96 said his
family also. has been drinking bot-
tled_ watOJor 4�„years. O'Neil said
the amount of gapolIne in .their well
varies:
"At tines it smells," he said. The
family hesitates even to wash vege-
tables, brush their .teeth or, take a
bath in their well water, because of
the additive benzine in the gasoline.
Benzine is known tocause cancer
and also.:is toxic, according to John
Andersson, Tompkins County's di-
rector of, environmental health, who
confirmed that benzine was present
In the wells,
Luce • said that Wright recently
bought the tanks In the ground from
.Mobil and then sold the station.and-
the tanks. The new owner leased the
station to Steve Baker, who opened a
Chevron station there, Luce said. .
"We ere quite concerned, be-
cause
ause there's still gasoline do the
ground.and-in -the test holes" drilled
by Mobil, Luce said:
"We were worried that if' he was
losing gas, we'd never know it be-
cause the ground i$ still full of IL"
Luce claimed that.Mobil has been
"dragging' Its' feet for along time''
about solving..the problem. In the
last'tive years, he;:said,•.Mobil has
sent three different:sets of'erigineers
to Jacksonville 'ta::study :the :prob-
lem.
The* engineers "get to a certain
point," and; then Mobil transfers
them elsewhere, Luce said. Then the
company sends in more engineers to -
study the problem again, he said.
Luce complained that nothing has
been done to find a permanent solu-
tion to the water problem during the
last five years.
The health department's An-
dersson' Mid tie 'agrhes that five
years is "way tQo long" • for • the
problem to remain unsolved, but
Bald they have been working to find
a• solution. -
. Pari of the problem is that author-
ity has been switched from the state
Department Qf Enviionmeetal Con --
servation. (DEC) to the Department
of Transportation (DOT),. he said.
The health department could not do
anything because the contaminated
wells were privately owned.
"We don't have a code dealing
with private wells," Andersson said.
"We don't have anything firm that
we can go to Mobil and say, 'Do
komething.
Andersson also said -the lawsuits
are slowing the search for a solution
because Mobil is reluctant to do
anything with a suit in process.
John Fietze, oil spill engineer with
the DOT, said the iack of resolution
is paflly because the gasoline comes
and goes. He wrote It letter to Mobil.
telling- the -company it had until June
22 to install activated carbon filters
on the contaminated wells, or else.
the DOT would have- the work done
and bill Mobil.
Fietze said recently. that although
Mobil hadn't met -the deadline; the.
eonppany had hired consultants who
have tested the water and designed
a new filter, which. his office has
approved..
• . Mobil told the 'familles It will
begin Installation of .the filters next
week, Jacqueline Luce said Tues-
day.
The Lucas' attorney, Edward Ab-
bott, said he discussed the problem
recently with Mobil's consultant and
was told it'would be late fall or early
winter'before the project is com-
pleted.
In the meantime; he said, the suits
are scheduled to be heard In Septem-
ber in Supreme Court in Tompkins
,County.* "Whether -& ' not we go
ahead and try it depends on.how.far
along they . are with fixing up the.
wells," he said.
Mobil official Gail Jamin denied
that -the oil company has been drag=
-ging, its feet. She said the company
has been taking various steps • to
solve the problem, and installing the
filters is "a final step."
But Andersson said the filters are
not a final solution. "No one Is sure
how well. they will work," and it is
difficult to tell when the carbon.
needs to be replaced, he said. ,
Other wells could also become
contaminated, Andersson said. '
ITHACA joURNAL
Wednesday, Aug• ti, 1984
Xville discusses water ditrisct
By GERI SPEICFI
ULYSSES—A public hearing was
71d in the Ulysses Town Hall on Uc-
oer 9 for the purpose of discussing a
proposal for the creation of a water dis-
trict in the Jacksonville area. At the re-
quest ofAhe Town Board, a represen-
tative of Laberge Engineering, Clyde
Robbins, attended. About a dozen in-
terested residents also .were in atten-
dance.
Mr. Robbins explained the processes
involved in ascertaining w-hether the
establishment of such a water district
would be beneficial and outlined the
kinds of grants available. Grants from
Housing . and. Urban Development
(HUD) are not as easily obtained as
those from the Farmers' Home Admini-
stration (FHA) Grant program, accord-
ing to Mr. Robbins. Although HUD
grants may fund 100 percent of a pro-
ject, and FHA grants fund only 75 per-
cent, Robbins recommended ap-
plications be made to FHA. "FHA is a
sure thing if you're qualified. It's not a
crap shoot like HUD."
Several requirements must be met be-
fore any application for a grant is made.
A survey of income levels in the pro-
posed water district area must be made.
A previous survey taken last summer
proved the area exceeded financial
guidelines. The district can be redesign-
ed in order to make sure that the median
income falls within allowable limits,
thus including pockets . of low and
moderate income. The median income is
not arrived at through averaging. Rather
it is the income precisely in the middle of
the homes surveyed.
A second requirement is that a water
district be formed. In order to do that, a
continued an page 3
Trumansburg Free Press
October 17, 1984
Ecom Pa9a .t
Xville water-
map
ader
reap must be drawn by a registered eng
neer that describes the boundaries of th
water district. A short report must the
be submitted- which would outline it
tentions for the district and how it woul
be capitalized, which means how the re
maining fees would be raised.
The costs for formation of the distric
and pre -application surveys and report.
would be approximately $7,500. Ulysse:
Representative to the County Board
.Tames Mason, was present to assure the
Town Board and residents that the
County is aware of the costs involved ir,
establishing a water district. The county
plans to set aside money which could
fund 75 percent of such a feasibility
study. He said, "These funds can be ap-
plied to assist UIysses in getting off the
ground."
Questions were raised as to.the soutce
Of supply for the water. Robbins said,
"Your own system is very costly. De-
signing a water treatment system means
You are into big bucks." He suggested
extending existing. water dines to serve
the 130 or so homes. That then opens
then opens the area for further develop-
ment while taking 'are of current needs.
The need for a water district is deter-
mined by the condition of the area. The
Jacksonville area has problems with fer-
tilizer infiltration and gas in the sub-
strata of rocks, as well as overall poor
quality of water supplies. An FHA•sur-
vey would question ,water supplies in
terms of quantity, quality, taste, odor,
hardness and pressure.
Residents at the meeting seemed to
agree that the need was already estab-
Iished. They said, "You have to start
somewhere. Let's take the bull by the
horns" and establish the water district.
Town' Supervisor. Martin Lusrcr said
that Mr. Robbins -had "given the board
food for thought," and that a pian of
action was needed. This might include a -
new survey, intermunicipal negotiations
for extension of water lines and forma-
tion of the water district. Such a plan
would probably take. a minimum of
three months to complete once it was
started.
Funding of Xville water district topic at meeting
By GERI SPEICH
ULYSSES ---The Ulysses Town Board accepted the
contract for preliminary work to set up the Jackson-
ville Water District at their regular meeting on
February 12. Hunt Engineers, Inc., of Painted Post
will receive $2,250 to perform several services con-
nected with the establishment of water supply for the
Jacksonville area.
Services to be included are a field review,
preparation of maps, and an engineering report. These
will be based on an economic analysis of the area. The
company will also inform the Jacksonville residents
through attendance at hearings that will be held by the
town board, probably in the Jacksonville area. Hunt
will submit forms_ maps, and applications to ap-
propriate agencies for funds to establish a municipal
water supply system. The fee for the application to
HUD is included in these services.
The board will check into funding options for the
district. Trumansburg Supervisor Martin Luster asked
the town attorney to prepare a repor< for the next
meeting of the town board. "There appears to be a
great deal of flexibility in how to fund," Luster said.
Local law allows the board to require a referendum
vote from those paying for a project such as this. That
will provide a means to educate the,public as well as to
let the taxpayers decide,the issue, according to Luster..
Several town board members spoke in favor of exer-
cising that option.
Additionally, a Citizens' Advisory Committee is to
mm Page I : `-.
Ulysses board
hearing was set for March 10 at 7 p.m„ before the
regular town board meeting. David Zimet, Town
Zoning Officer, reported that yet another request is to
be sent to the planning board for review. He has
received a request from WiIIiam Holtkamp of the
Cayuga Inn to remodel and open eight guest rooms
with private baths at his establishment.
Two town residents addressed the board. William
Rappel brought a concern from South Street concer-
ning a slope that should be stabilized. "The creek is
cutting into the side of the bank causing slumpage,"
he said. Highway Superintendent Meeker will report
the problem to the County Highway Department since
that part of the road affected is a county road.
be' formed. Luster says that group now has a task. In
order to apply for a limited grant from the Tompkins
County Planning Department, a supporting :petition
signed by at least 25 residents is needed. This is a non-
binding petition whose only purpose is to show sup-
port for a study of the project. The Jacksonville area
has been plagued by problems with well water con-
tamination from bacteria, nitrates, and gasoline
seepage.
Another piece of old business continues to need
resolution.. Richard Parker's application for a
development district on Perry City Road has been held
up because the town has been checking into sub-
division regulation and because of concerns discussed
at a public hearing on the application. Tom Reitz is
chairing a committee on subdivision regulations for
the planning board and is. putting together some in-
formation for review. The planning board is the
governing agency for the Town of Ulysses in terms of
subdivision regulation.
According to Reitz, "The major concern of the
people at the hearing was water." Engineering reports
state that existing wells are located upstream and that
much of the water is recycled anyway -as ground water.
The effect of new wells upon ground water supplies
cannot be judged, however. -
The planning board will set a hearing date on
Parker's request. Another development district
continued on page 24
Richard Parker's application for a
development district on Perry City Road
ha's been held up because of concerns of
residents of the Town of Ulysses. Tom '
Reitz is chairing a committee for
its review.
Tom Retiz, representing the Boy Scouts, asked for a
proclamation naming February 1985 as Boy Scout
Diamond Jubilee Month. All residents are encouraged
to take pride in the community benefits accruing from
the work of our local Boy Scouts. A- major camporee is
planned for mid-May at the fairgrounds and will be at-
tended by approximately 1,000 Scouts.
Local Law #1 was adopted. This law raises dog
licensing fees. According to Supervisor Luster, "The
purpose is to increase fees to make up for the deficit
imposed by the SPCA contract." That contract called
for significant increases in the cost of their services
that would not be otherwise absorbed through the
1985 town budget,
Trumansburg Free Press
February 20, 1983
Meeting on Jacksonville water district Monday
By FRED YAHN
P.M. in the Ulysses town hall, a
Journal St8ff
representative from' Hunt Engi-
JACKSONVILLE — A public
information meeting on the pro-
neering of Painted Post, which is
' doing the preliminary research on
posed Jacksonville water district is
the water district, will speak on the
scheduled for 7:30 P.M. Monday in
proposal.
the Jacksonville' Community
Tentative plans call for an April
Church, on Route 96. The town
9 public hearing on the water dis-
board is proposing a water district
trict and an April 23 public referee-
which would include some 100 to
dum. Luster said the project could
135 residences in the Jacksonville
cost as much as 51.2 million, with
area; the district would be*adminis-
half of that money pos$ibly coming
tered by the Ulysses town board.
from a federal Small Cities Grant,
Such a water district is needed,
and the other half being bonded lo -
according to Ulysses supervisor
cally.
Martin Luster, because of the water
Luster said the town board is
pollution in the area which has
considering three possibilities for
been verified by the county health '
the water system: A connection to
department. The proposal for the
the Village of Trumansburg water
water district does not include sew-
supply, a connections to the town
crake: Presently, most of the homes
of Ithaca and its Bolton Point sys-
in the area have drilled wells andtem,
or the creation of its own sys-
their own septic systems. .
On' Tuesday, March 26, at 7:30
tem for Jacksonville, with a water
source near Willow Creek Point.
-
Luster emphasized .that all plans
Ithaca Journal. (?)
March 14, 198
and proposals are tentative, and
that residents would have to ap-
prove of such a system in a referen-
dum. —
JmQle waterrefer en.�dnm a�; HUD aid sought
9y QERI SPEICFI`t i' ! ; ;
ULYSSES—Once again 10
on -the agenda for the town board was the praposa dot'
the formation of a water district in Jacksonville. The
board has drawn up a timetable that would enable
thew to'meet an April 29 filing date with Housing•and
,Irban Development (HUD). -Included in these plans is
8 town referendum to be held ogApri123.
Several workshop sessions and a formal public
hearing will be held prior to the vote. Town Supervisor
Luster agreed that it appeared. to ' be a `.'real tight'
schedule" but feels it is imperative to follow • the
paoper steps in filing for the HOD grant this year as
the funding may not be available next year. Luster
testified before Congressman Matt McHugh's
congressional bearing on the federal budget in an at-
tempt to keep such projects from being eliminated or
substantially reduced in, that budget.
Speaking of the ambitious scope of the project,
Luster said, "We want to make the process as open
and educational as possible. *1 want as many questions
answered -as possible." Collection of the necessary
data for the grant application, as well as the cost
analysis and mapping, will be done by March 26. A
workshop session is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. that night
in the town hall. The. -formal public hearing will be held
on April 9 -at a time and place to be announced.
The referendum on April 23 will decide whether or
not the HUD application will be filed. If the project
were to be voted down at that point, then the whole
process would be stopped. A referendum is called for.
under existing town law since the maximum allowable
amount granted by HUD is somewhere between
$40000 and $600,000 depending on whether the ap-
phtAfibii "falls under a single -purpose or comprehen-
sive category. That amount falls short of the probable
total cost of $1.2 milhon:' on g woBe necessary
to.rmtse the ad UonM funds.-
Town
un s:Town law permits a -town to supply water as a
town function. This means that the water district
would be controlled by the town board and not be set
up as a water -district to be governed by a separate
board of commissioners. Luster feels that this affords
greater flexibility- and would be less Aostly and less
cuinbersome tommanage. The town wili'56ve to lo6k to
'town taxpayers to -bear some of 'the costs -involved in
establishing -the water supply. The town is in the
process of setting up a system whereby the residents of
the water district would pay a more substantial portion
of the costs yet also help to spread some of the costs
town -wide. The Village of Trumanstturg would be
exempt. Luster said; "We need something that is -fair
and makes sense to everyone." He further said, "One
of The reasons we are -going through this process is to
see if it's feasible."
The water district has tentative lines that will be sub-
ject to change through the hearing process. Boundaries
new set up would include up to 135 residences in the
Jacksonville area. The need fora new water supply is
based upon the contamination and pollution of the
ground water supply from gasoline, nitrates and
bacterial substances, An engineering firm from p6o
ter! Pott, Hunt Engineers, has been hired to help the
town with the - feasibility study, application and for-
tpa�tion process for such a..p unioipal water system as
would benecessary.
In otlie3l business, the Pft hoard heard a repev
froom Judge .Riceori the Annual Meeti#1 C e
:Associating—.0i towns t6t,.#tet a�niJed ns �
t%ve� ;tic tti,;the adacxc# ce
`i ar' �� ancf'' • :��
ds . aassediie necsary .
eicaminatio .covering new laws.
Tom Reitz spoke for the Ulysses Planning Board.
The town board has asked for sub-dWision
regula#ons. Tentative guidelines are in place, and final
plans should be ready by July. The toren resolved to
institute, ,a -fee schedule on $25 for each application for
subdivision approved involving five or fewer lots, and
$50 for each such application involving more than five
lots. The planning board must advertise and hold
public hearings on each such an application.
The planning board will take action on the Parker
Development application for Perry City Road on Mar-
ch 20. Concerns regarding increased traffic and
drainage and water supplies have been .brought to the
public hearings by concerned residents of the area.
. The need for a new water supply is
based upon the contamination and
pollution of the ground water supply
from gasoline, nitrates and bacterial
substances."
An application for a development district at 666
Waterburg Road by Purlie Careen was approved. This
approval was for replacement of an existing mobile
home that is used as his principal residence. -A hearing
date was. set for April 2 on the application, for a
development district for Cayuga Inn.
Richard Backer resigned from the planning .board.
The town- board would like to hear from interested
people who might have a desire to fill that vacancy. -
Applications should be filed by April 9vdth the town, -
Town Zoning Officer David Zimet presented
Trumansburg Free Press
March 20, 1985
proposaIs for amendments to the zoning. ordinance.
They were referred to the planning board. The amen-
dments deal with several areas that have; been of Wn-
cern, such as planned development districts, New York
.State fire codes and dish-antennae:r4wations. He also
commented on the incredible amount of new building
inquiries.
Restriction of the town's copy machine to official
business has already resulted in a savings. The' new .
service contract shows a decrease from $789 to $476.
Bonding rates for jlville water
To the Editor,
I feel a strong responsibility as a concerned Town of
Ulysses resident, and as president of the Jacksonville
Community .Association, to provide available infor-
mation to all our area re3idents regarding the proposed
Jacksonville District.
At the special Board meeting on Tuesday, March
'26, Hunt Engineers and Ulysses Board members
Presented cost estimates for the water line. Total
amount decided to be voted on will be a maximum of
$1,100,000. All Taxable property owners in the Town
of Ulysses except residents in the Village of Truman -
burg are eligible to vote. The proposed method of ap-
portioning the cost has notyetbeen decided.
Three methods were discussed all contingent on ap-
proval of the HUD grant and whether the water source
is to be the Village of Trumansburg. If Bond rates
remain as predicted, then the approximate cost per
thousand of assessed value as proposed will be:
1. 80010 Townwide residents $1.30
20% Water Distriict residents $2,20
2. 50010 Townwide residents $.75-
50%.. Water District residents $7.50
3. 20% Townwide residents $ AO
80% Water District residents $12,00
This is only the proposed cost for bonding over the
next 40 years; not including hook-up from main to
house, cost of water and other unknown charges.
The district boundaries were defined at the special
Town Board meeting with some properties being with-
drawn: It was unfortunate that all property owners in
the proposed district, or those immediately outside,
were not informed of the opportunity to. withdraw or
join the area.
Since time constraints are very critical on the
HUD application which is due' on or by April 29, I
will post proposed water district maps in Jacksonville.
They are also available for viewing in the Town Office.
I urge all residents to attend the Public Hearing on
April 9, at 7:00 p.m. in the Trumansburg High School
auditorium.
Questions and concerns can be directed to me at
387-9236, or members of the Town Board.
—Thomas Reitz,
Trumansburg, N. Y. 14886
Trumansburg Free Press
April 3, 1985
Xville draws- the line. for new water district
By GERI SPEICH
ULYSSES—The Jacksonville water district has now
been defined and mapped out. According to Town
Supervisor Martin Luster, a large-scale detailed map
of the area shows all the properties to be included and
is posted at the town clerk's office. He encourages all
'the property owners in the town of Ulysses to take ad-
vantage of the opportunity to review it. A list of the
parcels of land that are included in the boundaries of
the proposed wats c district is also available.
As outlined, the Jacksonville water district will ex-
tend from Route 96 down Halseyville. Road to. Cold
Springs Road. The boundary winds around to
Colegrove Road near the town barns and will ekknd
on Jacksonville Road as far as Mekeel Road. From
there it extends to Swamp College Road and back
around towards the Trumansburg area. 'Ap-
proximately 160 parcels of land would be covered by
the district.
Luster cautions that the entire project is contingent
upon -funding from a HUD grant. Application for a
$400,000 grant must be made by April 29 and such
funds would help to absorb some of the costs involved.
;y.
From four options available'in terms
of providing a water source, the town
board has selected the plan that 'appears
to be the most economically feasible. A
public hearing on the'proposals for
allocating the costa of that plan will be
held April 9.
A public hearing on the proposals for apportioning
the costs for the water district will be held at 7 p.m. in
the Trumansburg High School auditorium, on April 9.
Several alternatives will be proposed for discussion at
that hearing. Luster said, "We are most desirous to
hear the' thoughts of property owners in order to
decide on the alternative to adopt." He added that
anyone desiring to speak at the hearing will be heard.
The town board must decide on which plan to adopt at
continued on baLn page
The Trumansburg Free Press
April 3, 1985
fou. -�
k-
Water district
its regular meeting which will follow the hearing. The
referendum on the water district will be voted -on April
23.
Luster .further explained that this entire process is
important to all of the town property owners since
they will be asked to pay for parts of the costs incurred
in the establishment of a municipal water supply for
the Jacksonville area. Those residents living within the
water district will be expected to pay more than those
outside the district, however.
The total anticipated cost for the project is
$990,625. Luster said that a maximum cost of
$1,140,000 has been established. That would make it
easier to add on to the total district, if it should be
necessary, without having to go through the entire
process again.
From four options available in terms of providing a
water source, the town board has selected the plan that
appears to be most economically feasible. The etten-
A large-scale detailed
map of the Jacksonville
water district is currenit),
on display at the Ulysses
town clerk's office. In
addition to the documen-
tation and maps
available at the town
hall, copies are available
the Jackson ville
Community Church,
sion of water service using the Village of Trumansburg
as a primary source would be the least costly option to
exercise. The town and village boards will hold a joint
meeting on the proposal on April 1. Other options 'in-
vestigated included using Ithaca as a source, at a
projected cost of 51,437,470, and establishing a lake
facility near Willow Creek at an estimated cost of
51,705,972.
- According to Luster, the establishment of a water
supply for the Jacksonville area will, actually benefit
the Town of Ulysses as a whole. The town referendum
on April 23 is based on the thought that those outside
the boundaries of the water district will benefit from
its establishment in several ways. He said, "It is our
thought that those outside the district receive benefits.
It increases economic activity by assuring light
manufacturers and retailers of a reliable water source
and that benefits the: town as a whole. It increases the
value of homes in the district and..that benefits the
town as a whole by increasing the total assessed
valuation of the town. It is also a foot in the door for
later expansion of municipal water to other areas,"
Jacksonville water distric# nixed
BY:FRED YAHN
Jauine/Steff
TRUMANSBURG _ The 124
residences in the Jacksonville area'
will not be getting their own water
district--at.Jeast not for now.
Saturday morning, the Ulysses
town board reversed its decision of
last Tuesday.night and -canceled an
April 29 referendum to authorize a
water district.
Town Supervisor. Martin Luster
Proposed .thiat the town board
cancel the referendum, saying that
a 20 -RD cost-sharing pian would be
too much for residents of the pro-
posed district to bear, .
'After a brief, discussion, the
board •y.4ted 5=0'to rescind its Tues-
day night resolution,* which sup-
ported creation of the district and •
authorized the referendum.
' "I received a lot of phone calls
after. the Tuesday night meeting,
and tttbst 'of them were froth resi-
dents who said ' they just couldn't
pay fora water district," Luster
said. "I could see a 50-50 cost -shay=
ing split, but at this date, it's too
late to propose another• referendum
to meet the HUD (Department of
Housing and Urban Development)
filing. deadline of April 30," he
said. >~
Creation of the new district was
contingent upon the district's re-
ceiving a 5400,000 HUD Small Cit-
ies grant. Total cost of -the district
had been projected at $990,625..
Under a 20-80 cost-sharing plan,
people residing within the -proposed
district would have had to pay 80
Percent of the town's 5590,625
share of the cost. Residentt outside
the district (non-residents of the vil-
lage of Trumansburg) would have
had to pay 20 percent of the dis-
trict's cost. Residents outside the
district (non-residents of the village
of Trumansburg) would have had
to pay 20 percent of the district's
cost. According to Luster, the 20-
80 plan would have meant that a
homeowner with a $50,000 home,
living in the district, would have
had io pay 5672 a year for the dis-
trict.
"1 cannot see this kind of hard-
Ithaca Journal
April 5, 1985
ship .on residents," said Luster,
who had originally proposed cre-
ation of the district more than a
.Year ago. Since then, the xown had
sought engineering studies from
Hunt Engineers of -Painted Post,
which said the most feasible -meth-
od for creating a water district
would be to seek water from the
Trumansburg municipal system.
Trumansburg. gets its water from
Cayuga Lake.
The proposed Jacksonville water
district would have run southeast-
erly from the south Trumansburg
boundary, for about two miles,
roughly running along Jacksonville
Road, Cold Springs Road ' and
Route 96.
Accordir* g to Luster, ' about 55
residences in ihe- proposed district
have water pollution problems in
their wells: About five of these
wells were polluted by a gasoline
service station tank leakage.
The remainder of the wells' have
nitrate and bacteriological pollut-
Turn to WATER, Page 5
New options must be sought
for Jackson ville water -
How do the Town of Ulysses res-
idents spell relief? RESCIND. Af;,
ter overwhelming opposition by
property owners both inside and
outside the water district that was
.proposed by the Town Board, the
motion was passed to rescind the
resolution of April 9. Therefore,
the • proposed Jacksonville Water
District for this year has - been
cancelled.
However, we must all realize
those residents where a water prob-
lem exists should not be forgotten.
Therefore, I have submitted an al-
ternate plan tci•the'board which is
not so 11g diose" or expensive
but may satisfy the needs. .
The plan could use the resources
available within the Jacksonville
community:
1. The Community Association
pond behind Close Hall downtown
in our hamlet has 1 to 2 million gal-
lons of water. This area could be
deepened and enlarged for a greater
capacity.
2. Identify the polluted wells and
research if them fs a cure for those
problems.
3- Approach Mobil Oil Corp. for
a large "good will" grant to cure
the gasoline contamination:
4. There are Various springs and
wells which `'overflow". this excess
water could be shared with those
less fortunate.
I would like to thank all our resi-
dents for expressing their concerns
and ideas at the many special board
meetings and the . April 9 pu6l4~
hearing and for' the many private
communications to me. I am al-
ways willing to listetio. work and
help whenever possible for a re-
sponsive town government.
Trumansburg Thomas F. Reitz
Ithaca Journal
Tuesday, April 23, 198
by AEceJ arsen
t would appear that. the hamlet of
Jacksonville, N.Y., should have an
adequate water. supply. Every home has
its own well; there's a large pond and a
flowing spring of water — all of which
usually indicate a good supply of un-.
derground water. Unfortunately, some
of that water has been contam hated. At
least 54 homes in Jacksonville, about la
miles outside of Ithaca, are experiencing
some form of water contamination.
About six years ago it was discovered
that gasoline had seeped into the wells of
several Jacksonville homes. Im-
mediately suspect as the most likely
source of the: contamination, was the
former ivlobil Gas station on `Route 96,
now $e site of the independent
Jacksonville Service Center. .Complaint s
by the station owner at that time of un-
explainable gasoline shortages failed to
elicit immediate . investigation -by the
Mobil Corporation. When gasoline was
discovered in several water wells, home-
owners contacted the New York State
,Qepartment of Transportation (DOT) and
:t agency forced the corporation to as-
lme responsiblity for the situation. (The
DOT has jurisdiction over situations in-
volving oil and gas spills.) The problem
somehow, refuses to go away.
Ulysses - Town Supervisor, Martin
Luster, announced to the board in Mar-
ch of 1984, that the gasoline problem in
Jacksonville wells had not been
resolved. In addition, the Tompkins
County Department of Health reported'
bacterial contamination in the area, and
also excessive levels of nitrates. Nitrate
contamination along Cold Springs Road
was above the allowable limits for
A
town
with a
water-problean
that won't go away.
public water supplies, according to John
Andersson, Director of Environmental
Health Services for Tompkins County.
The Saga Continues
Mobil hired representatives to drill
new wells for two homeowners at a cost
of $5,506 apiece, only to discover that
problems with the new wells were
almost as bad as the old ones. The wells
contained hydrogen sulfide and other
odorous materials — possibly methane
gas. Homeowners sued Mobil.
Attorney Edward Abbott of Ithaca,
who' -is representing two Jacksonville
homeowners in lawsuits against Mobil,
related that the Corporation sent :an
engineering fnrn (Blasland and Bouck of
aSyracuse) to study the problem. The firm
oz,x determined that the task of directly re -
i„ q; -covering the leaked gas was impossible
&,l and advised filtering of the old gasoline -
contaminated wells. In some of the wells
a heavy rain often brings in a fresh sup
ply of gasoline from an unknown un-
., derground 'source. The Mobil Cor-
poration has supplied bottled water to
some homeowners and recently hired a
firm to install special fitters on four
homes within the hamlet.
"Mobil attorneys (Hinman, Howard
"ek and Kottell of Binghamton) have been
;p pretty cooperative,” Abbott said, „butif
e . , they (the corporation) can't clear out the
old' -wells they will have to replace the
"Replacing the houses" means
.x
,xelocabng residents.
Attorney john bavidge, of the
Binghamton law firm representing
Mobil, says that he . has received no
recent communications regarding the
Jacksonville lawsuits, but tie understands
that the problem has been corrected
by the installation of the filtering
systems.
'The lawsuits are still outstanding,"
he said, "but I understand that the filters
should make the water better than it was
before." He felt that the lawstdts could
be settled in the "near future," but-
dicated that everyone wanted to make
certain that the filters are doing the job.
Dennis O'Neil, owner of Jacksonville
K: Fishing Tackle and Boat Rentals on
` Jacksonville Road, and one of, the plain-
tiffs in the lawsuit against Mobil, insists
that the problem is not resolved.
"We still have gasoline in our well,"
he said. "This has been going on since
the spring of 1979."
Water, Water
Everywhere;
Grapevine
June 6-12, 1985
JACKSONVILLE. WATER. NEW DISCOVERY
by Ban Larsen
JACKSONVILLE —An undergroupd t k est atedlb have
been out of •serVIce for over fifty years, stlll -containing. a
Petroleum product, was dl$covered this month about 100 feet
from the former site of a Mobil Corp. tank that In 1979 was
reported to have leaked gasoline into area well. water:
The discoveryllas come at atlmewhen officials arequestloning
whether Mobil is soley responsible for contaminants found In
local wells, Ulysses'Town Supervisor Martin Luster said last
Tuesday. : • .
Luster said 'he, Thornes .Suazzo of the state Department of
Transportation and Pat -Hurd of Trumansburg.Ad., Jacksonville,
.were standing at the corner of Jacksonville and Trumansburg
Rds., across the street forn the former Mobil station, early this
month when Hurd potn*&o_ut a locked cap to a tank he said he
though'twas buried ther.0,lfiurd cut the locklmith a bolt cutter; and
the fumes "stank to higft:heaven." said Luster: "Itwas obviously a
Petroleum product -of some•sort."
The DOT emptied the tank last Friday. There was water In -it as
well as it petroleum product, Luster'said.-
"But if it still contained.petroleum after all theseyears; thetarik
couldn't have leaked veV:much," Luster saki..
"It's an environmenta6ftaisrd," saldtown Fire -Safety Inspector
Robert Snedeker. "We should do whateverwecanlo get it out df
there."
The DOT wants to Jska a the tank In the ground until more
testing can be done, Luster said. The department hasn't yet
determined whether the tank may have contributed to local
groundwater contamination.
Last month 17 wells were tested for gasoline components, and
the county health department has identified 12 more homesto be
tested later this month. Luster said.
Mobil has agreed, without admitting liability, to pay for water
filtering systems In three •homes that were found last_month to
contalri levels of benzene. a component of gasoline, higher than
state regulations allow, Luster said.
The"state's limit for benzene is five micrograms per liter cf
water. Of4he 17 wells tested, four had excess levels: one at a gas
station at the former Motill location, with 76; one at Hurd's 1858
Tf.Urnansburg Rd. residence, with 21; and two ata 591.Jacksonville
Rd. residence, owned by Lee Sheperd; both'with 19.
The health department has 8dvlsed those households not to
drink their water'or use it for cooking.
Testingbegan In wells nearest the former Mobil station. and Is
continuing in an expanding circle. Luster said, to determine how
large an area has been affected.
"V1le're,working toward a solution,":hesaid, "andit's not going
to be much longer before we get all the scientific information
together. -
"There's good. communication, and to this moment there's
good co-operation among the health department, the department
transportation, and'Mobll," Lustersaid. '
July 1985'
Mobil will test drinking water at
11 more Jacksonville homes ,
By FRED YAHN
Joumalstaf/
JACKSONVILLE —Mobil Oil Corp.,
acdused of polluting four private water
wells here through a leaky service station
gasoline tank coupling, is contacting I I ad-
�ditional 'hm
oeowners on the west side of
Route 96 near the gas station to test their
drinking water.
The four homes that have polluted water
are located along Jacksonville Road, and
all are on the east side of Route 96. The
service station, located on the west side of
1040.96 at the Jacksonville Road intersec-
tion. �U 'owned by Ithacan Richard Berg-
gTen .pd Ieased to Steven .Baker of Tru-
mansiiurg.
It isl w an independent service station
and ha5'�o affiliation with a in
ajor oil
company:.. '
Roger Wright wasthe former owner -Op-
erator. of the station, during the time six
Years ago when it was.a Mobil affiliate and
the alleged gas pollution, through a faulty
connection, took place.
At t time, sbiiie
ticed a gas smell in theiraiers rThere is no
municipal water system here, and all of the
polluted wells were individually drilled.
Subsequently, several homeowners filed
lawsuits against- Mobil because of water
pollution and what they claimed were the
drastically reduced market values of their
homes.
None of the lawsuits has been settled.
After discovery of the leak, the station
did not sell gasoline for about three years
-and was solely operated as a car repair
shop. Wright continued to own the prop-
erty, and then sold it to Berggrcn. Wright
also is suing Mobil, because of the leak
problem.
When the station reopened as a service
station in .June 19K the Department 'of
Transportation (DOT), assured residents
that -the gas tank coupling was safe. There
have b6th no reported problems with -the
new coupling, according to Town of Ulys-
ses Supervisor Martin Luster.
Baker says he monitors his gasoline sales
on a. daily basis and has not found any
problems.
Mobil has supplied free bottled drinking
water -to the affected homes for several
years and has ins4iled free water filtering
systems.
According to. local governmental offi-
cials who have rt'tsearched the problem,
once gasoline hasttep into the ground, it
doeq't :readily ' sipatq. The ' gasoline
clings., to .rocks,tdd pollutes water that
runs through It.
"There are no le solutions to the
problem.'said T i S Reitz, president of
the Jacks&i4e' oitj nunity -Association.
Reitz has propos , .that .the Community
Associatiotx pond peliind Close. Hall, be
utilized_puss a water •'sourcei along ,
with other springs :"wills in •the immedi-
aie-nc�µUy. ..: ...
He:_would also 'e to see Mobil issue a
good wW "gram" -1cure the gas contami-
nation. `
mast April, -the ` I sses Town'Board pro-
posed the creatioa Jacksonville water
district, which wot it have bcen,fed by the
Trumansburg wg ' system. But, that %met
with massive 6*'-: 10* n from residents, .
who said it -o I cost too much. The
board's•resoludon was rescinded..
There is now concern that the gas pollut-
ion problem has spread to he west side of
Route 96, but there is no proof that has
happened;.according to Luster.
Officials from Mobil, DOT, Ulysses and
Tompkins County's Health Department re-
cently agreed that Mobil would contact the
1 I homeowners by mail and then have their
water independently tested, for free. •.
If some of the homes' water is found to
be polluted, there will be a re -sampling and
perhaps more testing of additional wells lo-
cated "in concentric circles" 'around the
service station, said John Andersson, the
county's director of environmental health
services. `
"I don't know when the water tests will
be completed and results made public,"
Andersson said.
Also raising concern Is he f3tgtiing of
benzene, 'one of the components -of gaso-
line and a known carcinogen, in he drink-
ing water of a residence owned by Lee
Shepherd. An amount of 6 ppb (parts per
billion) of benzene and another chemical,
toluene, was been found in Shepherd's. wa-
ter.
The discovery is significant, since it's the
Ithaca Journal
July 1985
first well on the west side of Route 96;th4
hu been found with gasoline pollutants.'if
the water, possibly caused by the 1979 leaid
Shepherd's house is uphill and south of h+
service station. i
"We'renot sure, but the leak is possible
from the service station tank," Andeissoi
said. "We can't definitely say."
The federal government's maximum ad
ceptable level of benzene in water is 5 ppb
Andersson said. Shepherd had her wate.
privately tested. • • 11
Another homeowner on the west side Q
Route 96, near Shepherd, had his watt,
tested and the results proved negit iie:. _
Shepherd has decided to join in the low
suits against Mobil. s
Reitz also is concerned about the druiX
Ing water at the Jacksonville Commimit;
Church.- It is located on the -east side o
Route 96, slightly north of the service sta
tion..
"It's a place where a lqt of people con
gregate, and where there are a.lot of com
munity functions$" said Reitz.' "I woult
like to see Mobil test the water there, but sc
far they haven't."
i
Eleven More Wells to .be
Tested in J -Ville
"I don't know if it was a coincidence or
if it was a direct result of the recent
media coverage," says Thomas Reitz,.
president of the Jacksonville - Com-
mWutY . Association, „but I personally
believe that the Grapevine -story had
something to-do with it."
The "it" in this case was the decision
by Mobil, the New York State Depart-
ment of Transportation )which handles
all oil spills), and Ulysses and Tom.
Akins County Health Department of-
ficials to independently test eleven
more Jacksonville homeowners' water
supplies for free. The Grapevine's June
' 6-12 cover story ("Water, Water
Everywhere! But Is It'Safe to Drink?")
b Alice Larsen focused on the history
of the Jacksonville contamination prob-
lem and led to some tough questions
being asked by us (and groups like
Greenpeace) about Mobil's respon.
sibility to the community, in the pre-
sent.
In 1979, some J -Ville residents
discovered gasoline had seeped into
them' wells, possibly from a leaky
underground' storage tank used by- a
Mobil service station; which at that
time was located .on the west side of
Route 96 in the center of the village. A
lawsuit against Mobil filed -'by a
number -Of homeowners has. been in
the works ever. since. Mobil has sup=
pYied fr ,jrb tF1ttS �tuikii g Wat�i"to af-
fected homes -and has also installed
some free water filtering systems of
questionable value.
Grapevine
July 25-31, 1985
Since the publication of the Grape-
vine story, the well of a residence own-
ed by Lee Shepherd in Jacksonville has
been found to contain benzene, a
cancer causing chemical that is also
found in gasoline. The Ithaca Journal's
Fred Yahn, in an excellent story on July
20,: reported that• the discovery was
significant because it is the first well on
the west side of Route 96 to be found
with gasoline pollutants in the water,
which may have been caused by the
1979 leak.
Is this gas contamination problem
spreading? Has- it been there since
1979? The answers to these questions
might come when the new test results
are finally in. However, that doesn't .
mean more questions don't need to be
asked.
"Why don't they test the -water at the
Jacksonville Community Church?"
wonders Reitz. "There are a lot of
public meetings held there,- and a
nursery school."
Good question, since there is a
possibility the water- there is con-
taminated as well. We will see what
we can find out.
Three more Jacksonville wells
are found to be polluted
By FRED YAHN
Joumal Staff -
JACKSONVILLE — The water pollution problem
here has worsened. as three more wells- have been
found to have water unfit for drinking,. according to
the Tompkins County Health Department.
Following -independent tests of 14 more wells, with
laboratory analysis paid for by the Mobil. Oil Corp.,
the health department has .revealed that ater from
three at -those wells contains more benzene — a carcin-
ggen — than the five parts per billion the state-alIows.
Mobil, formerly associated with a service station at
the Intersection of Jacksonville Road and Route a 96,
already has been accused of polluting. four residential
wells from -that station's gasoline storage tank six
years ago when a czo_%
don between a gas pump and -
an underground st tank failed and went unno-
ticed.
'It'salleged that g spline seeped into nearby private
wells: Some residentf noticed a gasoline smell in'their
water, while others did not. Several of the homeown-
ers sued Mobil, but&ihinghas•been resolved..
Those four residences; all on the east side of Route
96 near Jacksonv&Aoad, have been offered free bot -
tied drinking water and water filters. Residents ;have
en drinI Ug the bottled water and some have: used
Iters, but the pollution and its widening threat "have
not dissipated.
Mobil officials could not be reached for comment
following this latest discovery.
Irwin Adler, a Mobil engip4er who, has been work-
ing closely with the state Department of Transporta-
tion (DOT) and with local health department officials,
refused comment and referred calls to Mobil's public
relations headquarters.
Roger Wright was -the owner -operator of the service
station at the time of the alleged pollution incident.
He has sold the property to Richard Berggren•of Itha-
ca, who leases the station to Steven Baker of Jackson-
ville.
One of the thiee.waterwells found to bcpolluted in
this latest study was at the gas, station, according to
John Andersson, the county's director of environmen-
tal health. The suspect tank coupling• thgt supposedly
caused the pollution was -repaired 1png ago; and Baker
said he regularly has the gas -tank system checked and
approved.
Turn to WELLS. Page 7
Wells
Continued from Page 1
The two other polluted wells
were in homes to the near northeast
of the gas. station. -Because Anders-
son was notified of the new pollut-
ion study by DOT officials orally,
he would not reveal the names of
the people with the newly discov-
ered polluted wells until a written
report arrives from the participat-
ing firm, Friends Laboratory of
Waverly.
Andersson said he has advised
residents of the new results and has
warned 'them about the drinking
water. The latest testing was a joint
effort of Mobil, the Department of
Transportation, the county -health
department and the Town of Ulys-
ses.
There are more than 50' sub-
stances in gasoline, and the. three
major ones checked in these water
tests were benzene, xylene and to=
lue-ne. Six wells'on the east side of
Route 96 were -tested, along- with
eight on the west side.
Andersson said three other wells
tested showed no. sign of pollut-
ants, and the remaining eight tested
showed some signs of pollution,
but. came within the state's safe
drinking guidelines.
What's next?
"We'll be re -sampling all of the
homes that we tested and possibly
test homes in a wider area," An -
Ithaca Journal.
Friday, August 30, 1985
"It's hard to predict where gaso-
line will seep, once it gets into the
rock strata," he said. "There is no
real pattern to it."
There is no municipal water sys-
tem in Jacksonville, • and in April,
the Town of Ulysses withdrew a
Proposal to create a Jacksonville
water district, with water drawn
from the Trumansburg system.
Town officials said the cost would
be too great for residents.
Now, town officials are looking
into the feasibility of getting water
from nearby springs, such as those
along Cold Springs Road. Accord-
ing to officials, this could b6 much
less expensive than getting water
from the Trumansburg system.
Ulysses Town Supervisor Martin
Luster said, "I am glad that the
health department and the Depart-
ment of Transportation are so
deeply involved. The town will wait
for the results of this third testing,
but I anticipate that after all testing
is complete, we will call a meeting
of the town board and ask for rep-
resentation by the DOT, health de-
partment, our engineer, our attor-
ney and the . governor's
ombudsman's office to come up
with a solution that is economically
feasible and sound from a health
and engineering point of view.
. "The town will be involved and
will do whatever is necessary to re-
solve the situation."
Morewells
will be tested
� in Jacksonville
W
By FRED YARN
Jouina/Staff
JACKSONVILLE — Eleven more private. water
wells, in addition to the 14 that were recently tested
here by an independent laboratory, are soon to be
checked for the carcinogen benzene. .
Mobil Oil Corp., accused of polluting a few local
wells following an alleged gasoline leak at a gas station
here sin years ago, paid ' for the independent tests,
which were done by Friends Laboratory of Waverly.
The 25 wells to be tested are within a quarter -mile of
the suspected gasoline leak, in a circular pattern.
In the most recent testing during July, the gas sta-
tion, -now with a different owner and operator, and
two homes, were found to have unacceptable levels of
benzene, according to John Andersson, Tompkins
CouAty's director of environmental health services.
This past week, Andersson received the written re-
port from Friends Laboratory. The two homes identi-
fied -as having water with unacceptable levels of ben-
zene were owned by Lee Shepherd (591- Jacksonville
Road) and Edward Hurd (1858 Trumansburg Road).
Under " state guidelines, water that contains more
than.five parts per billion (ppb) of benzene, is consid-
ered undrinkable. Shepherd's well was found to have
19 ppb; the Hurd home had 21 ppb, the report said.
-Anderssoh and several officials, including those
from Mobil and the state's Department. of Transpor-
tation (DOT), are not convinced that the only source
of pollution is from the alleged gas leak.
The most recent test findings threw another quirk
into the mystery.
Several wells located -between, the Shepherd and
Hurd houses, it -distance of about 500 feet, were
checked by Friends Laboratory personnel. The wells
were found not to have benzene,. Andersson said.
Shepherd first discovered she had benzene in her
house's well when she had the water privately checked
in the early summeF..
The finding was significant, Since it was the first
well to be found with benzene on the west side of
Route 96. Four private .wells had been previously
found with benzene, all on the east side of Route 96.
The Hurd property with benzene is northwest of the
gas station. The Shepherd house is south of the gas
station. Hurd. owns several pieces of property in the
vicinity.
Andersson said this week he wasn't sure if Mobil
would pay for this additional testing, which costs
about S50.per well. He said that another laboratory,
other than Friends, probably would do the testing.
Andersson said it would be premature to formulate
plans fQr alternative water sources for Jacksonville,
until thg pollution problem was clearly identified.
It's also expected that "observation" .wells will be.
drilled, to try and get a better grasp on where the p01-
lation is being.generated.
Ithaca Journal
September 7, 1985
Mobil Speaks, Jscksonvjile Waite
By Dan Larsen
JACKSONVILLE — It's been six ybars since
on
ctamingnts from a Mobil station's ledkmg gasoline tarsit
were detected in several local wells. Tests ddno again lata
month show the problem still exists. Residents want cledtl
water. Now.
'The comMuni1 y its$If isid•¢ennis O',�i {
owner of Jaciisondilie'#ishing Tech a etld keit, last inti.
"it's spreading. I don't knout hi, f g. 'A gofngto spree
Nobody krt9ws that.'
"Mobil Corp, hasn't do". 111ou hq".-he said. j
'?hey dont _ifo anything *01,, jt$ i re.forced to
don't do anything on their olivrti7VAyB% eiirtoncarn
they haven't In 'six years solve hsproblern CertainlytfV.
have the technology, the r6#4ft"
Contaminants were 01 sled in the spring of 109{
O'Neil said, that evp6i th�e li lnto well water franc r
underground gasoljno'tiir aia4orr}leihAbbil station acth%
corner, of Trumanaburd •olid Jacksoriville Rds. The proliei
was turned over to thdoale Department of Transportat oh,
which has jurisdiction ovyer oil al
o gasoline spills. Mo
Corp. paid'}b}Wasting ani �i s proyided bottled wateik b •
residerits'*v ih a fO' ed wiills. But d'Neil and hiswife, Patt�F,
say Mobil h'as acted tob oipvUly;
"Why haven't they doneanittliirig ahoutthewater?" spa
Ratty. "1'd iiketo see it taken caro V, •for good, a perm6h.A;'
Water system. Whatabout ten•yea�rs'jrom nowtWhat abbd1t
two houses down, if their water,•gpiss bsdi The immedis '
area should jY' covered."
Gail Jani n, Mobil Corp. Eb# Coast Public Realtion
Director 'oflley Porge, says tljfa problem is not so simgiet
"There ere various things that have to be done.1'
sequence Ydu.0gfi?t just come .fn and stick a straw in t#d.
-round and siA i4ituif up, you heye-to go step bysteP aft
1 time consuniir)g i�iit�W want to do it right so it will be taken
care pf once o,nMiVah."
In October -1W. ; tIobil . Corp. paid for water filtetfof
me
systems for'$eversl hos south of the station, includ*
the O'Werls -ljear system doesn't work.
"As of 'todq It?b�'not functioning right," said Dennis ,
'They can Iliiil'a rrn ori i}ie'rrio6n; why can't they gotta+
water fiflering yt ;o work rightr
Jannipaatili{AQ. r 19 -war.
rtdtdn
manufagt�r'"fir`ftis[ail them. Shia suggested residents
contact ihe manufacturer or installation contractor if their
syteins eiddafective, as they were probably v4arrarueed:
The m�rfapt t ai authorities are_ mainly concerped
With Is iuoti a gptorless, aromatic liquid that rs a fry=
product lifteilrwrtidilation„RAKzeneisclassifiedbythe
Interstatd �Cd tinefoe Crnmission as a flammable liquid.
aryd ii-dikd anortiirhJmari carcinogen” tiyifie Natiofniil
Safety Cot}r%r*if: Tile ior )kb'phh fieiarti is intialatian piits
' vapors: ;C-Oionfc poid06g occurs with regular exposure to
"ucisafe tioacentr
*.0'the results of which can inc`fude
lf� end �teilrt 4dafj��1'de,, and deatls. ,
Tri Village Pennysaver
September 12, 1985
Benzene .float$ 66 wbtee if it V4r& t$,`W6r Well` iirater it
yGApuld-some out at the kitbhgrl»tap
The Benzene feVels fti4 d tri .f $i ksonville are minute,
Says Jo� Anderson o} .� a �'o_0'k.i0 Cbuitty Health
.i�QParjmant.
"We ie talking about ide • levels here, and these
chemicals can gomefrom+atxqurces, eventhe individual
-homes themse[yas"i such gs paint tfyniter, gasoline or
other household clemica'ft,fjtet mightigo into drams or tFie
ground 'The Nf otSii i?ank is i b tWnly a major source, but not
necessarily the ,only ane."
The Iteafth ddpii&hent's limit for benzene is 5
micro'ralps W.,liter of water, he said. On July 31 and
Ai}gu 7, 'Fnenif LiibrM464 . tnc:'of Wairarly, New York,
tested water from 17 wells and 2 taps.
8eiren 11W -ills contained benzene, four exceeded the
health depart nent•'s 5 mic.7a. limit: a gas station at the
former Mobil location, pith 76; an 1858 Tiuinansburg Rd.
residenc*ownedby,Patlrlurd with2`I;and2wellsata691
Jacksonville Rd. residence, owned by tee sheperd, bath
Wirth i�.
Are thane levdls iiangerousi
"I%gIdthinkatthose lev,Afsthe numbs rswouldbevery
insignificant," said Anderson.'Thereds really no threshafd
-You livejsarnajicnumber and anything under that
is OK. Th4eIs nt5=@ra r1sK,The lower the concentration and
the lest .gou're•e$pdsed to It, the lower your risk." -
And test results will fluctuate, he added.
"We dant know enoLgh 'about these cher ifcals to tell
exactly hdw consistent they are. We're talking about very
minute qupS.tities,-They.can .vary from vveeklo.:week and
even from;day to ddy."
But residents Nuhn to be kept'informed. Thb'y haven't
been say§ 'f'oin 1teiti, -President of 4he Jacksonville
Commuristy As$ociation.-
He bard rebiddhts would -49 inibre ted in d 'meeting
among J' o 'public, if lysses '.YQwn offjcijE is, the state
D partment of Transportation, -the • county health
department, and Mobil Cor` 'A aggaestedW.'UlyssesTown
supervisor Martin Lusters .
"There• eye seven homes definitely contaminated," said
Reitz "We've.
got a• problem. We'd like to have a meeting
becausew4VIlke, a: to see h6wserioustheP.roblent it. b.0
have some Wei' drn the-residerlts as to how ttlay d like to
see this- problem solved; and' c.' to • open -up the
communications betwedn the public and the officials."
"If someone would like to hold this meeting, by all means
let's get it organized and.get it going," said Jamin.
But; she said, Mobil Corp. engineers may not be willing
to attend, asit's their policy not to make information pubfft:.
The engineer who has handled they Jacksonville water
problem, l win Allier of Albany, refused to comipent,
But'oii6il iS ieady tit take responslbitlty, Jgifin said.
ti 6jie a had been doing webeileved`46taking ciireof
the problem: The •latest test show -that it indeed has not.
Wa1l:be getting,together with the DQT;•avdw. jIl C. @.nainllt . -
whatever is possible to correct the problem;" ... .. .ter
' DOT Ourn's fluid
from. -gas stank:
in Jaicksdnville
By FRED YARN
Jouma/ Staff
JACKSONVILLE _ In their search foi clues to the
Jacksonville water pollution mastery; State Depart-
ment of Transportation (DOT) workmen have
pumped an unknown quantity of what they suspect to
be -gasoline from a defunct gasoline tank at the former
Jacksonville Variety Store. - .
No longer a variety store, the house is owned by Ed-
mund Hurd -of Trumansburg, who owns some other
properties nearby.
The defunct tank is about 150 feet north of the
working tank at the Jacksonville service station. Seve-
ral years ago, there was a working gasoline pump at
the variety store, but that was closed.
Last week, DOT officials were told there was a
closed *tank under. the variety store, and they promptly
opened the cap and discovered what they believed was
gasoline:
Workmen sre expected to use an absorbent to try to
soak up as mucid gasoline as possible and then to fill
the tank with sand. .
Six years ago, there was a broken coupling between
l a pump and a tank at the Jacksonville service station,
which allegedly leaked gasoline into -the ground water.
The station was then affiliated with the Mobil Oil
Corp. Today. the station is operating under different
ownership, and the suspect tank ,is functioning prop-
erly. It is regularly checked for leaks.
Four homes, all on the east side of Route 96 across
from the gas station, were found ,to have gasoline in
their drinking water after the initial leak:
Gasoline contains the carcinogen benzene and that
chemical was found in water checks for those four
homes.
. In independent tests funded by Mobil and taken this
summer, three more water wells were found to have
unsafe levels of benzene (greater than five parts per
billion)..
The most recently discovered. wells with benzene
were all on the west side of Route 96. One, well sup-
plies the lavatory At the service station, while the other
two are connected to private homes — one owned by
Lee Shepherd, the other by Hurd. Ther latter home is
the site of the variety store.
According to John Andersson, Tompkins County's
director of. environmental health services, Mobil has
told the DOT that it will install a carbon filter for the
service station's lavatory.
Residents with - known polluted wells -have been
drinking bottled water supplied by Mobil.
Ithaca Journal
September 14, 1985
: the watervells under a.
:B.YGMrNPEICff
JAcKSiONVILLE-,Acco-rding to the Bureau of
'.Toxiesubstances-Management of the New York State
Department -of'Health; .benzene is a known human
eareipogent. .It `is"this .substance's presence in the well
water of several- residences in the Jacksonville area that'
has caused repeated investigation of the water supply.
The maximum amount permissible under the Bureau's
guidelines, ,five micrograms per liter,, has been ex-
ceeded in some instances.
Martin Luster, Ulysses Town Supervisor, said that
:the-Departmant of Transportation (DOT)-, working in
�n�ore te��a� �ri��.t��•���`. $� ����jj((,,%��%yy�� �'-�i
conjunction with the Depaftmetit=of•Health, is setting
up the latest. and perhaps last round .of testing to
determine the volume -and geographic; perimeter of the
water pollution 'problem. Saying, "Itshould be fairly
conclusive," Luster explained that the wells were
scientifically selected and represent a fairly wide circle-
around
irclearound the -area where gasoline substances have leaked
through the rock strata.
The wells to be tested include ones which were tested
in a group in August, plus' the four original sites
where pollution was confirmed, as well as' additional -
homes. The decision to -test the water again was
0
arranged at a meeting with Luster, and representatives
-fr,P t -the DOT and Tompkins County Health Depart-
ment. Terming it a "cooperative effort," Luster said
that the Mobil Oil Corporation was helping with the
paperwork,.
In a new development that has already.fueled. the
controversy, the DOT tapped a tank located in front
of the Edmund Hurd house and the Jacksonville
Variety Store last Thursday. That tank contained a
gasoline -like substance that was reportedly 30 years
old. _
Arrangements will be made to empty the tank.
Sit. years ago a leak in a coupling to a gas tank
caused -gasoline to seep into the water -supply near the
Jacksonville service station operated by Roger Wright.
Since Mobil Oil had supplied that gasoline, that com-
pany has been involved in litigation with residents in
the. nearby area and has supplied drinking -water and
filtration systems -to some affected by tbe.leak.
The discovery of gas in another area opens new
questions. Tom Reitz, President of the Jacksonville
Community Association said that the tank in front of
Hurd's had been installed around' X920 and probably
had not been used since 1938. Pridr to 1984 there was
no law. regulating. the removal of old gas tanks.
continued on page .2
had water tested in the August samplings, explaining
the results. Of the 14 iested at that time,. threeshowed
.significant levels of -contamination. while there were
traces in some of -the others.
Current plans call for a meeting of affected resi-
dents, interested townspeople, the, Ulysses Town Board,
DOT, Department of Health, and a representative
from the State Ombudsman's Office, according to
Luster. Observation wells will be -drilled to determine
the boundaries and the flow of any gasoline seepages.
b �
W ell�te'sting
Gasoline was also pumped at one time at the current
U,
site of Jacksonville Antiques, on the northwest corner
K n
of the Jacksonville intersection. Most, people believe
aQ
co
that the tank was removed but no one was willing to
N
state so with assurance.
.-. m
Luster -reported that he has individually contacted
`0 m
30 residences in the area to inform them to expect new
K
testing. He also sent out letters to each individual who
M
Martin Lester; Ulys W Tou&Supein or,
-iaid -that-the Department of Tramp rtli►tion
(DOT), working in conjunction:W1t1Cik
Department -of Health, is sletting�npahe
latest and perhaps last round of testing to
determine the volume and geographic
perimeter of the water -pollution -.problem.
0
arranged at a meeting with Luster, and representatives
-fr,P t -the DOT and Tompkins County Health Depart-
ment. Terming it a "cooperative effort," Luster said
that the Mobil Oil Corporation was helping with the
paperwork,.
In a new development that has already.fueled. the
controversy, the DOT tapped a tank located in front
of the Edmund Hurd house and the Jacksonville
Variety Store last Thursday. That tank contained a
gasoline -like substance that was reportedly 30 years
old. _
Arrangements will be made to empty the tank.
Sit. years ago a leak in a coupling to a gas tank
caused -gasoline to seep into the water -supply near the
Jacksonville service station operated by Roger Wright.
Since Mobil Oil had supplied that gasoline, that com-
pany has been involved in litigation with residents in
the. nearby area and has supplied drinking -water and
filtration systems -to some affected by tbe.leak.
The discovery of gas in another area opens new
questions. Tom Reitz, President of the Jacksonville
Community Association said that the tank in front of
Hurd's had been installed around' X920 and probably
had not been used since 1938. Pridr to 1984 there was
no law. regulating. the removal of old gas tanks.
continued on page .2
had water tested in the August samplings, explaining
the results. Of the 14 iested at that time,. threeshowed
.significant levels of -contamination. while there were
traces in some of -the others.
Current plans call for a meeting of affected resi-
dents, interested townspeople, the, Ulysses Town Board,
DOT, Department of Health, and a representative
from the State Ombudsman's Office, according to
Luster. Observation wells will be -drilled to determine
the boundaries and the flow of any gasoline seepages.
Ithaca Journal (? )
ORN March 1', 1986
Jacksonville'
well problems
linger; session.
set for March
* FRED YARN
JOU"ud Sguff.
JACKSONVILLE — * Some
Jacksonville residents are still won-.
daring when their water will be $t
to drink.
After three'rounds of tests taken
in 1985 T two of them showing
negative results' there has_.been.. i
no further pubfic•discussion of the
drinIgng water problem,- which sur-
facedsixyears ago. The carcinogen
benzene was found ai that time in
about four of the private water i
wells. i
The suspected .sourm was a
faulty subterranean coupling lknk-
-ing a gas ftorage talc 'with pumps
at a Mobil station qn Route 96 in
the center of this Hamlet.
The town of Ulysses has sched-
uled a March 3 meeting -at the Jack- _
sonville Community Church and
has invited Department ot-Environ- !
mental Canseivation engineer Tom
Siiozzo and. Tompkins .County en-
• dmnmeatal health services director
36hik dersson-£o•revkbwthe Jack-
w"
ack-
drinking water problem.
. .
?The public is }nvited to the 7:30' 1
p.>34: session:'
According to. Liiysses Supervise=
Minta Al. Luster, there will be e
c6m'pmkez. � ,Qe presentation of aD
of. the tw ig. "Ropd1my, -there
wgl - be ii scientific projection of
what -the future holds, concerning
the gas pollution," Luster said.
".And, I' #Pepe they can give. us
some guidg._ in targeting a likely
area for us>K by the town hoard kn
considering, its options, orae of '
vvhiich may be a .limned -use water
district." L• i*er sadr
,
In April 1985, Luster proposed a
reaoiution that .would have autho-
rized ;a Jacksonville water district, .
but .he wijW6w it When it became
clear that• it`would have been too
much of a financial burden on resi-
dents.
. Residents with polluted wells re-. !
ctive bottled drinking water and fil-
tars for their water systems from
Mobil. But residential market va
liras have been hurt by. the pollut-
ion, and some residents who were
ea -to -sell their homes years ago.
can't, because of the shadavv of
Iutiori. • . "
DEC official asks for
Viile water cleanup
FRED YARN
Jowria/ Staff
JACKSONVILLE — A state Department of Envi-
ronmental Conservation oil spill expert has recom-
mended a major cleanup for Jacksonville's tonic water
problems.
No�mention was mad ?of how much the cleanup
would cost.
The expert, Tom Suozzo of the DEC's Regibn Sev- •
en department, told about 70 residents here Monday
night that a fourth round of water tests would be done
this spring in the Jacksonville area.
Following those tests, Suozzo said he would ask the
original polluter — Mobil Oil Corp. — to pay for a
recovery well and for the removal of gasoline .that is
stili in the soil beneath. the center of this hamlet,
Suozzo said he had not yet formally informed Mo-
bil of the plan.or of his intention to ask the corpora-
tion to pay for the•cleanup.
If Mobil doesn't do the cleanup work, Suozzo said
the state would do it and seek reimbursement from
Mobil.
The Jacksonville drinking water problem surfaced
in March 1979, when the Tompkins County Health
Department identified four homes on the east side of
Route 96 (south side of Jacksonville Ikoad) with gaso-
line in their wells.
Subsequently, according to Suozzo, Mobil admitted
that the gasoline had come from a leaky coupling in an
underground tank ata service station on the west side
of Route 96. ;
There probably were earlier, leaks from the tank,
which was installed in 1952, but those were never veri-
fied, Suozzo said.
Mobil provided bottled drinking water and carbon
filters for the four homes with pollution.,
Benzene, a carcinogen, was found ' in the four
homes' water sources.
Toluene and xylene were two other toxins that were
also identified in some other weds in the vicinity.
In 1985, three rounds of tests were done on several
wells in the center of Jacksonville: The initial round of
Tum to DEC, Page 2
Continued from ftp 1
tests last August brought raised
new concerns• from state and local
health officials, as 15 of 17 wells
showed organic contamination and
four of those wells had •benzene.•
d3ut;'iti two subsequent tests, the
testa generally proved negative.'
Suozza. odd he -thought the levels.
of benzene and other toxins in the
suspect was are lessening, but he
added: "It's always possi'bk that
there will be a problem for some
time to come."
In a cleanup operation, gas
would be taken out of the aquifer,
which. lies about 20 feet below the
ground, and then water which con-
tains
ontains some of the dissolved "prod-
uct" — gasoline.— also would be
pumped out of the ground and
trucked away.
Currently, according to the
county's environmental health di-
rector John Andersson, there are
five homes in the Jacksonville area
that have carbon filters for their
water supply, and another well, at
the. gas station, also has known lev-
els of benzene.
"Carbon filters are an interim
solution at best," Suozzo said.
Andersson urged residents to
consider forming a water district
for the center of Jacksonville,
which would serve approximately
40 homes.
Andersson said the water district
the proposal to bring water from.
Trumansburg," he said.
"Building a water system is not
going to be cheap," Luster said.
"But the longer we delay. the more
WgxMslve it's going t0 get."
Luster said that governmental.
funding for such a project would be
difficult to obtain.
He said the water problem would
be an agenda item at the March 11
Ulysses town board mating.
Ithaca Journal
Tuesday, March 4, 1986
mobil and DEC plan
Jmvile Waterasesson
By FRED YAHN
Journid Staff
JACKSONVILLE — Officials
,,'from Mobil oil Corp. will meet
with Thomas Suozzo, state Depart-
ment of Environmental Conserva-
r tion oil -spill expert, here next Tues-
-day to continue working on a
4 solution to. Jac ksonviIIe's 7 -year-
old water -pollution problem.
Mobil has admitted guilt in pol-
luting four private water wells with
gasoline that leaked into rock strata
from a faulty tank connection at a
service station on Route 96 in the
center of this hamlet.
That station subsequently ' was
closed, bought by another person
and leased to an operator, who
stopped selling gasoline there about
two months ago; but continued
auto -service operations. The sec.
.ond owner ' regularly checked the.
connection and did trot have any
problem.
Barry Rollins of Ithaca will re-
Ithaca Journal
March 11, 1986
open the station March 17 for gaso-
line sales. Richard Berggren of
Newfield owns the station.
Mobil has supplied bottled
drinking' water and carbon filters
for :water systems to homes with
Polluted wells.
Suozzo has been working with
local governmental officials, resi-
dents and Mobil officials to try to
eradicate the pollution problem for
more, than I' i years. He told resi-
dents is a public meeting last week
that if lvlobil didn't watt to con-
duct and pay for the cleanup, then
the.state would do it.
He reassured residentsthat his
agency would do all it could * to
clean up the pollution. He also said
it was possible the state would seek
reimbursement from Mobil, if the
company refused to do the cleanup.
The Town of Ulysses board is ex-
pected to discuss the possibilities of
forming a Jacksonville water dis-
trict at its 7:30 p.m. meeting today.
Jaclon We citizens. -hear
op#ions for. well system_
By OERI SPEICH
JACKSONVILLE—More, than :75 residents of the
Jacksonville area, attended a March 3 public -hearing' to
provide a complete'.report concerning the con-
tamination of ground water supplies from gasoline
products. Technical 'analyses were presented. by
Thomas Suozzo .of the Department of Environmental
Conservation (DEC) and John Andersson, Tompkins
County'Health Director:
Among the toxins to, be dealt with are
benzene, toluene, and,aylene, according to
John •And6ioni, -The problem has been:
compounded by :the mixed results from
previous teats.
The scope of the problem was termed -"far
reaching" and the solutions will be costly. Suozzo says.
DEC is ready to move forward with a plan'to install a
recovery well system, utilizing a two -pump system. The .
cost of the installation should be borne by Mobil, ac-
cording to :SubftWf:Rt3ridicatdd he -would pursue the
matter with, c omlf iYAu� act4hrough the state at-
torney general's. office; if necessary,, to recoup the cost
-should* Mobil balic'at paying for the, clean=up. No
estimates on.the,�btal cost were available.
Suozzo said the oil spill' bureau, which w4s•started in,'
1978,: is-iearning more about the recovery process as it.
deans • with • th]4 -type of • problem.Although the
Jacksbnville contamination was fust detected in March,
of 4979; when four homes in the center of Jacksonville
Continued on backpgge
Trumansburg Free Press
March 12,•1986
From page 1
J ckson11111
were identified by _the:• :Health Department as con-
taining- gasoline-infil" '6& wells, the admission of
guilt %on tete part. oi'.Mobil and their subsequent under-
writing- of the cost..o, provide .drinking water and car-
bon filters to those. homes took-'" ome time.
The original leak of gasoline was identified as
originating from a tank. connection in an underground
tank. A member of the audience remembers perfor-
ming the necessary excavation work to install the tanks
in '51, or. '52, "and they've been leaking since 1960,"
he said.
Suozio 'outlined the necessary steps to be taken to
deal with the problem of the ,-pollution in the water
supply. These include' a fourth round of testing for
�svells in the targeted area. Removal of the gas products
in the aquifer will be attempted through installation of
a recovery well system. This would necessitate drilling
of two wells; one approximately at 18 feet, the level of
the ground water, and -one at around 30 feet. Pumps
would be. used ' to extract' the gas contaminants thus
recovered.
Among the toxins to be dealth with are benzene,
toluene and xylene, according to John Andersson. The
Problem has been Ccompounded by the mixed results
from.previous tests. Souzzo mentioned that the timing
of the tests also provides interesting data. "It rears its
ugly head when groundwaters rise," he said. Thus the
fourth round of testing will be scheduled in the spring,
as the water levels rise and place contaminants back in-
to the ground water supply.
Andersson concurs with both the definition of the
problem and •the solutions to be attempted. August
tests showed 15 of 17 wells tesied containing con-
taminants. In September most tests were negative and
a third round in November proved 13 out of. 15
without organic contamination.
"Ivly biggest recommendation is for the :people of
Jacksonville to get together and -create a water
district," Andersson says. He suggested the residents
look at a water system that will provide only drinking
water and not serve a. wide area nor serve to provide
fire protection or water for industrial use. The town
-would have to coordinate such a project but Anderson
says the presstlMhas-td come from. the people,,
?own Supervisor'Martin' Lusterre-erri, sh2�sixed that
solutions attempted before by the town board, in par-
ticular last Spring's attempt to create a water district,
met with opposition town -wide due to the costs.. "If
there is now interest in a modified pian, you've got to
tell us," he said. He continued, "But if you're not in-
terested in that we'll look for another solution."
Discussion on the possibility of using a surface
water system was .nixed by Andersson . who said it
would be'much too costly to treat for public use. There
are possible areas to be drilled with some indication
given that water could be found near- the aquifer
located at Willow Creek,and Taughannock State Park.
Luster also said there was a possibility of finding water
-near Agard or'Kraft roads except that those sources
are "downgrade" -of the current water supply and that
is the way the ground water is moving, possibly
carrying the pollutants with it. He asked for a recom-
mendation of the area to be served by a water system
and Anderson recommended approximately 1,000 feet
from the current center of the problem. That would
service approxirimately 30 or 40 homes.
Luster said the problem would be put on the next
agenda for the town board.. "I will propose that we.
start from scratch "he said and seek a local source,
get estimates and then hold further public hearings.
Bill Smith addressed the group to say, "This
problem is ten years over -due." He added that it is
now much more expensive a :proposition. than. years
ago due to the passage of -.time. Luster concurred,
saying the level of potential funding has dropped and
is now substantially reduced.
Jacksonville residents study
their .lingering water p r-oble-m
JACKSONVILLE — A committee of Jacksonville
citizens is forming to investigate possible municipal
water system sources for the. hamlet.
Five private wells here are polluted by gasoline from
a faulty Mobil Oil Corp. underground tank coupling
at a service station seven years ago.
Two of three water tests here last year proved neg-
ative; -but Town of Ulysses and state Department of
Environmental Conservation officials are pursuing a
cleanup operation and further solutions to the drink-
ing water problem..
Jacksonville has only private wells. A municipal wa-
ter system would serve approximately 40 homes in the
hamlet's center.
Ithaca Journal .:
March 15, 1986
Tompkins County environmental services director
John Andersson has recommended that a water sys-
tem carrying only drinking water would be the best so-
lution.
Town of Ulysses Supervisor Martin A. Luster and
other officials are looking at possible water sources.
Although they want a cleanup, DEC officials said
they think the gas pollution never can be totally erad-
icated, It also recommends, a new water system.
Luster proposed a Jacksonville water district last
year, but then withdrew his resolution when a large
majority of town residents told him they couldn't af-
ford the district;
l�ew wa#er" supply: c�s#em considered 1_o.r 1ysses
By GE4RI SPEICH
ULYSSES—The Ulysses Town Board met on March
I1 to consider an agenda that included presentations
from Hector's Finger Lakes National Forest ranger
Hilary Dustin and SPCA representative Robin
Remick. Dustin described the 10 -year management
plan. that will be implemented. to assess national
resources and reported that public comment is -sought
as part of the assessment process. Speaking for the
SPCA, Remick acted as a liaison to promote -the ser
vices of the group. One suggestion offered was to in-
crease impoundment fees and thus have violators pay
more for dog control.
Town Supervisor Martin Luster summarized the in-
formation presented at a 'public hearing on the
Jacksonville water problems and sought direction
from the board on a recommended course of action.'A
recommendation from County Health director John
Andersson to provide a limited water supply system
would indicate the -board should locate possible sour-
ces of supply and test the water for quality.
Councilman Vorp questioned whether the residents
wd'uld support any project in view of last year's rejec-
tion of a water supply project. as too expensive for the
residents. He said, "We don't want to spin our wheels
doing nothing if our help isn't wanted." Councilman
.Weatherby concurred saying, "I don't think we should
spend any town's money yet-" The Jacksonville
Community Association will act to assess the -support
for any project in the area and Luster will make Health
Department and Department of Environmental Con-
servation officials aware of information that has been
presented, and concerns of the board on the re -
From pag-
Ulyrsses
opening of the gas station in Jacksonville.
. The need to provide adequate water to residents was
underlined by Jacksonville resident Dennis O'Neil.
Questioning Councilman Reitz's approach and saying,
"he only became involved six or eight months ago."
O'Neil said he and other residents affected by the
gasoline seepage into their well water supply had six to
seven years of experience. "The bottom line js there is
gas in the ground and it's going to be there for the
foreseeable future," he said.
Another round of testing has been ordered by Tom
Suozzo, a DEC official who is handling the in-
vestigation into the problem before any concrete plan
can be implemented. He will also meet with Mobil Oil
Corp, representatives again to determine what actions
will be underwritten by them in the clean-up.
The board discussed the need to support the
renovations' project at the Trumansburg firehouse,
Luster said he would like to schedule a town infor-
mational meeting to concentrate on. projected costs
and, after considering town input, formulate a
resolution of intent on -participation. The meeting is to
Trumansburg Free Press
March 19, 1985
Continued on bark page
not only help keep homes more comfortable to live in,
but help combat rising energy costs.
By ' taking on energy saving home. improvement
projects you'll also help make your. dwelling more
desirable to potential buyers when you're ready to seel
it. According to Norman Becker,.author of The Com-
plete Book of Home.lnspection, inadequate insulation
levels in the attic and crawl space are two of the three
most common house problems that new home buyers
encounter. In fact, recent surveys have found that ap-
proximately 50 percent=of the nation's homes are -still
underinsulated by today's energy standards.
To give homeowners an added incentive to take on
energy saving do-it=yourself projects, many home cen-
ters are offering sales on products, Such as fiber glass
insulation. Many manufacturers. are also announcing
promotions to encourage do-it-yourselfers to take on
home improvement projects this winter: CertainTeed
Corporation, for example, is offering valuable free
gifts for purchases of packages of 6'/. " thick R-19 (or
greater) fiber glass insulation-unfaced, kraft, or foil-
faced—that are purchased.from a CertainTeed retailer
this winter.
Questions from readers about household energy use
are welcome to appear .in Energy Cents. If you're
faced with a repair problem orsimply.cpr�fused about
the- service you're receiving, your question - could be
shared by others. Send your question to Energy Cents,
Odyssey Publications, P.O. Box 168, -Newfield, NY
14867 or call 1-800-521-5572.
Ten dollars will, be paid for questions an-
swered in Ertergy-Cents.
be scheduled for April 7 at 7:30 p.m.- in the Town Hall.
Members of the fire company's building committee
will be on hand to answer questions.
In other business, the board - .
• heard a request. from Bill Holtkamp owner of the
Cayuga Inn to be permitted to operate etail businesses
in order to increase capital returns;
The Ulysses Town Beard heard an
update on'the Jacksonville water situation
and heard a preliminary suggestion for a
new water supply system.
• listened to a report from county representative Jim
Mason on his efforts to secure funding for the Summer
Youth Jobs program;
• received a report from Zoning Pfficer Zimet on
the Association of Towns - meeting he attended on
behalf of JJlysses;.and
• appr6ved designation of part of the Agri -Bio
property as a Business District after an additional
hearing on March 1.. The integrity of the residential
zone in the. surrounding area was kept intact by per-
mitting only a small parcel to be re -zoned.
Gasoline fou....__1.
nd
" in J-ville test well
By FRED YAI�(V * .�;
I *
loumeJ Slafl .
JACKSONVILLE — 0esoline
was found .Niue flus week in .a ;test
well 20 feet beneath,Rou46. ,
The new diiia*iy px"OU more
ion nrobletns fol seven Y
WdH 0. ed on the east shoulder of
Route , '8cro39 from the suspect
tanks at a gasoline $dr ice statift-
Suozza has been" working with
resi4,nts 'and g9vernmental dffi-
ciels hying to resolve the pollution
problem, which first surfaced whey
four residents •discovered they had
gasoline in their water wells in
1979.
Those four V�ells, all along the
south side of Jacksonville ROAd
and ,on the east side.&F Route 96,
still are polluted. A fifth well at the
gas station remains; p6btW, too. .
That gas station; fdrraerly owned
by,che Mobil'Oil torp-, is oWped
now by Richard Be g$ren f I
tars and litaleci ger to
resito * t
secI �► :... at e
gas station have cosrec} '=d
periodically shack= atith ao'evi-
Rollins is :.pumping gas to ' cus-
tomers from � two -of three under-
ground tanks, after. those ' tanks
were clofed for a few= months be -
See. GAS, 3A
Gas
(Continued from Page 1A)' The cleanup probably would en -
cause a former lessee didn't have tail two pumping setups, one to
gas to pump. take the gasoline out of the ground
-A th th eto remove water that
"We're not letting them PUMP
out of -one of the tanks, because
there's water in .that tank," Suozzo
said.; "We want to clean up that
tank before we re -open it. ,But to
the. best of my knowledge, and
from. what Mobil tells us, the three
tanks have been checked and are
Suozzo said he. was writing to
Mobil officials this week, to inform
them of cleanup operations. "The
state will ' go ahead and. do the
cleanup,. whether Mobil wants to
-do it or not. We would then seek re-
imbursement from Mobil."
No price tag has been placed on
the cleanup.
e o .
Ithaca Journal
March 20, 1986
ar
has dissolved gas in it.
The cleanup also could include
some .excavation work at. the gas
station. "We're not sure yet, but,
that may. be needed,". Suozzo
added.
Benzene — a known carcinogen
and two other chemicals — to-
luene and xylene are the major
toxic culprits in gasoline.' Benzene
levels in excess of state standards
have been found in Jacksonville. '
Suozzo would like to get -the
cleanup started this spring.
"It will be done soon," he said.
71
Ni
Jacksoi ii1k awaits test 'resultsagain
By GMI
JACKS0 . LE—Residents in the
hamlet of Jacksonville continue to be
frustrated..in•t1eir quest for an answer
to the .p oblemi:witii the underground
water'p ly t wits affected by a gas
leak in•'1979. A-peiidon has been cir-
culated that m lb he pristo ,the
Ulysses'Tnwn Board seeking a "speedy
acid• firtal. resolution to,the .problem, of
gasoline-infiliraiidn."
The residents agree they have -waited .
Iong 'enough-4nd• are waiting for yet .
another round of 'tests.. of wells to
determine the ' amount of gasoline
seepage into the water supply, the in-
stallation of a reeovery well ,aysteat
promised by representatives fFpm the
Mobil is waiting for the-
requeat to be written before if
replies, but"Suozzo assured.
ody�y.�Pubfications that he
wit :contiotie to press #or
inatslatob -of .a recover► well
tbla atzmmer to bg6':refnavl.
of the gis,664" eioo t -he .ground.
eia* jt Wim. to
6r.. P,61 1 c water
NO the;e has
shed Ob"ce .''the
was aban ziYetl dui to its highT ost.
Trumausburg Free Press
April 9, 1986
Town Supervisor Martin Luster has'
contacted' the 'Commissioner of the
DEC about -the availability of
programs and providing - assistance
with plans to establish a limited water
district for aii area that might include
less than 40 homes. He feels there is
support among the residents. He said.
"It's important that we start doing
sd'naet.g meaningful, because -it's the
only way Jacksonville can survive."
He also • cited concerns with. the
possible ' health hazards emanating
from' the contamination and the
economic hardship .experienced by
residents hoping to sell their. homes.
"The only thing that will resolve the
situation is to provide a•water system;"
he added, He presented a proposal to
the Ulysses Town Board on April .9 to
identify potential sources of water and
retain the services of a professional
engineer to facilitate all the necessary
studies.
Tom Suozzo, the DEC represen- .
tative working on the Jacksonville
proialem said he has asked Mobil to
sampie the •14 -homes in"th core area
wit)iin the' next two ..weeks. Mobil is
waiting for the request to be written
beffore it replies, * iwt Suo zo assured
Odyssey PublOpotiens that he will con-
t3}xte t{� i, press for • mstAati" of a
"f;ee-product" was fovuid }zi the test
wet) '16tated •in front of john Kraft's
h6use ' within,, the ' last two weeks.
"That's an indication that something as
Continued on backp age
From page
needed. But it's a formal process."
Suozzo says the state will -underwrite
the coals of the clean-up and bill Mobil
if nec!49ary. He is also asking for a
r.pott" that would detail and asap the
area Affected by - the :gasojline . in-
filtration; This report V.ouid
"delineate the problem :and indicate
pump raI ". He sees it as a necessary
tool far people to :use iii .order to main -
"John „Andersson( i];ector of Ea-
-vironmenfal Heiffibt or. Tompkins
ouhty, findlittle to add; indicating he
wa's�9iQ�fttl.::r�?�; 4f testitf8
would be undertaken soon. "We are
still recommending the town continue
to pursue a source of water" for the
area. and would like_ to see some test
drilling undertaken to identify those
sources. He encourages residents to
continue to pressure* the "town board to
act.
At the March meeting of the town
board, Tom Reith was charged to set
up a meeting of residents under the
auspices of the Jacksonville Com-
munity Association and in his capacity
as a board member," to ascertain the
amount of. support in Jacks,onville: for
participation in a wat&district. While
no meeting has been organized with
residents, Reitz indicated he had ap-
proached some residents to serve on a
committee: He said Bill Houseworth
would represent "the ;interests" of,,the
Jacksonville Community Methodist
Church and Dennis .O'Neil would
speak for the business interests in the
area. Other_Tesidents who prefer to
remain anonymous will also meet with
the 'committee at a date *so far 'un
specified.
Reitz •says there is "a whole spec-
trum of problems in the area" and he
wants to check all the parameters,. in-
cluding:the remote possibility of village
status for Jacksonville and the funding
for an, independent water district, such .
as that in: the Yellow Barn Road area in
the Town of"P*4iPe He wants more
facts and figures and information on
bulk storage .tanks in the area. "I'm
trying to form:Vlate ideas to give'to the .
town •board,". fie said.. lie will ask- the •
board to 'fund attendance at a course
,on. water sources to be. given at.Cc well
this " summer for someone from . the
area.
Patty -O'Neil lies lived -wftfi tate
problem. for • over seven-arid-a=half
years. Shesimply* said, "We thought
Mobil would -do something tk .ore
this." ' Her husband, Dennis, ade4,
"'What ado •itf#iler people do in''this
situation?" t the6r fetid
,4 "suc :as
Esther Hughes �'stt a still . gating io be
given results water sam.q-lests
•taken recently. All agreed ._ ieir
frustration'level is riding high" andlliat
the time for action is ripe; sprin4 Tun -
off serves to make the probletn' inose
noticeable.
WO
N
XV -104 'ed", ldt-Vly� llw� studiei ar*O weded
By GERI SPEICFI
ULYSSES—A number of residents filled the town
hall at the April 8 meeting of the Ulysses Town Board
to- demonstrate their concern with the continued
problems associated .with 4he -quality of the water in
Jacksonville. Most of the residents from Jacksonville
who attended the -meeting addressed the board. and
asked for help in alleviating the problems of gasoline
contamination in the groundwater supply that feeds
their wells.
A petition cu�`,i�ng 22 signatures of those residents
affected most '`drastically by the contamination _was
presented by Dennis O'Neil. He said he'had asked only
22 to sign acid all had -readily agreed. "I can get
more," =he said. " *'need your- help in any way that
you can give it." That statement appeared to open the
floodgatesfor comments ,from the general audience.
Clayton Luce ideniified himself as, "one of the vic-
titi$:" He joined with other residents in assuring the
town .board there was support behind them' in their
ileei�lop to pursue a small water district to 'serve the
R�se�fis
the problem. More help has come fromthe Deer
tmeitt of l✓nyironniental . • Conservation, {DEC) that
proposes a recovery well system be:installed ihii I spin -
mer with plans to bill the Mobil Qil'Oorp. for the cpgt.
Councilman Reitz suggested tapping into local ex-
perts for help with the problem and to identify wells
that could be used as water ti~Qurces. Detnny O'Neil em-
phatically disagreed with oily such delays "What we
need is concrete action --no more studies. Your own
health department has said put in a water district."
The board discussed the advisability. of hiring the
• engineers and agreed to - Luster.'.s proposal to expend
$2,500 of federal revenue sharing funds. Tompkins
County Representative James Mason said the county
may be able to provide sortie funding for the project.
A further report is expected at the next me.eting of the
town board. Local residents are.also awaiting results
.of tests of well water supplies to be taken shortly under
the auspices of DEC and the Mobil Corporation.
The board was given a report on the 1985 audit con-
ducted by a Iocal accounting firm. The report in-
dicated no major problems are. apparent,jnd that the
new bookkeeping system seems to be working to the
satisfaction of the town. •
area. Supervisor buster asked .the board to appropriate
fund to hire an engineer.to ascertain the location of
local water supplies. and to study the feasibility of
using any so identified to supply a water district.
Luster also indicated the board would-be "starting
from scratch on a scaled-down bases." In limiting the
scope of the water.'district to provide only drinking
water, and not water for fire protection, and in limiting
the numbers of homes to be serviced, the board hopes
to make the district • affordable for -the people in
Jacksonville.
It -was an emotional meeting, but one the board had
previously indicated was necessary. Luster spoke for.;
the board when he said, "The last action we' took was
to 'ask the Jacksonville community to mobilize -and
demonstrate interest: The board must be responsive to
'what we hear." MoreTesidents spoke up. Patty O'Neil
spoke movingly. "We've been dealing with this
problem for seven:and-a-half years and someone has
got to do something for us!
Penny Fearon added, "I have small children. I -am
in favor of a water district. We live in the same town
as .you. Doesn't it bother you? It's outrageous to me
that you wouldn't pass a water district." Jodi Mar-
shall said the proposal made last year left everyone,
residents included, shell-shocked. She is in favor of a
water district, and said, ."I don't know how anybody
without any type of conscience can't do something."
Both the.O'Neils said they'had dealt with, the Mobil
company for Years in terms of legal action. They poin-
ted out that gasoline wasn't biodegradeable and was
not a problem •tliht would simply disappear. Denny
O'Neil said statistics show it to be carcinogenic. John
Kraft, whose property contains a test well that recently
contained free-floating gasoline, said, "we can't .go
on like this." He says the problem dates back "even fur-
ther; to 1970. The full extent of the contamination was
only realized after another Ieak in 1979 was identified
by the Health Department. And many agreed that the
Health Department had been lax in following up on
Continued on back page
. '
Trumansburg Free Press
April 16, 1986
Ir -
#Vol
'"ok
4-
TaAker accid6at,poses more
ULYSSES—Thrp4tis_or t4OjjO:e corttgr ipa!ion to
the water and-9js_qrfaceo%'qooe .again_J
PU_4"town
haS,94PP"I_with skrffihq-pr6blqMs in-th hazh
et of
JacksbriAllt.'. A g4solifie- tank -'truck-,,'. overturned on
Route' L'§�"near the intersection of AaJteyville Road
early Saturday morning spilling -an 656
mated 3,500
gallons of gasoline.. I
Slippery road conditions contributed to the cause .of
;the accident and the driver, Waldo S. Smiih' of the Sav
cry Energy Company, was ticketed for driving at an
soil 'problems
speed,. He. wE
lulyss�es
fted.
;relu
rom. _an;!-eTq-
er__gemY ca".for the
Tru ns�ur Deparinentl-'�He alerted other
mere r0 re
company_.'4nd Dick Durling,
Assistant Fire Chief was on the §_ce e shortly to take
' n
charge., He; ordered an immediate evacuation of the
nearby area; 4l;6ui, 50 residents
friends or at the fire station. found shelter with
From a command post set up at Maguire Ford,
plans were made to close Route 96 to traffic north of
Jacksonville to the Village of _Trumansburg line. Traf-
fic was re-routed for about 15 hours while crews
worked to contain the spill:, Environmental Conser-
vation officer Marvin M6bbs contacted the Oil Spill]
Bureau in the Department of Environmental Conser-
vation (DEC) and Regiona]'Coordinator Tom Suozzo
was on the scene before sunrise.
The actual cleaD-up of the gasoline was undertaken
Trumansburg Free Press
April 16, 1986
Continued on backpage
Y -F �ip..3y�::x' =,j,. [ I/., I 'A.?i�i'�N.."r r.•"•-,'J•.i�_�. ::�, 3Z
its, r tl • + 'max' �: fr • � �` e -r.: �.. -.-..�::; . �€ a�..�:,,�.'`
eep�i ••.�i... gi. ''f' :�' ''� I+ -
4
it G
'rwd u`: •�
' r,: �+ .lit F..w. - _ tiJ. r .:i.: .;'>�. � ;',�•
j.
S' V
RAJ
ik
z -
- h -
:a
• �n:�r , � .. �;;�: ,.�:'� fir;°:'=��;�._�,•„
■� • r e r r• r r r r
Frarm page. T
Tanker -
by the Environmental Oil Corporation of Syracuse.
Foam was applied to minimize the danger of explosion
and absorbant pads were used to mop up the area: In
order to minimize the arttbunt of pollution, some dirt
was excavated and water was continually skimmed
from the waters of T'aughannock Creek. The area was
also flushed by tank -loads of water which were dum-
ped along the side of the ditch where the gasoline
seeped.
The actual clean-up of, the gasoline was
undertaken by the Environmental Oil Cor-
poration. from Syracuse.
Durling assures residents, "The Environmental Oil
Corporation will be dabbing up gas for about two
weeks. Dirt samples were taken (Monday) to decide
the amount of work necessary."
The assistance of 'fire companies from Interlaken,
Enfield and Mecklenburg was invaluable, according to
Fire Chief Mark Vann. He added, "The damp night
and heavy air, as well as the cool morning, kept the
vaporization low." What might have resulted in
tragedy was avoided as a result of training of
firefighters to deal with such an emergency, he said:
"The complete cleanup may take up to a month,"
said DEC representative Suozza.
Trumansburg Free Press
April 16, 1986
VA
DEC to clean up
JV pollution
By FREo. YAWN
*Uakd Skff
The state's Department of Env!.
ronmental Conservation - is ex-
Pected,to initiate a cleanup op
�io`n for ' Jacksouvilie's polluted
water this spring and to charge Mo-
bil OiT•Corp, for its cost, a rep-
resentative of the Jacksonvnle
Community Association'said.
The representative, • Thomas
Reitz, has been 'active for many
tiYeoanrs o8 to help find a resolu-
the
which began Pollution problem,
any months, formally informed
Mobil last week that the state will
sak- r imbursement for the cleanu
operation. ` Y.,.,_- __.._ P
Efforts to contact Mobil officials
Monday afternoon were unsuccess.
ful.
No one has estimated the cost of
the cleanup. .
Suc 's cleanup plan asks . Mo.
bi7 to:
the area
Of Pvll ed water, eradicatet
as Possible; 's wells to be
Water w • Cominssion a hydrogeolognst
ells . four private to .do a complete study of the af-
homes and another at the pollution fected area, so that future
site, a gasolinewell
, station on Route 96 sources and drilling sites would be
at the intersection with Jacksonville safe and reliable;d
ai
Road, arepolluted. The gas station • Provide a,perma,
nent, clean wa-
n on the west side of Route 96 ter suPP1y ' for the homes that are
while the four private homes are lo- affected by the polluted..water.
cated on the south side of Jackson- Suozzo emphasized that Mobil
yille Road and east of Route 96. �l be asked to pay for 41 three
Gasoline was detected in those conditions.
wells in ]979. -The source was pin.* At 7:30 p.m. today at Uly es
Pointed• as a faulty undergrouruss
nd Town Hall in Tmansburg, R t,
tank coupling at the gas station. Lqysses town officials and rep-
and
leased the station's tanks resentatives of the DEC wiIl'mep-
and Pumps and had .. franchise to discuss the'situation. The public
et
agreement with the former own, is invited.
the laic Roger Wright. owner,
current The Ulysses town board has au -
owner in Richard Berggren. � thorized Hunt Engineers of Fainted
The three gas tanks at the service post to do a study of potential wa-
station have been monitored, and. ter sources in the Jacksonville area
most recently, the 'DEC has de. � a. l.0oo-foot .radius a the
tested water in one of the tanks. tion. .
Thai tank has been closed, "There are about b wells within!
Thomas Suozzo, a cleanup spe- that area,
cialist with the DEC who which includes about 80
has dealt (percent) to 90 percent of the wells
With the Jacksonville problem for in the hamlet of Jacksonvine,"
Reitz said,
Ithaca Journal
Tuesday, April 22, 1986
WO
Gasoline leak sh71 haunts Hoosick Falls
.� AAARY ESC>•I .
.HOOSIqK FALLS{AP) — The peculiar odor. -still
scents tile Wngtime bre ie oat Nixon and Willow
streets, a yegr after residents first noticed A
" Ve -thought`-it was a 'skunk" at fim — it smelled
like there was a whole nest, .bf them," said -Ann 16,
zell, " The smell would wake you up at -night."
It'turaed. opt 'that 7,20Q Vd6ns of gasoline hail
leaked into • the ground froiji a rusted tank at the and
of'the dead4md streets, in a storage yard- of The Oil
Co., owned by Paul LaPorie.
As the fumes intenstfied -in the heat and dampness
• of sun�imer, residents .of the neighborhood, ttiost of
them older people who've spent a lifetime here,
started having heates; nosebleeds, nausea.
!'The. monitoiiag and meetings' went air all sum-
mer;" said Idliss• BrateIl. "And as the summer went
on, that smell was just. horrible." • • .
One day last lNovetaber, state health• tend environ.;
mental • officials •advised the Brazell sisters and their
neighbors to, leave their homes — perhaps for good.
"I just sat down and cried," said Ann BrazeIl's•sis-
ter, Bernice.'
Ten hones wear the gds spill were evacuated, the
residents paused ii the Paradise Motel in nearby Ben-
nington, V.t.; at the expense of UPorte's insurer,
Traveler$ insurance Co. After paying $100,000 in re-
locaiiolb eitpsnses, Travelers stopped sending checks at
the end gf'Ja%utsry, and the Brazellsand another €am-
ily moved back home despite the riauseating, odor lin-.
Seting oatsitie. -
"This is th.6-family homestead —we grew up here,"
said'
-who fives. with'her sisters in the
Nixon 'Street 1(;iise where their family has been for
100 years.
Or* i1stei• Nita' and Y were born right in this
"
house,said-Ann. "So was our mother. our cousin,.
Rita Cavanaugh, .lives across the street. Our • cousin
Nancy bflicoll is at the end of the street. It's a -close-
knit neighborhood, everyone's been. here aaff their
HV-
es.
w
es. Wohblp.each other, check.each other's houses dur-
ing vacations, h. pout when someone's sick. It's like
a big family -,--and pow ,sOmething, like this happens
and the neighborhood's just broken apart"
The spill ln'ihis village of 3,500 in the hills near Ver-
mont is hardly an isolated incident. •
cr2The.. r9blem of gasoling.leaks has becoming ia-
- y ;.urgent in recent years, • as thousands of
tanks installed -I the 50s• and 60s have begun to rust
away..In',1994; 21• fast Mes in Deer Park on Long Is-
land were %iced to abandon their homes when,aleak-
ing gas tank' poisoned the groundwater. ' Prow
lncetow% mass., .on •thb tip of Cape- Cod, has spent
more than ;$3 million so far to •claanse its. water after
gasoliii leaked from a service station in 1977.
The New York. state Department of Environmental
Conservation.,estimates . at least 20.p'ercent- of•'the
state's 130,000 underground gas tanks are ,leaking;
more •than 3,500 spills or leaks were reported -in the
NabdAwiflc,there are 1.5 million to • 10 million. un-
dergr.q&�.d -tanks containing petroleum products or
hazardops bhemicais, 'and an 'estianated 1x0,000 to
400,000 ale thought -to be leaking,. actor -ding .to the
'New England Interstate Water POIlutiOII Control
^-- - _-
Ithaca. Journal
'The leeks, which increase as, days -and years go by,
threaten groundwater.supplies, crops, soil, homes and
health.,
Gasoline is stored at car rental companies, marinas,
farms, apartment complexes and other. businesses in
addition to gas stations. It's so commonplace that it
=rseem innocuous -compared to, say, pesticides. But
gasoline contains as many as 1,200 compounds, some
of which -have been found to cause cancer,' !tad poi-
soning; kidney disease, nervous system (&otd s and.
anemia. ;
The federal Environmental Protection Agency was
directed to develop reg tions
'for undevgronild'stor-
age of petroleum and hazardous substances lay:a 1984
amendment • to the Resoufte-eonservOcil aad'0ecov-
ery Act. But it is a complex f4d slow process.
As , a fust step in that ArdI*s; . bfta rs of under-
ground tanks are required' #dd notification fo n$
to their state regulatory agencies by •lt�iay' 8, •for .a na-
tional census.
The EPA regulations for new and existing storage
tanks,'including provisibns for leak.detection, mainte-
i�ance, corrective action, re requirements and
criteria states must meet to have their own programs
approved in lieu of federal regulations, .are not ex-
pected to be -finalized until 1988.
In the xM- eantime, most state's .have taken steps - to,
deal with the problem ' -on their own, although pro-
grams vary widely.-'
In New York, which has one of the mQst'compre-
hensive programs dealing with both new anti 6dsting
above and below ground petroleum tanks,, .bvmgs of
.tanks must register them by the ead of this year. They
must pay a"registration fee of $50 to $250, good for
five years. Within a- year of registration; taWu more
r than l0 years:old must be tested far leaks; newer tacks
must be tested -by the time they are 10 years old, and
thea every five Yeats. -Tanks 'that • don't pass testing
must be replaced, repaired'or •emptied and sealed. -
About 2,000 gas stations, mainly smaller volume
operations, are expected to go out of business over fhe
next ffve years xather than spend -the money to: comply
with New York state regulations, said 110a Benton, ex-
ecutive director of the 430 -member Ciasoline'Retailers
Association of Northeastern New York-. '
"First, the testing is costly —about $500 per tank"
at a gas station, Benton said. It will cost a medium to
large service station about $60,000 to $160,000 to re-
place its tanks with systems that meet the new stan-
dards, he said. `.`-However, once. that investment's
made, those tanks will last at Imit.30 years.".
'`The regulations ate strict, but they're necessary,"
said. Benton.
but. tied new 'regalWoi ns come too late for the resi-
dents of Nixon Street in Hoosick Falls. The skunk
odor still -wafts around the little clapboard homes,
mostly vacant, and the cleanup is expected to take at
least -a year.
After a. year of anxiety, however, the Brazens and
their neighbors recently ieceived some good news.
- Following months of negotiations, Travellers and
LaPorte . agreed to a $1.6 million out-of-court set-
tlement oa April 17, yl;lud*g $642,000 to the state:
for cleanup and $W 00q 1n gompensat on for the 30
residents affected.
"It's finally .over," said Ann Brazell. "It's been a
very long ord_esl."
Saturday, April 26, 1986
Ulysses hires Corning firm to seek water so*
nrces
By GFM SPOCH
ULYSSES—The Ulysses Town Board • heard a
familiar refrain as residents from Sacksonvfile .once
again filled the room for a special meeting of the board
to consider -the needsfor a water district in their area.
The April 22 meeting was also attended by Bob.Aunt,
an engineer from a Corning firm that provided data
for the . previous water district proposals, - and John
Andersson, director of TcImpkins County Environ-
mental Health department.
The board passed a resoldtion to hire•Hunt'slu-m to
make preliminary investigations of possible water
sources for a water district that would serve the im-
mediate area in Jacksonvilbe :; now afflicted with
problems of contamination ' by gasoline bypioducts
from a leak of gasoline at a near by gas -station. The
general• area to.. be served would include homes
previously identified with. affected wells, plus' a
reasonable buffer zone, approximately I.00o feet from
the station.
Hunt said lie was again concerned with -the cast of
improvements but was hopeful that a local source
would reduce the costs associated with a water district.
He will perform some initial yield tests to determine
sources and address the needs for storage of water in
order to meet peak'flow needs.
Some coordination of effo vKr`ll >saiade by some
of the agencies now inyolved-in ' *search for a
solution to the cont amin0tion..�f;,=9Mu#dWater sup-
plies. A preliminary meeting Was: letvveen Dunt,.
Andersson 'an -d ... T'om •Suoz�s, $egi'dii pill Coor-
dinator for the Department of Environmental •Conser-
vation -(DEC.). It is possible Haat s6" monies M ', be
available throuii; funds of the 1Q31 Spill aur ie
DEC now has more leeway. to :assist `the.tire fvitfi its
problem's.
Andersson pledged to be more active ip-tt3e search
for relief %r the 'residents of Jacksonarlleti saiiti the
Health Department "promotes• .a: cpataivatje:icYe
system'.' for water- supply,-Admittrng,venit
•.
really accomplished much in seven years, r � . • s
added, "without the local push thing,ri't going to
gpi done very fast.."
The town board,vassed anothe Atsplttti}on asking
the. Health -Department to perfr 9� e`t0-house
survey .16 the target area st}irfxmiadun,lcsamville.
.Anderson said he •leas a fora% 6 �ise,f6r. cii ;t survey
and that field wo k should be sla ,i ri hih. the next
few weeks. Homes in the area.iKill be tsited in order .to
survey ' water supply systems and injt in par -
Trumansburg Free Press
April 30, 1986
Continued on page.24 '
From *age
Waater,
ticipation in a water district. Andersson said the sur'- -
veyvrs would also try to inspect the types of water
systems currently .in use in :homes and the amount of
contarninanats 16-aft6t. the quality of the water.
Residents who attendedthe meeting voiced concerns
over the release :of..i €formti tion•on a letter sent from
5auzza's office {DEC) to the Mobil Oil Corporation
requesting additional. groundwater investigation and
remediation of the gasoline 'contamination. The letter
did .not indicate that Mobil would pay for the clean-
up. It asked Mobil to install a recovery well; to identify
the extent of the hydrocarbon plume and report the
findings of a certifie&-hydrogeologist; and to submit a
proposal for "supplying the four homes and the
Jacksonville Service Station with a permanent clean
water supply"
Hoer the area will be visited in
order o s ey wafer supply systems and
interest
.111.,par i ipation in a water t ish ict.
Residents -asked .the board to correct the misinter-
proation -that l Mobil would thus pay for costs of a
� ater::district.'Dennis O'Neil questioned the quotes at- .
tributeti:councilman Tom Reitz. Reit'
replied; " I uon-t,,' cbftnment on the article:" O'Nei3
printed out'°t�ie:;wortling of the letter specifically said
the DEC; wdbid make sure such work was performed,
billing MgNj.,, f,necessary. Hut that in no way indicated
financial help with- a Lwaier district would be forth-
coming froih..N[obi7. Reitz offered to write a letter of
,correction.
O'Neil..;added, "The -burden and responsibility
shoul& be'spread aver the entire township." Many
resideiirs; ;expressed concern over the resale value of
theirhomi s.ibo titeprpbability that the contamination
woul&spr d . further.
T:Qwn 5i4pervisar Martin Luster said any decision
would' ultiriWeiy-beflue
'1 based on a "dollar -and -cents
basis." he board -will Pitt the problem on its agenda
for the may 13 regular town board meeting. -
Groton company hired to clean up
�-
jmvd'*le gasoline leak
By FRED YARN
Joun d Staff
JACKSONVILLE — Empire Soils of Gro-
ton has been hired by the state's Department
of Environmental Conseivation to clean up
the seven-year old gasoline leak that has
tainted many water wells here and stymied
residents -Who have looked desperately for a
solution to the problem, according to Martin
Luster, Ulysses town supervisor.
No date has yet been sgt for the cleanup's
start, but Luster said it would be soon.
Luster added that he has also been told
that Mobil Oil Corp., which is being held re-
sponsible by the DEC for the leak, has re-
fused to pay for the cleanup.
That means that in all likelihood the state
will have to take Mobil to court to get re-
imbursement for the cleanup, Luster added.
The leak's source was a faulty under.
ground tank coupling which allowed gasoline
to flow into aquifers running under -a Baso.
line station at the intersection of Jacksonville
Road and Route 96.
At the time of the leak, in 1979, Mobil was
leasing the station's tanks and pumps and
had a franchise agreement with the former
owner, -the late Roger Wright. Mobil never
actually owned the station. The current own-
er is Richard Berggren.
The station has since been closed and re-
opened, and there have been no rec curences
of the gas leaks, although one of she three
tanks at the station has been closed and is be-
ing tested soon. Water has been found in that
tank, and DEC oil spill engineer Thomas
Ithaca Journal
May 14, 1986
Suozzo, who has been working on the Jack-
sonville case for many months, wants to
check the tank for leaks.
Empire Soils has been hired to do a hydro -
geological study of the area, to determine just
where gasoline might still be lingering; also,
Empire will construct a monitoring well and.
then a recovery well, to draw as much "prod-
uct" (gasoline or water contaminated with
gasoline) as possible.
Luster added that a new water quality sam-
pling of several residences that were checked
last summer is expected soon.
Also, he said the Tompkins. County Health
Department is doing a door-to-door survey in
Jacksonville, asking residents if they want a
Jacksonville water district. Such a district
would provide only drinking water, not fire
protection water or water for commercial in-
terests.
Luster said that a ."drinking water only"
water district would'have several advantages
over a regular district. "We could look for a
water source closer to Jacksonville than Tru-
mansburg, and we could use smaller main
pipelines."
A motion to create a Jacksonville water
district,- offered before the Ulysses town
board a year ago by Luster, was withdrawn
by Luster when it became obvious that resi-
dents would defeat it in a referendum because
of what they believed were excessive -.costs.
That district was going to hook onto the vil-
lage of Trumansburg water system.
-3.'. � _�":. .. ::�, .`x r.:v'1.:.. ';+-``-:�' .�:-�:_ ••�.�1y�-'ter. + eti: 3. •• .. ... - ._ 'e. -97r-
. r - w.• .. _3.Jf7q.'4h•:c".3?i�'litii76
erupted.'with be~.,fy.buighter 'as he:0lt3WC
-rzad ingmoticelast Week-weekassAie&
-valuebf.kiis'combination egarting gw& stare
and-h4me.had.been douhietl
l}aven't-done anything.,
' Here. But woul, y u;piq $30,000 for a place
where you can't drink the water?," roared
O'Neil with.more than a tint of inctedu3uus-
ness in his �oiee.
O'Neil and his wife, Patty, run the store
from the front of their home not faiF from the'
Jacksonville'Service Station. The store's lo-
cation is hardly worth noting unless you
keep track of doings in this Tompkins,
-County hamlet that straddles Route 98 and
serves as a commuter waystation for most of
the 4,8W residents who work in Ithaca to the
south or Trumansburg to the north. .
It was March 1979 — no one 'knows the
exact date — when the'O'Nells and four
oiler nearby families found that their drink-
warersmee' ase n'xser raaap an a sem-:
ingly-wdleas strssggfe-Vtt3i`p ii s, staff
= atm dattnty heaitlietllei'.tawn rest=
�. .fid Mobfl coma`='
While they U68';;i
.Preciate;-heaftb�f s;x�s rust �pa� and the..
....p��`lingera3i�baaemetuC tlaixipn; :::�
-mobil supplied g", 0 anis
service station when• tilt contaminaiaan wD
discovered. A leaky underground fuelline
was bkamedand replaced. No one knoroas hove
many gallons of gas seeped into the under.
ground water -supply that -feeds the;private
wells of each residence. hiut.as state.17epertr
mentof E nvira mental Conservation ofi'ir al
Thomas Suo=put it, "It doesn't take.a. lot of
gas to do a lot of damage ".
The problem has been compounded by the
fact that an underground tank at the service
station may also have discharged gasoline
after Mobil sold the station following the' t
1979leak- As such, Mobil has informed the l
of. hope to those-residentsmM cantsaminatO - 3
wells and town .offtcials� seeking: s:'.solutior�,,
Re-lenotified.iownofficialalbatstate mm*� -,
is available for the cleanup andhasw%lered a .
series of tem .scheduled -to be& this week
that will determine theextentof the spill and
identify its boundaries. Tests last year.
showed traces of. gasoline byproducts. -�
some of them caarcinogens --- in the welke
of about 15 residences.
Su=o said his agency will'see-the prob.'
tem to its end and let -the state- and -Maims
argue. afterwards over' the firm's financial.
liability in the matter. Several of the effected
property owners, includingthe O'Neils;'have
filed lawsuits against MobiL They are pend.'
Ing in court,
"Those people have been more Mian' pa -
and theirhome
Ott filtering ldt
:useable but nc
.bulkry. filtering-systeins that.tleaaskhe
tafrfted water with a number of chemlegliQ
'It's the second time the Krafts have had a
well contaminated by gasoline from the ser-
vice station. Mobil gave them $1,100 to drill a
riew well after gasoline from an urid"ergmund .
tank seeped into, their drinking water ins
1971, they said.
"For the sake of someone ina]ting a dollar, .
We`_ve got all of our property poi3uted. We
don't blame anybody but we just think this
_should hage been cleared up a long time ago.
All we want is decentdrinking water," said
Anna Kraft, who suffers with arthritis along
with her husband, a retired plumber.
Herald American
Sunday, May 11, 1986
-aervloe
LUS
-`Mie people Who spoke are those who
'pose any. form of control over.th
lives ...(but) we had to assume they rep
rented -the majority. -because: they attezns
the meeting and spal;",.said Luster. -v
took over town reins is '1999
Tine pian would have cost the 125 hon
owners In the special- rooster district abc
$350 8 year while town residents outs4d ,l
district would have had. to . pay abort.
yearly,. Luster said.
® GAS, page
_4.
Wnitor wetltcontracted for Jacluonvilie sites
ByrSPEICx
LyLYSSES—Once again the issues concerning the
water supply foirithe harslet bf Jacksonville dominated
the town board agenda.for Ulyssesas they met bp;May,
13. Town ,-Superiisor Martin Luster reported'
;o.. ;lie
board on the progress so far and Bob Hunt; repreen-
ting Hunt Engineering who has been hired by the town
to conduct preliminary 'studies, was in attendance.
As one aresoot.:put it, "We want-to.j e
the dirk fly;" ;in rdete#0 fo the immediate
,need for 1�elief from the wader
contaminatnan tit contingettto- plague the
area.
Luster reported .on the contracting with Empire
Soils of Groton by the Department of Environmental
Conservation (DEC) to drop om'tor wells -inorder to
clearly define sites where m
ere recovery wells can be drilled to
start the clean-up process of the gasoline that currently
contaminates some of the water supply in Jackson-
ville. DEC :contracted with• the. firm and will seek
reimbursement fioni Mobile Oil Corporation in a con-
tinuation of the battle to make Mobil accept respon-
sibility for the,contamination caused. by a leak in a
coupling at the gas station seven years ago when Mobil
was supplying the station.
Hunt outlined•tite phases of his operation and ap-
proximate costs. The board met in'special session on
May 20 to determine how much it can feasibly.afford
to authorize. Hunt Engineering is currently reviewing
all data and identifying probable sources for a water
supple -system. Phase "II of the -project would include
drilling test wells to check farquality atkd .quantity of
flow. The location of any such wells will determine the
cost of thematerdistrict to area residents.
Hunt said, "Given the.best of all worlds, we'll have
results in a few months.' -We're still looking to 1986 for
.:a system:" A number of Jacksonville residents. 'tten-
ded-the meeting and indicated their continued supp'drt
for a project. As one residem, put it, ""We want to see
the dirt fly," in reference to the immediate need for
relief from the..water contamination that continues to
.plague the area.
In a. related matter., the, •board voted to withdraw
auth�azation for To...Councilman Tom Reitz to at-
tend a' seminar at I Cornell on local groundwater
managnent. The board felt 'the expense of 'U85 was
unwarranted as the town has hired experts to deal. with
the.problertis. "Bob Weatherby. said, "We're hereto try
to decide how to spendtaxpayer's money." The board
felt any such monies should be set aside until the Town
receives further cost 'estimates. from the engineering
firm.
'The board also 'responded to a - .petition from
Jacksonville residents concerning parking near
Jacksonville Road,- where it intersects with Route 96.
The petition requested a ""no parking zone" 'be
established that would extend 100 "feet in from the state
high wAy. An additional request for a sign indicating
"handicapped child" will be followed through for a
residence at 607 Jacksonville Road. The requests will
be forwarded to the Department of Transportation in
Syracuse. - ..
Supervisor Luster said, the board continues • to
receive complaints concerning the state detour due to
reconstruction of the Frontenac *bring' e. He. has
relayed the complaints to DOT but knows of no
changes planned. The original time estimate given for
completion of the project has been shortened.
In.other.business, the board '
Continued on bg0 page .
onitor
listened to a short presentation on the Tompkins
County Area Development Corporation;
indicated approval for town participation -in the
Tompkins County Job Training Program, which em-
plbys youths up to 21 years of age;-
heard a report on the inspection by Zoning Officer
D�vid Zimet on the status .of Auble's Trailer Park; and
set a date of June 2 at 7:30 p.m. to meet in joint
session with the Village of Trumansburg .on matters of
concern to both governments. The meeting will be held
in the Village Meeting Hall.
Trumansburg Free Press
May 12, 1986
Tompkins County requests
t ' full disclosure of * testing
.Benzene detected in samples
JACKSONVILLE—Citing a need- to protect- the
public health of .Jacksonville residents; Johri Ander-
sson, Director of Environmental Health for Tompkins
County has requested the full scope and result's of
geohydrological testing be made available to his office,
offices of the Department of Environmental Conser-
vation (DEC), the Town of Ulysses and their con-
sultants.
Ina letter addressed to Ton-Sunzzo of the DEC,
Andersson said he believes Suozzo's request that
Mobil Oil provide a permanent water supply for four
homes and the gas station in Jacksonville affected by a
gas leak is not "broad enough.,"
Andersson believes at least fifteen properties may be
affected by the gasoline contamination.
Once again asserting'a commitment to it community
solution to the problem, Andersson said the Tompkins
Continued on back page
From • •-
Toopkins ;
County Health 'Department ,and the NYS, Health
'Department- believe thee.besi�iansw'er is to provide a
communitVwater district 3o-sei i►e properties -located
near the :;pathway of*
Olurhe. ,.Future
movement of the gasoline many%riot' be>:as.xtadily--iden-
t1ftable as presumed since'thFagtrifer lies i;Y "fractured
rock." .
In a related matter, Ulysses -.-Town Supervisor -said
the DEC has hired a firm, Empire Soils -of Groton, -to -
perform . studies leading :'to• the:. installation of - a
recovery, well iri Jacksonville.:.Mobilail Corp. 'will be
billed by the DEC for the costs -of the gasoline clean-
up.
Andersson also said he has started surveying the
Jacksonville area to ascertain support for .a water
district. The survey is about -25% complete. Samples
of untreated water show levels of contamination con-
tinue to ' fluctuate. Of. four homes sampled,. one
showed 217 parts per billion of benzene while -the other
three levels were within accepted standards. Samples
were drawn March 6.
—Geri Speich
Trumansburg Free Press -
May 14, 1986
Progress Noted"'.
On' Jacksonville
Water Tro'u*bles*-,
By R. SCOTT RAPP
JAMONVILLE —'The current
owner of a Route 96 service station,
which was suspected of contamin-
ating several nearby private wells
in 1979, said Wedaesdayhe plans to
replace the station's three .under-
ground gasoline tanks.this sum-
mer.. .
"We've gone out to bid already.
We are going to replace all of those
tanks by August or earlier," said
Richard Berggren, owner of the'
Jacksonville Service Station' since
1984.
Berggren also confirmed reports
that one of the underground tanks
has "had a hole in its top" for an
unknown length of time. But Berg -
gree said he doubts any gasoline
has leaked because the tank has not
been filled to capacity for many
yam.
At least five private_ residential
wells were contaminated in 1979
when a busted fuel line at the ser-
vice station was discovered to have
drained an unknown quantity of
gasoline into the underground
water supply.
•...Owners of- the affected proper.
ties have been fighting since then to
have the-problem,corrected, and
relief may be in sight as the result
of action Tuesday..night. by the
Ulysses Town Board. The board ap-
proved the first' stage of a three.
Phase plan to insfall'a public water
system for effected residents in
this Tompkins County hamlet.
Robert Hunt Engineers of
Painted Post was hirdil to begin the
investigative work..'.-. tcessary to
create the water according
to Town Supervisor Martin Luster.
: nuriag the first phase, the firm
will analyze soil and�vater tests
ordefed to be iken"Iater.this
mbift to determiae. the ezteat o ,
„thegaso"lineleak's' loins. The eng� ,
neeriag firm is also"i�griiTed to'
draw tentative boundary lipes for
`die water distrtct'8ad locate po.:,
lic Rgeils, Luster said: • .
` The_ town supervisor. acknow- '
edged that -some rQeuts attend
A,;4
g Tuesday"'s'i t3rig spoke.of ;
air aonacins'$tidf the posaihllity
mat -more gasoline has been leak-
ing from the service station. Luster
said tests were taken Monday at
the station, but the results had not
beenmade.public.
. Luster said the town plans to ask
the state Department of Environ-
mental Conservation to require sta-
tion owners to check each tank for
any Ieaks before being allowed to
pany more gasoline.
T.contamination problem, said
Luster, only magnifies itself if
more gasoline has been leaking
from the service station. lie also
said - it would further underscore
the area's need for a municipal
water system.
Property values have declined
and health fears risen as the town
has wrestled with the problem. The
Town .Board withdrew a plan last
year to connect Jacksonville to the
village of Trumansburg's public
water supply, because many resi-
dents said doing so would unfairly
tax a majority of townsmen. � -
The proposed water district
would be much smaller and less
costly to install, according to Lus-
ter. '
Post Standard
May 22, 1986
Berggren said he bought the sta-
tion with an unwritten guarantee
that the tanks were new. "I thought
all of this was taken care of or I
never would have gotten involved. I
just wish this thing could be
straightened out," said Berggren;
an Ithaca resident. ' '
Berggren said he is working with
the DEC in the replacement of the.
tanks. Ali state guidelines will be
followed,.he said.
Mobil Oil•Corp. supplied gasoline
to the service stad6ti when the 1979
leak was discovered: The oil com-
pany has' provided water cleansing
systems to IS five residences, ren-
dering the well water usable but
;not drinkable.:Mobil also ships bot-
-tied
ot•tied drinking; water to the homes.
't; ;.State and• local health officials
;are cdneemed- that the Ieak could
' contaminate Other wells
jujhe
area,; because the plumeinoves
--frith..- a miderground Watoitln
'tests t'lasf yeari►e bF�2D
Test re 1s
A,- 'k
at'j"L. wue
_PZ
iftloow J
O
_Mu#:...f
.0tionAoitiatei
a - j - - "s
-company that s m- lizes 'i
pe '' in
n
at LIO referred all C]UekiO#3 to the
DEG who* contracted with -them brit cobfirOod'.the.it
Continued onpage 24
From purge
Teat -
Jesting had, been completed and leaks were found in
the middle gas tank at the Jacksonville Service Station.
The 'service station is now -owned bY'Dick Berggren
and leased to a fiii1fly member, Barry Rollins. Rollins
confirmed the-knoWledgi of a leaky tank, but states
the tank has not been filled since the station re -opened
last fall. It is his understanding the tank was never
f1#;d-. AMmpletely under the priviou's operation by
400e Baker -because the holes in the -top of the tank
wo,%ddhave caused gas to leak into the area.
Udkspnville residents have asked the operatois of -
the service station to siop, selling gasoline until they are
assured an tanks are leak -free. At a special Town
Board meeting recently, residents reported the middle
tank leaked 500 gallons of test water in a three-day
period. The trumansburg Fire Department was called
to deliver more -water to the service station in order for
L & 0.- to be able to test a full. tank on May 19: The
tank had been filled with water. in anticipation of the
test on May 16.
ROWS says ,he would like to install three or four
-new tanks and expand services to include diesiel fuel
said.
In -related matters, the Ulysses Town Board ap-
proved
Phase I of: the contract with the Hunt
En&eeflug firm taidentify boundary lines and -poten-
tial*.,SouTces for a water district for the Jacksonville
qeq..-7j!c firm will also analyze the. test results from
Empire Soils Of Groton to determine the extent of the'
gaspline contamination. The board authorized a con-
tract not to exceed $1900 with Robert Hunt.
.the Division of Assessment of Tompkins County is
currently'StuayAnglthe effect of the water problems on
the messed valuation of the homes that are affected.
According to a letter addressed to the Town'of Ulysses
Supervisor, Martin Luster, assessment, , reductions
may be ordered as at result.. tip to 15 h9ibesmiy be af-
f0cied.
At •a Meeting of the Jacksonville Community
watet.
As 4. M
UYsici
Trumansburg Free Press
May 28, 1986
0, Where residents gathered to
1011 cW166thing the continuing
90itz telideit'd 'bi; miggition as
ib *emse - at the towWt interests
it -is' in tkct'e.4 - member of, the
Vu S
a 111�01]i
Vials vA
MIZwdll well th
2404,for moo, J
v rim . a
iI "t-
r-alld d not
f6re Vdth fhi water' distridt'l
said he stift b6U
tiQii-for :h
tion of : i tmo v
94YOWO 96t i
Post Standard
Wednesday, June 11, 1986
Regional DEC dire
addresses Xville eater
ULYSSES—Meeting before. a crowd once again, the
Ulysses Town Board focused: attention . on the
problems of gasoline -contaminated water.in Jackson=
ville. In attendance to present up -dated information
were Department of �Ebvironmental Conservation
'(DEC) Oil -Spill Engineer. Torn .S.uozzo and t;tte
Regional Director of DEC, William Kirichbaum.
Krichbaum expressed utmost confidence in the plans
established by Suozzo- in' order to remedy the water
supply problem. Of, note to Jacksonville residents was
Krichbaum's assurance: "We'll do all the pushing we
can from this region.," was the promise.
Suozzo outlined, zhe course followed to reach a
satisfactory solution. Eihpiie. Sdils' itivesfigeicin of
the area surrounding Jacksgaville -is ct rleptly in
progress to.determine the extetmo€ the gasoline plume.
If soft under t'he gas.statiori is #ounci ".-;be a. secondary
some .of #tta free ga'solme gTgdu�t from. the ground -
waters serving the area.
Cointendin,g, there .is a "cloud over Jacksorivint,'.
Suozzo expressed the opinion that"a municipal wvatef
system is the way- to go." In a reference to the. flue
tuating levels of contamination noted during tests of.
the nearby. wells, :Souzzo said, "We see seasonal
peaks, but there "is some residual contamination..:For
years, residents in.. the- Jacksonville .:area=. ,have
documented the fact that .gasoline odors. appeax
strongerwhen groundwater Ievels rise.
Residents expressed frustration with the .long
process: the n ajor .'spill occurred,' in '1979 ,when ap-
proximately 4,000 gallons of. gasoline leaked into the
soil :around the "Jacksonville. service station. DEC
Conan ued -an.. buck page
Trumansburg Free Press
June 18, 1986
From page 1
Director Krichbaum said,,'4'rA groundwater recovery
system would hit right at-tlxe`heart'of-the problem."
Several Jacksonville resident's expressed a -desire for
the. town board -to deal directly with the problems
found in the four homes originally identified as con-
taminated. Penny Fearon, another .neighbor nearby,
asked to be 1hCluded in any studies. Other residgrlts
requested the board not overlook the needs of the fotfr'
residents when considei` bg the. possi' Ie creation. of :a
larger watei supply district.
Speaking for the board•, Town Sup0f.v lwlarF�
Zuster ex la teii.;$l e t tial steps nr� identical:: Whi
J-derit�fyrng a so rtie af; water.�,for 6d hornes br .;
3argt r defined,area L EC .':represe3it�tt lies itss�tra
b&id membersthat a si'rfiultaneous.search could 0?nly
lie: helpful in that more water sources could le tie
resulting findings.
Several Jacksonvilleresidents expressed
a desire for they: kown.board to deal directly
with ;the problems found in -the ;four homes
originally identified as contaminated. > .
In related matters, wells will -be tested again when
groundwaters are at similar leveis'to last summer's dry
conditions to make comparable conclusions available.
Other tanks at the Jacksonville station were tested
for leakages and ' apparently found to be tight: The
middle tank has been identified as having holes near
the top.
As a result of a joint meeting with the Trumansburg
Village Board, the town board discussed the possibility
of a joint maintenance -agreement on Pennsylvania
Avenue. Annual rotation of such maintenance was the
solution suggested by Town Highway Superintendent
Jim Meeker.
A request for a speed limit change on Pennsylvania
Avenue will be referred to the Department of Trans-
portation. The town board will recommend. lowering
the limit to 30m.p.h.
Town Supervisor Luster reported hehad written. to
state officials requesting caution signs. and detour in-
formation be posted on Jacksonville Road. The
parking situation on Jacksonville Road was also put
under consideration and a formal investigation will be
authorized.
In other business, -the board,
• decided attendance at board meetings would be by
invitation for the town attorney;
• requested the -Planning Board hold hearings on
subdivision regulations; and,.
• received a request for funding of youth track and
football programs.
—Geri Speich
n Ile st ies ag,
of water an, gasoline
*
TZ
lt's'sdme ziiess they have em Jkksgnville,
a hamlet of maybe 50 famil}es'7 miles north
,of itiaila at the rim of the Taughaniock
Falls landfall
A sihell started coming out•o'f a few of the
water taps seven years ago-'O'"ne family has
had it for 16 ydars,. off and on' Thsmell'is of
petroleum and it snakes you sick, if enough
of it goes into your nose.
0.pe, of the components that smells, ben-
iene, rriakes rat get cancer.
Jqc Kraft Rq.ssgd out once in the shower
at lzls`parents house, it was so bad. Fainted
1'ronf the'fGri}es .taf his morning bath, and
drogged thToiigh .the shower curtain onto
the door Z�he drafts, for
that
matter, have
,had #11e p'ro`blem since 1870, according to
.nd it•r mains after all.that time. It
aoesn%seem to budge under the pressure of
a very fat group of studies and thousands
and'thousands of dollars brought to Jack-
sonville in'tests, quick fixes and man-hours
of -word by public employees:
A cup, of cool water from the faucet in
Denni6VXeil's kitchen —he is a neighbor
of the Krafts — still tastes like a cup o f Cool
lighter fuel, if you'd dare drink.it, which the
O'Neil_ don't This is year eight, they're
into..•
The Kraft house is.kitty-corner across the
Trumansburg Road .(Route 96) from _Jack-
sonville Service Center, which -used to be
the Mobil station in Jacksonville. It .was
Mobil in.1979 when the problem was stated
in a very serious way. That;was in March, at
the spring thaw.
Dennis O'Neil called the Tompkins
County Health Department to say he had a
gasoline odor -in his water supply, from the
weill he'd dug -in his yard. Also in the storm
sewer nearby. Dennis and his wife Patty
run Jacksonville Tackle and Bait mi .the old
church thatused to be Jacksonville's=`town
ball." They had. moved there six years be-
fore their water went bad.
A health worker called .the county fire
�d disaster coordinator's office; where -he
was toldas much as.4,000 gallons of gasp -
line may have been F�lehsed auto the.atonizi
drain This set off calls < the fire deart-
ment, the state vontnei� Conserva-
tion and Transpoi tafan e ' e a�nl others
who.might..be inte_te;..set'ndjeum
.�. x.;.:...
res ings dawn the f fns o Tuuses right
away. No explosive 'aYiiiigs were found
but the "odor'Qfgaso}ine"f ri!asnotati;
Now, as the land slopes e, in Jacksonville,
there is the.Kraft acthen the 124,11
Hughes house, which next to a vacant 1'6t
before you get to the oXd church, where the
O'Neils have'their l;hy in the front end.of
the buildiijg; and acme at the back. Clay-
ton Luce and his family live next door to the
O'Neils.
In time, it would be found that all -of the
wells on those four properties had been
contaminated by the spill. As the months
passed, the peaks and valleys of this awe-
some "plume" could be charted in other
Wells in Jacksonville too.
There is a frightening chemistry at work
here. It takes only one gallon of gasoline or
fuel oil to make one million gallons of
groundwater unsafe to drink. That, would
fill four average -size swimming pools. Fed-
eral experts figure there are 3 to 5 million
underground storage tanks in the U.S. and
close to 100,000 are leaking because of .cor-
rosion.
Jacksonville's troubles are a tiny' dot in
that murky universe.
The nasty plume is down there but who
can be sure how it dances through the crust
.someone,decided to build Jacksonville on?
There could' be hidden pockets of refined
unleaded or super regular. trapped under
Herald American
Sunday, June 22, 1986
Route 96 waiting for the right ground swell
'to unlock them. The people •with the bad
wells notice the parts per billion of hydro-
carbon's goes down as the wafter table goe:
down. Just now the spring. r&ns play. Witt
t e.ground chemistry and the test -taker:
are busy elsewhere.
The plume's source, according to healtl
department.documents, was Wright'.,
Mobil station, which in 1979 was privateb
owned,. with the oil. company owning thi
three 4,000 -gallon tanks buried betweei
the pump. island and the highway. The ex
per. found "gasoline or oil material" bub
bling out of the ground near one of th,
tanks when they got to the hamlet that da;
in.March.
When Roger Wright was asked to clos
his station, he refused. He told the visitor
he had reported leakage and gasoline loss t
Mobil weeks before and nothing had bee
done.
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Board Updated on well -water situation
Baal water dowers
needs of the residents..
Questioned. by O'Neil, Luster added
tax assessments
information_ .on the status of a survey
conducted by- the Tompkins County
By GERI SPEICH
Health• Department, terming it unrelia-
ULYSSES—In what continues to be a
ble due to a "sixty percent _ non-
long-term.,problem for the members of
response rate." Tests of two remaining
the Ulysses. 'Town Board and the 'resi-
tanks at: Jacksonville Service Station
dents of Jacksonville, the quest -for reso-
showed no leaks. Concern remains over
lution. to the ebntamination of well -water
the status of the middle tank.
O'Neil asked for further test results,
It,was .also reported -ghat
particularly those ordered by the DEC,
asgeasnielats is the Jadi,$OuVille
saying, "It seems we have a problem get-
have been lo4ered for
ting test results." Luster. responded, "If
area
.always takes a long time. You're just a
several houses that have exper-
neophyte dealing with: government."
fenced dffiet�lties with water
Luster assured firm that a "hard copy"
of results is. always received eventually.
supplies
It was .also reported that assessments,
`been
in the Jacksonville area have
supplies in that hamlet has at least . re-
ex-
lowered for several houses that have ex- 's
suited .in "dirt flying," according: to
perienced difficulties with water sup-
plies. clue to a leak during 1978 in :a
Ulysses Town' Supervisor Martin Luster.
, coupling to a gas tank at the local service
Paraphrasing a comment made by Jack
citation. A question was raised asto the
sortville .resident Dennis O'Neil at a re-
responsibility of the town board tonoir-
cent meeting of the town board, _Luster
fy other'resi.dents of the possibility drat
Provided. an update on the progress
an -assessment., 'adjustment, might be "
made Ib.date.
available .diem.. The board had, no
Representatives of .Empire Soils; a
.far
answer not was :the 'question addressed
Groton firm -hired by the Department of
concerning the iinpct of the
> nvirphtnent?Ll -Conservation (DEC) +.o
devaluation of property on the eeonon is
Ascertain the'.extent of the. underground
status of Jacksonville and: the:torvn's tax
seepage of gasoline, have been '4n:the
base:
JaekSonvttle area , installing. —monitor
--The meeting vvas a '
=- wlssreliriniiar}� reports_ indicate that;'
three represenfaiives )r
,at Iea�f +�vo .sources of,water haveee
dots}� Processing
located t}tst could presumably serve the
`Continued �. 'r
Testing water levels in weds in- the Jacksonville
drea;. Rqy ;Wagner of Empire SotJs-:'is. ,one of the
teehntcirrns helping to prepare a repdrt .6 ii the gd$$
olive contamination in the grtiuitduraT .pwply.
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Ulysses s ditiate Sneed for county h me closure
Water poport details contamination
By 1VMARCLACEY
ULYSSES --The Ulysses Town Board decided last
week not to'take a stand on the proposed closing'of the
Tompkins County, Home until it receives a report from
the T.ompki.ns County Board of Representatives.
The Town of blysses Board and the county board
both met August 12 to discuss proposals to either close
or sell the county home, a county -owned home for the
aged'located in Ulysses..The county board referred the
matter to' 'ommittee for' further study The toren
board invited County Representative James Mason (R-
Ulysses Town Supervisor Martin Luster spoke .
in favor .of maintainingl the services uravided by
the Tompkins County Home.
'Ulysses).to present a report at -the next Ulysses board
'meeting. The town board has no.authority in. the eoun-
'ty home decision, -.but plans to recommend a solufion
to the. pounty.
At the town board meeting, several members of the
audience opposed any change in the current operation
-of 'the county home. One Ulysses resident said, "I
know several people who have -spent their final days in
'the county home with dignity and a purpose:"
Town board members eventually tabled a resolution
expressing the -town board's "displeasure and opposi-
etion" to the closure of the county home' which Town
'Of Ulysses Supervisor Martin A: Luster said represents
a "tradition' and unique service to the people of Tomp=
kins County."
The report goes on to say, "21 of 35
water sources tested in the Jacksonville
haml have in at least one analysis been
-reportgq to contain some organic
contamination."
Town Justice Jame&E. Rice Jr. said of the possible
.closure, "I think that in the past the county home has
served its purpose and it can serve,its purpose in the
future. Closing the county home would be a loss."
The county board voted" to seek proposals from
other agencies who may be interested in running the
county home on a licensed basis. Board action requires
all options be considered before closure is approved.
A Tompkins County Health department .survey on
the Jacksonville water problem recommends the Town
of Ulysses consider installing public water systems and
pursue funding for such a venture from outside sour-
ces.
The four-page .investigative report; which includes
data collected between April 25 -and May 28, says that
some 65 percent of local homeowners want public
water supplies. The survey results were announced,by
Towtt:of Ulys-ses Supervisor. Martin A. Luster "at the.
meeting of the board.
The report goes on to say, "21 of 35 water "sources
tested in the Jacksonville. hamlet have in at least one
analysis been reported to contain, some .organic con-
tamination." .'Seven. sources. were reported to exceed
the New York State Health Department guidelines for
benzene.
Continued on back page
Trumansburg free Press
August 20, 1986
Ulysses
"it's interesting, although I'm not sure it told
anybody 'anything they don't know," Luster said of
the report.
The report says, "The survey's goal was to Broadly
evaluate the individual water systems currently. in use,
some already documented to be contaminated with
gasoline,, in an area which is primarily residential_ ex-
cept for a post.office, service station, grocery store,
and antique shop." About 160 people are served by
some 57 individual water systems in the Jacksonville
hamlet. ,
The report concludes, "Town officials and Jackson-
ville residents should continue discussions about the
service of public water to the.subject area. Not only
should documented problems and the need Yo. find
solutions for them now be addressed, but also Xhe need
to evaluate the potential impact of future problems on
the community as.a whole must 'be studied. That -the
environment is in a dynamic anal not static state should
be appreciated by everyone concerned."
The report- was prepared by Director of Environ-
mental Health John Andersson, Senior Sanitarian
James : Morris and Cornell University student Lori
Koch.
Luster said .the Department of Environmental Con-
servation basically wants an immediate solution to the
Jacksonville problem, while the health department is
seeking "a long-term, overall solution. "My im-
pression;" Luster said to one resident of Jacksonville,
"is that we are going to proceed with both."
Gasoline seepage in water
supplies began in the '74s
Editor's Note. This is the first sebment of a.three-
part series describing the contamination of ground-
water in Jacksonville.
By GERI SPEICH
JACKSONVILLE—Contamination of the ground-
water supplies in the hamlet of Jacksonville has been
a concern to many for many years. The frustration of
dealing with elected officials, company representatives
and a plethora.of experts in the fields of health and en-
vironmental conservation has been growing .as surely
as the gasoline has been seeping through the layers of
rock deep beneath the soil in the area.
The first documented leak of gasoline appears to
have occurred in March, 1979 when a coupling to an
underground gasoline tank at the service station on
Jacksonville Road and Route 96 sprang a leak. By
May of 1979, John Andersson, Director of Environ-
mental Health .for the.county, notified the Department
of. Environmental . Conservation (DEC) of the
problem, saying, "We do not believe surface waters
were seriously affected, but certainly the groundwaters
were contaminated and made not usable for
drinking."
Reports indicated as much as 4,000 gallons of
gasoline may have been discharged into 'the storm
drain at the service station then operated by Roger
Wright as a Mobil Service Statidii. Slightly more than
a cup of gasoline can destroy, -drinking Supplies
forever. At tliat time, Wright refused to close the
station..: or- Ttiinp the . tanks since Mobil -.:owned . the
ianks;atici'haci` ars refiisea =ro; respond:ato kris repQri gas ca
Within days of the incident, at least four homes
were visited to check. reports of gasoline odors at the
water taps in ;tile, douse or in the basements. The first
round of water `tests were ordered. `H droearbons in
the form- of toluene, benzene and xylene --known car-
cinogens --were discovered and represented a - health
hazard to people who may be` exposed. to their
Continued on page 24
Trumansburg Free Press
September 3, 1986
...-
Water
ingestion through drinking water supplies.
As the gasoline appeared intermittently in the wells
and taps of the homes in Jacksonville, residents ex-
perienced the 'frustration of dealing 'with several
problems that continue today- The original authority
designated by the State of New York to handle com-
plaints of gasoline contamination was the Department
of Transportation (DOT). Subsequent awareness -by.
state and national Officials of possible environmental
damage resin#ed in the -'authority- being -transferred to
the DEC. State and county health departments were
not involved- in seeking solutions to, the health
problems and possible long-term effects of exposure to
hydrocarbons.
The initial solution suggested to the homeowners
whose water supplies had been contaminated was to
seek legal redress from the Mobil Oil Corporation, the
Principle supplier,and owner of the leaking,tanks.- The
system of justice tends to grind slowly; legal
technicalities and culpability arguments enabled elec-
ted officials to withdraw from the discussion.. Ap-
parently, -town and county officials did not want to
"muddy the waters" further; the argument was put
forth that the problem was now; a civil suit to be han-
dled byprivate attorneys hired by the homeowners.
Each time one of the affected homeowners called
and asked for further water sampling, the request was
honored. But the results of the tests were not often
made available to the homeowners. However, they
were notified that gasoline contaminants, particularly
benzene, tested at high levels. Mobil Oil Corporation
then agreed to provide bottled drinking water for those
homeowners.
What is not clear, except to the homeowners and
landowners in the surrounding area is this: gasoline
has been in the water supply for awhile, possibly prior
to the documented leak in 1979.
The Tompkins County Department of Health has a
Ietter on file dating back' to March 8, 1972 asking for
information on tests ordered to ascertain if the presence
of "gasoline, kerosine, or fuel oil specifically were
present in the water." At meetings sponsored by the
Jacksonville Community Association, residents
recalled earlier incidents of gasoline spills and tanks
being dug up to test for leaks as early as 1970. One
resident went on record stating that leaks had been oc-
curring since 1960. A state oil spill bureau did not even
exist until 1978 and there was no agency to investigate
such reports until then. And although the Mobil Oil
Corporation has been paying for bottled water and has
ordered expensive and extensive water -filtering,
systems to be installed in the homes of those most af. -
fected by the gasoline contamination, it has yet to ad-
mit responsibility for the toxins' presence.
Gas odors in JA sonville
wells persist _ it, the` 1980s
Editor's Note: This is the second segment of a three-
part series describing the contamination of groun-
dwater in Jacksonville.
By GERI SP.EICH
JACKSONVILLE — By 1982, the residents of this
small hamlet in the Town tot Ulysses still smelled
gasoline o.dors'in their houses:aud�oticed the presence
of gasoline in the *titer .;that 4. ,a -a from their kitchen
faucets: particularly.�atier a Heavy Fain. T04 ongoing
per�pttsri s atritiuted to the uirder$nouhd gasoline
seepage from a broken cbnnectioit at the local service
..c
area found ?t pirricubt to'seir-.cn�etr nomesi utcier
residooft and thv�e wiio had kited; all :their lives
Jacksonville "started to -,beaon�e..>i<itter .andhgry that
the area was being, : tagged, by � tip, va*vorable
reputation.
The state began to gear .Aip,-and1uTid the oil spill
bureau and looked for engineers to staff it. The
original gasoline problems ,:had been studied by the
Department of Transportation,(DtO! since that agen-
cy was then designated to iq*sppte such leaks. The
local health department responded to specific requests
for well sampling ' and, water tests but took little
initiative, despite acknowledging Xhat:'benzene present
in water supplies was known to cause cancer in
humans. And officials in the Town of Ulysses referred
the problem back to the residents affected, telling
them to contact their lawyers who. were battling Mobil
Oil Corporation in the civil courts.
The company insfail6d,:carbon filter in
1984, but they were still; not operational
all of the time by mid -19$5.
The service station closed for awhile, but -it reopened
under new management in. June,- 1984. The tanks
remained in the ground. A 1981 request that Mobil Oil
share test results of water samplings and an un-
derground• hydrology study with local health officials
was refused due to ongoing litigation. Another request
was made in March 1982. The odor of gasoline was
noted again in the well at the Dennis O'Neil residence
in March, 1982,.and was still reported by -John Kraft in
his well in January of 1984.
Trumansburg Free Press
September 10, 1986
by March of 1984 some town officials were apprised
of.the continuation of the problem. A newly.elected
town supervisor, Martin Luster, reported the con-
tamination had not been removed and that'water sup-
plies were still affected. Luster suggested the for-
mation of a+water distinct to solve theproblem; studies
and sources of both information and -financing began.
14unt. Engineering Firm was _Hired to produce. a
prdIiminary feasibility. study. The town board did note
the seriousness of the prpblem and made provisions to
allocate.$2,500 for a study of -the problem in its 1985
budget, when it prepared the document
1984. in the fall of
Despite the fact that two more years had passed and
the Jacksonville 'residents- still reported gasoline in
Continued on page 24
From page 1
their well water supplies, further testing appears to
have been neglected until January of 1984. These tests
again proved the presence of gasoline in the water.
There are three major soluble constituents of gasoline
that dissolve in water and move toward the water
aquifer, through the underlying rock strata, once they
are introduced into the ground: benzene, toluene and
xylene.
A request from the Tompkins County assessment
office in September, 1985 asked for information on
"the benzene pollution of water supplies in the
Jacksonville area." The requestsuggested that
assessment reductions were possible as a result. The
undermining of the tax base, thus suggested, was ap-
parently of little concern to town officials. Yet resi-
dents worried as. they saw their property values eroding
Mobil Oil Corporation continued to supply bottled
water to the houses originally identified as affected by
the 1979 gas leak. The company installed carbon filters
in late 1984, but they were still not operational all of
the time by mid -19$5. But it appeared thatfurther ac-
tion would be forthcoming because local health of-
ficials, town representatives and state engineers were
persistently made aware of the continued problems
and complaints of the homeowners.
John Andersson, Director of Environmental Health
for- the county, had suggested that Luster's recom=
mendation for a water supply system was one way to
solve the problem of contaminated water in March,
1984. He has continued to urge such a district be for- .
med.
Luster investigated the possibility of grant monies
from the Housing and Urban Development funds. But
the tanks that had leaked in the past remained in the
ground, slowly rusting just like so many others in the
Jacksonville area that have never been removed or
even pumped free of gasoline. The service station
owner declined to fill one of the tanks all the way to
the top because of .a hole located near the rim that
would let gasoline spill out.
Town awards Alpha House single -user water district
By GERI SPEICH
ULYSSES—Members of the Ulysses Town Board
met on Sepember .16 with an agenda that focused on
the needs of town residents for water. Both the request
of the Alpha House Foundation and the questions of
the Jacksonville residents concerned the need for water
supply systems.
According to Town -Supervisor Martin Luster, the
Alpha House Foundation has sought water, to serve
the needs of the 50 to 60 residents of the drug
rehabilitation program operated on Route 227, for
several years. The town has' agreed to enter into a -con-
tractual relationship with the Village of Trumansburg
to form a single -user water district and supply water to
Alpha House.
All costs for installation. and maintenance of the
water districts will be paid by Alpha House. Goverh-
mentait grants will help defray the financial burden
incurred by Alpha House. Luster says the town's
resolution is built on an understanding that residents
along the line of the water main could hook-up to the
system. However, any resident who seeks to tap into the
water supply must. first petition both the town and
village, boards and then approach- the Alpha House
board before being approved for connection to the
water line.
Luster said he was "rear happy" with the solution.
He also said no one spoke against the resolution at the
public hearing held on September 15. Terming it "a
worthwhile program," Luster pointed to the fact that
the district will .serve the needs of some 60 town
residents.
The update on the Jacksonville water problem was
once again abbreviated by a lack of test results and in-
formation from state officials in the Department of
Environmental Conservation and Department of En-
viranmental Health. Neither the hydrogeological study
commissioned by DEC from Empira$oils nor results
of the last rounds of water testing were made public.
However, Luster did quote Tom Suozzo, Regional
Oil Spill Engineer for .DEC as saying the -state 'is ap-
parently not willing to foot the bill for a water supply
system to -tate four homes identified as having been
contaminated by gasoline in the past. Once again,'the
results of testing proved the levels of contamination
have been, fluctuating, with the water at the Hughes'
home currently showing contamination_ above state
guidelines.
On the matter of obtaining test results so the -town
can continue to work with the engineering flan it has
hired, Luster said, "The public has to realize that this
is a contract to which the town is not a party. We are
not paying the $30,000 (for the tests) which is one of
the strings attached:" -Hs also said, "-Preliminary' in;
-dications are that, the contamination may be mare:
widespread than initially reported. "However, without
further details, he could not comment further.
Dennis O'Neil presented and read a letter from the
Trumansburg- Lions Club in support of a muticipal
water supply system for Jacksonville. The Ietter.affir-
med the commitment of the Lions Club to bettering
the environment and maintaining- a stance of ad-
vacating responsible government. O'Neil said he feels
the board is falling short of its own -goals set last spring
to have a solution in hand by -late summer.
Another Jacksonville resident, William House -
worth, ,said he had gas in his water, but had not repor-
ted it until this time. He'wants to hook into any water
supply system created, particularly since be assumes
the water main line will be brought across his property
lines.
In other business, the board:
•tabled discussion on the, subdivision regulations
Continued Pn page -24
Tram page 1
1 1
until October;
*received a report the speed limit on Pennsylvania
Avenue will only be extended to within one-quarter
mile of the village limits; and
• approved budget hearings for October 2 and
November 6 at 7:30 p.m. The budget will be adopted
on November 18. The October 2 meeting will be held
as a Special Town Board meeting.
Trumansburg Free Press
September 24, 1986
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More contamination
By GERI SPEICH
ULYSSES—The long-awaited re-
sults of the Jacksonville hydrogeologic
study .commissioned by :the New York .
State .DIpartment of- Environmental,
Conservation (DEC) Oil Spill -Bureau
were revealed at a special meeting.
The -town hall- was filled with local
residentsi county and: state politicians,
and experts in related fields as Tom
Suozzo, DEC engineer in charge of the
clean-up, interpreted - the maps and
data presented by -Empire-Thomsen in.
their report. The study was based on a.
prediction of. groundwater flow and.
uncovered- two different plumes, or
concentrations, of pollution In the sub-
surface. Both. are in the overburden of
the soil ' and, in the bedrock under
Jacksonville.
Stum=bling blocks in the way of
providing a.clean water supply for the.
homes identified to- have gasoline by-
products in their drinking supply in-
clude the identification of another area
in Jacksonville water
of contamination across from the
original site of the 1979 spill, at the
Jacksonville service station. High con-
centrations of hydrocarbons. also were
Mound in front of the antique shop on
the corner of Route '96 where it inter-
sects with Jacksonville Road.
Suozzo said the amount of con-
tamination and its effect on _ the
problem could not be determined, but
his main concern was to prdvide
drinking water to the four identified
homes. He outlined three methods of
dealing with the contamination:
removal;of the soil; flushing of the soil
with a process such as -an -air stripper;
and 'bioreclamation. The last method
has proven:. =popular lately though
results have not been fully tested. The
process introduces bacteria that eats
the hydrocarbons in the soil and
necessitates the addition --of oxygen into
the soil to feed the bacteria and hasten
the process. Continued on page 24
From ..•
. CJ
Water
The.DEC drilled for water in Jacksonville this sum-
mer, in an atte* mpt to locate a source for the water sup-
ply. Clean water ivas thought to -have been found
behind Roger William's house on Beech. Stover's
property and the yield proved satisfactory. However,
the wells show levels of contamination from other
metals, such as chromium. These labs will be confir-
med with results from samples sent -to Friend's
Laboratory and the State Department of Health, ac-
cording to Environmental Health Director John An-
dersson. If the results released by Buck. Laboratory in
Cortland are substantiated, Andersson will look for
their source. Treatment of the contamination is
possible, but not recommended. A pure source is the.
best supply, he says.. Other substances with high con-
centrations include varium, chlorides, hydrogen
sulfide and mercury.
High concentrations of hydrocarbons
also were Iound in'front of the antique
shop on the corner of Route 96 where it
intersects with Jacksonville Road.
Once again the town board heard the experts testify
that a "high degree of contamination still exists. In the
spring it could dilute, but it could also spread." The
plume lies close enough to other homes for Town
Supervisor. Martin- Luster to recommend the -DEC ex-
tend the boundary of their proposal to several other
homes. This would necessitate the formation of a
water district and would . make it subject to state
guidelines. DEC would pay costs for construction, but
Po%aAv."i-minkgas pipeline
leak contained
By JOHNNAUKEY
said the s=. ,6u#ftg-, soil would be covibed
Journal &&ff
and. aerated to reEWos V any 94$ residue.
PODUNK — Weather permitting, a con=
lechard P ' " wrier of- the, property
struction crew from the Mobil Corp, will re-
through wluclt the lefng pipe section runs,
place.a section of pipe this afternoon that was
reported tiie leak Q11 'uesday at about
1 trace arapiints of
leaking gasoline into'Tafi-
haanock•Creek'Wednesday.
10 am.
-Si eakdnJ minor," lid4ag
Frank Booher; a construction"supervisor
said Wednesday `5 :y not trio worried about
for Mobil.in Rochester, said the leak was ads-
coming from
ab damage
l�tirling filfe a
parently a welding seam on a
jai $Asoline appeared
collar joining two sections of 64hch pipe
as a sheen 011,
about 15 feet from the creek.
Department of Environmental Conserva-
By abotit 11;'30 a.." 'htesiiy; Furling said
a represbntatave bfb�I ova at the acene� A
tion field agent Peter Taylor, who examined
cleaff-up ae': wlffe� �vpxked through the
the "pinhole=sized" leak T�iesday night* said
night. 40P.Med..ft') . ` - a'fter yard,
it was "minor" and had not spilled enough
Booher said. a sl 04, d welding job may
gasoline•to contaminate the 'soil bl water.
have been Ie cau. e • he leak .
Booher said the spill'hadbeen contained; by
The PiPena, P ti u mar supply line #o
gas -absorbing. sponges, while a small. corral,
fife north and, a le ns in Mobil's
of absorbent pontoons was. aTra#tged fn tie
Roro,, r fe erg and'travels as far
creek tQ prevent gas from; flowing dpi=
'�' s�,. a QbYo lin ;,a north to Bu#ful0
stream.
and Syracuse;
Once the flow of gasoline, has been cut offWith
P4tmmg&�tY of about 42,000
to the pipeR i3o.Qher said a 12 -foot section 9
gad43t¢.:.pQrReety�tfixk., of ptpelite
feeds l4
the pipe would be replaced to prevent f irthei-
�4PP 5' stat;aps
leaks.
Jtfle§ DfRoceo, a IU 6btl employee in 1 rnd-
Booher said. there is no danger of more
gewater, N , said in addition to three
leakage from that section:
grades of gasoline, tyle�,pielisfe carnes heat -
As part of the clean-up operation, Booher
ing.oil, kerosene, stili crit fuel.
Ithaca Journal
Thursday, October 16, 1986
pok -4�
-tw
Ivi a moves closer to
an -outside water hook-up
By JOHN O'SHEA
ULYSSES --A price tag as much as $774,000 has
been placed on the latest water district proposal for the
hamlet of Jacksonville.
In a preliminary report delivered to the town board
last week, Hunt Engineers calculated the cost of
bringing potable water to the homes in Jacksonville
from the Trumansburg municipal water System. -
As proposed, the new district would include the ex-
tension of a water main from the, southernmost ter-
n7inou5 of the village system along Route 96 to
Jacksonville. It would service 20 residences along
Route 96 and 5-0 homes within.the hamlet itself.
And as present ly"'coricdvedj the cast- .of the in.-
stallation-would he borne s'01JyVb those homeowners
within the district and not by -other property owners
within the town.
The cost per user within the water district, under the
preliminary Hunt proposal, could run as high as 5700
to S800 per year, but town officials have speculated
that state and federal funding amounting to perhaps
5460,000 may be available. If so, the engineers
figured, the annual cost per user could drop to less
than half of the full -'cost numbers.
-Town Supervisor Martin Luster, however, called the
numbers submitted with the report "very
preliminary," noting that the annual cost to users
^� 4couid increase if the project is financed for a shorter
period of time than the proposed 40 years. And he said
the town board will also consider including homes on
Swamp College Road and Cole Grove Road .which
were excluded from the latest Hunt proposal.
Comic ued on page 24
Tram page I
Xville water
The present plan calls for the supply of water only to
those Jacksonville residents within 1,000 feet of the in-
tersection of Route 96 and Jacksonville Road and
living primarily along those roads.
In a major step to move quickly on the water
district, Luster and other town officials will attempt to
meet with the federal Department of Housing and Ur-
ban Development (HUD) during early January for a
"pre-screening 15rocedtire... to give us -an idea if we
have a viable plan," Luster said. The town will seek at
least $400,000 from HUD to offset a major portion of
the project costs.
Other funding sources to be investigated include the
State Department of Environmental Conservation
which local officials indicate has already offered
560,000 in aid, the Federal Home Administration,
Appalachian Regional commission and the Community
Development and Small Cities Program.
Dennis O'Neil, a frequent spokesman for Jackson-
ville homeowners and one whose water has been con-
taminated with benzene since 1979, told board mem-
bers that a-concensus of hamlet residents seems to in-
dicate that most could afford up to an additional 5500
per year. for clean water, but anything beyond that
amount ould be unattainable for many.
And he said marry Jacksonville residents were con-
cerned enough about recent tests of private weIIs in the
hamlet to want to attend the next meeting of the Tomp-
kins County Health Board "to clarify questions we
have ... and to straighten out the confusion over the test
results."
f
And as presently conceived, the cost of the
installation would be borne solely by those
homeowners within the district and not by
other property owners within the town.
Tests of a number of.private wells within Jackson-
ville released Iast month showed traces of potentially
harmful substances such as chromium, barium, mer-
cury and nitrates.
The next meeting of the County Health Board will
be at noon, January 13, in the H Building of the County
Office Complex, County Representative James
Mason told the board.
In addition to hooking up with the Trumansburg
municipal.. water system.which "seems to be the most
reasonable," Luster said, the town will also continue
to explore other possibilities including a recently prof-
fered partnership with the Town of Ithaca in a new
well located at the Cayuga Lake to service both
Jacksonville and the Town of Ithaca's West Hill sec-
tion.
Town .Board member Thomas Reitz said he had
spoken recently with Ithaca Supervisor Noel
Desch who broached the partnership as a way to
relieve his town from having to pruchase water from
the City of Ithaca and to spur additional development
on West Hill.
Trumansburg Free Press
December 17, 1986 -
The Board displayed something less than unanimity
last week, however, over the appointment of a new
Receiver of Taxes following -the sudden resignation of -
Paula Mount from that position.
Luster said he had received Mount's resignation on
the previous Saturday which left • the town "in a
bind,.. with no one to do the job or receive the taxes on
January. 2." He proposed appointing Anna Sladish,
who had previously held the position, as an interim tax
receiver until the next general election.
But his motion to appoint Sladish was defeated 3 to
2 by ;board members who indicated that the supervisor
was being too hasty and that a wider slate of can-
didates for the position should be considered before a
final selection.is made.
The 'town *has advertised for the position and the
board will apparently make its decision at a special
meeting at 9 a.m., December 20 at the Town Offices.
�. In other business, the board unanimously approved
an increase in the income load for property tax exemp.
tions for elderly homeowners.
The exemption of 50 percent of the property taxes is
now available to persons 65years old with annual in-
comes.up'to $12,025. Previously,* this figure'has been
` $10,500.
i
This, resolution also raises the eligible income levels
of persons above the .minimum. On a. sliding scale
f established by the.•town, -elderly persons with incomes
above $12,025 but less than -$15,025 can also receive
RropercY.4a et�oQ�prangin down, to 20..pe rcept
dependmgon income.
00
ON
H
r+
x
w
M
0
a
as
I
J-wille water district- might cosi$1 million
By FRED YARN
Journal Sbff
JACKSONVILLE — Hooking onto Tru-
mansburg's water system to form.a Jacksonville
water district supplying about 70 homes could
cost as much as $1 million, officials estimate.
Exact figures are not . available, although
Ulysses town officials are seeking the answer
from the town's engineering firm, Hunt Engi-
neers of Painted Post.
Hunt already came up with an estimate of
$7759000 for a water system using a 44nch main
pipe that would hook onto the Trumansburg
system.
But that estimate puzzled Ulysses town offi-
cials, who assumed that Hunt would come up
with a proposal that used an 8 -inch main.
"For this kind of municipal water system, an
8 -inch main is common, and it's been a prereq-
uisite all along that to form a new water district
we would have to have an 8 -inch main in Jack=
sonville.hooking up with Trumansburg's 8 -inch
main system," said Thomas Reitz,. town board
member.
Reitz and Town of Ulysses Supervisor Martin
A. Luster both think the necessary change to an
8 -inch main would cost at least an - additional
$225,000.
`It's been a prerequiso
ite all
along that to form a new
water district we would
have to have an 8 -inch
main in Jacksonville
hooking up with
Trumansburg's 84nch
main system..'
—Thomas Reitz,
Ulysses town .board member
Luster and other town officials are hoping for
a January meeting with Department of Housing
and Urban Development officials in Buffalo to
discuss' funding possibilities for a Jacksonville
water system. Town officials have said as much
as $460,000 in state and federal funds might be
available to help build such a system.
A municipal -type water system has been des-
perately needed in Jacksonville for the past seve-
rat years, following the discovery of gasoline el-
ements in: five private water wells seven years
ago. .
One of those elements, benzene, is stili evident
in those wells and a couple others. along Jack-
sonville Road, near its intersection with Route
96. The contamination into the aquifer was
caused by a broken underground gasoline tank
coupling.
Since then, the Department of Environmental
Conservation has been involved in trying to find
a solutjon to the problem, along with Ulysses
town officials.
This fall, it was thought that a solution had
been found. A well dug on the* Beach Stover
property on the east side of Route 96, not far
from the homes with contaminated water, was
found to have good flow.
But that well had water that contained chro-
mium, among some other elements. It Vas ruled
out as a potential source by Tompkins County
Health Department officials. .
County officials are checking the water qual-
ity of another well, on the west side of Route 96.
The proposed Jacksonville system roughly
would include residences within 1,000 feet of the
Jacksonville Road -Route 96 intersection.
ville residents. support
water plan
)T7WILLE — About 30
fe. residents faised their
ippon of a proposed wa-
foi their' hamlet Monday
i public hearing at the
le Community Church,
two people showed their
if Wat..show. of support is any in-
dicatbriR' a March 26 referendum
oil the propgsed water district will
pass by' ait:oi+erwhelming margin,
Anil :all that's peeled to approve
ho'dfst=ivt is a. 51 percent majority
�, fnvocr.rto nAatter how:iiaany,.•show
�� : iip Rt.`tte ,tolla..
V .A11'. landowners who pay town
'hazes .in. the. proposed- district,
- 'acaoYd-0 ',tp Aho latdst•tax rolls, are
u' .yote�
A ers, inrlhding town resi=
dents not residing in the proposed
water -district's boundaries, cannot
vote.
Because the Town of . Ulysses
board is seeking a $400,000 federal
Department of Housing and. Urban
Development Small Cities grant to
help fund the district, a public
hearing was -required Monday
night.
'Following the hearing, the town
board unanimously authorized the
March 26 referendum, and rep-
resentatives from the town's engi-
neer, Hunt Engineering of Painted
Post, urged residents to complete
an income survey that is being cir-
culated among residents in the pro-
posed district. They also urged resi-
dents to write to the.town board in
support of the- district.. •
,The proposed district includes an
area about x,000 feet in diameter,
centered. at the Jacksonville Road -
Route 96 intersection. The pro-
posed district also would serve
homes along the west side -of Route
96 to the north of the .hamlet, for
an additional. 1,000 feet.
The district would serve about 70
homes and a few small businesses.
Jacksonville has been plagued
.for many ,years with water pollut-
ion and a lack of water pressure.
In 1979, an underground gaso-
line tank coupling broke at a serv-
ice station. affiliated with Mobil at
the Jacksonville 'Road -Route 96 in-
tersection. le"g-gasoline into an
aquifer.
There bane` ' beea no further
leaks, but benzene and other rem-
dants of the gasoline remain in the
aquifer M.�oy,b�,il, is.' no longer affil-
ffF�
latep stabott:
�;$��f watac sgiyrs� alb
Jacksonville Road remain polluted
by gasoline and the Department of
EnvirobMeutal Conservation. is
continuing As. efforts to Come up
with a small water system for those
residents to be.bufl4y:,stat
;fpm the oil still fuis. w<
Nfa14Y R, 5A
Costs for homeowners outlined
Explaining what it will cost the
homeowner in the proposed water
district for Jacksonville, .Ulysses
town - board member Thomas
Reitz outlined different expenses
to -residents there:
For a house assessed of $30,000
where two people use a total of
100 gallons of water per day, or
36,500 gallons per year, costs
would be:
$713 for first year of debt.
service. The amount charged for
debi service would go down slight-
Ithaca Journal
March 3, 1987
ly each year over the term -of the
bond.
* $142 for one ysar's. user fee.
• about $500 to cover the hoW
up cost, bringing .a line from the
resident's property linelto *e *4-
ter pump or storage tank. The bg-
ureis based..nn $15 per. foot, f6r an
incoming line.
$123 for maintenance per
household,.. across the new .wafer
district.
The costs would amount io41,-..
480 for a homeowner in the ficst-
year of the district's formation:.
Wat
(Confirmed from Page 3A) to the district; other than it was a but Luster em
But, in a l I essin8 the ov P ,that
1.non-bin
needs of the haml the. To _ _ Tins non-bindingrequest of the village. town must obtain a iii ID"
Board members said they would or it can't proceed with theme
County Health department has' continue to work. with the village to $ven if aandovYpi
long been an advocate foga muiyd- possibly negotiate that figure. provethe fro eet IJtarclr
pal�'Water cyst ^ vdwthe $159,000 sufn plus the state and the''tgwn board 'f'
ettiag tfie GbntinRemsi. projected cost 4f creating tiiF JajCl r ew.pQwere Aad ogd., vel'
nesi! tLsciaiisries 1ni�,�rirp�?. M,:s,,,,- ---- •+...= -
,., $��_ 4n _tfiF ,;11t # y -kin-i�'trt"
uvwu Vie: wes�'��¢C oI KOu_. tP�' - -e
the town receives a $400,000 IiUD
vvartd .iack3;Qnvi�le;, - • • get.
Town board mennhers Just %iutd Luster said that would mean a
out that the Trumansv 4ge
bW house assessed at $30,000 would be.
board i`k'4V) u�gfior a $1S9,0 at taxed an additional $713. for debt
fee .Q Book onto the village water• service over regular town taxes
in
.system ' f the first year -of the district, if a 25-
Town of Ulysses Supervisor 'year, 8 -percent bond were issued.
Martin. A. Luster said he was given Several other financing scenarios
no reason for the $159,000 expense were explained to the gathering,
-aid from tate state Lsluir as
either the I angers
tratio .. or the to Imp�o etl
llousi Ageacyi.
Luster and i6wa attorney. B1ir L
'beth Bixler said district Lando '„',e=
w4. , ...
Probably would have to hook o
the municipal system within a
ified period.
,Jacksonville Dilemma
Hamlet Prepares to vote on Water It Needs
But May'Nov.-W, Able to Afford
f t+ve don't get the water, Jaeksorsrvill: W1# d1e as far
as An concerned."
— f*n0 01AW.
By lt. SCOT -T RAPP
JAC"ONVMLE — It was -eight years
Mori.tY to APA m*Cipal water from the
ago ibis, month that a Route 96 service
station's gasoline tank, line ruptured be.
village Of Urg to a nawly creat=
o about 7$ residents xn
posed distriet eau.,vote•March 2$, podgy
neath the ground, spewing thousands of .
fuel
the affected aY The- cost is $033,QpQ,
an it wool
4 add estimated
g p.m. in the Jaeksonvillu. CQm'*
Methodist Church.
gaUona- of into the aquifer that re-
plloWsnes this Tompkins County hamlet's
$600 to
$1,b00'in user.,, aint6fth0p rites -'to
The proposed district woul d fi;
pry-atedrinkii �vglls;
residenls'd u�,th water district.
publicwater: to praperf es soitjt b y
It is an anamv.
ersary that people would
kA*er 10.tget :hut can't beca ' e the coma-
The town ries, which encom�
passes Jaciaonvili iiia " "
t 4, y also have to pay
g fairgtaoun%to$ p01
feet south of the tptgr$eGttdu Route
nAteti grbund water threatens to. make
Ws commuter waystation 4,800
95�anaa4sbd`a on time feg for tli$ hook-
up4 Thevill$ s g is' ;001•
and Jacksonville Road A11 pt+hPentj
within a 1,000 -foot radius of them !
of rest-
dents a ghost town.
Y= pd" 5150
`M3' COb s$dd Luoe;' U that the
tion wopld also he nzclu`ed in the distrix
"It
The �asol . e liiF s contaminated at least
reartlentaal wells neartile' intersec-
town will beo g this in at the expense
the -costo dieirict
( tie $ 04 ,
$1,000, I know it wonyt o Id6h0 thi
g ,....,anyone
U'bf Route 98 AN Jacksobville Road,
the main crossroads: Ia their search fora
of the taxpayers when it's a Mobil Oil
in the.world wantstp ay. $
for water,".said O'Neil, wbp runs.2 opo
clean water enures, offficials ha�►e also
di,scoveSced a nu�ber of potentially dan-
problem."
Mobit`Oil Corgi, provided gasoline to t1re'
14i goods, sore Tro y
"lionse.
gerona lea metals in the and water.
}'Y ground
Armors tan ranipa{it in a town with'
Jacksonville Serviee Station when the
leak was discovered.. Luce and a number
es Town $upe
Vn
said he is also worrier ah4uth
prdi e3cns. It is no dif Brent bore. Some
of Jacksonville regidents have started
imipact of file r' osed iia e
Iegal action against the oil conglomerate;
the
'We're doing. ev *
residents say the pollution is spreadiugg,
but cases baveyet to,be heard.
"My only hope is, to et the water and
g
the figure," Luster sari.:
" f
(Continned h P$gg F
and they fear- the contaminated *Atex
sell the place,"'said Luce, who has resid-
will cut short their lives or the lives sof
ed here the past 18 yeam
their children and grandchildren. Hopes
Creation of the water district. would
do not sell easily, if at all, while property
benefit Dennis O'Neil of Jacksonville
values continue to slide. '
RoAdj who said getting purewater is:.arit- '.'
"You- couldn't sell one of these houses if
ical to ., Jacksoovllle';�' survival. -"If we*
yoti Wanted; to. Their values are comple,
don't get` the water, JacicsoAvilla will,die
tele Qvoxwegs right now," said Clayip
as' far as I'm coneerbdd," said QW611,
Luce, whose well on Jacksonville Road
.
whose well is•also contaminated.
has been contsminated-since 1979:
O'Neil said he .is. oppeerned that tthe
Thp. future of this hamlet'may rest with
cost of th proposed water district is too
a Math 28. referendum that seeks au-
expensive and "will spell defeat for the
referendum. Only taxpayers in the, pco-
Post Standard
Thursday, March 5, 1987
Jack,Jn- V*7i]le FinureMdes
On.March-26
��. e�rendu �.
ifrom•Page'B-1,)
Tru hansburg Village Clerk Syl
C!eO#ion`of the' district hinges
. 'Via Potter said the village has not
on .this tiinvn receiving a $400,000
committed itself to pumping
fed W Hoping and �Utban Devil-
water -to Jacksonville, which is
opmeritt gram Withofft 'the grant,
about five miles away to the south;
the pp -NO _ i de' . L7 tic.; said. • j
or set a firm price. She will the
The yd cV* #nanoial burden is
village has had a'longstanding pol-
CPU tin ant yon how many outside
itq of charging one and a Half
grams t�h , dwA pawobtain and•
times the rate fee'to users'oatside
wheEth+sr iiia fawn daoldes. to bond
the village.
Or. bcM.-W., the o'uts#siid . g. balaaM
Alpha' House;. a .drag cehabilita-
The On is hoping to r�eive arp
otli�r tiilodo in. state. grant
., tion, center on. Route 227, U the
only outside water. consumer anis
money-, wi h would •leave a
. it pays for the maintenance of its
$2p%QJ0Q deficit to•*ance,-I<nster
system, she said. The center was
said, ; `, • .
Ii aha town• ,i�nrrowed the
not-required to pair' an upfront
,tiser'fee-. which is set-at $2,250 per
$$8g,0Ap a move the town prob-
nousehold, Potter said.
ANY—me{ Lµster said — the
"I think the village• is sympa-
oa►neri of a p Q Oft assessed at
�gvaul '$665 a.y►ear for'
thetic to their,-but,
problems,• but,the
' village also has an. obligation to
consumpqi , and. mainW
protect the people Who have ail in-
riaacef ihe:systean.. Resideafis in
vestment in the systeia and have
,ho di$trict wbiild -a'iso have to pay
been paying intact for a number.
A .0 9:4, hpioiti #ee, which
of years," Potter said.!" The people
ranges befweea $7 and 15 a toot
in Jacksonville are goiiig'to find
between the,.;-; e$itieiice an$ street,
' out that water is not a money-
oneysal.
s4
Iiastet' '
maker.,'
said he tllinks Truman$-
• Jodele Marshall has. been ap-
bui+g:, 46olens -Aee Sitting short'-pointed
to a special citizens advi-
sglttedly lad looking to makes
.sort' board_ to help bring: about a
money from creation, of the dig-
resolution of Jack§onMe's.water
trict...If Jacksonville ooesa't get .
problem. Marshall, whose well has
pare orate;►; Linter said property
tested. for unsafe. levels of.cbromi-
assessmen'ts will drop sharply,
um, critiblzed Trumifisburg offi-
protiOly resulting hi a tag rate in-
cials for not cooperating more
crease for TrunzaTi§burg residents.
with residents in.this hamlet.
"To me, it's a sad commentary
on. the- way life is now," she said:
Marshall. sald her family* has
'
bt6 i..dtfbkitig: bottled water for
the past severaly .ears,. prompting
l ei to say, "•it sure would-bid a
►ile .and 1..re$li a
•pri,#Q4 ....'16--be able•to go t9 my
step fauieYsn the Toddle of the,
night and. draw a glass of, cleg
�1
J -vine r odents set- deadline
`� for cleanwater
fou
W Staff
Jacksonville residents whose water sm
.Ply has-been contaminated andy#nd
d
useless bY-a .1,979 gasoline spilt, 00
Tuesday that - goyetmen . offidiii W.
agencies find thim a dean WAW. ourc6-,*,,
-Jan. 2, dr they. will seek.a bpy-opt of
homes by the polluter — Mobil Oil Co
--or by New York state..
ge.44,o
g
They are also as the ' king e sf
eiral's office to take immediate steps; t
Odin -.up theirwater..
on ...
ibo�,t nine 'esident;t ijcl,;d1rtg s -1g.
-"dren, wore sxgns and picketed the n.690
meeting of thc- Tompkins, C.Gunty Rgmth
Department's board in a cold, 4flul
front of the Bign1luildin
_ 9
The residents recently fdrnie_d. th,e, ,1,1A_A
P
sonville Clean Safe-Viner, Asso
4 to 4*
group they hope will bring themi i 9,, s2ffllon
tb.qy -s4y is a 15 -year-old problem.
4 affected residents have also tried to
:ger some added clout bjoining with
fth
P,10 York
P6b]ic- *Interest Research
sbti d the Central- New York Toxic
bA two environmentalist advocacy
ey cite three -ggsdline leaks which have,
attc ..Mtq th qX- drihking water -from the
0.4 service . station at the center of
gjtj�e on Route 96
y
also say that not just their seven
bmA,a� but a. tdtal6f'22 ho, mes have--beeh
.1. .."
oO, b$ the ga0djUn0eaks.,
.Our homes aid' considered worthless.
Abjj4 0#1t: 'sell your h6me'in'Jacksonville,"
4 4 nn . #.- can't: *
v oo.of the gro4O's
O'Neil and PWder'az'zo said Am
'rt0alrOes. had not
'
to solve iild Okoblem.
N
Poth Ulysses town supervisor, Mattm
Luger .and Assemblyman Hugh Sl.'i acs
Neil (R -125th Dist.). denied thil chaYge.
,"The implication- that loca1% 6fficials.'
have been doing nothing is incorrect,"
Luster said.'
"Irl . 1f4t, the Department 4-1Eft4irdfiVf
men Conseivation (DEC) has, s*p0';
more thhn. $400,000 in its seeth &f,dead,
wafer•. fii Jack' 4vill6j"- Luster. W;.,
add'
I so,
"Soil has been removed, tests' have *beend"'
taken• at various wells, and .wells are
checked. at regular intervals : ?,% —,
MacNeil said it would be desirable to
first construct the water system for the sey-
en homes, and then sue 'Mbil "Ji-
woul . !k ;�,, 4� .
WIt be good to sue'them
said.
. Luster said the DEC has identl6d.a pfi-
va.te' well that. might be a go6d water sdiircei
f6f the'se.ven most seriously affectedhomds'
in Jacksonville..
'O'Neil said *the, Tompkins County
He'ailth'bepartment, has -reservations about
tisini'lliii well a's.a municipal source as ifs
1;500 feet frdzh d-closed1dwh dump and .'so
feet li6m` a private septic system.
-BA,*
14ntgr. said..,well wpuld provide
..,enough -water for seven homes, and con-
cerns of the health department could -be
oyorcome.
In addition to the Jan. 2 deadline the rig-
idenis' group set for finding clean water, it
wants, 4igging.,fora.-new -water system to
start by April 1, 1988.
...Addjtionajly,, e gr9op demanded con-
drivio'tA testing, Aome's' that have detects-
ble levels'of 6sdlih ".4' ' 'en- '4' in their war
e em
ter, :more ac�fdp by'dected. pfficiah, bl d
tats: "'Tbr resid�hts]R affected houtos,
chei4f& gO'fmes, no.:maintenance
fees
for affected bohiet'sho!lld a water sysfti.
be installed, and continge cy. plans shOuld
Ithaca Journal
Wednesday, October 21, 1987
a clean water source not be found by.
The DEC, through the "oil spill cldmia
fund could. implement N th ' cleanup UP
,build a''new water system for the..t&,k
homes, then charge the cost back td -14
DEC officials have said fhis is. h6w,the
will proceeds if they rind a clean. twfi
Source.
Town of Ulysses offiaids have triW t
have water brought to. the 1 'fiafNet . ftbl� iii
trumansburg Sys;gm. but. -0ro
1. .. .094*4
has died twice. Firiii rijidiots idift-i
thumbs do*ii on ivo
, roposi4 wAit djijr-lk
and it died at -the rei&&Ion phase ifojn
of the town board.
The town also f4ed. to get a :�4Wjl&�
federal Department 60tbi.iimg
Development grant to
pay
down watek-system.
The DEC And town now ale seeks *.:
source close -to the aff&ted,hbmeg.
,fae�iso�wille asks,
Are the. - ans wers?
-Af ijd
W coming involved in. the
us aClonAuid biiieaucfacy of a
e A—&
ea, same questions
v.ft—" c-on—'Tdiffing
bi * -:the 1pak'must be the ones to ini-
1 any ic
ert: are our local,,county and
d
state ijdi when they fare
.7' edict'
51
Wh-0_1 ad'06 turn to when there is
so - m Oh o4hy, by public officials
ull . 4-11.
:-riot directly affected?
`Vlib g--4people realize that -this
Ig? om thing"that is becoming mere
more 6 "Thnion, and they could
*hltkAlbecomef
o the ad
,nomqs setting empry in its cefl&
We sincerely hope that the an-
swers; to tl*se: questiont -don't conte
p0,0jwW f9r . us or for others, that
_ _
may fbIlow. -
William, Nancy and
Rebecca Ho'usworth
Jacksonvii1e,
Same me on public officialsfor finding no s*olution
ThO contamination
minat*on o
f the ground
water inJack�onville
. is not an epic
tragedy. Perhaps this is one. of the
mbb* reasons. it remains unresolved
year after year.
Although the situation has many
features for a good story — a cor-
porate
ATit refusing to take re -
bureaucrats passing
thf"11*4 boa and forth, local poli
04 Om'g fingers, and unkept
00N*�i!4- it seems it will never -be
a
siter
T-bdie hits been no groundswell
of .public sup
pon, no. coming to-
ggOid of a community to solve an
9b*4o.*uk problem, and still no wide-
soro'iid belief that the families with
coi
,
t_10minated *Agr are victims of a
a
nQi-boiyou would expect that
youcould somehow quickly rectify
the skuatcn. The people .affected
in Jatksbhville were fro differ4pt.
But after many yeaYi* of seeking a
solution to a situation that they did
not
d4sdi frutttatibil'11
. is iord
prww-
Went tfian' hotie.
S 6' KAdqit Ain �$OWtfd
0)
dtb.0.TW .4 . &m6 Ag i
APA -1 0 410., W Am tnd
They. bd-adhainod that
this butr.42 . es situation continues.
The ozsiy way,to redeem. the elves
is to i0t.. water -to; the, victims
of the t6kic spill M� Jacksonville
Bruce, Fearon
Jacki6nville'
Dangerous chemicals
blood6treaIM
ft_0d on information ieceiVed
from a similar gasoline spill in
North Babylon,
n, L.I.: In com
. pari -
son, I feel I have been served poor-
ly by the Tompkins County Health
Department,. ocal, 'and state rep-
resentatives and agencies.,
MY family complained many
time's to local, county and state rep-
resentatives Ab out * strong gasoline
fumes in my home. Nothing was
done*about thise fumes for over a
Year. Becaitse nothing. was done,
recent blood tests show the same
cancer-causing chemicals in my
blood that are in my watersupply.
Patrice M. O'Neil
Jacksonville
Ithaca Journal
Wednesday, October 21, 1987
Why are Other spills
'handled M,,Qre quickly.?
Our. -US-,b.66, hom.9 -became
worthless n'eiwl
•Y Uibq years asq..
Why, you may ask? Did it burn in,
the 'ground, Of did k become.
haunted?
: N � * *. , became ..
0, It SJMP1Y ecame contami-
nated by gasoline in our well water.
Would you like to. live for nine.
Years With gasoline contamination'
not..on)y in drinking water but in
the gtouild and air as well?
But. really the state DEC and
town officials, not to mention the
Tompkins County Health Depart-
ment, have worked hard to find a
solution 'to; our problem here .in
Jacksonville. However, other spill
sites seem to be handled in record
iime'cbmpaied to the Jacksonville
spill - Maybe because this spill is
bigger than theirs?
We here in this household are
hoping for a solution this year. Are
we,setting our -sights too high? Are
we asking too much?
Mr. and Mrs. Clayton Luce'
Jacksonville
A -chance to resolve
two problems at once
Ten months ago .1 wrote a letter
to the editor regarding the gasoline
cOn ajnijjtjoj regarding me
Q. sd;vetal priVA"
wells. in Jacksonville. Since that
time two more
faMfliq fiave been
=
iacf.0d by carcip'ogens i m their
at;*
-W er— , .
The New York State Department
of Briv"onrfidntal Conservation i'
,U -
s
4Qj.#.4nisihj'Asolution before the
0_0*1 ZT, to and �h
ft own board e
resideptt of JacksorWille and_use
the'l _ d"for' the county aum'fi-, -
A nine-year ordeal
We 1hre iti JacksoftviU4 . have
h
been dealing with gasolifij in our
drinking water for nine" jiears.
Helpl
Bill and Esther Hog - es
Jacksonville
Poisoned Waters, Jacksonville
Residents Press Oji. Company
By FRANCES DINKELSPrEL
ITH ACA — The sign 5 -year oidCorey
O'Neil wore to the protest said it al "I've
lived my whole life with poisoned crater,
thanks to Mobil."
The slogan, while short and slick,
summed up the sense of frustration some
Jacksonville residents feel about their
water situation. Eight years ago, gasoline
from a service station leaked into the
water supply of seven Jacksonville fami-
lies; today they still drink from bottled
water supplies. Mobil Oil Corp, was
believed to be the supplier for the gas
station.
The residents, who organized them-
selves into the Jacksonville Clean Safe
Water Association, held a press confer-
ence and protest Tuesday outside the
Tompkins County Health Department.
The residents, bolstered by the support
of New York Public Interest Research
Group and the Central New York Toxics
Coalition, used the opportunity to harshly
criticize the way local politicians and
(ocal health department officials have
,esponded to the crisis. The residents
urged for faster action.
"We've never before demanded the
officials do anything," said Penny Cal-
derazzo, a member of JCSWA. But, she
said, "the problem isn't of our making,
We will no longer allow the system to
make us pay for someone else's prob-
lem."
The group set a Jan. 2, 1988 deadline
for the Health Department and state
Department of Environmental Conserva-
tion to identify a crater source. Digging
for the new water source must commence
by April, or the residents will ask that
Mobil Oil buy out their homes, said Cal-
derazzo.
The group's efforts have prompted one
elected official to offer stronger support
to the cause, said Dennis O'Neil, a Jack-
sonville resident. State Sen. James
Seward recently wrote a letter to the
State Attorney General's Office, the state
Department of Health,.the DEC and the
chairman of the senate Health and
Environment Committee, asking them to
look into this matter, according to Jean
Proto, Tompkins County liaison tc
Seward.
"Nobody's said anything like that
before," said O'Neil.
Martin Luster, supervisor for the town
Of Ulysses, denied the implication that
nothing has been done by public officials
to resolve the problem; he said. He and
Assemblyman Sam MacNeil met with
DEC officials on Monday to work toward
a solution, said Luster.
"Our efforts are ongoing and are dili-
gently going on," said Luster.
The contamination problem that begain
in 1979 has not been cleaned up. The resi-
dents are provided with bottled drinking
water and carbon filter systems from
Mobil Oil.
Post Standard
Wednesday, October 21, 1987
The DEC has also examined severi
potential wells, but none have produce
enough water or met health require
tnents, said Luster. However, is one wel
at initially was rejected by the Healt
Department, because it was too near a,
+bid municipal dump, now looks promis
lily, said Luster.
But Luster's approach, as well as the
hpproaches taken by MacNeil, the DEC
(and the Health Department, move toe
slowly, the residents charged at the press
ponference. That approach is to first fine
�pew well, tabulate the cost of the disco.
C+ery, and then go to Mobil Oil Corp, and
k it to pay up. Seven years later, that
attitude has gotten the residents nowhere,
4a:id O'Neil.
J -ville Residents Ask State to Sue Mobil
By 5TEYEPROCTOR
TRUMANSBURG—Members of the Jacksonville
Clean and Safe Water Association convened a press
conference last Wednesday at the Ulysses Town Hall
to discuss their recent meeting in Albany with. high-
level NYS officials. The group of four had travelled to
Albany on December 18 to seek legal action by the
Attorney General against the Mobil Oil Corporation.
Frustrated by years of searching for a clean water
source for their homes, the four Are seeking a buyout
of the houses and property by Mobil.
"I want enough money to relocate and buy another
house," said JCSWA member Clayton Luce at the
Wednesday press conference, suggesting that 5150,000
was about the sum of money he had in mind.
"I would be happy with enough money to move
away from my home forever," said Dennis O'Neil,
another JCSWA activist. -
The four stated they were doubtful that clean water
would be available to their homes within the
foreseeable future and that a buyout was their only
remaining option. They believe that the two wells now
being considered as a possible water source for the
affected area will never solve the problem and that a
hookup with an existing municipal water system is also
not likely.
"Our faith in local officials and the local health
department has brought us only years of grief and
bottled water," said Penny Calderazzl speaking for
the JCSWA;
Currently eight homes and two businesses near the
intersection of Route 96 and Jacksonville Road have
wells which are contaminated by gasoline. The homes
are supplied with elaborate filtration systems and
bottled drinking water by Mobil which owned the
Jacksonville service station where in the 1970s a leak in
the underground storage tanks allegedly emptied Iarge
amounts of gasoline into the earth. The plume of this
underground contamination has been passing downhill
from the spill ever since, reaching the eighth home
only within the last year.
The NYS DEC is now looking at two wells as
possible water sources for the affected homes; one is
located on the Whitaker property near the center of
Trumansburg Free Press
January 20, 1988
the hamlet and the other is in Jacksonville Community
Park, just west of Route 95 off Swamp College Road.
While the DEC and some local officials have been very
positive concerning these two locations the JCSWA
believes they are both unusable.
Arr'attempt a few years ago to'connect the hamlet to
the Trumansburg water system became too expensive
for the local tax base and a subsequent application for
a HUD grant to underwrite the project did not win
approval.
The JCSWA had stated in a press conference held a
few months ago on the steps of the county health
department that unless a solution to their problem was
unveiled by the end of the year they were going to
consider alternative solutions, primarily a buyout by
Mobil. Precedents do exist for this demand — large
corporations have purchased certain properties and
houses after actions by the corporation had
environmentally damaged the sites.
The .December 18 meeting in Albany, arranged by
NYS Senator James Seward, was between the four
JCSWA members and Dean Sommer, Assistant NYS
Attorney General, plus representatives from the NYS
Department of Health,, Department of Transportation
and the DEC.
"Our purpose was to ask for their aid," said Cal-
derarzl at the Wednesday press. conference, adding
that after years of dealing with local officials and
agencies`;hey had finally decided to take their case to
higher levels of government.
Cnlderazz] stated that for over ten years they had
attempted to find a solution to their problem by
As the sign on the front fawn of a Jacksonville
home declares — Don't Drink the Water.
photo kv Skin Thorne
OD
OF
_0 P� e,
hi)
obil t! M�
-b-L
Aces S_ .. .. .. . ..
Haiffl t=�
OR
. - - : W'.6
B -FRS D YAH' Jacksonville; a'distance of about eighi nisle's. �• ,vnul l expect,tli�t'i a 'wouid.acCe t•titeir
Y •
iJa:u.7r.�1
Staff Rdwtiid ;-said ll€e .hatiics.:iliat.;are:;Uaugl3t tiy. r resEioiisik�ility;,fo[ nof_ ba y :reitiiliursittt ,us :for
Fh• our lip:nes but also far the tamilies' rt€n and
�„dy1CI�SD�1V1)i�I�i-- "Cite Mobil t3i1' Corp. Mobil rna.,3 crazed. -'� � , P _
,,.
t offered to buy'otit eight.lacksor3vi3ie 1)nrnes i}ic.141 spilica€nc 1•roli� a,1 sQnville sere sut'fer�ttb, a Neik satd
0'%�a a had:poll&&l water since 197 as part ice statux located at t13c info rseCtiti r] .kLoute 9G. I xvo otlmr pohits:of tl3e settlement �vcrc;
`bfa settlement with state'.S.17ep.iriment of. l_nvi- a 3itl;..Jackstinville. Road. Tile .sta[ic�rt;..«as: aper. Mobil. will, reini.burs.e.. the slatc..'s,..oil.,.spill'
.:.`
rpitrrteti'tal Co3iservatinti.:atxi alt€trney ge»c'rai: atcd al the ti€ite t]y rite late kLvgcr fl', W,
luno ftittci:far $lk3Q,ilt]O;.tltt:s'tini the IAC has spent
1: obil._s• okeswornan. C_ arolc Edward said an vascasing the ip. pti .��i�id .storage tanks. froth ail the Clealitl�; d-�lioliii. w lI.:tis< allUwed :la
p t3.
�iidep€ 3i;xi�Eair ittai ket t° 31ue appraisal: idill.k)e Molil, audit theiiiis` or "taf expense "Che lilt soil€
mr,de for tlie:e�gl3t: }ic�siie;, IUc;iled along Jack- OV an undetornr33�C[i period of tine, gas - fttud;;:ulticli was creatett.tb .pay.;for. site I eme3•
sariville Ituati ileal. lt[3rtfc r3C�..:: leaked from a t�rolccii: wuieit+i`ciuii.d coupling bca geiiCics;'is adinii5istercd tliidUgh the slatC cl�il�p
"It's: also possible that two other homes will t�vicert an above-grd izticl .pu3tily. T2� ast. utt[lei- troller;.."
'kie ii)cluilctl ciith tliZ eight, hut. �4i'ic itat':silie al bi€)uiid.stv.iage tasik::'= "IVlsibil «i11.:1indcrtalic. airy' ieasil)le..ierriedi tl..
:.[his titrte," Fd%3ards said this itiortiIng .,"%Ve feel The station ,v :then close&&" "at:,.I n()LV act€vides necessaiy .to .keep tile. u€ derl;round...
€r[iii3 )t:aitcl-coi)i'}ete;saiti= ":; Uce3t ii[3:c3icil't€ltd'' ilt�v::ws.toi= -' i ie-ti.F [gasoline) CoiilaIhiiiiints' froi'it 4iiicad=.'
tltat..tliisiis rite ntUst.l 1 ... n .:... f�..
tion '1118 utast cast effudirc for•lviotiil'.:li .ti null :. 'age taitks'and ::e[irii�i'ei.it .aI- i •unci; tile ' iiig'further',
Have taken. several.ni[)nt.ltr tq..i {)slsl:r3ls l-a.Wzitc:r 171 C. lrts.afl)t`oved;'t�eh, _ - ".:T]f C''slia.kesniaii it.W.Grcit ��1'kids tile:
system andis «ork ❑til [hc. iielails r f a wate'l' ''iL'c'ri plcase[i 'Atli the i)iiydutkat'1'er from. iiboveiioi€ifs were tvor.]ccd out =lis cbfiference.
district." i�tpUil,,3€€td l can speAk fur all a til htsn�cayvners telelili� AO,!'..call Wednesday,..i€lvoli,ing :the DEC,.
Lk' rEries[a4 .t[i=fps. utii] iii rile i Heli .1 sa that' Iliev. waist the lii;�ai3t " said Aiifc deparitliwi3t; h'toii1, 2 i cJF'SiAl fund
]1101111 had :itiitsl c v t - .. Y,
statetopvscd .^"' fer 'Bile be .. Dl orals O'Neill a sl)[3kcsrilan,.for ti C. ir' cctcd adilii -and static, ad or isey'ge3tcri#I.'.s-t5t�cc.
is t t S
- �' .. ... _ .t. ........
CC
br6ilglitfrom:i}iE, 4 fi i I��.`,:.g ]s esti. a ls[3rit�ow€>ers.::.: .- .
(Continued from Page 1A)
i'epreserltatives.
'Further details of the
agreement are expected to be made
final today, when the appropriate
parties meet in Albany," Grone=
man said.
Mbbil's Edwards said she expects
the settlement to include a resolu-
tion of the pending lawsuits against
Moth] that homeowners have
l roujh •since the 1979 leak-.
Town of Ulysses Supervisor
Mai=tila, A.,Luster said he was disap-
pointed ,that the settlement didn't
include .a water system for Jackson-
ville, paid .,for. by Mobil.
When •the state gave Mobil an ul-
titriattim two• 'weeks ago, to come
up with a settlement, the state gave
Mobil two alternatives: build a new
water system or buy the douses.
"I am not very happy with the
prospect of eight. to 14 abandoned
m
hoes in Jacksonville. A buyout
does not solve the problem and cre-
ates the prospect of a long-range
negative economic effect," Luster
said.
"The Ulysses town board had
backed a buyout as a last resort
only. In my oliinion, .all other pp-
tioni; have not .been ruled out. In
fact, if you add the $480,1144 that
Mobil will reimburse the state, plus
the cost of the homes, that amount
would- fund a water district, he
said:
"I want to empliasiae that if the
homeowners agree to this proposal,
it is, as I understand it, in set-
tlement of private lawsuits and the
town has no control over that deci-
sion. Anything less than muhicipal
water -in Jacksonville is only the
Iusibn of a solution."
Edwards said that Mobil has ac
cepted responsibility for the 1979
leak.
"However, our investig4tions
have confirmed -that• Mobil is not
the only source of contaminaflon iit
the Jacksonville area. We hope this
is taken into -account yvhen we' dis-
cuss reimbursdmerit of the'expenses
for the cleanup that has taken
place," Edwards said.
Mobil Agrees to Buy 8 Homes
(w\ Affected -by Gasoline Leak.
W & SCOTT RAPP
JACKSONVILLE ;.—the early 1970s,
Dennis O'Neil hoped to live and work in
this rural hamlet for many more years.
Npw, nine years after gasoline` coota-
mitnated his private well, he *looks
foRward to selling his house to the cor-
paration that spoiled his dream and
drinking water.
`Tm a little scared, but I've got to get
my, family out of this mess," said O'Neil.
"All we want is a just and fair settle=
W.Neil is one of at least eight
horneowners whose wells were polluted in
1979, whey} underground gasoline tanks
owned by Mobil OR Corp. at a service
sla4ion •ruptured and leaked untold
mounts of gas intothe, ground water.
Until this week; Mobil had yet. to
ack-wiedge legal responsibility for the
leave: That position changed Thursday
when the company and the state Depatrt-
nt of Environmental. Conservation dis-
(ed Mobil would offer to buy the eight
iwuses at fair market value, reimburse
the state for its share of cleanup costs
related to the leak and continue efforts to
stop the underground -plume of gasoline
froxr spreading. .
"It's a very frustrating situation there,"
Carole Edwards, a spokeswoman for
Mobil. "We wanted to resolve the situa-
tion as fairly, as completely and as
quickly as we could."
In' addition, the proposed settlement
calls for the homeowners to -drop or not
initiate any Iitigation against Mobil,
Edwards said from the company's Fair-
fax; Va., office.
The eight households have been battling
Mobil, and pressing local and state politi-
cians and health officials, since 1979 to
,alleviate the problem and get a new clean
water source. Iu- the interim, property
values have 'Plunged- health fears have
escalated and .ill feelings have developed
between some._ residents who can drink
their, water. and;.those wtio can't.
The town of Uiyssess got.to pipe pub-
lic water from gl•rumiaiisburg, but resl-
dents here iejec. the pfoposal because
they said. it Was ton 00stly:. Since last
summer, the DEC>�Sbeen drilling test
wells in search of a iA6i ; water source,
but has yet to find one.
The buyout. proposal worries Town
Supervispr Martin duster, who said he
opposes itteesuse seiveral properties wall
be siri
Aped from the ,tai rolls, and the
town will- beileft with eight vacant and
unlivable homes and, the water problem
intact..
"Any, thing less. than a new municipal
water system ,is only the illusion of a
solution-- The effect ,(of the buyout) on the
town will be long-lasting and it - doesn't
solve our problem," Luster said.
Edwards said Mobil would probably
raze the houses it buys..
DEC spokesman R. W. Groneman said
from AliAOY that there's the possibility
that M044 will have to buy out two more
houses{hhoids whose wells might have been
contaminated in the 197,9 leak. DEC and
Mobil Officials have yet to agree on -
whether those homes wells were polluted
by the Mobil tanks, Groneman said.
The DEC official said the state has
spent $480;000 from the oil spill fund to
clean up the leak, and he noted officials
bave yet to prorate Mobil's share of that
cost.
Groneman said the state expects Mobil
to offer the residents fair market value
for their homes as if their wells were not
polluted. He said the offers will be based
on real estate appraisals, and added that
Post Standard
Friday, March 25, 1988
the homeowners have the option of selft
or rejecting the price.
One of homeowners, Bruce Fearon o
Jacksonville -Road, said he and his wife
Penny, had yet to evaluate .the proposa
by Thursday afternoon. The Fearow,
moved to their home three years ago, an(
Bruce Fear` -on said the couple did nd
acquire their house with the intent to sel
it three yearsaater.
O'Neil, who until November ran ;
spgrting goods business from the front o
his itonme, said his main concern is getting
a fair price .from Mobil. Since his wel:
became contaminated, O'Neil has wagei
a one-linan campaign at times to gei
relief, and he vowed to keep fighting:' ii
Mobil offers too little money.
"Just as long as they make it fair and
Ji to -us. Otherwise, we got to keef
fighting and we'll see them .in court-"
O'Neil said.
EDITONK
i
y
NOq-Wck
-iii.Jak-ksofi*
Tfie gasoline, leak that tainted wells in Jacksonville has meant
nine: �eags: of hardship and frustration for the affected
households,. With the recent' pressure frofh state officials, a new
water system finally appeared to, be on tfie .way. .
Instead the parties to the dispute came up with a startling
alternative: Mobil Oil offered'to buy out the eight homeowners,
And the. Downers and state officials are cordial to the plan. The
houses:ui the heart of Jacksonville would likely be razed..
lalo}�v, tto one can blame the oWners for wanting t o end ail
agoriiirlg orAeal all recoup then losses. But it's riot clear that
Mobil will offer satisfactory prices for their property..
And it was ,
aggravating -to hear a Mobil, official callthe settlement "the most ;
prompt acid complete -solution" and the "most costReffectjve for
Mobil," whose station's leaky tank, caused the.cinginal,pro>ajem ? 3=r
This quick. fix is no real fix for Jacksonville. i would leave a '}
loud. over the hamlet, w4ere other owneirAave found it hafCW 1rT
no'i :impossible to sell their property'. -The underground gasoh'i'4:;
might yet wander to othet wells, and a number of wells there
+V
Oready are subject.to bacteria, sulfgp - �Vhier ps eii<i �f;
Jacksonville badly needs a reliabi water suppIyh ,,z o1;ElCely�:
sped-f`coto-Tr--timansburg. The Town of Ulysses has shown the
' ill to help organize a district and has done moth-of. the
irel-rhairp engineering work. But the buyout settlement,
roving- an immediate health hazard, could end all hope of
4etting the. outside funding that's essential. to the project.
Th.e buyout would indeed be an. easy way out. But the most
fPOP..effe five" use of Mobil's money and; state funds as well
*gold be a out them toward a new Jacksonville water system.
'VitliOut i
the future of this pretty'little hamlet is in doubt.
}.
Ithaca Journal
Saturday, March 26, 1988
N
W
Meet . the New Nei
ghbors
And now all thoughts on Jacksonville are concentrated on the
bu
.y,04t proposal. Mobil has finally spoken and her words were
not kind
' . ' - . , offering to Purchase * outright the eight homes poisoned•
by the 19.70. gasoline spill. The water district blupprints are now as
useless as Pertain Jacksonville, kitchen faucets.
lvl6le caned 116d the buyout a "cost -effective" solution* and
9490snoo th-iot e alternative, '
tivi�, o ' ption, a water district, Might hAVe.
taken piont6s t, . a
o plan and implement. Th'
ey wanted a prompt
4000villd has been inhabited for generatidns, their water
Stipp! . Y. has t s been, contaminated . aminated for nearly a decade,. the beautifidl
ce : uvft�y p " ide wily be populated by*huma.nity forever and
Mbb0__.Wj'j'forr years -over their culpability in the
0.- ly�-dallieg
_..matter 6110. prompt solution.
The acted homeowiiets, are now indicating their acceptance
of the of and who can blame them. It would seem that after'the
DEC, h 4.41
M0A#'.C&ig to the bargaining table, forced
OW
9W t and compensation, that if Jacksonville.
thft to Adtnd e -r'
now,tefuseg-j the DEC will opera its palms and Mobil will'fly away
faei,er.. Ail Pyrrhic victdtios, have' a grain of happniess in them*i
in this. case -that happiness is gkting the eight families
;ompens4ted, for their losses and teMoVed. from atop,a dangOO 4
sitod-tion
The funds now offered b�. Mobil should have gone towards a
. Jackprtilie water district for the, good of all future go#er.Atio'
A toon hve:U66il lbkding over a ghost toWn,
Trumansburg Free PressMarch 30, 1988
Mobil Offers Buyout
o 8 J-villeB Homes
By 1�.
- ULYSSES. A buyout by the Oil
strong disagreement with the buyout proposal, stating
_.Mobil
•• corporation of the.eight Jacksonville homes
it does nothing to- solve the contamination, problem
by a 1979 gasoline spill has been tentatively agreed to
by
and would leave Ulysses with a situation which may
by Mobil. The company informed the- state's
have long term economic effect.
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on
"I'm not happy with it," he said "I think it's faulty
Wednesday, March 23 that they would seek to
decision-making from every point of view."
purchase outright the contaminated properties rather
The supervisor, who has worked on the problem
than underwrite the cost of a limited water district for
throughout his incumbency, also- siated�the buyout
hamlet. All eight homeowners support the buyout
would cost Mobil about $l million --approximately
proposal,
proposal, to recent conversations with
$500,000 far the properties and another. $500,000 in
,according
several of the residents, although some would have
reimbursements to the state's Oil Spill Fund—and that
preferred the water district option. Two additional
this amount would just about fund the contem lated
water district. p
homes may be included in the proposal' when and if it
The reimbursements total $480,000 which the state
becomes official.
The possible settlement would be based on a fair
has already expended from their Oil Spill Fund to test
and track the gasoline plume. Mobil was expected to
market appraisal of,the properties by an independent
be charged for these expenditures whether they opted
firm. Mobil is expected to increase this appraised
'for the'water district or the buyout.
amount to include resettlement expenses for the
continued on page 19
households and possibly a hardship compensation for
the families.
4 Buyout
"I am relieved to sec that something is at least
continued -
happening " said Penny Calderazzo one of the
,
homeowners, "although I 'still think there are hurdles
to overcome."
"I'm very pleased," said Dennis O'Neil, another
R affected property owner. "We have been living on top
of a gasoline spill—a toxic waste dump—for. abo. it ;
nine years and we want out."
Calderazzo said that she and' other homeowners
would be meeting.soon with.their•lawyers to grepare.a—
response to Mobil for when they officially tender their
buyout proposal, probably within -the next few weeks
unless something unforeseen occurs to alter Mobil's.
orally stated intentions.
The buyout is a ,private settlement between Mobil ;
and the affected homeowners and does not involve the
Town- of Ulysses. The DEC will be monitoring
developments, between the two parties to be certain the
eventual settlement conforms to their standards of
fairness.
Mobil has announced no definite plans for the
area—roughly five acres near the intersection of Route
96 and. Jacksonville Road—although a spokesperson
for Mobile stated in an Ithaca Journal article that the
homes may be razed. Others involved in the. case
suggest that Mobil may sell the homes to the public at
a discount or simply leave them abandoned.
Ulysses Supervisor Martin Luster has expressed a
T'rumansburg Free_ Press
March 30, 1988
Luster pointed out that the Ulysses town board had
passed a resolution on February 9 calling on Mobil to
either fund the water district or, as a last resort, to
purchase the affected homes. Luster said he didn't
believe the situation had reached the point of last
resort and he was disappointed Mobil had decided
upon the buyout.
No immediate response was being formulated by the
board; the upcoming negotiations will be strictly
between Mobil and the homeowners.
The possible buyout appears the end result of a
major push initiated by the residents in October of last
year when they formed a citizen's activist -group, the
Jacksonville Clean_ Safe Water Association (JCSWA).
The group hired two lobbyists, received the backing of
State Senator Jim Seward, and travelled to Albany for
meetings with representatives of Attorney General
Robert Abrams:.
Mobil's recent move to settle the nine-year-old
problem begah with a March 8. meeting between
Mobil,' the Attorney General's office, the Health
Department. and the DEC. Mobil was then informed
they'should either fund a Jacksonville water district or
purchase the eight affected homes. If Mobil refused,
the state was prepared to pay for the water district or
buyout and then recoup their expenses in court from
Mobil. The oil company asked for two weeks to study
all relevant data and then informed the DEC of their
current buyout proposal.
Ic
Jacksonville'water dlstr��referdh i' 3 rvr d
%�, ' B$ FIIIW'YAIIN
J'Jum I Staff -
TRUMANSBURG — Despite
the opposition of of a majority of.
residents: attending a public hearing
on a proposed Jacksonville water
district, the Ulysses Town Board
Tuesday• supported the district and
approved a referendum April 29.
Ulysses town residents who don't
reside -in the village of Trumans-
burg will vote at that time on the
creation of the district for the ham=
let.
The motion came after an over-
whelming majority of about 70 re$-
idents attending the hearing at the
high school. displayed their opposi-
tion to the district ,with an im-
promptu show of hands. Only a.
handful raised their hands iii favor
of,the 2 -mile by Vz-mile .district,
which would -extend in a southeast-
erly direction from Trumansburg.
The proposed district contains 124
residences, according to Thomas
Reitz, president of the Jacksonville
Community Association.
Ulysses town supervisor Martin
Luster and councilmen Carolyn
Duddleston, Robert Weatherby,
and James 'Vorp'voted for-the--cre-
-ation_ of n .tlis ril t;,:Robert.Herrick,
was opposed. Vorp's amendment.
to -change the proposed sharing of..
the district's cost from a 30=70 split
(30 percent of the cost to be borne
by those outside the district, 70 per-
cent to be borne by those in the dis-
trict) to 20-80, was approved, 3-1,
with Herrick voting against. Resi-
dents of the village of Trumans-
burg, which lies within the town of
Ulysses, will not participate in the
referendum, by law, and will not be
sharing in Elie district's costs, also
by law.
. Gayltga•I,�ko: .. • :. a
Yation AL the rfi nG(: wc+uld.�encaur-
a $490,b25 water r discrlst 'ague 4n r a d6elopfhent; stiin-
would run a 12-inchtttain supply ulate more jobs and iricrease--th
line from the village's southern e
boundary, in a southeasterly direc- towns tax base, enhance property
tion along Route 96, HaIseyville values' and most importantly, pro -
Road, Cold Springs Road, back to vide sanitary water for Jacksonville
Route 96, then to Swamp College residents. Luster emphasized that
Road, Route 96, Jacksonville, non -district residents, even )hough
Road, back to Route 96, and then -they wouldn the able to hook up to
to Cglegrove Road. _the system, would benefit from the
increased tax base and potential for
The water district's creation has development. Later, a resident
been a town board topic for more pointed out that fire. 'protection
than a year. Hunt Engineering'of would also be improved in the dis-
Painted Post has done a prelimi- trict, with a hydrant located every
nary study of what the project S00 feet.
Even if the April 29 referendum would, cost. Depending on which At present, about 50 homeown-
passes by its required simple major- bonds. the town .could 'obtain, and ers living within the proposed dis-
ity, the creation of the district is some slight variations�ln the pro- trict have -contaminated wells.
contingent upon three other items: ject, non -village residents Iiving About five of those homeowners
the securing of a $400,000 Housing_ outside the proposed district would own wells polluted with -gasoline
and Urban Development (HUD) bear 20 percent of the town's $590,- from a Jacksonville service station
Small Cities grant; approval of the 625, share of the cost. Residents in Which has long since been closed.
town's bonding plan . by the state, the proposed district Would shoul- The remainder of the 50 have prob-
cotroller, and tite continued coop- der 80 percent of the $590;625, lems. with nitrate pollution, caused
eration and support of the village by :fertilizers which have seeped
of Trumansburg, which will supply ' _ Luster, a strong supporter of the into their wells: The. Tompkins
the water from its municipal water project,, opened the -hearing, saying County. Health Department has
system. there would be several benefits for documented the pollution, and has
tdwn residents, if the waiter district urged the creation of a water dis-
Trumansburg gets its water from becomes a realitv. He said the cre. trict. Luster said_
I�, i
t.i10,:Sidi :. rriu8-t mvid .-::
l�a�ersf Iii:
DICE` SLUMEIThe Post- S+aada,
)f warning is posted in front of the former horne of Dennis and Patricia O'Neil in Jacksonville, near Ithaca. The O'Neil
ieo —or nine years to get action from the state government. Says Patricia: "The ®EG moves slow — slow reverse."
Post Standard
Monday, nctober 15, 1989
I
Two Decades after Earth Day,
New York's Environment
Still Shows Signs of a Decline
By ROBERT W. ANDREWS
The Post -Standard
harlotte Lewis wondered why her
kids were sick and svhy she was
dizzy, bumping into walls.
Her back yard in Saratoga County was a
toxic dumping ground for General Electric
Co.
Diane'Heminway's kids were sent home
from school, red -eyed, coughing and spitting
up: "t called an emergency spill number and
tlasy freaked out.
A chemical plant less than 400 yards from
the elementary school in Niagara County
had accidentally released a cloud of methyl
isocyanate.
,Tames Ransom spent pleasant days with
his father fishing in the 5t. La wrence River
like generations of Mohawks before them.
Today the fish from the river carry
unhealthy loads of PCBs, mirex and diben-
aofurans.
These are simple stories of ordinary peo-
ple and environmental horrors.
They are stories of people who called on
the state Department of Environmental
Conservation to protect their health and
environment. And they are stories of peo-
ple who quickly lost faith.
"You want to believe this agency is pro-
tecting our children, but it is not," Hemin-
way says. "Aly children were in no way pro-
tected. Allowing school children to be
anywhere near those toxics is wrong. DEC is
no ally."
Toxic victims are not alone. Environmen-
talists of all stripes — tree -huggers to scien-
tists, backpackers to whitewater rafters —
say they re fed
up with the
agency.
Municipal offi-
cials say the
DEC is uncoo-
perative and
unresponsive.
Sportsmen
claim the DEC
pays lip service
to the community
of hunters and
f ishermen.
It has come to
this in the nearly
20 years since
the DEC was
formed by then -
Gov. Nelson
-Rockefeller. Environmentalists at the time
were riding the crest of a popular, national
movement.
"The goal," recalls Henry Diamond, the
state's first DEC commissioner, "was
healthy lands and forests and water."
But after two decades and billions of dol-
lars in spending, questions remain:
Has New York come clean? Is the air
safer to breathe, the water pure enough to
drink? Are givers any better for fishing and
swimming? Is the general environment of
the state more hospitable?
Or is the environment deteriorating and
threatening the health and tlse future of its
residents?
The answers are complex.
There have been environmental gains.
Skies over urban areas are visibly cleaner,
Sewage treatment plants'have reduced pol-
lution in numerous bodies of water.
That's the picture the DEC is justifiably
proud of, but it's not the fall frame.
New York's air, water and land are filled
with cancer-causing pollutants more persis-
tent and more threatening than ever before,
The rapid loss of natural resources startles
environmentalists. And the state bureau-
cracy is staggering under the weight of
problems so numerous and -so complicated
that, as environmentalist Tony Lapsno of
Buffalo says, "The DEC is like an emer-
gency room in the Bronx."
The environmental crises threaten to
place the Empire State on an endangered
Iist all its own.
This series of articles will show that it is
perhaps more true today than it was when
Rockefeller said it in 1970:
"Man is rapidly destroying his awn
environment."
Dick. Coogan,. a member of the Jacksonville Community ' dents of the Ulpssa hamlet are concerned about the safety of
Associadon; sits in front of empty -properties . along the buildings and the area's water wells after a I979gasolbie
Jacksonville Road, off 'of ,Route 9S. Coogan and other resi- Leak at a nearby Mobil gas station.
Ithaca Journal
Saturday, March � 1999
20 years after gas leaks J lc so�tv�l ��gas �pilis E.1 Most heavily
concentralud areas
contaminated we l l water -�� ®Vacant houses
p�� ;. +� •' ' o Recovery well
1 ■ m Recovery trench
Jacksonville residents still
• . ��'� •' Yy"r<dA. mss: ffi,_ i }� s: a- 96
lin fbr:str� seutians
Y. {
Methodist
By LAUREN BISHOP �. ' �: Afteryears of unsettled law- Episcopal
JournalSraJf 'suits, carbon fillers and bottled Charch
Mubil bought out riewater
—'IventyJACKSONVILLE
homes and the residents ,.
years ago this month, state offr-•
.. •- �,.` ►vhpsewells had become can(am- • _ , �;�6s � �;; . �•,,�.�•
cials found that there bred been ; } inated moved awa ,gut$: _ : R="c`
gasoline spill at -the Mobil W-Mce ; . ,.. Y' a�� ; � Bks
But even with a groundwater y uta 1 - , o
station an the corner of i (t � �k111e
'fttrmar�sburg {IZaute.9G) and'
F "_.Ye aturent system was even- ' - City baa Road
trrally installed, six of [lie homes
'Jacksonville [cads Ithaca Map of vie spilt area from 2989, alter treatment system Inas installed
_�--remain Vacant becausewhile the
The spill; caused by a faulty . -Ievels of conlanunation have source: 9lasfand & Houck Engineers - RONSON SIAGIF/loumal Staff
ronuectinn at an underground ', _,been decreasing, (lye spill still---
(does
till -
tank, was first detected when
rdves,r}ut meet stale cleanup stare- '
some residents.across Uie street, ` dards: And recent monitoring -:residetits wel is to make sure tliey . saw.' her name .in a newspaper
from•tlfeslatiari noticed.that• rdata frons thatsystem irrdiiates-
weren't contaminated, including article shocked her.
. tlaeirwaler sutictled like gasoline.ere,maybe a new spill.— one belogging to Jacksonville res- ' Fortunately, her •$U -fool deep
An estimated 4,000 gallons had idem Diane liiituari. well, which is opposite. file plume,
seeped intodie groundwater of Initial response resp It turned out. that Hillman's showed no evidence of gasoline
(helbwn of Ulysses liamlet, and wasn't, but the fact that she was contamination.
-would eventually contaminate After the settlement, Mobil included in (lie agreement —
die%veils of at least eight homes.was required to test rive other which she learned about after she See WATER, 5A
per!®
M
MOM
wmmm�
1-979 fuel spill
still.; a problem.*
in.Jackslonville
(Continued from Page 1A)
But now, the sic empty houses are a
painful, constant reminder of the sill.
Until the levels of .contamination
detected in monitoring wells meet
state guidelines — or until Jack-
sonvipe gets a municippal water "M --those houses cant be reinhabited.
"Those empty houses just create a
sense of desolation and abandon-
ment,;`she said. "It's very'hanl not to
feel damaged"
-Aftei the spill was detected, the
New York State Department of
Transportation and the New York
State Department of. Environmental
Conservation took samples to deter-
mine the extent and levels of contami-
nation, while Mobil provided boiled
water and carbon filters to the,affect-
ed residents.
A recovery well was installed at the
gas station in 1980: But by then, the
spill had already spread to several
more homes. In 1987, after another
spill from a leaking tank at the station
in about 1985, the DEC installed a
recovery well and trench and an air,
stripper along the east side of Route
96 and three recovery wells along the
direction of the spill.
The system uses highly pressurized
air to remove carcinogenic compo-
nents of gasoline called benzene,
toluene and xylene from the ground-
water. The treated groundwater then
flows into a tributary of Cayuga Lake.'
The three tanks and piping and about
2,000 tons of contaminated soil were
removed from the station in 1987.
. • "Meanwhile; Elie `town
:Uimet severaltimes with. enneeFs to
find ways. bf bringing a municipal '
watei system to the h>imlet. But U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban'
Development grants applications that
would hhve funded a systerp were
rejected, and residents in the rest of
the) own overwhelmingly, opposed the
nearly $1 million system, which would
have meant a iubstaritial tax increase.
Hillman remembers feeling
betrayed by the community, and once
stood up at a public heating in anger.
"I said, `Were not asking for This
water so we can fill our swimming
Is,"! she said. ``This is not a lwany.
This is drinking water. This is •some-
thing absolutely essential."
Beconung increasingly frustrated
with what they saw•as the lack of help
from public officials and agencies, .
Jacksmvi'lie homeowners formbd the
Jabksoriville Clean Safe Water Askd-
ation in October 1987 and demanded
that government officials and agencies
find them a clean water source. At-
one point, they picketed a meeting of
the county Health Department's
board
A settlement between Mobil and
New York state was finally reached in
July 1988. Mobil agreed to buy out
seven•homa (one homeowner bought.
his home back two years later), con-
duct a full-scale field investigation to
determine the extent of the pollution
and come up' with a permanent
cleanup plan. Mobil also agreed to
reimburse the state's oil spill fund for
X4801000, the sum the DEC had spent
on the cleanup.
Hillman doesn't blame -the resi-
dents'for accepting the buyguts and
moving out. In fact, after years of
s"We, they were what most of the i
residents waited.
: ley h:4 a limited number o1
options,",thsaid.'�Iieir fist respotr
srbiii'ty was to their faiiiilies. It was Jug
:a ramble position for people to Ue 7 ;
.Other water problems
Residents of the hamlet have other
concerns abbut the water; beyond
those connected tothe spills.
Hillman's well *has colifoi rn on
indiratipn of fecal contamination) and
sulfur. She filters the water and bogs it
for coffee and tea. She said most peo.
pleMri the hamlet don't drink the water
;tall.
'Mist's just the way it is;" she said .
'Jodi and'Michael Marshall have
also had problems with their well. Jodi
Marshall estimated that they, have
spent upwards of $5,000 to in their
water potable, including digging the
well up several times and installing a
chlorinator, a carbon-block'f lt6r and a
softener.. -
•'ii'he Marshalls have lived in their
home,for 25 years — long•eno
witness the struggles their nei
problems ugh and the ensuing wmer
"I was frustrated, and I've been
frustrated ever since," Jodi Marshall
said. "The water question comes up
every four or five years, and then it
gets dropped just as fast."
She would like to see an affordable
water system in the hamlet, which she
thinks could raise the value of their
home.
"If we had municipal *ater, initially
the costs would be high, but eventually
I think it would pay for itself;" she
said
But other residents are happy with
the way things are. Robert and Nancy
Leach, who moved into their Jack-
sonville Road home in 1984, had their
water tested after they saw an article
in a local newspaper- -
r
The tests revealed the carcinogens
benzene and',toluene. They had car-
bon filters installed, -and when the set-
tlement was reached with Mobil, the
Leaehes received $37,000 and free
bottled water. They're stil..receiving it
every month:- .
But•1their water isn't completely free
of problems.
"If you live in Jacksonville, you have
sulfur and you -have iron," Robert
Leach said.. "But as far as gasoline
byproducts, we're confident that we're
clear."
Leach said he is not involved in any
efforts to get water now, but he thinks
high -costs -would make a wafer system
even less feasible now than before.
"fret actually satisfied with the way
things are now," he said. "The status
quo:is fine with me."
Economy effects
I. The lack of a water system may also
be affecting real estate: Jim Gulledge,
who has been trying to sell his house
one mile south of Jacksonville for
about a year, said municipal water
would help his house'sell while bene-
fitting the overall economy on the
west side of the lake. Gulledge also
ran the Pleasant Grove Bed and
Breakfast from his home until Decem-
ber.
nt —
14v
—Sufi—many residents and business
owners feel that that goal won't be
met without a.municipal water system.
"They may have the land use plan,
but without water it's nothing," Hill-
man said- "They're not going to get
any development."
Commercial use in Jacksonville
would be limited at best, said Town of
Ulysses zoning officer Alex Rachun.
"Jacksonvibe is considered a hub,
but it's a hub that has a lot of vacant
homes," Rachun said. ".Those houses
aren't going out
a clean bill of health ... clean wells or a
water district."
Jacksonville Community Associa-
tion member Dict: Coogan agreed -
"I think anytime you have a row of
houses that are not inhabited, it has an
adverse affect on sales," he said..
"Quite frankly, I would just hope that
Exxon comes in and level the ground."
In December, Exxon and Mobil
announced that they would merge.
However, what will happen to the
homes is uncertain because the, merg-
er has not yet been approved and is
still being reviewed by regulators, said
Mobil spokesman Michael Robinson.
Mobil i still maintaining the proper-
ties and paying ,property taxes,
Rachun said. ,
Legal complexity
It may seem incredible that so j
much time went by before cleanup .
began, but it's not unusual; said DEC
Spokesman Sam Theinstrom.
"These -cases can be legally com-
plex," he said. "We try to get them
cleaned up as quickly as possible, but
it's definitely not unheard of forsome-
th'tng to take a number of years."
Tliernstrom also said Gov. Pataki
formed a working group of advisers in
August to review and make recom-
mendations on refinancing and speed-
ing up the state's cleanup programs,
including its oil spill fund, which the
DEC used to cleanup the Jacksonville i
spill. The spiu Rind's current operating
costs are. now.approaching $30 mil -
Ithaca Journal.
Saturday, March 5, 1999
lion,'but its current revenues from
taxes, fines and penalties is only X14 to -
$16
o$15 million.
But ' be'rnstrom stressed that the
DEC will go ahead with cleanups,
which the spill fund pays for only
when the DEC can't compel responsi-
ble parties to pay for cleanups them-.
selves.
Possible new spills
The DEC now believes there may
be another spill at the eastern bound-
ary of the same site, which ss now a BP 1
.gas station.
In the last few years, the monitoring
data from the site of the treatment sys-
tera have shown elevated concentra-
tions of gasoline additive MTBE,
methyl tertiary -butyl ether. MTBE has
been shown to cause cancer in lab ani-
mals, but there is no tkderice that it
causes cancer in humans.'
However, it may cause nose and
throat irritation, headaches, nausea,
dizziness and mental confusion in
some people, according to the U.S.
Department of Health and Human
Services.
Mobil claims MTBE was never con-
tained in the gasoline before 1982
when ii Owned the tanks at the station,
and has concluded it must be from a
new spill, said Chris Maines, an envi-
ronmental engine -,7 in the DEC's
Syracuse division of environmental ,
remediation. MTBE has been also
been detected at the monitoring wells
near the vacant houses, possibly from- "
the spill in the mid -Sas, but the recent
spike indicates another pos E.ZT
151 T sii anigroun ater samples
between the pump islands and Route I
96 lase -fall showed a visible petroleum
product and MTBE concentrations of
20,471 -parts per billion, Mannes said.
State MTBE guidelines are 50 ppb.
"Chances are, it hasn't migrated
any further," Marines said. "Mobil's
system is operating and therefore
intercepting the new spill."
After collecting its samples; the
DEC asked the Blue Ox Corp. of
Oxford, N.Y., which owns the BP sta-
DEC is now waiting to hear'-froni the
Buan
Blue Ox President Neil Bartle
said he doesn't believe there's been a
new, spill since Blue Ox took over the
station. When the DEC first told the
company of the increase in MTBE, it
tested the tanks and found no leaks,
Bartle said.
Bartle also pointed to the new elec-
tronic
lecttropic monitoring system and double-•
walled tanks that had been installed by
the, time Blue Ox began, leasing the
station from a private owner around
1992
Blue Ox bought it in 1994, and Bar-
tle said he will pay for the cleanup if
it's his, but he wants to make sure the
contamination isn't from one of sever-'
al previous owners. -
"If there's an issue there, we want
to see it taken care of as much as any-
body else," he said
The high MTBE concentrations
could also be due to fluctuating
groundwater levels, Bartle -said. But.
Mannes said that while the DEC
thought this could be the cause initial-
ly, high concentrations continued to
appear after the tanks were tested
But determining responsibility will
be difficult because of the numerous
spills frorn. the site: Regardless;
There's a problem there, and it has to
be addressed," Mannes said: • • -
. 'There, were other problems in Jack-
sonville
acksoinale with. ills from undetermined
sources, In 1986, monitoring a a
showed 7ffiat a separate, spill could be
"l was frustrated_ , and. I've ,l .
- een :frustrated ever
,
since.: The water. question
Jacksonville's future
comes up every four or
beginning
five Years,-. and then -it
Efforts are again to get
water to Jacksonville. Resident Diane
gets dropped just as
Hillmim and a handful of other Jack -
sonville residents are involved in a
fast.'
water committee that's part of the
I"
Jacksonville Community Association
-- Jodi Marshall, a Jacksonville
in the hopes•that the hamlet will even -
resident who has had problems
hially get a municipal water system.
' with her well
• "We have to continue to move for-
ward to provide water from a clean
and.reliable source to everybody
•
there," Hillman said ,
coming from an abandoned gasoline
In addition to the water committee,
tank at the site of the old Jacksonville
Town Supervisor Doug.Austic is
Variety. Store, just north of the station
expecting price estimates from three
`on Route 96, but a home with a conta-
engineering companies that would
minated well across the street from
study different ways to bring in water.
the old store was eventually included
The most likely option is Bolton
in Mobil's buyout. • •
Point in Ithaca, which could also pro -
In 1985, a kitchen tap sample at591
vide water fo'r other town residents,
Jacksonville Road, south'of the gas
Austic said.
station and the direction of the spill, -
And state Assemblyman Marlin,.
revealed high levels of benzene,�-
Luger, D -125th District — who was
toluene and xylene.
irtLvaSesTown S i m 1984
A carbon filtration system waste
said he has told Austic a will
installed and subsequent -testing
support any water -related grants the
showed lower levels, but a report on
town applies,for-
the cause or source of the oontamina-
Luster considers himself one of . .
tion graved inconclusive.
The possibility of new MTBE cont-
original supporters of municipal water
in Jacksonville. He said when l►e-was ..
amination concerned Walter Hang,
supervisor that, dhythiag less than
president of Toxics Targeting in Itha-
ca, which maps and profiles spills -and •
municipal water in the hamlet was
only the illusion of a solution, some -
other toxic sites across New York for
thing he still believes.
engineering consultants,. government
agencies, financial institutions, atter-
still feel strongly that Jacksonville ,
neys and homebuyers. Hang said
will remain a semi-ghost,town until a'
water system is brought there," he
MTBE is water soluble and can
migrate far from the origin of the spill.
He added that groundwater plumes
in general can be extremely complicat-
ed, splitting into smaller plumes and
going in all different directions.
"The most important action, when '
it comes to remediating big- gasoline i
spills, is to avoid delay,". Hang said "If
you wait, the problem gets bigger."
s<_
.........""-- -- - !
.1•• ti . . 7
•
Digv
cups
i
•
J
e
��n,ja�on
The wotercommittee'of the community association meets once
month
o
The Jacksonville Community
' Association met for their monthly meet- •
The water committee for the
Jacksonville Community Association
ing recently to plan several Itdms of
.
meets once a month and consists of five
mon•
residents who are active on the commit -
Concerns over water problems in the
locale continue to be on the agenda for
tee. Their next meeting is April 22.
They also
association members. Suzanne
wM report at the association`s
next regular business meeting.
Motlierall, who works with the Cornell
Cooperative Extension
* In other Association news, there is a :
. Community
possibility that a small faizners' market
Links Program, continues to attend
meetings to help solve whatever issues
-will be built on Route 96, near Ulysses
Square. Six to eight local farmers from
are important to the community.
the 71•umansbuig area would sell their
The hamlet is looking for alternative
produce should the market be estab-
sources of water. One alternative is to
fished. It may open as soon as the
-pump water- from T -burg to
month of May. #
Jacksonville. Trumansburgis now look-
ing for a community well, but it would
The community is invited to an
Arbor. Day and Earth Day celebration '
- cost $2 million to establish. Jacksonville -
in Jacksonville April 24. See story page i
can dig thein' own well a few thousand
feet down
S.
to lake level or the hamlet can
And, a park cleanup day is being
pull water from Ithaca. The Town of
Ulysses has three engineers developing
,
scheduled again for this spring or sum- j
proposals that will tell how much engi-
neering groups will charge for studies,
mer.
The public is encouraged to attend
continued on page 16
j
Trumansburg Free Press
April 14, 1999
W
on
v�l1e
eeKS'�id
Wang =• ��:: � .... •:
s � � - ""
Funding proposals for.the hamlet
ore more likely,if residents state
specifically what they need
BYGItACE ia+oiF'"� ': �'`'""= '...''" -the -Post Office for Jody
' � • • Marshall; 'add -•i
"Make a list of wants. This advice
^~ "
' 'them to posted list or � them to
Grace Wolf at PO Box 218..
has been'rgiven -to "the Jacksonville
Community Association by Suzanne
Discussion' also returned to munici-
Motheral, advisor from the Extension
Servi town
pal water for Jacksonville. Austic cau-
tinned that it will take time, perhaps as
.and
Austi,supervisor Doug
much as ten years, because there is a
At the April 15 meeting'of the assdci-
chance that municipal water will' be
anon, Austic repeated that the hamlet is
managed on a regional basis. The study
needed for a water
more -Lely. to be included g in funding
Proposals if residents'comb up. with a
proposal awaits
funding, but must be done first.
'The
list of specific wants. Those can- then be
turned into a proposal with the help of
next water committee .meeting
will be on April 27, and May 20 is the
county Planners. When this preliminary
date of the next Jacksonville
Community Association meeting.
work is completed, the town can include
the Jacksonville proposal in applications
Tom Reitz, president of the associa-
for grants like the Transportation
Enhancement Act.
tion, announced that the tentative date
for the park cleanup and dish -to -pass is
Some of the ideas mentioned at the
the third -Sunday in June. A new picnic
meeting included sidewalks and relining
table in the park was make by Dave Gell
route 96 where it passes through the
hamlet. Everyone at the
and his Black Locust group.
Julie Jordan and Dick Coogan are
meeting
agreed to come to the next meetingwith
a list
working on the plan for a Jacksonville
' f��� market. Most likely, they
of ten items that will enhaitce1fe
will
in Jacksonville. Others are invited to
suggest a Jacksonville Day event for
this
make up their lists and drop them off at
year
Trumansburg Free Press
April 21, 1999
Ithaca Journal
April 21, 1999
EDrrORTAL
t
.,j ..
onvflks
.water world
a mtxuiL 91. item .
Why N p , remains
the o viable and safe solution .
The key jobs'far any gaveinment:revolve around
pubilic works and safety issues. In that regard, various
levels of bureaucracy haven't done doing right by the
people of Jacl�oiiviile. .
For toolong, the'residents of this crossroads hamlet
-in the'heart of Ulysses have had to worry about: water
quality. A series of underground spills from a gas sta-
tion prenously released thousands of gallons of gaso-
line into the hamlet's groundwater and contaminated
private wells.
Ten years ago, Mobil Oil was forced to buy several
homes whose wells were contaminated. Six of them
remain vacant today. Ten years'later, there are more
questions than answers about local water quality.
There also remainsastunning lack of details about a
1997 spill — the fourth since 1971— and its impact on
the hamlet's groundwater.
Jacksonville residents have been given short shrift
thrbughout this tangled process. At this juncture; a
concerted push toward creating a municipal water sys-
tem is the only responsible solution. .
This chaotic story is best illustrated by the fact that
in 1988, a Jacksonville resident asked the federal
Agency for Tooac Substances and Disease Registry to
-assess the quality of the hamlet's water.
The agency finally issued a 13 -page report last week
The person who had originally asked for the study died
�. during its 14 -year compilation.
Gratefully, there: is some progress being made today
t toward developing a safe and controlled water system.
Two engineenng companies have submitted bids for
doing a hamlet -wide water study. Jacksonville Com-
munity Association'
om-
munityAssociation President'ibm Reitz is meeting
i this week with Mobil Oil representatives in hopes of
getting more definitive groundwater data Most
impor-tantly, there is a growing, collective vision toward mod-
ernizing a hamlet that has potential, if needed changes
are made.
Assemblyman Martin Luster, D-lZth Distr4 — a
former Town of Ulysses Supervisor — says he'll sup-
port any water -related grants the town applies for,
adding, "I still feel strongly that Jacksonville wi11
remain asemi-ghost town until a water system is
L brought there." '
Town of Ulysses Zoning Officer Alex Rachun says,
`. "Jacksonville is considered a hub, but it's a hub that
has a Iof of vacant homes. Those houses aren't going to
be marketable without a clean bill of health."
Tb bring an end to this unfortunate chapter in Jack-
: sonviIle history, government agencies and private
interests must work together in.a timely fashion. '
Kudos to those hamlet residents who have stuck it out
and worked together toward positive change _ in the
J jf(o�r�mp
of a Mmucipal water system— on this troubling
N
Sgo
0
As residents of Jacksonville
we were very glad to see the in-
depth
sdepth articles ("Trouble
Waters," March 6, Page lA and
"Feds: Jacksonville spill should-
n't affect health," Page lA,
Aril 16) concerning the Mobil
Oil gasoline Ieak and resulting
problems it has mused. Howev-
er,
oweyer, we would suggest that the
scope of the issue, its conse-
quences and the importance of
its resolution were underesti-
mated.
Jacksonville is not an isolated
place on the far side of the plan='
et and the problem is not limit-
ed to our hamlet. The containi-
nation directly affects all resi-
dents of the Town of Ulysses,
Tompkins County, and the
Cayuga Lake watershed.
The six vacant properties in
Jacksonville are a considerable
loss since no families can live
there, and the land is essentially
"condemned." This means less
tax revenue for the Trumans-
burg School District since Mobil •
pays taxes on properties with a
low assessed value. The empty
deteriorating houses contribute
to a setise of decline that further
affects the tax base by suppress-
ing sales and selling •prices of
homes in the hamlet. . -
This town must attract busi-
nesses as well as moderate and
upper income residences. It can-
not depend on residential prop-
erty alone. However, there can-
not be any growth in the Town
of Ulysses until the water issues
are resohved.
Besides that, the current
water is unstable and needs to
be addressed for the well-being
of everyone in the area. It will
become increasingly difficult to
attract people to spend their
money on housing in a town
with a minimal tax base and no
firm plans to provide clean
water for the inhabitants.
Trumansburg is already hav-
ing problems meeting the exist-
ing needs of the village for pure
water. We now have a land pian,
but arty increase in buildine any-
where in the Town of Ulysses
without municipal Water means
another well into an aquifer that
is already being depleted too
rapidly and another septic sys-
tem that further Pollutes the
ground water that is part of the
Cayuga watershed.
Thanks to the press (The
Ithaca Journal and the Tru-
mansburg Free Press) for their
help informing the people in
Tompkins County and in the
Cayuga watershed about the his-
tory and current difficulties with
thi water in our area.
The good news is that the
recent resurgence in interest has
encouraged local citizens, coun-
ty aeeactes, and elected officials
to begin working together to
find a resolution to the water
issue; when the Department of
Environmental Conservation
and Mobil get back into the pic-
ture in a positive way, it will
speed up the progress that is
already in the works • .
Richard Coogan
and Diane Hlllmann
Jacksomfle, April 21
;Jacksonville, Mobil
bcg.i.`n-,`-_'SPffl
..
• By RICHARD �C. BLACK
Special to the Journal
t JACKSONVILLE — The presi-
dent of the Jacksonville Community
.;Assddadon had good news Wednes-
day.night for residents of this hamlet
who have been adversely affected by
numerous fuel spills over the past 28
:yew
' Tom Reitz -said at a meeting of the
association's water committee that he
and three other officials met with rep-
resentatives of the Mobil Oil Corp.
April 21 -to discuss both the- current
status of Jacksonville's groundwater
and future efforts to'dean it up.
"It's the first contact that we have
had with (Mobil) in seven years and I
was absolutely pleased .with it," said.
Reitz:.'
While he admitted that no definite
r agreements were reached at the meet-
ing,.Reitz did feel that just starting a
., .dialoque with Mobil was an important.
step m resolving the hamlet's long-
standing groundwater.problems. •
According. to Reitz; the following
officials -were also present at the meet-
ing:• Ulysses Supervisor Douglas Aus-
tic, Zoning Officer Alex Rachun, and
ohn Andersson of -the Tompkins
County Environmental Health office.
In 1971, 1979 .and 1986, under-
ground spills from a gas station at the
corner of Route 96 and Jacksonville
Road, once. ownedby Mobil, released -
thousands of gallons of gasoline into
Jacksonville's groundwater and subse-
-queritly. contaminated private- wells in
the area. -
Nlobil sold the station in 1982 and
now owned_ by the Blue Ox Corp. - open meeturg with the. officals for the
of Oxford,. N.Y., as both a BP gas sta- week of May 20.
!
tion- and Nice 'N' Easy.convenience
store.
Tlid New York State Department
of Environmental Conservation began
cleaning up the spills in 1987 and
Mobil -eventually agreed to buy seven.
houses through a consent agreement
that it reached with -the state -,in 1988.
One resident eventually bought back
his house, but six are still. vacant
because the wells remain contaminat-
ed. .
The DEC has since identified a
. new spill, which it says occurred at the
station's pump island in 1997. Both
Mobil and Blue Ox claim the spill isn't
their responsibility.
According to a December report
by DEC -contracted engineers, soil
samples- taken near the gas station
found concentrations of gasoline com-'
ponent MTBE ranjing from *339 to
39,865 parts per bilhon, and levels of
the carcinogens benzene, toluene,
ethyl benzene and.xylene, collectively
known as BTEC ranking. from 152 to
260,060 parts per billion. Floating
petroleum product was also visible in
the -groundwater.
As -•a result of -last Wednesday's
meeting, members.of.the .commudity
association's water committee hope
tharthe next couple of -weeks will
prove to be a key moment 'to .take
definitive action .on the contamination
problems and to-possii ly bring a
miinicipai water supply to the area.
The water committee also hopes to
work with the Ulysses Planning Board
and with Austic to make the municipal
water supply a reality. It's planning an
Ithaca Journal
Thursday, April 29, 1999
Water for Toyvri W -M Cost _
Money and Talcoe.Thne
its• not Jacksonville, it's the whole town; and beyond, Town
Superivisor DougAvstic Says
&X Gk4CEW,6LF
,The:��'��.,���nyille Cam.muna•t.y
AsdO6,%A4n ;.sted a meeting .te deal
with waer'issues.on May -20 at Close'
Hall -in Jacksonville. Discussion cen-
tered on what the town is -doing to pro-
vide an Improved water ;$upply for..
Jacksonvil14 ke'on* .
.Chaired by water committee head
Diane Salman; the meeting providdd-a
forum for questionb And answers about•
plans -to improve the w9ter supply. Town'
Supervisor Doug A.ustic,- County
Enviromi3ental Health Director John
A.ndgraon; County Representative
Petor Benninm and planning • board
mem* Xm—Cail responded to a;.3ist of
questions drams up bymember•¢'of}e
water•cobuiiittee.
The lust step to get a'gMt or'loau is {
a stt*ydithe •townt$ needs-ind pbs$ib]e'
.-solu;�ions. • . �'`,�i` �'�. • `. g' ilii of _
Barton and 'Ttakdid%�v 'has. die contract
to dQ tt e'Uljrs'sb$ stydy, which will cost
$11,70Q, Supei f}i• Austic $aid that he
has been a'46 by le gator Marty
Luster .that, w en Jhe ate budget .is
,finally passed, Ltil tex will bap, 4.7.0 to
release moin6y -to -pay for •the Water
study.
In addition to the study for bringing
in water, the engineers hai#e been a$ked
to make a study of providing -sewers for
matQY $25,009. Th '.Ops axe sepa-.
rate,' hut. if. bdth -v&( -Viid sewer, --are
approved, the lines could be installed at
'the same time,, resultuig in economics in
.construction costs.
A solution is being sought, said
Austic, not just for Jacksonville's water
lreeds,' -but town -wide' and perhaps
kjeyond. . • - .. .
There is •a need to be a little far-
sighted, to :see that there may be other
probldins down the line and provide for
them. Keys Cael pointed out that the .
state looks favorably ori intei ri�unicipal-
waterr,W :organizations:
binding for some projects can come
from 'federal' or state grants •dr from
bonds which are paid from. local taxes,
said.At.deze�n,
-designates projects f.oz •tl►e Ir
revolving loan fund. Th4. prgject must
be cpm .tgly:plaAned• an-d.:�r+gr
be ' :to start as soon as'ii is undgrl;
he acice8►
Anderson said that the couaty ha-s'a
water 'resource council and has funded .
an aquifer study as part of the water
quality strategy plan, He Minitted that
.the county isnot doing a lot to educate
the public *on water issues, but there care
'-sources fdr••the information, Udluding
Sharp Ande'rs-on, educator at the
Exte iiigtAervice. -
Resitlents•- than questioned the
the town. The cost of both studies or
providing sewers would -be approxi- continuert on page 16
Trumansburg Free Press
May 26, 1999
Water'
continued' -
amount of input the -public would h
into -the project. Approval of the'la
project like this water proposal is s
ject to public, referendum, 'Aut
explained, as -well as -public- hearings
along thkline.
In response to allegations of hold
"secreta' meetings, Austic said that. i•
sometimes . more efficient to hold .�
.during conversations, as for examl
when discussing funding for the wa
study
Austic said -that the project is lot
term, There will probably not be a v
this -year; it will. be two to three ye:
before Vre%Tdng .ground. Don' Sola,
Swan2F liege Road,urged that t
'boaid make•pure•that everybody in 1
..to** I tYdlved and that the plan. mi
wafer needs for 20 years from'now.
N'chair'dlmari asked that 1
vaean propel es•'in Jadksonville wh
were chased by the - Mobil 't
CAm'en _the spill was dem
Zbwn . bR Qr Alex Rack
said '. � is meetingAe terns
the agx'__ Iteeping p #he-htiuses
s2' 1»: .�13ey hep- up the m
- �,ir J e liotiBesv XQ
woulillnefit from •geitingii�
P,. �,. ,.:l e;pointed.out,.: r..
Dinds. No.'.
lei
- in W.. .
l f seven evo,cuoted h6 nes ore to be reinhabited,. tvwr2 'shauld�get :
municipal water: :. - .
& G&4CE -WOLF leve, xylene; � et'hylene• and metkryl ter,
The US.' 1?ublic 'health . Sexvice on . ,�' butyl .ether were present, but'
were below levels of health concern..,,
June 9,.1999;'published a -report about However, in. 19$8 seperi families
FasolirPe that. sps'�ed at a .Jacksoiiv a were.relooated, Mobil..0i1 Co - - 7 ::1
:gas station from.197V.fd 1987..'A1997 .•. ' ri°'
i'heir-boines and all,but one still stand .
= ap'>l is stili being evaluated.
vaoartt...e report; of the Agency .for
If the seven homes with contaminat- '!We Substance an8 bisease Registr3 .
ed water are to be habitable again, the, (A`SDFiJ advises residents not to relo-
rep
•.ort recommends that the town gets cate to cor iwwnated,residences at this
municipal water supply instead of rely . time. - I they should wish to relocate in
ittg .on Private. wells... The wells ,still the future, they should contact the local•
don`t test -clear.' A deeper well was dug eall+h departrnent. • .The one resident
at of the hoznea, l ut'the water stili who recur e'd brings iui water- -from
didn't pass drinking water standards.- • .another toff for eoolang:and :drinking. -
Aresiclent of Jacksonvillerequested• The eoininunity contuiues to be con -
au irivestigatiori of the.effects'of gases _ • earned with the site and related health
rule leaks 1n.1971, 1979 and 1986. In .issues.' Jacksoinvilie residents want'to
19'19;, the'largest spill occurred: t1iow_whether the contaniiiiation-.c:an
Approximately 4,OUp to 10,000 gallons be ' totavy removed.. In 1987, three '
of gasoline were.released. This led to i nderground gasoline. storage tanks
the .contamination of groundwater and ',, and approximately 2,000 tons of conta�
priYate wells serving 98 persops.in sett- .. - .
en homes. The report states that tuo- ' cohtinked do page'17
Trumansburg Free Press
June. 30, 1999 .
con#iued`,'
'minated soil were.•removed near. 'tl:
tanks: Mobil Oil has be'en•remediatin
the contaminated ground ' water sine
-.988 liy a recovery treatment syster
Mobil conducts.rnonthty,.quarterly:ar:
annual samplings of groundwatei: '
The. report states *.the Highest col
centrations of benzene,: tuolene ar
xylene were located. at two homes dm
gradient horn the service statjo:
.The'se, a_re-. -naw : among 'the empi
.homes.
..one•• conclusion - that the ATSD
arrives at•is that the gniieveloped pro;
arty*. in the path. of •the eontarninat(
groundwater plumemay, be corita&
nated now, or'in the future. The.phm
is currently moving in a north.to nort
-easterly direction; • away frvm..existir
•hones and toward'presently .andeve
oped'argas. •
The'agency's recommendations ar
first, that residents should not reloca
to contaminated residences;until a sa
source:.otliHnking. water is .a aikab
and indoor air is.&led for poUnti
volatile organic. compounds._ Secon
alternatiye.sources-ofwater (municipg
should • be provided ' to - homes wi-
' domestic wells, that have contan roan
detected abave,lieKlih.comparison-v.
ues'. .-Third, the - New• York . Sta
Ulysses finds estimates for water system too high
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Bishop, Lauren
Date:
Aug 11, 1999
Start Page:
A.2
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count: 512
Document Text
By LAUREN BISHOP
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - A municipal water system for the Town of Ulysses could cost anywhere from $$@$!4.2 million to $$@$!5.8
million, a recent draft study says.
But town officials think residents would find the projected annual costs too hard to swallow and are telling the study's
engineers to go back to the drawing board.
Aside from a few properties, Ulysses is almost entirely serviced by private wells. Many residents have water quality and
quantity problems, particularly in the hamlet of Jacksonville, where several fuel spills from a gas station in the 1970s
and 1980s contaminated private wells and rendered seven homes uninhabitable.
In May, the Ulysses Town Board commissioned Barton and Loguidice Consulting Engineers of Syracuse to conduct an
$$@$!11,700 study of possible sources for a town water system. Water studies have been done before, but grant
applications to fund a system have been unsuccessful, and many residents weren't willing to pay higher taxes for it.
Town officials don't think residents would be willing to pay the annual fees estimated in this newest study, either. If the
town doesn't receive any grant funding for the water system and instead takes out a 38 -year loan with a 4.5 percent
interest rate, residents in the water district could pay anywhere from $$@$!1,269 to $$@$!1,808 yearly.
The water study examined four potential sources of water for a municipal water system: Cayuga Lake, a new
groundwater supply, the Town of Ithaca's water supply and the Village of Trumansburg's water supply. The system
proposed by the study would deliver water to Jacksonville and homes along Route 89 from Crowbar Point to the Ithaca
town line.
The study says drawing water from Trumansburg, at $$@$!4.93 million, would be most cost effective. In addition to
annual operating costs, it would cost the town $$@$!75,876 per year to buy water from the village.
Communities can receive grants for water systems, but they usually don't qualify unless their median household income
is less than $$@$!32,965, the study says. Ulysses has a median household income of $$@$!33,133, according to the
1990 U.S. Census.
But town officials believe the lakefront properties along Route 89 might have pushed up that number. Supervisor Doug
Austic said he has asked Barton and Loguidice to investigate delivering water to Jacksonville and homes along Route
89 separately, in case an income survey the town wants to have done shows that the median household incomes in
Jacksonville are low enough to qualify for funding.
Austic is also asking the engineers to find ways to bring down the cost of a water system.
Austic also said Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th District, and state Sen. John "Randy" Kuhl, R -52nd District,
secured $$@$!27,000 in state funds to cover the costs of the water study and a sewer study, which is also being
conducted by Barton and Loguidioe.
Town officials plan a public meeting with engineers from Barton and Loguidice to discuss the study, perhaps next
month. Residents can look at the study in the Ulysses Town Hall at 10 Elm St. New York Northeast
1 of 2 111/2/13 2:13 PM
Ulysses finds estimates for water system too high - The Ithaca J...
LOCAL; Pg. 2A
hitp://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/ithacajoumal/doct896729376.htm...
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
Many residents have water quality and quantity problems, particularly in the hamlet of Jacksonville, where several fuel
spills from a gas station in the 1970s and 1980s contaminated private wells and rendered seven homes uninhabitable.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
2 of 2 11/2/13 2:13 1'M
Jacksonville prepares
well awareness month
Ulysses hamlet environmental educator fir Cor-
nell Cooperative Extension.
residents can At 7:30•p.m. tin Thursday.
Sept. 16 in the Trumanshurg
have Water tested Elementary School cafeteria.
U.S. Geological Survey hydrulti-
AromJoumalStaff iaP° gist William Kappel will speak
about the geology affecting wells
The Jacksonville Communtry in the area and what activities
Association and Cornell Coop- affect water supply and quality.
erative Extension of Tompkins The Well 'awareness month
County a=re sponsoring a sones will culminate in a well fair.
of programs this month to help 'which will he held at 7:30 p.m.
Ulysses residents learn more on Thursday. Sept. 30 in the
about theirwelis. Along with the -Jacksonville Community
programs. well Church.
testing will be Aside from a few Test results
offered for arty
residents intewill he avail-
r- properties, Ulysses ahle 10resi-
ined in testing dents who par -
their water is almost entirely ticipated in the
sources. Some serviced by.private testing pro-
funda will be yam
available for Wells. Many - Experts will
reduced testing he nn hand to
fees for low- residents have help interpret
income fa nd
li Water quality and the text results
and suL�_est
seniors. , quantity problems, slime stratcaies
Tonight's for improving
irogram. at particularly in the waier.quaiin•.
1:30•p.m. in the hamlet of Residents will
lacksonvillealso have the '
o m m u n i ty Jacksonville, where opportutiiry to
:boron, will several fLiel spills talk to each
ocus on specif- p other about
c information from a Jacksonville how to
ti ieeded to improve the
nanage a well. gas station in the water situation
t n d e r stand 1970s and 1980s in L'i}tks
iow it works aside from
.nd know what contaminated a few proper -
an go wrong. tics: lelvsses is
T e s t i n g: private wells.
almost entireiv
n f o r m a t i o n se:x iG�ti by p_
nd kits will be vale wells.
vailable for Ulvsses residents Nlanv residents have water
lio would Gleeto participate in quality and quantity prohlums.
:sting their wells for common particularly in the hamlet of
rohlems Jacksonville. where several fuel
Presenters will be Audrey spills from aJackseinville eras sta-
�alander. public health sanitari- tion in the 1970s and 19A ctmt-
n -for the Tompkins County aminated private wells and run-
nvironmental Health Depatx- dered seven homes uninhabit-
rent. and Sharon Anderson. able.
Ithaca Journal
Sep-tetnber 14; 1999
14,
T _6 w Watcr hr .
ns
vets this ' `bAc'-
Residents test water, hear•from experts. ori water -issues through
September
,• •
• BY ELIZABETH REDDICK '
how our actions affect our water's dual- .
'Ity
How Well is Your Well?
The'- "Well Fair' is slated for, j
The -Cornell Cooperative:Extension
September 30 in the Jacksonville
and 'J a c It s o.n v it I e •C oxa rh u n i t y
,' Community Church at 7.30pm..In addi= • {
Asssacistion "nt:you to know. :
tion 'to receiving water; test results, ,a
Well water events wJIl' be held in.
-number.of experts will suggest strate- :.
town this September, featuring' guest
gies for improvin* water quality. 713is
speakers and informational meetings.'
event is also intended to gather•'commu-
- Maintaining your well, and local• geolo-
nity members to talcs about how they
gy and aqui%z s will be diacnssed:
can work together toimprove and mi}in- .
Learn to protect -the titglity of your
.,tain good water. Assemblyman Marty
water, learn vhy -routine testing in '
-Luster willattend this went. - '
important,.hoav to interpret test results'
The Jacksonville -Community
and beinttoduced io treatinent optionsAsstit
ation,ie co; sparisoring these pFo-
• : atthe'programs:
grams along with' the' Clarnell
Well basits and testing was conduct-
. Cooperative�Extension:
•ed'on September .l4 at the Jacksonville
_
.. Sharon* Anderson, a coordinator of
Community Church::Audrey Balander;'
the event, explains the programs are.
Public -Health Sanitarian, Tompkins
located in Jacksonville and.•Ulysses
; �. County Environmental Health' Dept:,
because of r�nr� Q �qj+^^.ts have With
• ••und-.Sharon Anderson, Environmezrtal
their water, although• residents of all
jEdticator, ;Cornell Cooperative
lohal towns are invited. The topic is OR
Extension of lompkiins'County were on .
• particular concern toresidents in
hand at flits' gathering, as was Katrie
Jacksonville because of their history of .
r DiTella, Water Quality Educator at'
: some problems with their wate4 after a•
CornellUniversity. Some residents had .
1970s oil spill contaminated some of the
water gathered and tested at thin fist
wells there, Anderson says.
event; results wM be revealed at -a Well
..:-Ihe prpgram was initiated by the
Rak September 30. '
Janksonville ,Community -Association."
~ Two events•- are forthcoming this
She explains, many .in Jacksonville
September- "Ground' Water;' -Aquifers•
thmi*f only the spill -when they' think`of.
and Your Well" is the. name of a program
their water,, but tbire are things that,
At the Truitianabu Elem` entarySchooI
they don't know, that is -related to water.
on September 16. • William. Keppel,
and not the.spiil,.such as local aquifers;
hydrogeologist with the US Geological
and caring fnr your. weds.
Survey, will: present information about
Fbr more information.on the event
the.geologyaffeWngwells hi this region
call Sharon' Anderson. at the Cornell,
of*New York state.' He'll also speak on.;
Cooperative Exteinsiom at 272 2292.
Trumansburg Free Press
September 15, 1999
jacics� 'vi1 e W -.Parte
gram
a Sttcc!es&.
Over 40' attended events that centered ori the health of their drink-
ing ,water
arcrUCZ Wolk
Both meetings -of the Jacksonville
Community Association and
Cooperative Extension Well Awareness
.program were attended by over 407res=
idents:of jhe Town of Ulysses.
The ,first .Well Awareness meeting
was devoted to well.health and manage-
ment. Held at the 'Community Church
in Jacksonville, the meeting was.
.attended by an overflow crowd who
heard Audrey Balander and Sharon
Anderson talk about wells, their man-
agement and common problems.
Balander is.a public. health sanitarian
with the Tompkins County
Environmental Health Department,
and Anderson is 'an Environmental
Educator with the extension service.
More than twenty people took well -
testing kits home and handed over their
samples to Dick Coogan the following
morning. These samples will be tested
by Buck Labs and the results will be
ready for the Well Fair on September
30. Possible contaminants to test for
bacteria, nitrates, lead and other conta-
minants including chromium, iron and
sodium. Each homeowner could choose
which tests to have done.
The Jacksonville Community
T
-.Association paid the first ten dollars of
the cost of the tests, Buck labs gave the
owners a Zb percent discount and
homeowners paid the balance.
On Thursday,. September 16,
William Koppel gave an interesting talk
on the• geology of the region and its
effects on available water. ' He
explained what an aquifer, is,"and the
types'.of wells that can tap into water
sources. He spoke of what happens
when too many people tap into a water
source, and how the type of *soil and
rock can affect athe amount and quality
of water available in the'area.
The final meeting in this series,' the
"Well Fair," will be at 7:30 on Thurs&3;
September 30 at the Jacksonville
Community Church. At that time,
those whose water was tested will
receive the results and experts «ill be
available to advise on dealing with any
problems that are found. More infor-
mation sheets «ill be available at the
meeting, and remedies for water prob-
lems wiU be discussed. ' -
The series of•informational meetings
have been eery well attended. They
were sponsored by the Jacksonville
Community Association and the
Cooperative Extension Office. Concern
about water quality and avoiding conta-
mination of our own wells proves -to be
a topic of concern throughout the town-
ship'.
FINGER LAKES COMMUNM NEWSPAPERS / SEPTEMBER ZZ. 1999
ackon .
Re's identrs- y et- lest �esuK . .
BY GRACE WOLF
In his remarks, J!k praised the .
More than forty_ -five Town -of" Ulysses
-Jacksonvfile•CommumtyAssdieiation for
attended. the. final" Well
their -work on Well Awareness. He also
'
- .resid-erits
Awareness' meeting in'�aeksonv9l.:on
pointed out that both. Assemblyman
- September :19.. State Assemblyman-
Marty Luster ,and State- Senator
'Randy" Kuhn have been:-insturmental
NFarty Luster, Town Board member_
Carolyn Duddl.eston and Tow
in -obtaining -the needed fdunds for the'
.
Supervisor Douglas Austic also attend -
townwide water and: sewer studies. He
`ed.-
said the engineers arae still --considering
- .After a welcome from Peg , -Coogan
wa to: et water to the -town a lower
� g - '
and :Diane Hillman, Marty Luster took
cost than. -their current estimate. The
-the floox_..to compliment community
. -engineers will present their findings'at
-a public meeting within a..montli, hg,
members for,their- initiative in .running
added. .
the. -program. He congratulated . the
..large number of -residents for partici-
Those resideriis who had brought ,
pating in order to educate themsWe' s
water, sarnpies. to be tested were given
on.how to maintain a healthy water sup- `
the results• of the tests, and�ieople hada-
-chance.
ply,
to• visit the exhibits. The only
In her welcoming remarks,. Ms.
water treatment company -at the meet -'-
-•
Coogan. pointed'out -that the assistance_
in -the was Master Water Conditioning-
_
of the Tompkins County Cooperative
4Qorporation. A three-duttlensional mod- •
. el manned by Dick Coogan showed
Extension Service and :Conimuriitx
.how
..waste that might contain contaminants
Links.'• facilitator Suzanne • Motheral
:can get.into the ground water Another
have beeninvaluable:; She also thanked
= three-dimensional model showed how.
Audrey Ballinger' of the Tompkins water moves:in.the aquifer and what the
County Health Department forher pre-
different types of:wells look like.
:.sentations:atithe meetings,
` The-,high:mtere"st.:n..wellfi and.:their
Suzanne :Mothdral . thinked Town,
_
sources has enaourag d:the. JCA'tb con-
Supervisor'Zloug Rustic for saying At
"community
side'r a.prograinTfor people io checiC the
one point that the has to.
take responsibility.and.•figure,this. out."..
health of .their -septic -systems.A i the.
spring
Motheral. feels that this. -mo* bilized the.
JXCA to go ahead with the.program.
Trumansburg Free Press
October 6, 1999
,,XZumansbur.g. Free Press
MTBE additive levels alarm Jacksonville, DEC
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Bishop, Lauren
Date:
Nov 11, 1999
Start Page:
A.4
Section:
LOCAL
Text Wont Count: 399
Document Text
By LAUREN BISHOP
Journal Staff
JACKSONVILLE - Strict new state standards for a contaminant found at the site of the Mobil gas station - now occupied
by a BP gas station and a Nice 'N' Easy convenience store - make Jacksonville's water situation even more critical.
This week, Gov. George Pataki ordered the state Department of Environmental Conservation to reduce the amount of
MTBE (methyl tertiary butyl ether) allowed in surface and groundwater from 50 to 10 parts per billion.
MTBE is a so-called oxygenating agent added to gasoline to make it bum cleaner in engines. While its advocates claim
MTBE has contributed to a substantial reduction in air pollution, critics claim it can be a health hazard when
underground gasoline tanks rupture and MTBE gets into wells and water supplies.
But just in the last two years, MTBE levels in Jacksonville have been at least as high as 40,000, which has led the DEC
to believe there could be a new spill from the site.
Richard Brazell, a Department of Environmental Conservation regional spill engineer, said the DEC met with Mobil
representatives Wednesday to discuss the possible new spill.
Mobil now operates a system that pumps out and treats the contaminated groundwater. Monitoring wells also keep track
of the levels of contamination at various sites in Jacksonville.
Mobil contacted the DEC about two years ago because the wells showed an increase in the level of MTBE, and
subsequent DEC testing revealed a free-floating petroleum product in the soil near the station.
The DEC then asked the Blue Ox Corp. of Oxford, N.Y., which owns the station, to pressure test the gas tanks there.
Those tests showed the tanks were "tight," or without leaks. But that doesn't mean there isn't a problem, Brazell said.
"There have been incidents where a tank has tested fight and there's been a leak," he said.
The DEC believes Blue Ox Corp., not Mobil, is responsible for the new spill. Brazell said Mobil has provided
documentation showing that MTBE was not included in its gasoline when it owned the station.
"We will be contacting (Blue Ox) Friday about the possibility of getting them involved in taking over the operation of the
system," he said.
If Blue Ox believes it is not responsible for the spill, the state will take over operation of the treatment system, Brazell
said. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 4A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
While its advocates claim MTBE has contributed to a substantial reduction in air pollution, critics claim it can be a health
hazard when underground gasoline tanks rupture and MTBE gets into wells and water supplies.
I of 2 11/2/13 2:10 PM
MTBE additive levels alarm Jacksonville, DEC -'The Ithaca Jo... http://pgasb.pgarchivercom/ithacajoumal/doet896737873.htm...
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Z of 2 11/2/13 2: I0 PM
Ulysses taps into water proble
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Bishop, Lauren
Date:
Nov 11, 1999
Start Page:
A.1
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count:
860
Document Text
Municipal
system still
a goal for
Jacksonville
By LAUREN BISHOP
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - For 11 years, six homes in the hamlet of Jacksonville have stood vacant, uninhabitable because their well
water is still contaminated by underground spills from a Mobil gas station that date back more than two decades.
The only way the homes, purchased by Mobil in 1988, can be reinhabited is if a municipal water system is established
in the town. Aside from a few properties that receive water from the Village of Trumansburg's water system, Ulysses is
entirely served by private wells.
After several attempts to create a municipal water system in the 1980s failed because of prohibitively high costs to
residents, the town is trying again. On Nov. 16, the Ulysses Town Board will hold a public information meeting to discuss
with residents the possibility of creating a municipal water system not just for Jacksonville, but for other areas of the
town as well.
And town officials are going one step further. Acting on a recommendation from Assemblyman Martin A. Luster, D -125th
District, the Town Board passed a resolution Tuesday night asking the state attorney general's office to reopen its
investigation into the numerous spills that have
See WATER, 4A
Water
(Continued from Page 1A)
plagued the hamlet since the 1970s, hoping Mobil will take some responsibility for paying for a municipal water system.
"We've considered over the years that this isn't getting any better," said Town Supervisor Douglas Austic. "Municipal
water seems to be the only answer, and we want them to reopen the case."
Jacksonville resident Tom Reitz agreed. "We'd like to have some kind of an indication from Mobil Oil that they're. willing
to do something more than just let them sit there and further deteriorate," he said.
Early price too high
In May, the Ulysses Town Board commissioned Barton and Loguidice Consulting Engineers of Syracuse to conduct an
$$@$!11,700 study of possible sources of a municipal water system in the town.
The water study examined four potential sources of water for a municipal water system: Cayuga Lake, a new
groundwater supply, the Town of Ithaca's water supply and Trumansburg's water supply. It proposed delivering water to
1 of 3 111/2/13 2:57 PM
Ulysses taps into water proble - The Ithaca Journal: Archives
both Jacksonville and some homes along Route 89.
hup://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/ithacajoumal/doc/896737874.him...
The initial study also showed that such a system, from any of the four sources, could cost anywhere from $$@$!4.2
million to $$@$!5.8 million and could cost homeowners from $$@$!1,269 to $$@$!1,808 yearly.
Knowing many residents would never approve of such high costs, town officials told the study's engineers to find a way
to expand the system's service area and bring down the cost per homeowner.
The revised study, which the town received last month, shows three new alternatives that would serve additional homes
off Routes 96 and 89 and bring down the cost per user.
Outside help sought
The study says that purchasing water from the Village of Trumansburg would be the most cost-effective option for the
town. But purchasing water from the village in a way that would serve the most homes and be the least expensive for
homeowners would also be the most expensive to construct: $$@$!5.7 million.
That's why the town can't fund the project on its own. The New York State Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund
provides grants to municipalities to finance drinking water infrastructure projects - but only to communities with a
median household income less than $$@$132,965. At the time of the 1990 U.S. Census, Ulysses' median household
income was $$@$!168 too high to qualify.
But town officials think it's likely that Jacksonville has a lower median household income than the lakefront properties
along Route 89, meaning that Jacksonville may qualify for funding for a water system and the Route 89 service area
may not.
So next week, the town will mail out surveys to about 500 households in the largest potential service area next week to
identify the areas of the town that may be eligible to receive grant funding.
Most Jacksonville residents, like Dick Coogan, hope that some grant funding will become available for a water system.
And even though he's concerned with how many people a water system would actually benefit, he credits a recent
well -awareness program sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension with making Jacksonville well owners aware of
the benefits of even a small water system. Fewer people on wells would mean more pressure and quantity for those still
on, he said.
"Part of well awareness was getting people to understand that getting people off the wells makes it better for people
who are on the wells," he said.
And resident Jodi Marshall applauded the board's request of the state Attorney General's office.
"I knew that they were supposed to be doing it, and I was really glad that they followed through on it," she said. "I would
like to see some type of resolution to this."
Houses boarded up, 4A
MTBE levels, 4A
Meeting details
What: A public information meeting to discuss a municipal water system for the Town of Ulysses
When: 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 16
Where: Trumansburg Fire Hall on West Main Street in Trumansburg New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 1A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
Acting on a recommendation from Assemblyman Martin A. Luster, D -125th District, the Town Board passed a resolution
2 of 3 11/2/13 2:57 PM
Tuesday night asking the state attorney general's office to reopen its investigation into the numerous spills that have
See WATER, 4A Water (Continued from Page 1A) plagued the hamlet since the 1970s, hoping Mobil will take some
responsibility for paying for a municipal water system.
Reproduoed with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
3of3 11121132:57 PM
Emotions run
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
freile, Victoria E
Date:
Nov 17, 1999
Start Page:
A.2
Section:
LOCAL
Text Wont Count: 536
Document Text
high at Ulysses
water meeting
By VICTORIA E. FREILE
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - Ulysses residents voiced their concerns on the possible sources and effects of a municipal water system in
the town at an information meeting Tuesday night.
"I have nowhere else to get water," said Diane Hillmann of Jacksonville. "I've been told by the health department that
my well is dangerous. There are a lot of people like myself who need this."
Hillmann, along with other Jacksonville residents, continues to suffer because her well iscontaminated by underground
spills from a Mobil gas station that dates back more than two decades.
"This oil spill has affected the (buildings) in Jacksonville to the point where you can't even sell them," Hillmann said.
"They're worth so little."
"I've got 60 acres of beautiful land to build on," said Richard Evans of Perry City Road as he shook his head. "But not
without water."
One woman at the meeting who repeatedly refused to state her name said she strongly opposed the idea of the
municipal water project, because she said she already spent thousands of dollars improving her own water equipment.
"I don't want to have to pay the cost of building a system that I don't plan to use," she said.
The woman also said she feared the addition of the water system would cause a developmental boom in Ulysses, which
in tum would negatively affect her property value.
However, Town Supervisor Douglas Austic said with such a boom, the cost of water service would decrease. "It may
happen," he said. "In fact, it probably will happen, but you can't plan on (a developmental boom to happen,) because it
may not."
Rich Straut of Barton and Loguidice Consulting Engineers of Syracuse outlined the water study, which examined four
potential sources of water for a municipal water system: Cayuga Lake, a new groundwater supply, the Town of Ithaca's
water supply and the Village of Trumansburg's water supply. It proposed delivering water to both Jacksonville and some
homes along Route 89.
Purchasing water from the Village of Trumansburg
would be the most cost-effective option for the town, Straut said. But a system using water purchased from the village in
a way that would serve the most homes and be the least expensive for homeowners would also be the most expensive
to build: $$@$!5.7 million.
That's why the town can't fund the project on its own. The New York State Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund
provides grants to municipalities to finance drinking water infrastructure projects - but only to communities with a
I of 2 11/2113 2:47 PM
Emotions run - The Ithaca Journal: Archives hitp://pgasb.pqarchiver.com/ithacajoumal/doc/896733-541.htm...
median household income less than $$@$132,965. At the time of the 1990 U.S. Census, Ulysses' median household
income was $$@$!168 too high to qualify.
So next week, the town will mail out surveys to about 500 households in the largest potential service area to identify the
parts of the town that may be eligible to receive grant funding.
Chris Till, a water resource specialist at the Northeast Rural Community Assistance Program - the corporation
administering the survey -said in order for the survey to work, he needs everyone to be honest about their household's
gross income on the survey. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Ulysses water meeting; Pg. 2A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
I ... I it probably will happen, but you can't plan on (a developmental boom to happen,) because it may not.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
2of2 1112/132:47 PM
Ni
N
Eng-meers Outline • 1ow n
Water Supply.Options _
Residents urged to fill out survey questionnaire
possible service to residents at the
BY GRACE M. WOLFbest
lowest possible cost.- For the moment,
the decision has been made to start
.A solid turnout of Ulysses residents,
came to the town water information
meeting at the Trumansburg Fire Hall
modestly and bring water to the town in
on November 16. Most of the audience
phases. -
The •original engineers' report turned
understood that this was an informa-
out to be more expensive than Town
tional meeting and seemed to be there
Supervisor Doug Austic thought tax -
.to learn all they could about the pro-
payers could support. So -Chris Nill of
posed municipal water plan. Several
'RHI came on the scene.. His organiza-
members of the. audience agreed with
'tion is a non-profit group that helps rur-
Et# Gatch of Jacksonville that decisions
al areas get the services they need. The
made now to bring in a good supply of
first step is to 'find areas that might
clean water will affect generations to
qua*for grants. -They will do - an
come.
• A representative from Barton and
income survey in (hose parts -of Ulysses
to see if they qualify for help to pay for
Loguidiee, engineers, explained possi-
bringing in the water.
ble water routes and alternatives.
Several plans -for bringing water to the
The places selected for the first
town have been considered and areas
phase are the Jacksonville. area .and
Route 89 from the Ithaca line to Willow
for the first water districts have been
point..Surveys are -in , the mail to resi-
worked out. The goal of the engineers;
dents of these areas..
town officials and the RHI (Northeast
Rural Community'Assistance Program)
Residents are urged to •fill in the
could best be summarized as 'bung the
continued on page 20
Finger Lakes Community Newpapers
November 24, 1999
- 20 FINGER LAKES COMMUNI7y'NEWSPAPERS / NOVEMBER 24, f 9,99
Town Water
continued
questionnaires immediately and send
them in. Stamped addressed envelopes
are provided. Information given
remains completely confidential. In the
event not all the surveys are returned,
volunteers will go out to collect the sur-
veys. A very high percentage return is
necessary to qualify for grant money.
If water is purchased for
Trurgansburg, the costs are as follows:
if only Jacksonville is served, with 110
homes; the cost will be 1.8 million dol-
lars. If Jacksonville and -the Route 89
homes are served, the cost will be 4.2
million dollars. User costs will range
from $740 to $812 per year. After 30
years, the bond will be paid off. The cost
of connecting the home to the water
main will be borne by the homeowner.
Thus, if your home is set back 200 feet,
you will pay more to install pipes than if
your house is only set back 50 feet from
the main.
Some people not included in the des-
ignated areas asked how they could
obtain water. Austic explained that they
could form water districts. Forming a
separate water district linked to. the
town's water mains is a legal process
and could be a lengthy one. But that is
how districts in other towns, Lansing
for instance, • tap into the municipal
water supply.
In response to a resident's comment '
that better water would attract growth,
Austic said he hesitates to say that cer-
tain areas will grow if they have ample
water. Projections are based on the pre-
sent situation. Areas not included now
can be picked up later by referendum - i
in phases. Chris Nill, of the RHI, said
that income eligibility is only one of the
many factors. The grant process will
possibly take years.
Nill explained that those who benefit,
pay. The town borrows money for the
water district and the district pays the
town back. Those who pay for it get
water. A referendum will be held: if the
majority vote yes, the water district is
• formed. If approved, every household in
the district pays a share of the costs,
even if they do not hook up. The reason
for. that is that the opportunity to hook
into the municipal water system
remains, and likely adds to the value of
the property.
Jacksonville. Encouragedby
Town Water St-, d -
y
BY GPACE M. WOLF
At the November 17 Association meet-
ing, Jacksonville residents said they are .
encouraged by the progress the town is
making to provide municipal water.
Diane Hillmann renorted on the
at giving homeowners more information
about keeping .their septic systems
healthy.
Peg Coogan thanked Suzanne
Motheral . for her work with the town
and especially with the Association on-
1
N
Jacksonville Encouraged by
Town Water Study.
B Y GRACE M. WOLF
At the November 17 Association meet -
Ing, Jacksonvilleresidents said they are
encouraged by the progress the town is
making to provide municipal water.
Diane Hillmanu reported on the
town water information meeting of the
previous evening. People from other
parts of the town also have water issoas
that. they would like to see addressed.
-The sense of urgency to solve the prob-
lem is shared by more than just
Jacksonville residents..
Questions such as "Do we have to
hookup if the line passes by our house?"
were answered. No one has to hook up
to municipal water, but if the line passes
by your house, you will be billed a por-
tion of the costs. You can then hook up
to municipal water at a later date.
Volunteers will be needed to complete
the survey of incomes m the area and
several people at the meeting volun-
teered
, President Peg Coogan outlined her
goals as -president for the year. They
include working with the town on the
water survey and doing a septic pro-
gram similar to the well awareness pro-
gram of this year. The program will aim
at giving homeowners more information
about keeping .their septic systems
healthy.
Peg Coogan thanked Suzanne
Motheral for her work with the town
and especially with the Association on.
the Well Awareness program.
Community Links will not be funded
past 1999, -so Suzanne is moving on to
other projects. In her concluding
remarks, she said that the Association
has gotten a great deal done: It is
important to engage with people such as
the Tompkins County Planning Board
and the Cooperative Extension Service.
Moth" cited the continuity of leader-
ship, inter municipal cooperation and
new initiatives as accomplishments of
the Association..She believes that the
work done to date is far-reaching, con-
sequential work..
Treasurer Dick Coogan said that the
Association will need about a thousand
dollars for"the year for such items as
insurance for the park Contributions
are welcome and fund-raisers will be
held. Both the welcome brocbureland
the web page information need to be
updated. The web address is
www.ulyBses.ny.us/JvMe-
Finger Lakes Community Newspapers
November 24, 1999
Mobil not still liable to aid Jacksonville - The Ithaca Journal: Ar...
Mobil not still liable to aid Jacksonville
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Bishop, Lauren
Date:
Dec 14, 1999
Start Page:
A.3
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count:
492
Document Text
By LAUREN BISHOP
Journal Staff
hitp://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/ithacajoumal/doc/896736333.htm...
TRUMANSBURG - Mobil is legally off the hook as far as further responsibility for underground fuel spills from a gas
station that contaminated private wells in the hamlet of Jacksonville in the 1970s and 80s, Town Supervisor Douglas
Austic told the Ulysses Town Board Tuesday night.
Austic said Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th District, called him Tuesday to report the finding by the state attorney
general's office. At Luster's urging, the Ulysses Town Board passed a resolution last month asking the state attorney
general's office to reopen an investigation into the spills.
The board's hope was that Mobil could help pay for a municipal water system in the town or at least Jacksonville, where
six homes are still uninhabitable because of the spills.
Mobil already took some responsibility for the spills in a 1988 settlement with the state attorney general's office, under
which it was required in part to buy out seven homes and treat and monitor the contaminated site.
But Austic said the attorney general's office, with the state Department of Environmental Conservation, was
investigating a probable new spill at the site - now a BP gas station - and determining whether the station's owner, the
Blue Ox Corp. of Oxford, N.Y., is liable.
Austic also reported Tuesday night that results from the town's income survey show that the town probably isn't eligible
for grants for a water system. Some state and federal funding is available for such systems, but normally only if the
median household income is below $$@$!32,965. The town received about 40 percent of its surveys back, and the
area with the lowest median income - Jacksonville - was still too high at about $$@$!38,400.
The next step, Austic said, is to consider going door-to-door in Jacksonville to get the remaining surveys back to see if
they would bring that number down. Also, Jacksonville residents - or any group of residents in the town -have the option
of petitioning the town board for a water system.
According to town law, a petition to establish a water district must be signed by at least 25 property owners or 5 percent
of the property owners within the proposed water district, whichever is less.
The Town Board must then hold a public hearing on the proposed district and determine, among other things, whether it
is in the public interest to establish the district.
If borrowing money would be necessary to fund the district, as it would likely be anywhere in Ulysses, the town must
also get the approval of the state comptroller before establishing the district.
Jacksonville resident Dick Coogan said he thought there would probably be enough interest in the hamlet to petition the
Town Board.
"I guess a lot of people will be disappointed that Mobil couldn't be made to pay, but I guess that was quite a bit of an
outside chance," Coogan said. Energy Resource; Oil New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 3A
I of 11121132:07 PM
le—
bm New. spill
possible - -in
Jacksonvi4e
By. LAUREN Bl5HOP
Journal Staff
j�'
cc JACKSONVILLE -= Six
years ago, Clifford Huff says, the
BPgas.station and N•:ce Tl' Easy
convenience store at the corner
of- - Jacksonville and
M umansburg 'mads drove his
- Village Cuomo putof business..
Now;. a ,suspegted_r_under�:,,
ground fuel spill'from the station
plagued the hamlet since the
197os has,contamifaated the
wells:of;twc properties he owns
there.
-1-bought thatproperty and I
thought it was a good'.hwest-
i merit," -he said. "As the years
went by, it got worse,•and ift.all
because of a gas station."
That gas station, the state
Department of Environmental
Conservation. believes, is the
cause of a new -spill in the hamlet.
b- DEC engineexs have thought
this since 1998, when testing by
consultants for Mobil Oil —
which used to operate the gas
station '- revealed sudden high
levels of the gasoline additive
methyl terti butyl ether, or
MTBE, =m - e groundwater.
Mobil has said that 'MTBE,
which is added .to gasoline to
make if bum cleaner'and is a
p9tential , -human carcinogen,
was never in its gasoline when it
owned the station.
. But the current owner of the
BP gas station and Nice'N' Easy
convenience store, the Blue Ox
Corp. of Oxford,-'N.Y., has told
the DEC that; 'it: needs more,
ird'armatiori` about the. spill
before.it takes responsibility for
it. 5o thei7EChas begun its owra
irnes6gation,toping,to recover
the costs later -from Biue Ox.
.uj. ''lice Jacksonville Community -
Association wH1 meet
Ithaca Journal_
Tuesday, January 18, 2000
Chffbid _Huff',�6wns this building
Mink at I 8jO. Trumansbarg
Road - iii A c6n ville, which was once the Mage Grocery
and is now used as a dance studio. Huff says the grocery
store wasput ou t of business in 1994 by the BP gas station
and Nice A" Easy convenience store at Ti unansburg a? z d
Wednesday night' io dkuss
these new devclopments.in the
bawkw-MM111
hamlet, where six houses'remain
uninhabitable because 4 well
contamination from past fuel
44
spills.'
Me 7bmpkins Gaunty.Public.
Health Department's Divisi'
on
of Environmental Health bas
found .high -levels of MTBE in
thewell serving-Huff.s
ernes: his fonnergocerystor& at
P
1850 Tlrumamburg Road that's:.
now used as a dance sta6,912
the weekends, and a houses at
IM Trumadsburg Road now
41
See JACKSONVILLE, 3A
1VU-UVI IA VU MAI /joLtMa] SW
Jacksonvi&- 'roads. The, _,state Depan,"wnt of
EnvL,onnienjai Conservation believes the same gas sta-
tion is the cause of an underground yp al that has col z tam -
hiated the . waier, serving the dance studio and the
apartment building next door .which Huffalsoolvns.
APL-24PItIS _'MMor.heavay
cOncentralad areas
Z slies with new
Vacant houses
M MTBE coraminirdon
map of the $Dig area,
MwDm & Bash Engveem
RONSON SLAGLVhmqa: Staff
Find out more
The Jacksonville.
CommunftyAssociation
will meet at 7:15 p.ni.
Wednesday in the Hearth
Room Of the Jacksonville
Community Church.
For more information
about' BE, visit the
Environmental -
protection Agency's
Web site at
wvvw.epa.gov/swerusti/
mthe/
1-1
W
r.
Jack
sonville
(Condinued from Page.11A)
being used as apartments. Three of
the four units are occupied. .
In one test, the well had an MTBE
contamination level of 100 parts per bil-
lion..Jn a second test, the contamination
level was 120 parts per billion, 12 times
higher than the state's maximum- level
of MTBE allowed in surface water and
groundwater. Tests of wells on other
properties have shown MTBE levels
below 10 parts per billion.
The health department is continu-
ing to test other wells in Jacksonville,
and the DEC has installed monitoring
wells behind Huffis properties to try to
find out more about the spill. Mean-
while, the DEC has installed a filter
on the well and is providing both
properties with bottled water.
"We don't know what's going on or
where exactly (the spill) came from,"
said Tompkins County public health
engineer Steve Maybee. "We only have
theories on what happened here '
.Aside from the high levels of
MTBE, also lending credence to the
new spill theory is the fact that Huffs
.two properties are southeast of the gas
station, while the largest underground
spill from the station, in 1979, moved
north. Huffs properties were never
affected before, said Richard Brazell,
a DEC regional spill engineer who is
heading the Jacksonville investigatiod.
"This is clearly a new release,"
Brazell said.`
Since December 1998, the DEC has
been asking Blue Ox for an agreement
to clean up the spill, while Blue Ox has
asked for more information about it
first: The=company tested the under-
groun� storage tanks,in the -station and
_fc3tun .►ut Btl said tanks
eau pass : test -and still leak
While it waits for a definitive respora Low0has conducted has shown tha4
from Blue Ox, the DEC plans to clean
the median income of Ulysses resi-,.
up the spill and later try to recover the
dents is too high to qualify the town..
costs from the Company.
Blue Ox President Neil Bartle said
for state or federal grants to.lielp'ftind"
a water system. Jacksonville residents
he doesn't believe the company is
-- or any'group of residents in'tW'.
responsible for the spill at the station.
town ' have the option; however, of
Because Mobil's consultants first
petitioning the Town Board for` ar
detected MTBE at the site. in 1988,
water system.
Bartle said the spill .could have
Jacksonville residents are also til!h
occurred under another .owner, after-
ing to improve the situation in their
Mobil sold the station in 1982 but
hamlet with their meeting tor�t: ' ."t
"We're
before Blue -Ox began leasing.it 10
hoping for a good inforrri8�t
years later.
But Bartle he to
tion exchanke with a positive bu �
Jacksonville Commurii
said wants work
come," said-
with the DEC in investigating the spill
Association Piesident Peg Coogan:" 11
because some fide -floating fuel has
been found underground at the sta-
tion, too.
"If were part of the problem, we
want to be part of the solution," he
said.
Meanwhile, the Town of Ulysses
has been investigating the ooVs of cre-
ating a municipal water system that
would provide water to Jacksonville
and other areas of the town, which is..
the only way the vacant homes in
.Tacksonville could be reinhabited.
But such a system costs millions of'
dollars, and an.income survey"the
2 Ithaca.brownfields
identified, remediate- d
By MISSY GLOBERMAN
Jownal Staff `
Exactly how many brownfields
there are in 'Ibmpkins County '
anyone's guess.
• Though the New York
Department of Environmental
Conservation regularly updates
hazardous material spill database
and an inactive hazardous waste
disposal site registry, there is no
existing comprehensive list o
brownfields, said Walter .Hang,
president of Tbxics Mageting, An
Ithaca firm that generates com-
puterized environmental reports.
Tompkins County has many
contaminated sites that might be
candidates for economic redevel-
opment in older industrial.areas,
but most have not been investi-
gated by the DEC for remedia-
tion, Hang said. -
According to the Ithaca Urban
Renewal Agency, the Carty of
Ithaca has two officially declared
brownfields, both on Inlet Island
Hang- said Marina Realty of
Ithaca and the city -owned Agway
Parcel are both fully investigated
and remediated by the DEC, and
hence they are termed official
>s brownfields.
On the roughly 160 acres of
mostly undeveloped buildable-
land.
uildable -
land. m and around the ;area.:
a known as the , Sputhwesf -.Park;
Widewaters � bev�elpp n.
Group is already. � cgfiductihj::
brownfield re tions vyc�rk,
f said ::. CQrrse fion..;;tldiisony'
Council member Judith Jones;
The city -is." in theprooess
negotia �.'> F�the: p
tu+cliase of -
Ithaca d intends to testil`s�:
isppaee'b��a
rokftdld'before itis.:dmtl='
o. IVA61 low
ItitacGtl,ry, the..fonner`:
Because Upstate New loif.•
real estate buyers have a greater :
availability of properties .to
choose from for development,,
there isless pressure.to do brawn -
field investigation and remedia-:
;tion when compared.. tq;
development in areas like densely;
packed New York City, Hang -
said.
j#eKsonviue
(Continued from Page 1A)
know whether other wells had shown
MTBE and whether more were going to
be tested.
The state's maximum allowable
level for MTBE in groundwater is 10
parts per billion, and so far"only the
well at Hull's properties, at more than
100 Wiper billion, has tested higher
than
But if any other residents are con-
cemed about their well -water, the
health department can test it, Maybee
said. He also said the health depart-
ment couldn't afford to test all the
wells in the area.
"We can afford not to," argued -
Donald Hickman of Jacksonville
Road:
Other issues raised at the meeting
included -getting a municipal water
supply to the hamlet, which is the only
way that the sfxvacant.homes could be
reinhabited.
"Pollution is relevant, but the peon-
ty ought to be a propec-water supply,"
said Don Sola of Swamp College
Road.
• The Town of Ubwes has explored
creating,a town-wik-municipal water
system thatwouifterve Jacksonville,
but has so far f nitffLtliie.00st� too high.
and that the median household
income in the town is likely too high to
qualify for funding. But* Any group of
residents could petition the town for a
water system.
Ithaca Journal
January 19, 2000
himself down. I can't imagine the today.
- jaekson •vine msideiats
�n about Welspiu.,
By LAUREN BISHOP
JownalSrafj` -
JACIWNVRLE. - More
than 40 residents packed
Wednesday night's Jacksonville
CommunityAssoaatioa meeting,
expressing frustration and anger
that wells are still being contami-
nated by underground fuel spills
more than ?A years after a large
spill from the station that left six
homes there uninhabitable.
The state Department of
Environmental Conservation
believes that there is a new spill
from the BP gas station at the cor-
ner of Jacksonvilleand
liumansburgroads.
A well serving two properties
not affected by previobs spills
from the station has recently
shown high levels of gasoline
addifive and potential human
carcinogen methyl tertiary butyl
ether,.or MTBE
Most of the residents' anger
was directed at the DEC, which
they said never told them -about
thenewcontamination. -
But the owner of the reben4y
contaminated properties at 1848
and 185Q 'IIumansburg Road,
Clifford Huff, has been in regular
contact with regional DEC offi-
cials.
.. The DEC has installed a filter
on thewell serving his two proper -
`The ITEC is like
this shadow •
agenc�.We never
hear about What
they're doing.'
Diane *illmann,'
ofAlanse Road
ties - an apartment building.
'housing -three people and a dance
studio — and is providing them
with bottled water.
`°Ilse DEC is like this shadow
agency," said Diane Hillmann of
Manse Read, who said that she
only found out about Huff's cont-
aminated well from a newspaper
article. "We never hear about -
what they're doing."
• While no one from the DEC
was.at the meeting to respond to
residents' concerns, association
members agreed to invite a repre-
sentative 'to the group's meeting
next month.'
Residents did have plenty of
questions for .lbmpkins County
public health engineer Steve •
Maybee,who hasbeen testingwells
-in Jade amine. Many wanted to
SeeJA MNVILLE, 5A•
EDITORIAL
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Stewart, Gary
Date:
Jan 21, 2000
Start Page:
A.9
Section:
EDITORIALS
Text Word Count:
360
Document Text
The trouble in Jacksonville
It starts with a sluggish DEC that has failed a worried community
In recent years, the state Department of Environmental Conservation has been alternately described as toothless,
uncaring and a political tool. The DEC's investigation of contaminated wells and underground fuel spills in Jacksonville
adds inept to that list.
The DEC's leadership role in Cornell University's Lake Source Cooling Project and other local environmental
controversies can be endlessly debated and analyzed. But there is no gray area regarding Jacksonville, whose
residents have been tormented by questions and concerns about well pollution since a major fuel spill 20 -plus years
ago.
This should be a chance for the DEC to inform and take charge. Instead, too many Jacksonville residents have been left
in the dark about their hamlet's environment. The DEC's sluggish approach and ineffectual outreach were blasted at a
Jacksonville Community Association meeting this week. When that group meets next month - 7:15 p.m., Feb. 16,
Jacksonville Community Church - the DEC should be there to listen.
The massive DEC might be an easy target, but there are millions of New Yorkers who trust the agency to do the right
thing. In recent years, concerns about environmental law enforcement in New York has been questioned by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and some major watchdog groups.
Allegations about the DEC's special treatment of some environmental lawbreakers has also prompted a major
investigation by the Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation focusing on enforcement, permitting,
regulatory policy, mission and structure.
One might think the DEC has been around since Teddy Roosevelt was governor, but the agency is only 30 years old. Its
regulatory mission runs the gamut from fish to forestry, from mining to hazardous wastes. Its stated responsibilities
include, "encourage (public) participation in environmental affairs."
For many Jacksonville residents, concerns about water supplies and contamination don't constitute an affair, but an
outrage. While some have moved - either by mandate or choice - others have remained, hoping for some sense of
urgency and consistency from the DEC. What they've experienced is a cumbersome bureaucracy whose job
performance has been dearly unacceptable. New York Northeast
EDITORIALS; Pg. 9A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
I of 2 1112113 3:32 PM
EDITORIAL - The Ithaca Journal: Archives http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/ithacajoumal/doe/896738168.htm...
In recent years, concerns about environmental law enforcement in New York has been questioned by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and some major watchdog groups.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission_
2 of 2 11/2/13 3:32 PM
W
DEC -comes- to - � •a.Cks
. onviile on fuelspin.
ly LAUREN BISHOPhelp resolve the problems" is sonville, but only one well, serving
ou nal Star absolutely essential to the process_" an a artinent buildin and a clan '
JACKSONVILLE — What can
lew York state do to protect Jack-
onville residents from future conta-
3ination from underground fuel
pills? What can residents them -
%Ives do? What other communities
ave been affected byspills, and how
ave they resolved the problem?
Those are some -of the questions
acksonville residents hope to'get
nswers to Thursday night, when
tey meet with state Department of
:nvironmental Conservation engi-
eers to discuss a likely new spill
TOW gas station that has been the
of several groundwater-cont-
rninating fuel spills in the hamlet in
ie Town of Ulysses over the last
vo decades.
Jacksonville. Community Associa-
on President Peg Coogan said she
opes the meeting will create a bet-
Ir
et.r relationship among Jacksonville
sidents, the DEC and the' Tomp-
ins County Public Health .Depart ••
lent, which will also have represen-
;tives there.
"I suspect we will be dealingwith
its or similar situations for some
rhe, and a strong rapport with the
;encies and officials appointed to
Coogan said.
For Jacksonville resident Diane
Hillman, the meeting is also impor-
tant because she and other residents
haven't gotten'their information
directly from the DEC, but from
secondhand sources, like the news -
r.
p "We want to make sure we devel-
op some communication -back and
forth that we can depend upon," she
said
The Jacksonville Community
Association met last week to come
up with questions to send to bEC
regional spill engineer Richard
Brazell, who has been heading the
agency's investigation into what they
say is,a spill from the BP gas station
at the corner of Jacksonville and
Tiumansburg roads.
Brazell will be at Thursday's
meeting, along with an assistant to
state Assemblyman Martin Luster,
D -125th District, and John Anders-*
soh, director of the Tompkins Coun-
ty Public Health Department's bivi-
sion of Environmental Health, and
public health engineer Steve May-
Maybee has tested 21 private
wells for new contamination in J4-
studio at 1848 and 1850 Trumans-
burg Road, has shown levels of the
gasoline additive methyl tertiary
butyl ether, or MTBE, that are high-
er than the maximum level federal
standards allow -in groundwater.
The DEC, which has taken over
the investigation into the spill, has
installed a filter on the well serving
those properties and is -supplying
them with bottled water.
But it's also supplying water to
Burke Physical Therapy and a home
at 1845 Tiumansburg Road that
have shown MTBE levels below the
federal maximum of 10 parts per bil-
lion. The DEC is trying to get in
touch with the owner of four proper-
ties near the intersection of Jack-
sonville and Trumansburg roads that
have also shown -low MTBE levels,
Maybee said.
The -DEC believes there is a new
spill from the station because of the
presence of MTBE in those wells,
whichwas fust found by Mobil Oil's
well 'testing. Mobil was responsible
for the largest *spill from the station
in 1979, but says MTBE was never
contained in itsgasoline when it
owned the station. The. DEC has
taken over investigating the new spill
Ithaca Journal
Wednesday, February 3, 2000
-Deta111iS
The Jacksonville Community
Association meeting with rep-
resentatives from the state
Department of Environmental
Conservation and the Tomp-
kins County Public Health
Department will be held at.
7:15 p.m. Thursday in the fel-
lowship hall of the•Jack- '
sonville Community Church.
while it tries to get the station's cur-
rent owner, the Blue Ox Corp. of
Oxford, N.Y., to assume responsibil-
ity for it.
Coogan also hopes that Thurs-
day's meeting will help residents
learn more about MTBE, which is
added to gasoline to make it burn
cleaner but which is also a potential
human carciaogen•that has polluted
groundwater in places an across the
country.
"(MTBE) is a nationwide .prob-
lem, not an isolated case just injack.
and the more we all learn
about its causes And how to prevent
subsequent contamination, the bet,.
ter off well be," she said.
DEC comes to Jacksonville on fuel spill
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Bishop, Lauren
Date:
Feb 23, 2000
Start Page:
A.3
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count:
656
Document Text
By LAUREN BISHOP
Journal Staff
JACKSONVILLE - What can New York state do to protect Jacksonville residents from future contamination from
underground fuel spills? What can residents themselves do? What other communities have been affected by spills, and
how have they resolved the problem?
Those are some of the questions Jacksonville residents hope to get answers to Thursday night, when they meet with
state Department of Environmental Conservation engineers to discuss a likely new spill from a gas station that has been
the source of several groundwater -contaminating fuel spills in the hamlet in the Town of Ulysses over the last two
decades.
Jacksonville Community Association President Peg Coogan said she hopes the meeting will create a better relationship
among Jacksonville residents, the DEC and the Tompkins County Public Health Department, which will also have
representatives there.
"I suspect we will be dealing with this or similar situations for some time, and a strong rapport with the agencies and
officials appointed to help resolve the problems is absolutely essential to the process," Coogan said.
For Jacksonville resident Diane Hillmann, the meeting is also important because she and other residents haven't gotten
their information directly from the DEC, but from secondhand sources, like the newspaper.
"We want to make sure we develop some communication back and forth that we can depend upon," she said.
The Jacksonville Community Association met last week to come up with questions to send to DEC regional spill
engineer Richard Brazell, who has been heading the agency's investigation into what they say is a spill from the BP gas
station at the comer of Jacksonville and Trumansburg roads.
Brazell will be at Thursday's meeting, along with an assistant to state Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th District, and
John Andersson, director of the Tompkins County Public Health Department's Division of Environmental Health, and
public health engineer Steve Maybee.
Maybee has tested 21 private wells for new contamination in Jacksonville, but only one well, serving an apartment
building and a dance studio at 1848 and 1850 Trumansburg Road, has shown levels of the gasoline additive methyl
tertiary butyl ether, or MTBE, that are higher than the maximum level federal standards allow in groundwater.
The DEC, which has taken over the investigation into the spill, has installed a filter on the well serving those properties
and is supplying them with bottled water.
But it's also supplying water to Burke Physical Therapy and a home at 1845 Trumansburg Road that have shown MTBE
levels below the federal maximum of 10 parts per billion. The DEC is trying to get in touch with the owner of four
properties near the intersection of Jacksonville and Trumansburg roads that have also shown low MTBE levels, Maybee
said.
The DEC believes there is a new spill from the station because of the presence of MTBE in those wells, which was first
found by Mobil Oil's well testing. Mobil was responsible for the largest spill from the station in 1979, but says MTBE was
never contained in its gasoline when it owned the station. The DEC has taken over investigating the new spill while it
I of 2 11/2/13 1:58 PM
DEC comes to Jacksonville on fuel spill - The Ithaca Journal: A... http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/ithacajoumal/doc/896726312.htm...
tries to get the station's current owner, the Blue Ox Corp. of Oxford, N.Y., to assume responsibility for it.
Coogan also hopes that Thursday's meeting will help residents team more about MTBE, which is added to gasoline to
make it bum cleaner but which is also a potential human carcinogen that has polluted groundwater in places all across
the country.
"(MTBE) is a nationwide problem, not an isolated case just in Jacksonville, and the more we all learn about its causes
and how to prevent subsequent contamination, the better off we'll be," she said.
Details
The Jacksonville Community Association meeting with representatives from the state Department of Environmental
Conservation and the Tompkins County Public Health Department will be held at 7:15 p.m. Thursday in the fellowship
hall of the Jacksonville Community Church. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 3A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
Maybee has tested 21 private wells for new contamination in Jacksonville, but only one well, serving an apartment
building and a dance studio at 1848 and 1850 Trumansburg Road, has shown levels of the gasoline additive methyl
tertiary butyl ether, or MTBE, that are higher than the maximum level federal standards allow in groundwater.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
2 of 2 11/2113 1:58 PM
� Supervisor hppe l _0-
--k
er
Ulysses could take an debt for haru]et system;
Austic tell
smeeting;
By -LAUREN BISHOP
Jownai Swf}'
JACKSONVILLE Macy
residents left Thursday night's
Jacksonvine CAmnrimity
Assodatkin stetting with a fresh
dose ci fie,fxelrog'1:
a.
hamlet that has wrestled with the
problem ofweIlwater contaminat
«ibydtutfram
a Ips nsorz than
Yeam
' About 3o residents gathered in
the JacksonvnIe Community
Church to meet with representa.
lives from the T mm of •TJiysses,
fire .Tompk�ris County
Department of Health and )Tear
Yorkstate to have their questions
answered about evideax Ot; a
new spell from the $P gss station
at the comer od Jadm&o 6 and
The meeting was the fast time.
so many residents met with a rep.
resenttiNe from the state
Department of Euvirnnmeatal
Cypnsecvafion, the agency
h�g rhe and
of -0e stew spit., Represent w.
frtomn the state Atto6ty Cienergs
officx that of Assemblyman
Mastia luster, D -125th Distad,.
and the lbmpkias County Health
Department also attended flit
meeting. But it toes L ly sses Town
&peikw DOW* Austin's state.
ment that the t mm would be v,%
nnnnapal water qstem in
Jacksnrgle, regiaual �E ez�ea'
Richard Brazell told residesrfs at
the meemg, which was faolitated
Cyomcll
�envuO r Sharon
Andeison- and former C:omen
S1rMod1*vl.
But at tiro some time, the
io t86 lar the,�
and pay beck the DEC for what it
wM spend -on my ong and
treating rt, Bia�eII said. Me -Ox
President Ned Bartle has said hes
not yet mooed the RA is the
ing to Laid: an d6bt to
• munktwemffin
Monts that
•that easel(
many redaeni winds.
:{`Fur the first timet, I fed there's
hope," Sart Aiitbara Bo�sntn_,
who has liedYe . is JadrsonviIle t5or lb
Kana K who awns the
Couritty
Square m Vie; m Uly+ases
Those cwincnts; though,
were mipced wit ones from resi-
dents wiio said that there octet
larger problems in Jaci sonviRe
that needed to be addressed, par
tiarlarly Propetly values,
."The original sprll'has caeated
continuing problems that cuftbe
comnpaiVs fault
Brazell said the DEC .has;
pent-' about' . $6t1,QM int
Jackwnvr74e, cats that include
bottled water t prop•
wells ' hastetested
positive for the -gasoline additive
methyl tertiary butyl' ether, • or.
MP.E. The appearance Wfbe .
addit3Ye, a possible 'g�CuiogcR
tit �I '*'_,0-b 11 says was 'i "ver msmris
{gasoline when it owned the
.*14 fast led to i�elievic
there was a new spr71 in,i9�8. ` , �
The Jac:ksonvdle C
Association will have a hollow -u fs' .
meeting at 7:15 • pm. next
Thursday in the Jaclssomolle .+
Community Qrturb: j
Ithaca Journal
Friday, Fekp#ry 25, 2000
quantified bypro ''Mneed�'t6
out
of ,xhe groundane
FIilhinam. °'Ahete6be
some addressing ofak
-
Sr hazrrea there have' been
vacant since LW When.ft state
Mob1 Oil —. used
to OVM the stair and was rrspon-
scbie kri largest R4 in 1979
;-
%buythem.Although
'studies oemuiis�o�ed.tlyr
wit showed ibat a Umn-
system would be too
costly, anY group of residents oould
PeWOn fora smaller system,
As Part of its moa into
the new $PA the DEC is also
=a nm ng the costs of a
The Ithaca Jbumail
Saturday, March 4, 20001
DOUG Aivsnc
GuEsr coo. mmsr
Public=
water for
UIYS ses
-on tap?
Many of you probably read the -
article covering.the dack4nnvilN
Association meeting on Thurs=
day, Feb. 24. The fact that the' -
Ulysses Town Board is more
.than willing, at this time to fur-
ther study and dcvelop.�%ater dig- .
tricts in some portrons Of the
ton is not a new id= In fact; I'
have -reported the same thing'
several times in the p,•tslt
Last spring, the town cont
tracted with a consulting engin
neering firm to investiggate the
possi
bility. of several'differerd,
approaches to Nmisii -municipal
watcr)to Ulysses'and detesnnttc
the probable cost of -such dist,
triets, The areas to lie studied.;
were derived front resident amt+"
meats over the years as to t1w
water situationin =heir areas.
From the initial engineer'i•
report, we now have aggood feel'
for the pote*31 cost ofcreatirtg-
a municipal water system. Unden
the laws of New York govemin&•-
special districts, residents living,
within the district, and only those
residents of tite town will ht!'
responsible for casts associatedt
with this disttict. i
These costs i
typically include
the-engtneenng,
infrastructure t
development, - : !'
debt repayment
and other costs
associated with
suQplying water `
to •the district.
The municipals
-ty acts as a district administrator,
anftng funding, wallet ing rev-
crones and paying the bills of thti
disirict, On the other hand.'you,
the residents of a praposed dis�
Lnct, have -final approval of the
district formation through ads: .
trict referendum;
The initial step in the process
is a petitioned request of the:
Town Board to investigate the.
formation of a district for a speci-
fied area. My advice to residents,
who wish to f=ort •a district, is tu.
get your neighbors together, dis
cuss tIt 'need and extent oflhri_
area to be sen -ed. - 1
Once this is determined, initi p
ate: a petition and pl,signatumm,
requesting that the Town. Board:
consider the formation of 3 spei
tial water district in your area:
With petition in hand, the Ttnvii .
Board will investigate the needi
&�&lop pIansand determine dist:
trice cxpertses and user casts i
• ]nformational meetings iviTV i
be scheduled to make this cast• }
informadon available to'diatict
residents, and a referendum--wiTl' )
he scheduled at which time resin I
dents in The proposed district w& f
decide whether or not the district• i
is to be formed. your vote will~
decide the outcnnteto the d& id
formation request.
PrellArrary engineering stud-
ies indicate that the annual usef,•
cost of studied sample district is
relatively high, although probabfic
not prahibilive. We need specti
petillons from residents to clattiX•
district boundaries and toen
more.accurate cost &termina-.
tions for specific regions of thL-
town.
This information will be more-.
meaningful and useful to those
requesting specific areas. The.
Town Board has proceeded as
far as reasonable at this point -
and will not go further.without,
specific petitioned requests. If
you are in need of further infor--
matian,. please feel frte. to tali:
upon me and IT he vls,rl to helm _
:�
r' i=
i^
tt F
R.:•:
�1.i•ti
r . y..
- � s
.\. 'f. �'�.'�'�"-•. �.... .•�' fin!._ .
•tiY K rj+
n
•4 --a
3l .
- T
y !i e.�•,1y:.:. �..ir. 7 a. :}lid •. M; .' ....
��1., •,off" < S'a'-.:;,'• : .:,a�•F{ ,?�. ,f.
..�-'', �s ti, ii��.:.wti'_ .d'FVI_Nr" '� �.� -- �rvlt %:�y F_v,•��j'' '•:r
a �,;, �. • :fir•• � �r _ __:fi:'• r„y ,��Y�� f,,x, q.�;�— .
,`^,Y4i��:Y••'S r . �� w - - ��.- .. r. - 4�;". •tom r•r."-'.�`
,.tai'.:,~.'} �'• �:rt:1p• xs:`.:�.r. .'s�
h yri r1f 4 r7 _ �Ci•.
."��« � rn r •J'1r1' _ ••.F. rhe' .. -
D years after gas leaks : Jacksonville 'as spills � Mast 1,eavily
concentrated areas,
Vacant 11DUSC5
contaminated we f I wate r,_ 0 Recovery well
y ' r Recovery trench
Jacksonville residents stiff -
struggling far s:o l uti o n
Ely LAUREN BISHOP- ': , ; 'Iktteryearsaf unsettled law `'?,;• i
Iourrialstaff = Ysuits, canton filters and battled -
JACKSONVILLE-1W nty, water, Mobil bought out tiie
homes in-1988, and the residents _-;
years ago this month, state offs-....; iv#iose wells had become contain-'-.^4` �� r
clots to d Mat there had been a :''
gasoline spit! at-the Ma>l . cervico ; inaLed moved'away.�ao1r
station an the canier.of 4 13ut even with a groundwater} �iU - , 5on�lle
Tumansburg (Rudte.96) and `: lualltreatyinstallent stem that was cyen- ' City o �a �r
'lually installcd,six ofule hormes
Jacksnnyille roads Ithaca Map of the spilt area from 1989, offer treatrrient system was installed
��reniain,iacant because.wiiile ilio _
711e spill; caused by a faulty Ievelsof contaminationhave IWA Source: Blaslarid & Hoak Engineers • RONSON SLAGLEJJmm l Stall
connection at an underground beendecreasing, the spill still
tank, was fust detected when • . -'
[lues
,
r}ot meet state cleanup stan- ,
sprue residents aG[oss ilio street'. • ' dlirds And recent monitoring = .midents wells to make sure they , saw.' iter name . in . a newspaper
from, the station noticed. that. ..''`F data from that system indicates. wereri tcnritaminated, including article sliacked her.
their warter smelled like gasoline. '.�ereiliay be anew spill. otic belogging to JacksoAiville res- ' f=ortunately, her ,50-foal deep
An estimated 4,000 gallons had " iderit NO well, which is opposite [lie plume,
seeped into die groundwater cifMAW response . It turned OUL that 1-1111man's showed no evidence of gasoline
the Town of Ulysses liamlet, and wasn't, but the tact that she was contamination.
-would eventually contaminate After the settlement, Mobil included in the agreement —
the wells of at least eight lionies. - was required to test five other which she learned about aftershe See WATER, 5A
o0
O rt
or,
CL
m
N
r
Water woes linger forJacksonyffie residents
On the outside, nothing much has.
changed:
• Six vacant houses still haunt the
hamlet of Jacksonville, just as they,
have ,for the past I I years, constant
reminders of,a 21 -year-old under-
groiarid•gasoline spill that polluted the
local water supply.
But on Ilie inside, a small, dedicated
group of residents is actively trying to
turn around decades of damage in die
Nee of often overwliehtting obstacles.
Every -month, members of If ie Jack-
sonville Community Association gath-
er in a mall roam of the Jacksonville
Conimu'pity. Church to talk about
upcoming activities, how much motley
they ling -in their treasury (not much)
and,'af-course, dieirwater situalion.
-Ip short, it's not good, even before
Ilie first gasoline spill in [lie early
1970s. People here have always had
problenis with the quantity and yuali�ty
of theirwell-water, so most drink bot-
tled water, And the only way those six
vacant homes could be reinhabited
would be With the creation of a muiric-
itaal water system, which, be:atise of
it3'high.costs, has never materialized
despite several efforts over the years.
The situation got worse when rust -
dents recently found out that the slate
Department of Egvironmental Conser-
vation believes there's a nmv spill from
the gas station at die come r:of Jack-
sonville and Tnrmansbuig roads that
pias leaked gasoline additive KI73E, a
potential carcinogen, into nrore.wells-
Theli, last: month, residents in Jack-
sonville and the rest of the 'rowil of'
Ulysses Stented -receiving notices of their
new prelirnitiaiy property assessments
froi,i die Tompkins County Division of
Assessment, which is undertaking a
ABOU•r. TowN
countywide prop�.erty reevaluation.
Most people's assessments stayed
about the sante. The average increase
in [lie entire Town of Ulysses was less
diad 1 percent, said Stephen Whicher,
director of the Division of Assessment.
. But many Jacksonville residents
didn't thunk this seemed right, given the
continuing prob,lems from gas spills,
the negative view of the community
from media coverage and, simply; the
sight of var:mutt, boarded -up houses.
Resident Dick Coogan said lie
knows of one Jacksonville resident*ho
recenlly sold his house but heard that
the person, who bought it thought he
was getting a great deal — which
means, of course, that the seIIer wasn't.
"If we had to. sell," Coogan said,
"we would take a beating." • -
Other Jacksonville residents, like
Kate O'Gorman, have had their hous-
es ori the market before with no luck.
Now, O'Gorman is one of the handful
of people receiving free bottled water
from, the DEC because their wells
have shown MTBE corrtarnination,
even though she had always drunk
bottled water anyway. - . .
"A house is one of the biggest
commitments of a lifetime," said
O'Gorman, who has lived in Jack-
sonville for ahnost 19 ycars. "This has
been a disaster for me.
Sp what would happen, residents
wondered, if they appealed fora
reduction in their individual assess-
ments? It stands to reason, they rea-.
soned, that if residents' property val-
ues Have declined because of the s{�ills
and vacant houses, the assessed values
should go down along with thea,.
That wary, they believe, they can
demonstrate that the conditions in
7acksonvilie are .negatively affecting
the tax base for the entire Town of
Ulysses. If Jacksonville assessments
went down significantly, the town and
the Truruairsburg Central School Dis-
trict would have to increase tax rates
for everyone.
Whicher said the Division of
Assessment hadn't been aware of, the
newest spill and needed more ir,fQrma-
'dol, about it before its impart could be
determined. The division would be
reviewing assessments early next week,
lie said, and additional information will
be available alter the tentative tax roll
is filed with Elie state on May I.
But, perliaps more importantly, the
half-dozen Jacksonville residents who.
are appealing for lower assessments
hope that it will show all town residents
that brnrging municipal water to Jack-
sonville
acksonville will also benefit them.
Residents are' planning to canvas
the streets of Jacksonville to ket names
for a petition asking the Town of
Ulysses to study the possibility of estab-
Iishing. a water disifict for Jacksonville._
They're also planning to follow up
on a letierserrt by A=niblyniari Martin
Luster, D -127th District,- to Attorney
General Eliot -Spitzer iii March saying
tie thinkt Mobil and Blue Oar, the fast.
and present owners of the gas station,
should help fund a public watersystem-
And Eliere's been another develop-
ment ill Jacksonville, a somewhat sur-
prising one given the�harmlefs history.
A small insuraneb agency just moved
into one of the MTBE-conta ninated
properties on Trumansburg Road,
which had housed a dance studio.
Owner Jeff Williams' recently,
opened it up after he lost his.lease in
Trurhabsburg and was unable to Find
another space there. lie knew all about
the problems in Jackminviille, but wasn't
really fawd by them. He had ]nolc'utg for
a place along a maul road, he said, and
the DEC is providing him with bottled
water while they utvestigate the.spilL
A welcome -to -Jacksonville letter
to Williams was -0i, the agenda at
Wednesday niglifs Jacksonville Com-
munity Association nieeting. Wit€jail
the other things to be done, no one
had gotten around to it yet. But they
were able to say hello to Williams at
the meeting, which lie attended, '
Welcome to Jacksonville, they said
sardonically. run .City, U.S.A., they
joked. And remember: Don't drink
the water!
I.a miBisltnp oulm Imm nems in 7r nw-
hfns Comm}: She [illi & �wdiatar 249ZM
Jacksonville may receive water -district grant
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Bishop, Lauren
Date:
Nov 2, 2000
Start Page:
A.2
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count: 354
Document Text
By LAUREN BISHOP
Journal Staff
JACKSONVILLE - State Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th District, and Ulysses Town Supervisor Douglas Austic will
hold a news conference at 10:30 a.m. Friday to announce a major development in Jacksonville's quest for clean water.
"I believe that our announcement will be of great importance to Jacksonville residents and may indicate that an end is
near to the long search for dean water in that community," Luster said Wednesday.
Jacksonville resident Dick Coogan, whose wife, Peg, is president of the Jacksonville Community Association, said
Wednesday that residents are expecting to hear news of a $$@$!500,000 state grant toward a water district along
Route 96 that would likely include parts of Jacksonville, Iradell and Krums Comers roads.
Private wells in Jacksonville, an unincorporated, residential hamlet in the Town of Ulysses, have been contaminated by
several underground fuel spills from a gas station at the comer of Route 96 and Jacksonville Road dating back to the
1970s. Jacksonville residents have been collecting signatures on a petition asking the town to study the possibility of
establishing a water district in the hamlet.
Coogan also said that the town had a good chance at receiving a zero -interest loan for the water district. The next step
in its creation would be public information meetings and a public referendum, which he said would probably not happen
until around next March.
Only property owners could vote in the referendum, and those who don't vote would count as "no" votes, he said. If the
referendum doesn't pass, he doubts that the town would try again to form a district for at least another 10-20 years.
Referendums for water districts have been voted down in Jacksonville in the past.
The conference will be held on the east side of the intersection of Route 96 and Jacksonville Road.
"Our feeling is, we've been graced with one more chance to make it happen, so let's not blow it," he said.
Luster and Austic will be joined at Friday's news conference by members of the Ulysses Town Board and
representatives from the Jacksonville Community Association. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 2A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
1 of 2 1112113 1:46 PM
Jacksonville may receive water -district grant - The Ithaca Journa... http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/ithacajoumal/doc/896716999.htm...
Jacksonville resident Dick Coogan, whose wife, Peg, is president of the Jacksonville Community Association, said
Wednesday that residents are expecting to hear news of a $$@$1500,000 state grant toward a water district along
Route 96 that would likely include parts of Jacksonville, Iradell and Krums Comers roads.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
2 of 2 11/2/13 1:46 PM
State grant
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Nov 4, 2000
Start Page:
A.1
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count:
667
Document Text
new source
for Ulysses
Area primed for water district
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - The hamlet of Jacksonville has perhaps its best chance yet to solve its water woes.
State Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th District, stood on the steps of the Old Colonial Church on Jacksonville Road
Friday to announce a state grant of $$@$1500,000 to defray the cost of a municipal water system for the hamlet and
nearby parts of the Town of Ulysses.
The grant - through the state's Strategic Investment Program - would not only help pay for the estimated $$@$!3.8
million cost of building the district, Luster said. It would also improve the town's overall rating in being considered for an
interest-free state loan to finance the rest of the project through the state's Clean Water Revolving Loan Fund.
But, the grant still needs approval from the state Senate and Gov. George Pataki.
"I have no reason to believe that there will be any objections," Luster said.
Jacksonville has been plagued since 1979 with a series of underground gasoline leaks.- some of which were traced to a
local service station - which have contaminated the groundwater. As a result, seven homes in the hamlet were vacated
in the mid-1980s when Mobil Oil, former owner of the gas station, purchased the buildings under a settlement with the
state Department of Environmental Conservation and the homeowners.
Mobil has permits to demolish five of the vacant homes it now owns. A Mobil spokesman said he didn't know when the
company planned to raze the buildings.
"Jacksonville has suffered from this environmental blight and health threat for more than 20 years," said Luster, a former
Ulysses town supervisor. "I am pleased that the Assembly has provided enough funding to offset the cost of the project
so that it is more affordable to residents of the area."
The proposed water disctrict would serve
The hamlet of Jacksonville
Route 96 from the Jacksonville hamlet to Iradell Road
Duboise Road from Iradell Road to Wilkins Road
Hinging Post Road
Wilkins Road between Duboise Road and Route 96
A spur along Krums Comers Road to Perry City Road
1 of 2 1112/13 2:39 PM
State grant -'Che Ithaca Journal: Archives
A spur along Van Doms Comers Road to Iradell Road
Perry City Road from Route 96 to Jacksonville Road
Jacksonville Road from Perry City Road to the hamlet of Jacksonville
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/ithacajoumal/doc/896715848.htm...
A spur north of the hamlet along Jacksonville Road to Cold Springs Road
A spur northwest of the hamlet along Route 96 to Cold Springs Road
A spur along Swamp College Road to Halseyville Road
A spur along Colegrove Road, 1,000 feet
A spur along Cold Springs Road to Durling Road.
The system would take its water from the Bolton Point water plant in the Town of Ithaca. To serve the proposed
Jacksonville district, a water tower and tank would be constructed in the Town of Ithaca, on West Hill near the Ulysses
and Enfield town lines.
Ithaca Town Supervisor Cathy Valentino said representatives from the town have met twice with engineers from
Ulysses, and the proposal hasn't moved forward very far yet.
"At this point, all we've agreed to is that yes, this is feasible, and yes, we support a plan that would deliver water to
Jacksonville," Valentino said.
An additional water tank on West Hill would also benefit Town of Ithaca residents, Valentino said.
The northwest comer of the town has frequent problems with inadequate water pressure, and there is no backup water
tower or holding tank.
An additional water tank would also allow the Town of Ithaca to service its own water tower without disrupting water
supply to West Hill homes and businesses, including Cayuga Medical Center.
Ulysses Town Supervisor Douglas Austic said the first of several public information meetings on the proposed district
will take place before the end ofthe year. A referendum on forming the water district will take place before March 2001
so the town can meet the state's deadline to be considered for an interest-free loan. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 1 A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
Slate Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th District, stood on the steps of the Old Colonial Church on Jacksonville Road
Friday to announce a state grant of $$@$1500,000 to defray the cost of a municipal water system for the hamlet and
nearby parts of the Town of Ulysses.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
2 of 2 11 /2/13 2:39 PM
Exxon Mobil razes
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Dec 5, 2000
Start Page:
A.2
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count: 423
Document Text
first of five homes
Future of Jacksonville sites uncertain
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
JACKSONVILLE - Exxon Mobil Corp. has begun demolishing the Jacksonville homes it purchased in the Ulysses
hamlet following a series of fuel spills that fouled underground wells.
On Monday, workers razed a home located at 5042 Jacksonville Road. The white, single-family house was reduced to
rubble by an excavator in about 212 hours.
Exxon Mobil has demolition permits for a total of five houses on Route 96 and Jacksonville Road.
The demolition work is being completed by the Syracuse firm Paragon Environmental Construction. A Paragon
spokesman said all five of the homes will be leveled by Christmas.
"(Demolition) is not a first -choice solution;" said Paul Stodghill, spokesman for the Jacksonville Community Association.
"We had hoped Exxon Mobil would have rehabilitated the homes, but apparently they did not see fit to do so"
Exxon Mobil donated the salvage rights to the homes to Historic Ithaca.
Historic Ithaca representatives were in the home for several hours Monday before the two-man wrecking crew moved in
to demolish it. They removed fixtures that had some historic significance.
George Lyons, Historic Ithaca's director of preservations, said his group removed two cargo vans full of interior fixtures
including sinks, a toilet, a railing, baseboard molding and windows that they will use to refurbish historic homes.
It's not immediately Gear what Exxon Mobil will do with what will soon be five vacant lots in Jacksonville. Corporate
representatives could not be reached for comment Monday.
However, one of the corporation's options is to wait until municipal water is introduced in Jacksonville, and then sell the
lots to builders.
Jacksonville has sought to install a municipal water district since underground fuel leaks began plaguing the community
in the late 1970s.
In November, Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th District, announced a $$@$!500,000 state grant to begin the
process of bringing municipal water to Jacksonville.
The Town of Ulysses may be eligible for a no -interest loan to fund the $$@$!3.8 million project, if the state receives an
application by March 2001.
The first public information meeting on a proposed water district will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Jacksonville
Community Center.
BILL WARREN/Journal Staff
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Exxon Mobil razes - The Ithaca Journal: Archives http:Hpgasb.pgarchiver.com/ithacajoumal/doct896717018htm...
Workers with Paragon Environmental Construction of Syracuse tear down a house Monday at 5042 Jacksonville Road.
The house is one of seven homes purchased by the then -Mobil Oil Corporation in 1988 following a series of fuel spills.
Five of the homes will be demolished by Christmas. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 2A
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Abstract (Document Summary)
first of five homes Future of Jacksonville sites uncertain By DAN HIGGINS Journal Staff JACKSONVILLE - Exxon Mobil
Corp. has begun demolishing the Jacksonville homes it purchased in the Ulysses hamlet following a series of fuel spills
that fouled underground wells.
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Exxon Mobil demolishes homes
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Dec 12, 2000
Start Page:
A.2
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count:
460
Document Text
Corporation considering options for Jacksonville land
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
JACKSONVILLE - As Exxon Mobil Corp. continues to tear down homes in the Ulysses Hamlet of Jacksonville, company
officials said they still don't know what they will finally do with the soon-to-be vacant properties.
Bary Wood, an Exxon Mobil spokesman, said Monday there were still several options available to the company but that
no decision has been made.
Wood confirmed two options under consideration: selling the vacant lots once municipal water service is available, or
donating the land to the community.
"There is no leading case," Wood said. "I don't want to speculate."
Wood said there was no timetable for predicting when the corporation would decide.
Exxon Mobil purchased six parcels of land in 1988 as part of a legal settlement. Leaks from an underground tank at a
gas station have polluted the well water of several nearby homes since the 1970s.
Five residents sold their homes to Exxon Mobil for an undisclosed sum.
One resident opted not to sell his home. The seventh property is the Old Colonial Church on Jacksonville Road. Exxon
Mobil has no plans to demolish that building, Wood said.
Ulysses Town Supervisor Douglas Austic said no one from Exxon Mobil had talked to him about donating the land in at
least a year.
"They mentioned it once." Austic said. "But I haven't heard anything since then."
Austic said that he would be happy with any outcome that allows local people to determine how the land will be used
next.
He noted that the land, on Route 96 and along Jacksonville Road, is zoned for both commercial and residential use.
"The town might be interested (in accepting donated land) if the buildings are gone, it's cleaned up and nicely graded,"
he said.
In the meantime, Jacksonville residents continue to wait for a municipal water system.
Austic said the first public information meeting on the proposed waster district will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 18 in the
Trumansburg Elementary School auditorium.
State Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th District, a former Ulysses town supervisor, recently announced that Ulysses
would be receiving $$@$!500,000 from the state to help finance the proposed water district, which will cost an
estimated $$@$!3.8 million.
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The water would come from the Bolton Point plant and serve as many as 350 Jacksonville residents.
The grant, Luster said, would also help the town's credit rating, possibly making Ulysses eligible for an interest-free loan
from the state to cover the remaining $$@$13.3 million in estimated building costs for the water district.
Water hearing
The first public information meeting on a proposed waster district for Ulysses will be held at 7 p.m. Dec. 18 in the
Trumansburg Elementary School auditorium. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 2A
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Abstract (Document Summary)
The grant, Luster said, would also help the town's credit rating, possibly making Ulysses eligible for an interest-free loan
from the state to cover the remaining $$@$!3.3 million in estimated building costs for the water district.
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2 or 2 11/2/13 3:24 PM
ABOUT TOWN
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Dec 30, 2000
Start Page:
A.3
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count: 571
Document Text
DAN
HIGGINS
Jacksonville residents eager for water district
The Town of Ulysses is continuing its efforts to pipe water service to about 300 homes in Jacksonville. Meanwhile, a
former Ulysses supervisor is attempting to convince the fuel company responsible for the well contamination in
Jacksonville to help somehow.
More than 300 people came to the Trumansburg Elementary School Auditorium on Dec. 18 to hear about the tentative
plans for the water district, which would take water from the Balton Point plant on the east side of Cayuga Lakeand run
it up Route 96 and into Jacksonville.
Water wells in the hamlet have been plagued for years by a series of underground fuel spills from a nearby gas station.
The plan may cost more than $$@$!3 million. But, by a show of hands, the people who would have to pay for the
district expressed overwhelming support of at least moving the water district plan to its next stage, which is determining
more precisely what its boundaries would be.
Engineers and consultants have been working on the plan for months, said Town Supervisor Douglas Austic, and now
think they can provide municipal water at an annual cost of about $$@$!540 per user.
"About $$@$!300 of that pay for building costs, and the $$@$!200 -plus on top of that would be average water costs,"
Austic said.
Once the boundaries of the district are set, a move Austic said that will be sure to include plenty of opportunities for
public comment, the town will hold another informational meeting with the members of the proposed water district. That
meeting will probably be in mid -spring, Austic said.
Then, the people who would receive the water have to vote to form the water district, and after that, construction can
begin.
It's still not clear, though, how the construction costs would be paid for.
In November, Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th District, announced that the state would give Ulysses a
$$@$!500,000 grant to help pay for the district.
With the grant, Luster and Austic hoped it would boost the town's eligibility for an interest-free state loan to pay for the
balance of construction costs.
Austic said recently that Ulysses' official rating wouldn't be high enough to apply for the funds in 2001, but it would be
high enough to stand a reasonable chance of getting the interest-free loan approved in 2002.
In the meantime, Luster, who was Ulysses town supervisor from 1983-88, has invited Exxon Mobil to help.
In a letter dated Thursday, Luster suggested that an Exxon Mobil representative meet with him and Austic to discuss a
way for the oil company to help out.
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ABOUT TOWN - The Ithaca Journal: Archives http://pgasb.pqarchivcr.com/ithacajoumal/doc/896716852.htm...
"It seems to me that one way that Mobil could dear its books of this 21 -year-old problem is to assist the community in
its efforts to establish a permanent water district." the letter read, in part.
"If Mobil participates in that (water district) effort financially that would be good for them from a public relations
standpoint ... they could rid themselves of this problem in a fairway," Luster said in a telephone interview Friday.
"Instead of skulking away, they could walk away from this with their heads high."
Luster didn't expect Exxon Mobil had received the letter by Friday. Exxon Mobil officials were not available for comment.
Dan Higgins covers town news in Tompkins County. He can be reached at 2749232 or via e-mail at
dhiggins@ithat:a.gannett.com. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 3A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
More than 300 people came to the Trumansburg Elementary School Auditorium on Dec. 18 to hear about the tentative
plans for the water district, which would take water from the Bolton Point plant on the east side of Cayuga Lakeand run
it up Route 96 and into Jacksonville.
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RAN AUG. 2, 2001
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Campi, Esther
Date:
Jan 3, 2002
Start Page:
A.1
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count:
1178
Document Text
The thirst for dean water
Support for new district flows from community tired of taint
JACKSONVILLE - For more than 20 years, residents here have spent countless hours worrying about something others
hardly think about: water.
Since the late 1970s. a series of underground fuel leaks from a gas station have left a legacy of contaminated private
wells that chip away at residents' quality of life.
Elsewhere in the Town of Ulysses, rock formations beneath the topsoil have made wells unproductive and infused water
with stubborn minerals that are hard to cleanse.
People in Jacksonville do not take for granted watering their lawns, washing their cars, taking a bath or even reaching
for a clean glass of drinking water.
Homeowners complain that property values sometimes plunge far below their worth at selling time - or don't sell at all -
because of the water problem. Water -dependent businesses think twice before locating here. And fixes proposed in the
past have proved costly and elusive.
"We've been living with this for years," says Town Supervisor Doug Austic, who is admittedly weary from the struggle.
Very soon, however, life could change in Jacksonville.
See JACKSONVILLE, 4A
Jacksonville
(Continued from Page 1A)
On Aug. 14, the Ulysses Town Board is poised to vote on a proposed new water District No. 3 that would bring a dean,
abundant water supply to the area.
The district would tap into the Bolton Point Plant in the Town of Ithaca, drawing enough water to serve about 318
properties on Route 96, including Jacksonville.
Public interest is evident. At a public hearing Tuesday night, about 100 people showed up, some wearing T-shirts that
read, "Support the Ulysses/Route 96 Water District." Others shouted, 'Thank you" to town leaders.
There are still many hurdles to cross, however. The public chat this week raised issues about how district lines are
drawn. Residents on Krums Comers Road want off the map, saying their water is dean and they can't stomach paying
for a service they don't need.
Another group of neighbors on Jacksonville Road between Route 96 and Cold Springs Road wants to be added.
During an interview Wednesday, Austic said a swap is likely in the works, which would require another public hearing.
But a quick public session could still be held in time for the the Town Board meeting Aug. 14, he said.
Funding for the estimated $$@$!3.15 million project is also a concern. The Assembly has agreed to a $$@$!500,000
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state grant. But more money is sought.
Austic hopes to have all of the required plans and agreements in place before a spring deadline to apply for a
zero -interest state loan. He also intends to apply for a development grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission.
In addition, Assemblyman Marry Luster, D -125th District, who was Ulysses' town supervisor in the 1980s, has asked
ExxonMobil Corp. to chip in.
Luster said Wednesday that he is still talking with officials there. "I think that they will be making a contribution," he said.
"I just don't know how much."
Luster understands firsthand the long, tortured route Jacksonville has traveled in search of water. He also knows how
the best -laid plans can fail. During his tenure, at least two public votes on a proposed water district stumbled.
Then, as now, cost was key. Some areas are more expensive to serve than others, a factor that kept northern areas of
Jacksonville from being included in the latest iteration of a District No. 3 map.
Luster said during his reign, planners cobbled together a small district, then a larger one, but neither could get costs
much below about $$@$!1,500 per family.
The strength of today's proposal is that costs have been contained to about $$@$1501 per single-family dwelling per
year, a price tag touted as the "magic number" to retain public support and avoid having to seek state approval.
Luster said he hasn't taken a comprehensive tally, but that phone callers to his office have all supported the new water
district.
And Austic said he's confident the board will support the plan Aug. 14, despite some lingering concerns over cost.
"I'm tired," Austic admits, after months of working with consultants, Ithaca city officials and the public. "If it gets turned
down, I don't know if we can muster the energy to go through it again."
To critics, Austic's constant theme these days is that getting some kind of infrastructure in place now, while the
momentum is strong, is key. Later, he says, water service can be extended.
That possibility, Austic knows, would raise a whole new set of challenges for town leaders tasked with managing the
sprawl and growth that are inevitably spurred on by expanded service.
Austic said the town's strategic plan limits land available for commercial development with a a balanced tax base in
mind, and that he's sensitive to retaining the town's character.
Despite a host of last-minute paperwork, procedural hoops and the likelihood of another public hearing, however, Austic
remains upbeat that all couldbe in place to begin construction next year.
Said Austic: "I'm fairly confident that we can pull this off."
By ESTHER CAMPI/Journal Staff
Timeline
1978 - Leaks from underground gasoline storage tanks are discovered at a gas station located at the comer of Route 96
and Jacksonville Road.
1988 - ExxonMobil Corp. agrees to an out-of-court settlement brokered by the Department of Environmental
Conservation and the state Attorney General's office.
1989 - ExxonMobil Corp. purchases five homes located near the former gas station that were either condemned or
vacated, along with the Old Colonial Church on Jacksonville Road.
May 1999 - The Jacksonville Community Association circulates petitions asking the Town of Ulysses to investigate
formation of a water district.
1999 - A water study commissioned by Barton and Loguidice Consulting Engineers of Syracuse examines four potential
sources for a municipal water system: Cayuga Lake, a new groundwater supply, the Town of Ithaca's water supply and
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the Village of Trumansburg's water supply.
2000 - Residents learn that the state Department of Environmental Conservation believes there's a new spill from a gas
station at the comer of Jacksonville and Trumansburg roads that has leaked the gasoline additive MTBE, a potential
carcinogen, into more wells.
November 2000 - Assemblyman Martin A. Luster, D -125th (a former Ulysses town supervisor), and current Ulysses
Town Supervisor Doug Austic announce that the Assembly has approved a $$@$!500,000 grant to offset the cost of a
public water system in Jacksonville.
Feb. 14, 2001 - The Ulysses Town Board votes unanimously to spend up to $$@$!60,000 on initial engineering and
design costs for the project.
March 1, 2001 - At Luster's urging, representatives from the Town of Ulysses and Jacksonville meet with 6oconMobil
officials. Luster asks the company to help pay for a new water district.
Aug. 14, 2001 - The Ulysses Town Board will vote on whether to create a water district in Jacksonville.
The intersection of Jacksonville Road and New York State Route 96, where oil leaks from a gasoline station, discovered
in 1978, have polluted water supplies. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 1A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
The thirst for clean water Support for new district flows from community tired of taint JACKSONVILLE - For more than
20 years, residents here have spent countless hours worrying about something others hardly think about: water. Since
the late 1970s, a series of underground fuel leaks from a gas station have left a legacy of contaminated private wells
that chip away at residents' quality of life.
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Exxon Mobil to consider assisting Jacksonville
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Jan 10, 2001
Start Page:
A.1
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count: 332
Document Text
Firm may help establish municipal water system
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
Exxon Mobil Corp. said it would consider meeting with local lawmakers to discuss an agreement that would help bring
municipal water to Jacksonville.
Barry Wood, an Exxon Mobil spokesman, said he had received a letter from Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th
District and a former Ulysses supervisor, which contained a request for a meeting.
Luster, in a letter dated Dec. 28, asked Exxon Mobil officials to meet with him and Ulysses Town Supervisor Douglas
Austic to discuss Ulysses' plans to form a water district for the hamlet of Jacksonville.
Luster suggested in the letter that the corporation's best chance for a graceful exit from the community would be helping
Jacksonville get a clean, reliable water source.
Jacksonville has dealt with periodic leaks from underground gasoline storage tanks since 1978. The leaks came from a
Jacksonville gas station, and led to several of the hamlet's residents abandoning their homes.
Mobil bought five of the homes and the Old Colonial Church on Jacksonville Road following an out-of-court settlement
in 1988.
Wood told The Journal Tuesday that Exxon Mobil is considering Luster's requests.
"We acknowledge receipt of the assemblyman's letter, and we are considering his invitation to have a discussion, and
(considering) providing assistance to Jacksonville," Wood said.
He said Exxon Mobil would probably provide an official response to Luster in the next few weeks.
Luster said Exxon Mobil's comments were good news.
"That's very encouraging," Luster said. "I look forward to their response; I'm very pleased irs positive. Hopefully this will
come to fruition and we can put together a package and Gose out a 21 -year-old problem"
Austic said the news didn't sound bad, but he'd reserve his comments until he heard officially from Exxon Mobil.
"if they're receptive to working out some kind of mutually beneficial situation, that would go a long way to resolving this,"
said Peg Coogan, president of the Jacksonville Community Association. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 1A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
Firm may help establish municipal water system By DAN HIGGINS Journal Staff Exxon Mobil Corp. said it would
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consider meeting with local lawmakers to discuss an agreement that would help bring municipal water to Jacksonville.
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Water hot topic in Xville
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Jan 24, 2001
Start Page:
A.2
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count: 317
Document Text
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
JACKSONVILLE -Close to 100 people gathered Tuesday at the Jacksonville Community Church to hear more about a
possible water district that would serve about 300 homes.
The meeting, sponsored by the Jacksonville Community Association, featured a member of the Newfield Town Board,
who shared her experiences helping her town form a new water district.
Residents are hopeful the $$@$!3.8 million project will be a successful conclusion to their water saga. Beginning in the
late 1970s, a series of underground spills from a Jackson-ville gas station polluted the wells of surrounding houses.
Mary Beth Holub, chairwoman of Newfield's water committee, said Tuesday night that forming a water district was a
complicated exercise that should involve experienced consultants and patience to wade through "more regulations than
you ever knew existed."
The estimated cost of the proposed Jacksonville water district is now about $$@$!600 per user, per year.
Jacksonville Community Association Treasurer Dick Coogan, said his family of two spends about $$@$!530 per year on
well water and related costs, including salt for his water softener, electricity for the well pump, and bottled water.
Jacksonville Water Com-mittee Chairwoman Diane Hillmann, who lives alone, said problems with the device that
chlorinates her water have pushed her annual water costs to about $$@$!938 per year.
The entire project could cost as much as $$@$!3.8 million. The Town of Ulysses has been promised a $$@$!500,000
grant from the state, and continues to seek other sources of funding.
Ulysses Town Supervisor Douglas Austic said the town was looking into a variety of federal, state, and commercial
grants.
In addition, he's waiting to hear from Exxon Mobil, the company responsible for the pollution.
A company spokesman said on Jan. 9 it would consider meeting with Austic and Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th
district, to discuss helping the community set up a municipal water system. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 2A
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Abstract (Document Summary)
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Jacksonville Community Association Treasurer Dick Coogan, said his family of two spends about $$@$!530 per year on
well water and related costs, including salt for his water softener, electricity for the well pump, and bottled water.
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Ulysses
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Feb 14, 2001
Start Page:
A.2
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count: 466
Document Text
votes for
water
district
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - The Ulysses Town Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to spend up to $$@$!60,000 on design and
consultant costs for a proposed water district for Jacksonville.
The vote was another step in the long process of bringing municipal water to the hamlet of Jacksonville, the Ulysses
community plagued by contaminated wells for over 20 years.
This project, the Town Board estimates, could cost as much as $$@$!3.8 million.
Since the late 1970s, a series of underground fuel leaks from a Route 96 gas station polluted private wells, forcing
some people out of their homes. Others still depend on bottled water.
Most of the money appropriated at Tuesday night's Town Board meeting will be spent on engineering fees for the water
district, which would serve around 300 homes.
"This will pay for designing and mapping the district, plus legal expenses," said Ulysses Town Supervisor Douglas
Austic.
"This will take us right up to the point where we're ready to form the water district."
Austic expected the design phase to be completed by April, with a vote on forming the water district to come shortly
after.
Legally, a water district can be formed by either a referendum of the people who would be served by the utility, or by
resolution of the Town Board.
Austic said he was not yet certain which way Water District No. 3, as it is known legally, will be formed.
The Syracuse -based engineering firm Barton and Loguidice is designing the proposed district, which will get its water
from the Bolton Point Plant in the Town of Ithaca.
Once the cost is financed and spread among the district's users, the annual cost will probably be between
$$@$!550-$$@$1600 per household.
"We're still going to try and bring that cost down," Austic said.
He said the town was still looking at funding sources to help defray the cost, including the possibility of a community
development block grant. The town is hoping to get an interest-free loan from the state's revolving loan fund to finance
the bulk of the project.
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Ulysses - The Ithaca Journal: Archives
htip://pqasb.pqarchivcr.com/ithacajoumal/doc/896726039.htm...
In November, Assemblyman Martin Luster, D-1 25th District, announced the state had set aside $$@$1500,000 for the
water district.
In January, Luster asked ExxonMobil, the corporation responsible for the fuel spills, to consider helping Ulysses with the
cost of the project.
A meeting about a proposed water district, organized by the Jacksonville Community Association, brought out nearly
100 people later that month to hear about the pros and cons of forming a water district.
An ExxonMobil spokesman said the company would consider Luster's offer to meet with him. Austic, and a member of
the Jacksonville Community Association to discuss Luster's request.
No date for such a meeting has yet been set. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 2A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is pmNbited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
Since the late 1970s, a series of underground fuel leaks from a Route 96 gas station polluted private wells, forcing
some people out of their homes.
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Xville, oil reps to meet soon
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Feb 23, 2001
Start Page:
A.2
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count: 305
Document Text
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
ITHACA - Exxon Mobil representatives have agreed to sit down with local lawmakers and a Jacksonville resident to
discuss helping the community get a municipal water system.
The only question is when.
Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th District, sent a letter to company officials in December requesting a meeting with
him, Ulysses Town Supervisor Douglas Austic, and a representative of the Jacksonville Community Association.
Luster asked Exxon Mobil to consider helping the hamlet get a dependable source of clean water.
Bary Wood, a spokesman for Exxon Mobil, said in an interview Thursday that a company representative will meet with
the group, but the parties have yet to schedule a day.
'The assemblyman asked us to meet with him to discuss supporting (Jacksonville's) efforts financially. We agreed to
meet, to sit down and discuss it," Wood said.
Thursday, Luster said he wasn't sure what to expect from the meeting.
"It will be a private meeting, and we'll discuss the issues, and I can only hope it's positive," he said.
Luster expects a meeting "sometime within the next couple weeks," he said.
Since 1979, a series of underground fuel spills from a gas station on Route 96 have polluted nearby wells in
Jacksonville.
In 1989, theMobil Corporatlon purchased six properties that were condemned or vacated because of the fuel spills. Last
fall, five of the buildings were razed.
The Town of Ulysses has made headway on forming a municipal water district in the area, which would get water from
the Bolton Point plant in the Town of Ithaca.
The Ulysses Town Board voted Feb. 13 to spend up to $$@$!60,000 on design and engineering costs. The total project
could cost $$@$!3.8 million, and town officials have been looking for funding sources to bring the cost down. New York
Northeast
LOCAL: Pg. 2A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
Luster expects a meeting "sometime within the next couple weeks," he said. Since 1979, a series of underground fuel
spills from a gas station on Route 96 have polluted nearby wells in Jacksonville.
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Xville, Luster meet with gas reps
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Mar 2, 2001
Start Page:
A.2
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count: 374
Document Text
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - Representatives of ExxonMobil Corp. are considering a request to help the hamlet of Jacksonville pay for a
proposed water district.
Town of Ulysses officals said they would be pleased if ExxonMobil came up with $$@$!500,000 for the project.
Four company officals met Thursday with Assemblyman Martin A. Luster, D-1 25th District, Ulysses Town Supervisor
Douglas Austic, Deputy Supervisor Carolyn Duddleston, and Dick Coogan of the Jacksonville Community Association.
The meeting came as a result of a December letter Luster wrote to ExxonMobil, asking it to consider assisting
Jacksonville to pay for the proposed $$@$!3.8 million project.
ExxonMobil is the company responsible for a series of underground fuel spills from a Jacksonville gas station. The
spills, which began in the late 1970s, polluted nearby wells.
"We presented our case to (ExxonMobil), it was friendly and cordial ... and they seemed understanding and receptive,"
Luster said.
But, he added, "No one reached for their checkbook."
Barry Wood, an ExxonMobil spokesman, said he couldn't yet comment on the meeting. He did not attend, and had not
yet spoken with company representatives who met at Ulysses Town Hall.
Luster said ExxonMobil officials said they would consider his and Austic's requests, and consult with the corporate
decision makers.
"We didn't talk about a timetable for a decision," Luster said.
Austic said local government officals didn'trequest a specific amount of money from the company, but suggested to
them the project would be helped greatly with an additional $$@$!500,000.
If the project cost was a half -million dollars less, Austic said, the cost of water service to each user would drop to about
$$@$!530 per year. The current cost estimate is about $$@$!570 per year.
That drop, Austic said, would make Jacksonville's project more eligible for a low- or no -interest loan from the New York
state revolving loan fund.
Austic said the Town of Ulysses' loan rating will be officially changed next month, allowing the town to apply for the loan
this summer.
Representatives from the Department of Environmental Conservation, the agency that monitored the fuel spills, and the
state Attorney General's office, who signed off on a 1988 legal agreement on the issue, also attended Thursday's
meeting. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 2A
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Abstract (Document Summary)
Austic said local government officials didn'trequest a specific amount of money from the company, but suggested to
them the project would be helped greatly with an additional $$@$!500,000.
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2 of 2 11/2113 2:54 PM
CITY & COUNTY
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Mar 3, 2001
Start Page:
A.2
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count:
300
Document Text
Jacksonville residents
optimistic on water
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
Officials at ExxonMobil Corp. said Friday it would respond to a local lawmaker's request the corporation help the hamlet
of Jacksonville establish a water district.
Assemblyman Martin A. Luster, D -125th District, along with representatives from the Town of Ulysses and Jacksonville
met with Exxon Mobil officials Thursday to discuss a deal with the company whose fuel leaks contaminated Jacksonville
wells since the late 1970s.
The company didn't release a statement about the Thursday afternoon meeting until Friday morning.
"We were pleased to have an opportunity to discuss Assemblyman Luster's goal of establishing a water district that
would include residents of Jacksonville," said spokesman Barry Wood, reading from a prepared statement. "His
suggestion will be carefully considered. Upon completion of our assessment and evaluation of the options discussed,
we will respond to Assemblyman Luster."
Luster and Ulysses Town Supervisor Douglas Austic told company officials that the water district project needed
$$@$1500,000 to make service more affordable to residents, though they didn't specifically request that amount.
Members of the Jacksonville Community Association said ExxonMobil's response was a step in the right direction,
despite not knowing what steps, if any, the company will take.
"The association didn't have any expectations of a firm outcome following the meeting," said Peg Coogan, the
association's president. "We're generally pleased that things seemed to be moving forward."
As ExxonMobil considers a response, formation of the proposed water district continues.
On Feb. 14, the Ulysses Town Board voted unanimously to spend up to $$@$160,000 on initial engineering and design
costs for the project.
The district would take water from the Bolton Point Plant in the Town of Ithaca and serve about 350 Town of Ulysses
customers on Route 96, including Jacksonville. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 2A
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Abstract (Document Summary)
Jacksonville residents optimistic on water By DAN HIGGINS Journal Staff Officials at ExxonMobil Corp. said Friday it
would respond to a local lawmaker's request the corporation help the hamlet of Jacksonville establish a water district.
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Ulysses Town Board holds vote tonight on water district
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Aug 14, 2001
Start Page:
A.2
Section:
LOCAL
Text Wont Count:
282
Document Text
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
Exxon Mobil Inc. has not yet decided if it will help the hamlet of Jacksonville pay for a dean, municipal water source.
The Ulysses Town Board will meet at 7 p.m. tonight, and vote on whether to form Water District No. 3, which would
include Jacksonville.
The hamlet has had problems with contaminated wells since the late 1970s.
Underground fuel leaks from a gas station on Route 96 fouled the wells of a half-dozen homes. Exxon Mobil purchased
the homes in 1989 following an agreement with the New York State Attorney General. The company razed the homes in
the fall of 2000.
Exxon Mobil spokesman Barry Wood said the company was working with the Attorney General's once and
Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th District, to determine if financial help from Exxon Mobil would satisfy the
company's obligation to the community.
At the time of the original fuel leaks, the gas station was owned by Mobil.
"(The decision to help) is intertwined with a whole bunch of other issues, including whether New York will sign off on a
consent decree," Wood said.
Before the Town Board votes, its members will hold a public hearing on proposed changes to the water district.
Land on Krums Comers Road is slated to be dropped from the planned new water district, while others on Jacksonville
Road are proposed to be added. The water district would serve about 318 properties on Route 96, including
Jacksonville.
The project is expected to cost $$@$!3.8 million. Barring any help from Exxon Mobil, the town expects to pay for the
project by securing a low- or no -interest loan from the state. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 2A
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Abstract (Document Summary)
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Ulysses Town Board holds vote tonight on water district - The I... http://pgasb.pqarchivcr.com/ithacajoumal/doc/896721954.htm...
Exxon Mobil spokesman Barry Wood said the company was working with the Attorney General's office and
Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th District, to determine if financial help from Exxon Mobil would satisfy the
company's obligation to the community.
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2 of 2 11/2/13 2:52 PM
Ulysses OKs water district
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Aug 15, 2001
Start Page:
A.1
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count: 591
Document Text
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - The Ulysses Town Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to form a municipal water district that would
include the Hamlet of Jacksonville.
Assuming there are no delays, Ulysses Town Supervisor Douglas Austic said residents in the 318 homes around Route
96 and Cold Springs Road could be getting clean, reliable water from their taps by December 2002.
The total cost for the project to build Water District No. 3 is estimated to be $$@$!3.15 million, or about $$@$1501
annually per household.
The town hopes to pay for the project through a low- or no -interest state loan.
Construction is expected to take four months, and could start as early as next spring.
For residents of Jacksonville, formation of the district marks the beginning of the end of a long battle for dean water.
A half-dozen homes were made uninhabitable when their wells were fouled by a number of underground fuel leaks from
a Ulysses gas station.
Jacksonville residents have been crusading for a municipal water district at least as far back as the 1980s.
This is the third, and so far the most successful, attempt to bring municipal water to Jacksonville.
Peg and Dick Coogan have been Jacksonville residents for 10 years. They were pleased with the board's decision, but
noted there is still more work to be done.
"Its time to start getting excited," said Peg Coogan, who is president of the Jacksonville Community Association. "But
we're not there yet."
Some residents used the public hearing held before the vote to express their disappointment over not being included in
the final plans for the district.
'We have the same water problems (as other Ulysses residents): inconsistency, excess of minerals, bacteria," said Roy
Coates, a resident of Wilkins Road. He acknowledged that the water situation in his neighborhood isn't as dire as it is in
Jacksonville.
Coates and other speakers noted that Wilkins Road is also home to the Franziska Racker Center, a facility that helps
people with disabilities and their families. Several speakers expressed disappointment, noting that the center would be
missing out on municipal water. They questioned the board's decision to leave the Wilkins Road and other
neighborhoods out.
Austic said that several spurs of the water district listed in the original design - including Duboise, Swamp College and
Wilkins roads - were removed to bring down the overall cost of the project.
The cost per user had to be kept at $$@$1501 or less in order to be approved at a local level. Otherwise, the state
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would have to evaluate the water district, and its approval would take time and would not be guaranteed, he said.
Once the district is built, others can petition to be included.
"We had to start somewhere," Austic said.
Before the vote was taken, seven properties on Krums Comers Road were removed from the water district, while six
properties near Jacksonville Road were added.
Both parties had asked for the switch. The board assented because, its members said, the change wouldn't affect the
district's cost.
Even though the water district, a political designation, has been formed, the town has not yet inked an agreement over
the water's source.
The hope is to get water from the Bolton Point water plant. That would require separate agreements with the City and
Town of Ithaca, which run the plant.
The town has discussed the idea with city and town leaders, but no agreement has yet been reached.
Jacksonville included, but others disappointed with boundaries New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 1A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
By DAN HIGGINS Journal Staff ULYSSES - The Ulysses Town Board voted unanimously Tuesday night to form a
municipal water district that would include the Hamlet of Jacksonville.
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RAN AUG. 13, 2001
fel
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Date: Aug 31, 2001
Start Page: A.2
Section: LOCAL
Text Word Count: 579
Document Text
ULYSSES
Ulysses Town Board meets Tuesday
TRUMANSBURG -The Ulysses Town Board will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14, at the Town Hall at 10
Elm St. in Trumansburg.
The hearing, just before the regular board meeting, is designed to hear public comment on a change to the proposed
Water District No. 3. Parcels of land on Krums Comers Road are slated to be dropped from the planned new water
district, while others on Jacksonville Road are proposed to be added.
The proposed swap came after a July 31 public hearing in which residents in both areas requested the change.
Board members are expected to vote on creation of the new water district immediately after the pubic hearing.
Supporters say the proposed new water district, which would tap into Ithaca's water system, would draw enough water
to serve about 318 properties on Route 96, including Jacksonville.
Since the late 1970s in Jacksonville, a series of underground fuel leaks from a gas station has polluted drinking water.
Most homes in the area are served by private wells, and previous attempts to create a municipal water system have
failed.
CITY OF ITHACA
FLIC book club meets Aug. 15
ITHACA - The Finger Lakes Independence Center book dub will meet from 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 15, at FLIC,
609 W. Clinton St. (Center Street entrance). The book selected for discussion is "Pigs in Heaven" by Barbara
Kingsolver.
New members are always welcome.
The group normally meets on the second Wednesday of each month.
For more information, call Debby or Larry at 272-2433.
Flower sale benefits cancer research
ITHACA - Ithaca area gardeners are hosting a "Plants for Life" sale to benefit the Ithaca Cancer Network and the Ithaca
Breast Cancer Alliance. Mark your calendars. The sale will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Women's
Community Building in Ithaca. It will feature hundreds of plants, some rare and all cultivated in the private gardens of
more than 40 gardeners from throughout the area; by the greenhouse crew of the Ken Post Labs at Cornell University,
members of the Bailey Hortorium, Cornell Plantations, the Cornell Hortus Forum; and by several specialty nurseries. A
silent auction of selected plant treasures also will be held.
Volunteers are needed to help with the sale. For more information or to offer donations of time or money, call Susanne
Lipari at (387) 9308 or sel3@comell.edu.
SENECA COUNTY
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State parks offer boating safety
ROMULUS - The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is hosting a boater safety class
for underage boaters, as well as anyone operating a personal watercraft.
The Gass, which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m on Aug. 28-29, will take place in the Park Headquarters Building at
Sampson State Park on Route 96A in Romulus.
Students who complete the class will receive a safety certificate required of underage boaters, as well as operators of
personal watercraft. Students have to attend each session and the Gass is limited to 25 students. To register, call (888)
274-6121.
State law requires all boat operators under 18 to take and pass a course in boating safety. And as of Jan. 1, 2004, all
operators of personal watercrafts will need a certificate, as well, with younger drivers required to take the course earlier.
A list of safety courses and boating safety can be found on the state parks' Web site at www.nysparks.com/boats. New
York Northeast
LOCAL: Pg. 2A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
Supporters say the proposed new water district, which would tap into Ithaca's water system, would draw enough water
to serve about 318 properties on Route 96, including Jacksonville. Since the late 1970s in Jacksonville, a series of
underground fuel leaks from a gas station has polluted drinking water.
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2 of 2 11 /2/13 2:40 PM
CITY & COUNTY
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Nov 1, 2001
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count:
509
Document Text
DEC to rule on ExxonMobil obligation
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
JACKSONVILLE - The commissioner of the state'sEnvironmental Conservation Department is considering releasing
ExxonMobil Corp. from further legal obligations in the hamlet of Jacksonville.
Under a 1988 agreement, ExxonMobil has been responsible for maintaining seven properties in Jacksonville, as well as
periodic testing and monitoring of an underground fuel spill.
In 1979, an underground spill at the Jacksonville gas station contaminated the wells of seven properties near the
intersection of Route 96 and Jacksonville Road.
ExxonMobil eventually purchased the properties allowing six of the residents to relocate. In 2000, ExxonMobil - with the
DEC's permission - razed five of the abandoned homes.
An ExxonMobil spokesman said Wednesday that even if the state lifted the consent order, it would have no bearing on
the company's decision of whether to help the Tompkins County hamlet pay for a new water district.
Spokesman Bary Wood said there's still no decision on whether to contribute, how much money might be involved, or a
timetable for a decision to be made.
The water district, estimated at about $$@$13 million to install, would serve about 300 homes along Route 96, including
homes in Jacksonville.
Since that initial spill, fuel leaked into the ground several other times, including after ExxonMobil sold the gas station,
which is currently owned by the Blueox Corporation.
The subsequent spills following ExxonMobil's sale of the gas station seems to be the reason cited by DEC
commissioner Erin Crotty for considering lifting the order.
"My staff has confirmed that additional gasoline spills were reported at the site after Mobil sold the property, including a
recent release involving the current owner," Crotty wrote in a letter to Assemblyman Martin Luster, D -125th District.
"My staff is reviewing new data from the Blueox spill investigation which may help determine whether Mobil has
completed its remedial obligations," Crotty wrote.
"We expect to know by the end of the month whether any additional data is needed."
Crotty was not available for comment Wednesday aftemoon.
Luster said he was under the impression that the state's lifting of the consent order might convince ExxonMobil to help.
Last March, ExxonMobil representatives met with Ulysses Town Supervisor Douglas Austic, Assemblyman Martin
Luster, D -125th District, and representatives of the Jacksonville Community Association, to discuss the possibility of
ExxonMobil helping the community pay for a municipal water system.
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But Wood insisted that wasn't the case.
"The two issues aren't coupled, I don't know who thought they were," Wood said. "We've been trying for some time to
have (the consent order) end. We feel we've done our part," he said.
Richard Coogan, president of the Jacksonville Community Association, said he would be satisfied if Mobil left the
community, so long as there was some kind of financial settlement.
"I think ExxonMobil needs to recognize there was community harm done. There should be some payment to help
restore the community," he said.
"But we're ready to move on."
Officials: Other owners of J-ville gas station contributed to contamination New York Northeast
LOCAL,, Pg. 1 B
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
The water district, estimated at about $$@$!3 million to install, would serve about 300 homes along Route 96, including
homes in Jacksonville. Since that initial spill, fuel leaked into the ground several other times, including after ExxonMobil
sold the gas station, which is currently owned by the Blueox Corporation.
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2 of 2 11/2/113 2:37 I'M
RAN SEPT. 17, 2001
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Nov 16, 2001
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count: 446
Document Text
Ulysses has to hold 2nd water district hearing
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - A ruling by the state comptroller's office meant that the Town of Ulysses had to have a second public
hearing on the water district that will eventually serve the hamlet of Jacksonville.
Ulysses Town Supervisor Douglas Austic said that no one attended the second public hearing, which was advertised
Aug. 29 in The Ithaca Journal, and held Tuesday night at Ulysses Town Hall, the day of the terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Center and Pentagon.
The second hearing was needed, Austic said, because the comptroller's office said the legal advertisement of the
hearing wasn't specific enough.
The original advertisement, which appeared in The Journal on July 16, stated that the hearing would be held concerning
a water district, the boundaries of which were available for public inspection in the Town Clerk's office.
Two days after the public hearing on Aug. 14, where the Town Board voted unanimously to form a municipal water
district, the comptroller's office said the hearing wasn't valid; the legal advertisement needed to specifically outline each
of the 300 tax parcels that would be included in the proposed water district.
"We definitely thought we would be OK with the original notice," said Austic. "But I guess we weren't, so we did it again."
The practical effects of having another public hearing on Tuesday means that people living within the water district now
have until Oct. 11 to mount a campaign to stop the district.
Called a permissive referendum, any property owner within the boundaries of the new district who collects signatures
from 5 percent of the distrid's landowners can force a public vote on the water district.
Austic said that since the original public hearing on Aug. 14, no one has expressed any interest in mounting the legal
challenge against the district.
"No one has even picked up the petition forms from Town Hall," Austic said.
The water district would mean the first clean, reliable source of water for Jacksonville.
The community has been dealing with the effects from underground fuel leaks from a Jacksonville gas station since the
late 1970s.
The gas station was owned by Mobil when the leaks occurred.
Exxon Mobil Inc. officials said they would consider helping Jacksonville pay for the water district, which is expected to
cost $$@$!3.15 million. On Friday, spokesman Barry Wood said no decision has been made yet.
Austic said that despite being forced to hold a second public hearing, the Town Board is moving ahead as planned, and
will apply for a low- or no -interest loan from the state next month. New York Northeast
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LOCAL; Pg. 1B
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
Two days after the public hearing on Aug. 14, where the Town Board voted unanimously to form a municipal water
district, the comptroller's office said the hearing wasn't valid; the legal advertisement needed to specifically outline each
of the 300 tax parcels that would be included in the proposed water district.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
2 of 2 11 /2/13 2:481'M
RAN JULY 31, 2001
131
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Bishop, Lauren
Date:
Nov 22, 2001
Start Page:
A.2
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count: 384
Document Text
Hearing on Jacksonville water supply tonight
By LAUREN BISHOP
Journal Staff
JACKSONVILLE - A public hearing on a proposed water district in Jacksonville tonight could mark the near -end of the
hamlet's more -than -20 -year-old struggle for a clean, abundant water supply.
If residents show support for the district at tonight's meeting, the Ulysses Town Board would likely vote to officially form
the district at its Aug. 14 meeting, Supervisor Doug Austic said Monday.
In Jacksonville, where private wells have been contaminated and homes have been made uninhabitable by
underground fuel spills from a gas station, past attempts to form a water district have failed because of high costs.
But Jacksonville residents and Ulysses town officials are hopeful that this effort will succeed, thanks to a $$@$!500,000
state grant, the likelihood of a zero -interest state loan and support from residents at past public hearings. The total cost
is estimated to be $$@$13.15 million.
With financial assistance from the state in place, the town's hired consultants, Syracuse -based Barton and Loguidice
Consulting Engineers, have estimated that it would cost each household about $$@$!500 for municipal water, based on
a district that serves 318 properties.
That amount includes the cost of the water, operation and maintenance of the system and debt service on the loan. It's
less than what many Jacksonville residents have said they now spend to maintain their wells.
"This is a good deal," Austic said. He noted that initial estimates of annual costs were $$@$!1,500 or more two years
ago when the town investigated a larger water district that would serve more areas of the town.
As proposed now, the system would connect with the City of Ithaca's water system near Iradell Road on Route 96,
where a new water tower and pump station would be built.
The system would serve properties on Route 96 and Perry City, Jacksonville, and Cold Springs roads, but other
residents could petition the town to be added to the system after its built.
Construction could take place next year, if the town makes the mid-October deadline for applying for the zero -interest
loan from the state's revolving loan fund.
The hearing will be at the Arthur E. Bouton American Legion at the comer of Route 96 and Seneca Road just past the
Village of Trumansburg. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 2A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
In Jacksonville, where private wells have been contaminated and homes have been made uninhabitable by
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underground fuel spills from a gas station, past attempts to form a water district have failed because of high costs.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
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Wells given clean bill of health
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Dec 3, 2001
Start Page:
A.1
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count:
565
Document Text
DEC monitors areas around former convenience store
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
DANBY - Residue from underground fuel leaks have migrated from a defunct gas station in Danby but do not pose a
threat to drinking water supplies, environment and health officials said.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation has been monitoring a handful of test wells near the former
Benjamin's One Stop, at 1860 Danby Road, since February.
Spill engineers have also tested several private water wells in the area, as has the Tompkins County Department of
Public Health.
Officials from both agencies said no one's drinking water has been contaminated.
But dissolved particles from spilled gasoline and oil have been turning up in the groundwater, according to monitoring
reports from test wells near the site.
"Ifs running parallel to Route 96B, in a north -north-westerly direction," said DEC spill engineer Gary Peterson.
The dissolved contaminates have not apparently crossed the road.
And, Peterson said, he doesn't think the chemicals in the ground pose a threat to the homes, businesses and church in
the center of the Town of Danby.
Removing gas tanks
The convenience store was destroyed by fire, blamed on a spark from a faulty ice cream cooler's compressor, in spring
1999.
DEC crews spent seven days cleaning the site last May, removing four underground gas tanks and replacing much of
the soil there with clean fill.
Peterson said the area is much safer now that the source of the contamination has been removed, but he's convinced
some pollution remains.
"Is it spic and span? No. Is it cleaner than it used to be? Definitely," Peterson said.
Tompkins County Public Health Engineer Stephen Maybee tested two wells in the neighborhood of Benjamin's One
Stop.
One of those wells belongs to Alan Soule, who has lived at 5 Bald Hill Road since 1965.
Soule said he has never had a problem with his well water and, until the health department contacted him, had never
considered the possibility that the defunct filling station contaminating his well.
"It really never crossed my mind," he said.
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Maybee said he plans to test Soule's well one more time by the end of the year, but isn't concerned he'll find
contamination.
Jacksonville spill
The underground fuel leaks and well -water testing recalls the situation in Jacksonville, in the Town of Ulysses.
A half-dozen people were forced from their homes in the 1980s after an underground petroleum spill contaminated wells
near a Jacksonville Road gas station.
But both health officials said the Benjamin's One Stop spill does not offer an adequate comparison.
"This is nothing compared to Jacksonville," Peterson said.
Cleanup costs $$@$!102K
As of Friday, the DEC has spent $$@$!102,579 on the site's cleanup. The money came from the state's oil -spill -cleanup
fund.
Typically, the state attorney general's office then tries to collect the cleanup money from the property owners or other
"responsible parties," according to a spokesman in the attorney general's office.
But a DEC spokesman said Friday the case had just been referred to the attorney general's office, and no collection
procedures have begun.
Neither Robert nor Linda Wilson, who have owned the property since 1995, could be reached for comment.
The Town of Danby has hired contractors to raze the store beginning Dec. 11, under the town's unsafe buildings
ordinance.
Town officials estimate the demolition will cost between $$@$113,000 and $$@$!15,000. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 1A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
DEC monitors areas around former convenience store By DAN HIGGINS Journal Staff DANBY - Residue from
underground fuel leaks have migrated from a defunct gas station in Danby but do not pose a threat to drinking water
supplies, environment and health officials said.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
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RAN AUG. 1, 2001
fel
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Campi, Esther
Date:
Jan 3, 2002
Start Page:
A.2
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count: 438
Document Text
Jacksonville water meeting draws 100
By ESTHER CAMPI
Journal Staff
JACKSONVILLE - Ulysses Town Board officials are a step closer to voting on a proposed new water district in
Jacksonville following a public hearing Tuesday night.
A full -room crowd of about 100 turned out to tell tales of low water pressure, plunging property values, and
contaminated private wells that are the legacy of underground fuel spills in the hamlet.
A proposed new $$@$!3.15 million water system would conned with the City of Ithaca's water system near Iradell Road
on Route 96, where a new water tower and pump station would be built.
Based on a district that serves about 318 properties, the average cost per single-family household is estimated to be
about $$@$!500, down significantly from estimates of $$@$!1,500 or more two years ago.
Bob Carpenter, 5360 Perry City Road, said residents can't water their lawns, wash their cars or have clean drinking
water, and that his father recently had to sell his home at half the assessed value because of the hamlet's water -supply
problems.
In addition, Carpenter said, new businesses are wary of locating in Jacksonville because water is an issue. "We've just
got to realize how important it is."
Several in the crowd shouted, `Thank you" to town leaders. Others sported T-shirts that read, "Support the Ulysses/
Route 96 Water District."
The meeting at the Arthur E. Bouton American Legion building was not without controversy, however.
Christian Boissonnas, 5214 Jacksonville Road, read a letter signed by him and six neighbors who are upset that the
proposed water district lines cut them out.
The group own homes on Jacksonville Road between Route 96 and Cold Springs Road, and claim a $$@$!500,000
state grant for the project specifically targets addresses affected by gasoline spills.
Supervisor Doug Austic acknowledged that property values in Carpenter's neighborhood have been affected, but said
water quality has not.
Other critics had a reverse complaint.
AI and Marilyn Rakowski, 3360 Krums Comers Road, said their water is dean and abundant, and they'll fight to keep
from paying for a service they don't need.
At the meeting's end, Austic defended the current proposal as "the best -priced, best system we're going to come up
with" that keeps costs low enough to avoid a lengthy state approval process.
Austic said the Town Board will likely vote on the proposal at its Aug. 14 meeting. He said construction could begin next
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year if the town makes early spring deadlines for applying for a zero -interest loan from the state's revolving loan fund.
Most voice support for $$@$!3.15M proposal, although some feel excluded New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 2A
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Abstract (Document Summary)
Bob Carpenter, 5360 Perry City Road, said residents can't water their lawns, wash their cars or have clean drinking
water, and that his father recently had to sell his home at half the assessed value because of the hamlet's water -supply
problems.
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2 of 2 11/2/13 3:13 PM
ABOUT TOWN
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Jan 19, 2002
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count:
420
Document Text
DAN
HIGGINS
Jacksonville residents waiting for water
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
ITHACA - Jacksonville residents should know by March if the Town of Ulysses will get an interest-free $$@$13 million
loan to finance a proposed water district in the hamlet.
Town officials hope to secure the money from the state's revolving loan fund.
The Ulysses Town Board formed the district in August. The plan adopted then would serve around 300 households,
using water from the Bolton Point water plant in the village of Lansing.
"We sent (the state) an incomplete application, because we're still waiting for an agreement with the City of Ithaca," said
Doug Austic, Ulysses supervisor.
Bolton Point's water is controlled jointly by the city and town of Ithaca, and the village of Lansing.
Austic said there was no problem in negotiations with the city to eventually buy water for the new district, other than the
talks were taking longer than he had hoped.
"The state said they wanted the application, even if it was incomplete. I don't know if that's a good sign or what," he
said.
The water district, once built, would fill a need for Jacksonville residents that began over two decades ago.
Beginning in the late 1970s, a series of underground leaks from fuel storage containers at a Jacksonville gas station
contaminated the drinking water wells of a half-dozen homes.
The community has been trying since then to bring municipal water to its residents.
At the time of the original spills, the gas station was owned by Mobil, Inc.
Community leaders including Austic and Assemblyman Martin Luster, D-1 25th District, met with representatives from
the presently named ExxonMobil in February to ask if the company would consider helping the town finance the water
district.
ExxonMobil spokesman Barry Wood said this week that the idea has never been given serious consideration, because
he had never received a written request from anyone linked to Jacksonville.
In fact, Wood told The Journal a year ago that he had received a letter from Luster requesting the meeting which took
place in February. At that time, Wood said of Lusters letter, "We're considering his invitation to have a discussion, and
(considering) providing assistance to Jacksonville"
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Luster said this week he thought the company had indeed considered offering financial assistance, but thinks that
Wood's statement represents an attempt to retreat from that position.
Dan Higgins covers town and county government news in Tompkins County. He can be reached at 2749232 or
dehiggin@-ithaca.gannett.com. New York Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 1 B
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Abstract (Document Summary)
[... j Wood told The Journal a year ago that he had received a letter from Luster requesting the meeting which took place
in February.
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2 of 2 11/2/13 3:00 PM
Gas station under scrutiny
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y
Author:
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Feb 8, 2002
Start Page:
A.1
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count:
656
Document Text
DEC monitors Jacksonville spot with history of problems
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - Contractors are scheduled to finish searching for leaks today at a Jacksonville gas station with a history of
underground fuel contamination.
But, as of late Thursday afternoon, 'There is no indication of gasoline contamination," around the pipes or tanks, said
Chris Mannes an environmental engineer from the Department of Environmental Conservation's Syracuse office.
Mannes said Thursday the excavation around the fuel pumps at the Nice N Easy convenience store, 1854 Jacksonville
Road, was undertaken as a precaution, with the cooperation of the property owner.
Recent tests using new technology raised concerns that there might be a small leak in the pipes that connect the four
4,000 -gallon fuel storage tanks and the gas pumps, or a small hole in the side of one of the double -walled tanks
themselves.
The wells of two nearby properties have been showing slightly elevated levels of methyl tertiary -butyl ether, known as
MTBE, and benzene, another volatile organic compound that signals the presence of petroleum, since 1999, officials
said.
But the station had passed a number of pressure tests, which would detect large leaks.
DEC officials said pressure tests are fallible, and the presence of the chemicals in the nearby wells added to suspicion
that prompted further testing.
The decision to dig came after a recent battery of soil tests using Tracer, a volatile petroleum distillate introduced into
the storage tanks about a month ago.
Shortly after the easily identifiable chemicals are poured in the tanks, crews take soil samples from around the
underground tanks.
If any Tracer - a brand-name compound designed specifically to test for leaky fuel tanks - is present in the soil, "It
suggests that there's a problem," said Dick Brazell, the DEC's regional spill engineer, who is based in Syracuse.
The goal of the dig is to physically examine the soil for leaks.
The gas station is owned by the Blueox Corp. of Oxford, N.Y.
Blueox president Neil Bartle paid for the Tracer testing and notified the DEC of the results. Bartle first suggested that
digging around the tanks would be an appropriate measure, but, Mannes added, "We would have asked him to do it if
he hadn't suggested it first."
Bartle said, "My attitude is, if there's a problem, let's dig it up right now and see what we can find. I'm the guy on the
hook, so I'll either do it now or later," he said.
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Bartle, whose company owns 10 gas stations, first leased the gas station in 1992, purchasing it about four years later,
he said.
He knew at the time he was buying a gas station with a history of environmental problems.
Periodic leaks from the underground fuel storage tanks have polluted drinking water wells near the gas station since the
late 1970s.
The leaks first occurred when the station was owned by the Mobil Corporation. Mobil (now Exxon Mobil Corp.), under a
consent decree issued from the state Attorney General's office in 1989, is still responsible for monitoring groundwater in
the area.
It was under the same agreement that Mobil was compelled to buy six homes from property owners who had to
abandon the houses because of fouled drinking water.
In the two decades since Jacksonville's water problems began, residents there have made several attempts to acquire
municipal water and abandon their private wells.
In 2001, the Town of Ulysses formed a water district, a move that represented the most progress made on the issue to
date.
Ulysses officials are waiting to hear if the town qualifies for a $$@$!3 million, zero -interest loan from New York state to
build the water system, which would serve about 300 homes.
SIMON WHEELER/Joumal Staff
Employees of Cortland Pump and Equipment Company and Sherman Vincent Associates General Contractors
Thursday afternoon remove the concrete above the gasoline storage tanks at the gas station in Jacksonville. New York
Northeast
LOCAL; Pg. 1A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
The wells of two nearby properties have been showing slightly elevated levels of methyl tertiary -butyl ether, known as
MTBE, and benzene, another volatile organic compound that signals the presence of petroleum, since 1999, officials
said.
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2 of 2 11/2/13 2:51 PM
Cracks, but no leaks in tanks
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Feb 9, 2002
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count:
505
Document Text
Jacksonville station's new owner says he'll replace cracked filler pipes
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - A day and a half of digging at a Jacksonville gas station yielded no discoveries of underground fuel leaks.
Officials from the state's Department of Environmental Conservation did, however, find small cracks in the filler pipe
used by tanker trucks to refuel the underground tanks. But officials aren't sure that fact alone represents any hazard.
Regional spill supervisor Dick Brazell said the DEC would study the findings and release a report in the next two weeks.
The gas station's owner on Friday said he planned to replace the piping now that he has already paid to tear up the
ground above it.
Neil Bartle, owner of the Blueox Corp., of Oxford, hired a contractor to dig to the top of the four 4,000 -gallon tanks in
front of the Nice N Easy convenience store, 1854 Jacksonville Road, after a soil test suggested fuel may have escaped
into the soil.
DEC engineers said they took the possibility of soil contamination seriously, given the history of the site.
Leaks from tanks at that same gas station had fouled the drinking water of nearby homes and businesses in several
spills since the late 1970s.
Bartle said he has been in disagreement with the DEC over whether a spill occurred in 1998.
Testing of nearby wells since then have produced spikes in the levels of methyl tertiary -butyl ether {MTBE}, and
benzene, suggesting the presence of petroleum in the groundwater.
But Bartle's double -walled tanks, installed in 1986, have repeatedly passed pressure tests designed to detect leaks.
One month ago, Blueox's environmental consultant tried a new test, at the DEC's behest, using a chemical called
Tracer.
Tracer is poured into the fuel tanks, and after approximately 10 days, the soil around the tanks is tested for Tracer,
which moves rapidly from a liquid to a gaseous state.
The Tracer test came up positive, prompting this week's digging.
But the physical inspection of the soil revealed no petroleum.
"if there's something wrong that you can point to that's my problem, just let me know and I'll take care of it." Bartle said,
noting he is sympathetic with Jacksonville residents' long history of water problems. "I just want to be a good corporate
citizen ... but now there's nothing you can point to."
Thursday, environmental engineer Chris Mannes said the Tracer tests have been available for "the last year or two."
Jacksonville residents have stated their support for Bartle's cooperation with the DEC.
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"Mr. Bartle acted promptly and responsibly to the situation. He did more than was required by the DEC by having the
tanks and piping exposed and physically checked at his expense and loss of revenue," said Richard Coogan, president
of the Jacksonville Community Association,
Bartle said it will be at least three to four weeks, "unless I hear something else from the DEC," before the concrete is
replaced over the tanks and business is back to normal. New York Northeast
LOCAL: Pg. 1 B
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
Testing of nearby wells since then have produced spikes in the levels of methyl tertiary -butyl ether (MTBE), and
benzene, suggesting the presence of petroleum in the groundwater.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
2 of 2 11/2/13 3:29 PM
RAN MAY 16, 2002
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Higgins, Dan
Date:
May 29, 2002
Start Page:
A.1
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count:
383
Document Text
Ulysses qualifies for state water loan
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - After 23 years, dean water and the money to pay for it could finally come rushing through the Hamlet of
Jacksonville.
The Town of Ulysses officially learned this week that it is eligible for a no -interest loan from the state to help pay for a
municipal water system after decades of dealing with wells polluted by underground gasoline spills.
The town still has to submit the project to a formal review by the state funding agency, but officials at the local and state
levels say they are confident that they will finally prevail in their effort to provide a municipal water supply to about 370
homes and businesses.
The state's Environmental Facilities Corporation said in a letter to Town Hall Monday that Ulysses qualifies for an
interest-free, $$@$12.65 million loan from the state Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. That money, in addition to a
$$@$!500,000 grant from a state program, will likely cover the cost of a municipal water system.
"I keep telling people: Have faith, this will happen," Town Supervisor Douglas Austic said.
Plans for municipal water in Jacksonville have come and gone since the late 1970s, when underground fuel tanks at a
neighborhood gas station fouled water in a half-dozen private wells on Route 96 and Jacksonville Roads.
Those homes eventually were bought and demolished by what is now Exxon Mobil, which owned the station at the time
of the leaks.
The last serious effort to abandon wells and bring municipal water to Jacksonville occurred in the mid-1980s, but that
bid lacked enough public support to succeed.
This attempt, as it nears completion, is welcome news to Assemblyman Martin Luster, D-1 25th District. The Ulysses
resident and former town supervisor has served as a liaison between the state and town governments and the
Jacksonville Community Association.
"We're pretty excited. This is the end of the beginning," said Susan Pratt, Luster's administrative aide.
Richard Coogan, president of the Community Association, said he and other residents were told months ago, informally,
that the funding would be approved. Still, he said, it's nice to have the state's support in writing.
Austic said that if the project stays on schedule, construction could begin by spring 2003. New York Northeast
LOCAL: Pg. 1A
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
I ort 11/2/13 2:50 PM
RAV MAY 16, 2002 - The Ithaca Journal: Archives http://pgasb.pgarchivercomfithacajournal/doc/896706961.htm...
The Town of Ulysses officially learned this week that it is eligible for a no -interest loan from the state to help pay for a
municipal water system after decades of dealing with wells polluted by underground gasoline spills.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
2of2 11/2!132:50 PM
Ulysses
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Sep 19, 2002
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count: 424
Document Text
to take
2nd shot
at water
request
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
The Town of Ulysses will have another chance this month to clear a sticking point that is holding up a municipal water
system for the people of Jacksonville.
The Ulysses Town Board is trying to build a water pumping station on a slice of land in the Town of Ithaca. Ithaca's
Zoning Board of Appeals turned Ulysses down last month, due in part to objections raised by town residents.
Ulysses Town Board members thought the ruling was arbitrary, and based too heavily on the statements the residents
made at an Aug. 19 meeting.
Instead of suing, though, Ulysses attorney Bruce Wilson said the Town Board is applying again, after tweaking some
details which it hopes will be more acceptable to the zoning board.
"There were some concerns about noise, which I think we've addressed," Wilson said.
The pumping station would move water into Ulysses, where residents of the hamlet of Jacksonville have been fighting
for a municipal water supply since underground gasoline leaks fouled a handful of wells beginning in the late 1970s.
The municipal water system would eventually take water from the Bolton Point water treatment plant, through the Town
of Ithaca.
Ulysses officials have argued that the pumping station, in addition to getting water to Jacksonville, would also solve
chronic low -water -pressure problems for Town of Ithaca residents on West Hill.
Last month, however, the Zoning Board of Appeals denied the town's application to build the station on Town of Ithaca
land, citing the fact that it would be 15 feet too close to the road under present zoning.
Ithaca residents at the August meeting also complained that the station would be too noisy.
Andrew Frost, the Town of Ithaca's zoning officer, said more specific information about how West Hill residents in Ithaca
will benefit from the project could reflect better this time on Ulysses' application.
"A Zoning Board of Appeals is a quasi-judicial body, and they have to way the benefits of a project, which in this case is
a lot of people, against the detriment of a few," he said.
Wilson wouldn't explain how the new application deals with the noise issue, saying only that he'll present it at the Zoning
Board of Appeals' Sept. 23 meeting.
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Once the pumping station issue is straightened out, Ulysses officials can then put out to bid the water district project, at
an anticipated cost of $$@$13.15 million.
If there are no other delays, constructions could begin next spring.
LOCAL; Pg. 1B
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
The municipal water system would eventually take water from the Bolton Point water treatment plant, through the Town
of Ithaca.
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EDITORIAL
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Date: Sep 20, 2002
Start Page: A.9
Section: EDITORIALS
Text Word Count: 388
Document Text
Seeking intermunicipal cooperation
Town of Ithaca zoning board should approve water project
If there ever was a time for a zoning board to show some flexibility, this is it.
At issue is zoning board permission that is needed for a project to extend public water from the Town of Ithaca system
out to Jacksonville in the Town of Ulysses. The water would flow to a neighborhood that has experienced serious
groundwater pollution caused by a leaky gasoline tank at a service station. Currently, residents in that neighborhood get
their water from private wells, so the town is trying to obtain a safe water supply for them.
If the project goes through, it would include the construction of a water tower, water lines, plus a pumping station that
would be located on Woolf Road in the Town of Ithaca. Last month, Ithaca's zoning board of appeals turned the project
down. The negative decision reportedly was in response to local concerns about noise that could come from the
pumping station.
Ulysses officials have modified the project to address the noise concerns and are applying to the Ithaca Board once
again.
With those concerns addressed, Ithaca is in a win-win situation: Aside from the good neighbor aspect of this project,
Ithaca stands to gain approximately $$@$!500,000 worth of municipal improvements: The project would increase water
pressure and flow to Woolf Road and sections of Trumansburg Road in the Town of Ithaca, where the water pressure is
so low today that several fire hydrants are inoperable. In addition, the new water tower would provide at least two days
of reserve capacity in the event of a power outage.
"The Town of Ithaca would get better water pressure, better redundancy in our system, and fire hydrants that actually
will work, noted Town of Ithaca Supervisor Catherine Valentino' And in addition to the municipal improvements, there is
a significant humanitarian aspect to it. "It's being thoughtful of people who are in a serious situation," Valentino says.
"We always talk of intermunicipal cooperation. This is a really good example of trying to help each other out."
We think that Valentino is cored.
Ithaca's town board and planning board have signed off in this project. We urge the zoning board to reconsider its past
decision and allow this project to go through.
EDITORIALS; Pg. 9A
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Abstract (Document Summary)
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EDITORIAL - The Ithaca Journal: Archives http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/ithacajoumal/doet896704393.htm...
Seeking intermunicipal cooperation Town of Ithaca zoning board should approve water project If there ever was a time
for a zoning board to show some flexibility, this is it.
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2 of 2 1112113 3:30 PM
Ulysses to file land claim
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Higgins, Dan
Date:
Sep 26, 2002
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
LOCAL
Text Word Count:
370
Document Text
Town pursues eminent domain to build water pump
By DAN HIGGINS
Journal Staff
ITHACA - The Town of Ulysses will soon start an eminent domain proceeding against Town of Ithaca residents, so
Ulysses officials can build a water pumping station on Woolf Lane.
Woolf Lane residents said they're seeking legal advice, and they will sue to fight the procedure.
The pumping station will help move water from the City of Ithaca to the Town of Ulysses, including the hamlet of
Jacksonville. Jacksonville is a small community in Ulysses plagued by polluted wells stemming from underground
gasoline spills dating from the late 1970s.
The Town of Ithaca's Zoning Board of Appeals granted Ulysses a variance to build the one-story pumping station this
week, after turning down a similar application a month ago.
"We're not totally happy with the decision," said Sydney Merritt, who has lived at 127 Woolf Lane for the past nine
years, just a few yards from where the pumping station would be built.
"This is a residential neighborhood, and we are against any use of land here that is not residential," Merritt said.
The property owners have a clause in their deeds, a restrictive covenant, which protects that right, he said.
But Bruce Wilson, an attorney for the Town of Ulysses, said that restriction can be overturned by a State Supreme Court
judge, through the process of eminent domain.
Towns are limited in exercising eminent domain proceedings against residents of other towns, but there are a few
exceptions. One of those exceptions is in a joint municipal water project, Wilson said.
"There's no defense against eminent domain, unless the project is not for a public benefit, and this project is," he said.
Richard Coogan of the Jacksonville Community Association said Wednesday his group welcomes the decision by the
zoning board, and he rejects Merritt's and his neighbors' argument that a pumping station would lower their property
values.
"This is the classic anti -infrastructure argument," Coogan said.
"Property values there will most likely be increased because of the new water district because there will be adequate
pressure to West Hill. Fire hydrants that now are nonfunctional will be available in case of a fire," he said.
LOCAL; Pg. 1B
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Abstract (Document Summary)
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Town pursues eminent domain to build water pump By DAN HIGGINS Journal Staff ITHACA - The Town of Ulysses will
soon start an eminent domain proceeding against Town of Ithaca residents, so Ulysses officials can build a water
pumping station on Woolf Lane.
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EDITORIAL
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Date: Dec 26, 2002
Start Page: A.10
Section: Editorials
Text Word Count: 663
Document Text
Ulysses wells
Water projects benefit town
Proposed municipal water systems often produce oceans of controversy before a single drop flows. Taxpayers often are
rankled by their high expense. Conservationists sometimes oppose them because these projects can pave the way for
development that turns the country into the suburbs.
In the Town of Ulysses, opposition to new municipal water systems is virtually nonexistent due to nagging problems of
quality and quantity. Dozens of Ulysses homeowners are bedeviled by water that was polluted by a former service
station. Others contend with tap water that carries the smell of rotten eggs. Some water has unacceptable levels of
nitrates. In other cases, there simply an insufficient supply. For these very good reasons, Ulysses residents are
petitioning their town board to go ahead with new water projects.
Ulysses residents have requested three new water districts: one on Dubois Road and another that will serve homes
roughly from the Village of Trumansburg line on South Street all the way to Podunk and Waterburg roads. In addition,
the town is working on a new district in Jacksonville that will serve homes that were affected by the former Mobil service
station whose underground tanks leaked petroleum into the groundwater decades ago.
The town board, to its credit, is strongly backing the new water systems. Ulysses isn't a big place, but its officials
recognize that a safe and adequate water supply is one of the basic expectations that people will demand of a
govemment. "We're 100 percent behind this," said Ulysses town council member Lee Scott. 'The constituents of the
community have been struggling with water problems for 20 to 25 years. It's time to do something about it. We'll get the
job done."
According to Scott, the new water districts on Dubois Road and on South Street are nearing completion and the town
hopes to break ground on the Jacksonville project in the spring of 2003.
To some outside observers, the mere existence of water supply problems in Tompkins County is ironic, even humorous.
After all, there is a lake with trillions of gallons of dean water that literally is in sight of many problem wells. But the cost
and frequent opposition to new water districts has made it impractical to extend municipal systems to outlying areas.
Besides Ulysses, there are spotty water problems in local towns such as Caroline, Danby, Lansing and Newfield.
Perhaps the situation in Ulysses is a harbinger for future municipal issues: As local populations expand, some of these
towns will have to face the expense of a municipal water system, such as the ones that exist in West Danby and
Newfield. Or they will need to follow Caroline's lead and absorb the high cost of conducting aquifer studies to determine
how much usable water there actually is.
Wish List 2002
The Joumal has invited not-for-profit agencies in Tompkins County to send their wish lists of tasks that need to be done
by volunteers. These wish lists will appear on the opinion page from now until Dec. 31. Interested agencies should send
these lists to: Volunteer clo Opinion Page, Ithaca Journal, 123 W State St., Ithaca. NY 14850. Or email the wish lists to
jschwartz@Khaca.gannett.com and write 'Volunteer" on the subject line.
Today's Wish List request is from the Ithaca Children's Garden.
The Ithaca Children's Garden (ICG) is ecstatic about the award of a matching grant from the NYS Park Department that
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will allow them to begin the first stage of garden development at Cass Park.
In order to receive the grant ICG is required to generate matching funds and services. Volunteer time by youth, adults,
gardeners, landscapers, and builders all count toward the match. Phase I of the Ithaca Children's Garden includes a
serpentine path, a turtle mound, a compost area and two discovery gardens. The ICG also welcomes volunteers for
fundraising, public events and to lead education programs like the Detective Series. If you are interested in
volunteering, contact the ICG at (607) 272-2292.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
According to Scott, the new water districts on Dubois Road and on South Street are nearing completion and the town
hopes to break ground on the Jacksonville project in the spring of 2003. [...] the cost and frequent opposition to new
water districts has made it impractical to extend municipal systems to outlying areas. Besides Ulysses, there are spotty
water problems in local towns such as Caroline, Danby, Lansing and Newfield.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
2 of 2 11 /2/13 2:28 ['M
Water issues will flow into'03
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Mosley, Kandea
Date:
Jan 2, 2003
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
Local
Text Word Count 964
Document Text
Journal Staff
ITHACA - Shoring up water supplies in Tompkins County was a central concern in 2002, as town leaders studied water
sources and formed water districts.
Looking ahead in 2003, town leaders say they will continue to study their water reserves with an eye on future
development and raising property values.
"People realize that if they want to increase there tax base, they have to encourage development in the towns," said
Newfield official Mary Beth Holub. "You need municipal water and sewer both. You need those infrastructure in place."
What follows is a look at some of the water issues confronting several towns in Tompkins County:
Caroline: In the Town of Caroline, officials will continue to seek funding for its eight-year acquifer study of 6 Mile Creek
Valley and Willseyville Creek Valley. The study, one of the town's most significant efforts to protect its water reserves, is
expected to cost approximately $393,000.
"We will be applying for funding from the county and the state and I will be asking Sherwood Boehlert (R -23rd Dist.) for
help as well," Town Supervisor Don Barber said.
Danby: Town Supervisor Ric Dietrich said Danby's situation bears some similarities to Caroline's.
"For both of our towns, and for a lot of rural towns, the whole aquifer study becomes paramount in how we do housing,"
Dietrich said.
Dietrich said town officials were just beginning to examine the town's water supply, and were unaware of the number of
aquifers the town has.
"We don't know the relationship between surface and subsurface water. We know there's an interaction," he said.
But whether the town should have stricter septic regulations was something the town would have to look at, he said.
"Our planning board has it as a fairly good priority in our comprehensive plan. And we're also meeting with the county,"
Dietrich said.
Newfield: In 2002, Town of Newfield residents saw the beginnings of closure to decades of water mismanagement in the
Shelter Valley neighborhood.
Since 1975, water supplied to residents in Shelter Valley has routinely failed state and federal health standards. Ernest
Bury, the system's operator during that time, repeatedly ignored health department orders to test the water for microbes
and repair storage tanks.
Holub said the Shelter Valley controversy stirred support for Water District 2.
'To have the town operating the system there, to have an adequate supply, was one of the major reasons for
considering this project," Holub said.
Once formed, Water District 2 will also include Meadowbrook Park and Jim Ray's trailer park.
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Although the water project isn't scheduled for completion until the second half of 2004, the district's formation is an
important step in alleviating the area's water woes.
Ulysses: In the the Town of Ulysses, Water District 3 was granted the go-ahead in 2002, ending years of grassroots and
town board collaboration to deliver municipal water to Jacksonville.
Residents of the hamlet, located two miles south of Trumansburg along Route 96, have been campaigning for clean
water after underground gas leaks polluted a handful of wells on Route 96 and Jacksonville Road in the late 1970s.
Over the summer, the future of the district hinged on whether The Town of Ithaca would allow the construction of a
pumping station on Woolf Lane to serve Ulysses residents.
The pumping station will eventually move water from the Bolton Point water treatment plant into the Hamlet of
Jacksonville.
The Town of Ulysses also granted conditional approval to form Water District 4 to serve three households on Dubois
Road in 2002.
The Town also began studying a request submitted by residents to form Water District 5. If approved, the water district
will serve homes at the Village of Trumansburg line on South Street, down Podunk Road and Waterburg Road.
Village of Trumansburg Trustee John Levine said the village board will focus on improving the village's back-up water
system and addressing low water pressure at the north end.
"The real issues are the improved pressure, which will mean pumps or tanks, and in the long run, interconnection to
Jacksonville," Levine said.
Lansing: In the Town of Lansing, board members introduced a proposal to consolidate its 39 water districts at a public
informational session over the summer.
Town Supervisor Stephen Farkas said forming a single master district will hopefully eliminate some of the red tape
involved in extending water service.
"Hopefully by the summer at the latest, the board will sit down and say if its worth it going forward' Farkas said.
Enfield: Jean Owens, supervisor of the Town of Enfield, said the town's water resources committee will host water
workshops beginning in January.
The two-part sessions are being cosponsored with the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network and are scheduled for
Tuesday, Jan. 14, and Saturday, Jan. 18.
"We will be discussing water quality issues - generally informing the residents of the community about what Enfield
water resources look like;" Owens said.
Dryden: Deb Grantham, chair of the Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization and a Dryden Town Board
official, said the town reserved $80,000 in its 2003 budget to go towards the Virgil Creek Aquifer study.
The $398,700 study, which will be partially funded through the U.S. Geological Survey, was approved by the town in
July.
Grantham said town officials want to determine the amount of ground water seeping into the aquifer at non -flood times,
and learn how much water the aquifer is losing to the surface.
Town officials hope to install a monitoring well by the end of March, she said.
"We want to know the extent and the depth - the geometry of the aquifer, how much water it contains and how much
water you can pull from it," Grantham said.
She said they will also examine flow directions and where the aquifer is replenished to protect water from
contamination.
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2 of 3 11!2113 3:28 PM
Abstract (Document Summary)
In 2002, Town of Newfield residents saw the beginnings of closure to decades of water mismanagement in the Shelter
Valley neighborhood. Since 1975, water supplied to residents in Shelter Valley has routinely failed state and federal
health standards.
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Jacksonville rebounding since leaks
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Wilson, Adam
Date:
Dec 31, 2003
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
Local
Text Word Count:
339
Document Text
Journal Staff
JACKSONVILLE - While the ban on MTBE could possibly effect the pocketbooks of people at the pump, it can't come
soon enough for the residents of this hamlet in the Town of Ulysses.
The community has been plagued since the 1970s by a series of MTBE -laden gasoline leaks from the fuel tanks of the
Nice N Easy convenience store at 1854 Jacksonville Road.
For more than 10 years, a half-dozen houses sat vacant, their owners forced to leave by the contaminated drinking
water in the wells. In 1988 the Mobil Corporation purchased these homes, and has recently had them demolished, but
residents say irs taken a long time for the hamlet to rebound.
"Houses are selling again," said Richard Coogan, president of the Jacksonville Community Association, "and at dose to
the average price of houses in the surrounding area. Thars the good news."
But economic recovery does not come cheaply. The series of spills led residents to invest heavily in a new municipal
water system that is scheduled to be operational in January and will eventually provide service to about 300
households.
While Exxon -Mobil still owns six Jacksonville properties, and is still required by law to test the land for new
contamination, the corporation is under no obligation to provide financial assistance to the town for the construction of
the new water district.
"Exxon is not a part of this," said Coogan. "We've been given a zero percent loan from (the state) for $3.5 million"
But even if all 300 households pay the estimated $1,100 to hook to the waterline, the $3.5 million price tag for the
waterline itself represents an additional $12,000 that each home will have to pay over the next 30 years.
"No. It's not cheap," said Coogan. "But a lot of the wells around here have problems. Not just MTBE problems, but poor
flow problems. A lot of them were hand -dug, which means other types of contamination problems. And it's time, you
know? Its really time to move forward."
Contact: awilson@ithaca.gannett.com.
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Abstract (Document Summary)
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While Exxon -Mobil still owns six Jacksonville properties, and is still required by law to test the land for new
contamination, the corporation is under no obligation to provide financial assistance to the town for the construction of
the new water district.
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2 of 2 11/2/13 1:57 PM
Jacksonville water on ice
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y
Author:
Reaves, Michele
Date:
Jan 22, 2004
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
Local
Text Word Count:
559
Document Text
Recent cold snap delays project
By MICHELE REAVES
Journal Staff
JACKSONVILLE - Bills have already arrived for Jacksonville residents in Water District 3, but water from the new
system will not be running for months.
Construction began last year on the project, after six years of lobbying by the hamlet's community association. Clean
water has been an issue here ever since a fuel leak from an Exxon Mobil station contaminated wells in the 1970s.
The new district will pump in water from Bolton Point water treatment plant in the Town of Ithaca and be available to
about 330 residents.
The project has been slowed by problems, but the latest snag rests with residents and the weather. It's a "funny
dilemma," said Richard Coogan, president of the Jacksonville Community Association and chairman of Ulysses'
planning board.
The pipes must be sanitized before water can be pumped into the homes. That can't be done until weather
temperatures climb above 32 -degrees Fahrenheit, said Paul Tunison, the Bolton Point plant's general manager. If not,
the water would freeze during the 48 hours it takes to complete the process.
When the sanitation is complete, residents have to be ready to accept the water into their homes immediately, Coogan
said.
"The tricky part is we don't have any users hooked up," he said. "Once you sanitize the lines, the line's got to be used. If
you don't use the lines, the sanitation breaks down."
At least 50 residents, spanning the length of the system, need to connect their pipes to the system before the process
can be complete, Coogan said. He's not sure how many people are ready to hook up, either from indecision or lack of
interest.
Jim Moe, a 45 -year resident of Jacksonville Road, doesn't want the new water source.
"I've got a beautiful well," he said. "I don't care about water from the lake."
He doesn't have to take the water. But each resident in the district will pay $256 a year for the next three decades to
repay a $2.65 million no -interest state loan used to fund project, Coogan said. A $73 operation and maintenance fee will
also be charged each year.
That price could vary, depending on the number of people connecting or disconnecting from the water district. ISA
Babcock Breeders' departure could mean prices would go up for residents. If more homes are built in the area, the price
would go down.
Water District 3 was first proposed in the 1970s and again in the 1980s, but was turned down.
"In the '80s what they tried to do was to get the entire town to pay for the water district," Coogan said. "Whether the
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water was coming to you or not you had to pay. That's why it largely was defeated."
Coogan's association spent years making a case for the water district, gamering grants for well testing and showing
price comparisons on wells versus water district costs.
The town board passed a resolution in February 2001, backed by petitions from Jacksonville area residents, to design
the district. But in 2002, they encountered protests from Woolf Lane residents who didn't want the town's pumping
station in their neighborhood. Residents thought the water district would bring unwanted development, threaten property
values and create noise.
That behind him, Coogan said he believes water should be running by April.
Contact: mreaves@ithaca.gannett.com.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
Recent cold snap delays project By MICHELE REAVES Journal Staff JACKSONVILLE - Bills have already arrived for
Jacksonville residents in Water District 3, but water from the new system will not be running for months. The new district
will pump in water from Bolton Point water treatment plant in the Town of Ithaca and be available to about 330 residents.
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2 of 2 11/2113 1:44 PM
Hamlet ready for water flow
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Reaves, Michele
Date:
Mar 22, 2004
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
Local
Text Wont Count: 671
Document Text
Journal Staff
JACKSONVILLE - Municipal water is only weeks away for Ulysses residents who live in the hamlet of Jacksonville and
along Route 96 within Water District No. 3.
The final phase of cleaning the pipes - chlorination from a storage tank on Van Doms Comers Road at Iradell - should
be completed by the end of next week, said Paul Tunison, general manager of the Town of Ithaca's Bolton Point Water
System. The storage tank was disinfected late last week. Pipes between Balton Point and the tank were cleaned two
weeks ago as the temperature rose.
Once the chlorination process is complete, homeowners who have the proper plumbing in place can switch from well
water to district water.
"It should only be about a 10 -minute process," Richard Coogan, president of the Jacksonville Community Association,
said of switch.
Construction began last year on Water District No. 3, the final stages slowed by cold weather in January. The
Jacksonville Community Association had been working six years before that to see the project take shape.
Water became a major issue years ago, after a gas leak from the former Exxon Mobil station at the comer of Route 96
and Jacksonville Road contaminated wells in the 1970s. The new district will pump in water from the Bolton Point water
treatment plant.
About 50 people have requested permits from the town of Ulysses to conned to the water district, including several in
the past week. Coogan said. Pipes from the main line to houses are in the ground, but residents have to pay a plumber
to conned them to the system.
Wayne Bertelsen, who has lived on Route 96 since 1978, has already connected his home to the system and is ready
for the day district water is available. The Bertelsens' well was not contaminated by the gas leaks.
"We're keeping our well so well have two sources of water," he said.
But Bertelsen was behind the push to change from well water to municipal water. "Town water is generally a boon to
property values," he said.
The new system should also increase water pressure for the area, Bertelsen said. His only concern is that his front
yard, which was dug up for the project, will be set right before the contractor, R. Myers Construction, based in
Rochester, leaves.
About 330 users were initially identified for this district. But not everyone in the community is ready to make the switch.
Some residents have decided to stay with their own wells.
Beverly Golden and her husband, James, who have lived on Jacksonville Road for 28 years, aren't sure they'll switch to
the new system.
Their well was not contaminated like their neighbors across the street, who brought a lawsuit against the Mobil
Corporation, Beverly Golden said. Mobil now owns five properties across the road, which once belonged to their
neighbors.
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Still there is a need for a new water source. The water's high sulfur content makes it smell like rotten eggs in the
summer, Beverly Golden said.
"I have been using bottled water for years," she added.
But now that she and her husband are both in their 70s, they're not sure they want to deal with changing systems.
"I'm sure any younger couple is going to be excited about being able to get good water," she said. "1 know bringing the
water up through (Jacksonville) has brought a good deal of excitement."
Residents and business owners within District No. 3 already have received their first bills for the project. Each resident
in the district, regardless of whether they conned to the new water system, will pay $256 a year for the next three
decades to repay a $2.65 million no -interest state loan used to fund the district. A $73 operation and maintenance fee
will also be charged for the life of the system.
The prices are subject to change as new users join the district or those in the district leave the area.
Contact: mreaves@ithaca.gannett.com
Municipal water system for Jacksonville in final stages
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Abstract (Document Summary)
The final phase of cleaning the pipes - chlorination from a storage tank on Van Doms Comers Road at Iradell - should
be completed by the end of next week, said Paul Tunison, general manager of the Town of Ithaca's Bolton Point Water
System.
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2 of 2 11/2/13 2:55 PM
Jacksonville water
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Date: Mar 31, 2004
Start Page: A.7
Section: Editorials
Text Word Count: 478
Document Text
Relief will finally flow
Many municipal water projects are built to enable expanded residential or commercial development. In the Town of
Ulysses, a new water district will free many families from being forced to drink bottled water - and will alleviate nagging
worries from many other residents about decades -old underground petroleum pollution.
Thanks to an ongoing effort by Ulysses town officials and the cooperation of their counterparts in the Town of Ithaca, a
$3.5 million public water project is nearly complete. Lines, pumping stations and holding tanks have been tested and
chlorinated. Residents may be able to use the new system as early as next week.
Funded by an interest-free state loan to the Town of Ulysses, this water project taps into the Town of Ithaca's lines on
West Hill and extends northward to Jacksonville and beyond. The water will come from the Bolton Point intermunicipal
treatment plant on the east shore of Cayuga Lake. When the new Ulysses water district project is up and running, it is
expected to provide water for up to 300 Ulysses homes and businesses.
The $3.5 million cost of such a project is high for a small town such as Ulysses, even with an interest-free loan. Yet the
need is clear. During the 1970s, underground gasoline tanks began leaking at a former Mobil station at 1874
Jacksonville Road. Spilled gasoline spread underground and contaminated several nearby wells. Residents in seven
homes had to abandon their dwellings because of the contamination. Mobil bought those properties in 1988 and
recently demolished all but one of the buildings, which was a historic church meetinghouse on Jacksonville Road.
Despite environmental cleanups, pollution still lingers underground there. However, the cast iron pipes in the new water
system will be impervious to any petroleum pollution. Once the system is complete, homeowners are responsible to pay
for connections from the municipal water lines to their homes. The cost could range from less than $1,000 to several
thousand dollars, depending on how far a dwelling is set back from the road. But such an investment ensures clean and
plentiful water.
"It's a miserable thing not to be able to use the water out of your tap," said Diane Hillmann, a Jacksonville resident who
has had to drink bottled water for years due to contamination concerns. Hillman has already had a line installed to
connect her house to the municipal system. 'This will free me from all that equipment - and all those large blue bottles
in my kitchen. I'm really looking forward to it."
Besides the spilled gasoline, many Jacksonville wells have problems with flow rates, salt, sulfur and other
contamination problems such as nitrates and coliform pollution.
Jacksonville Community Association President Richard Coogan appropriately summed up the project by acknowledging
that the water system isn't cheap, but given the problems with wells, "It's really time to move forward."
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Abstract (Document Summary)
of 2 11/2/13 1:51 PM
Jacksonville water -'The Ithaca Journal: Archives hUp:llpqasb.pqarchiver.com/ithacajoumal/doe/377968113.htm...
Besides the spilled gasoline, many Jacksonville wells have problems with flow rates, salt, sulfur and other
contamination problems such as nitrates and coliform pollution.
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2 of 2 11/2/13 1:51 PM
Water begins to flow
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Reaves, Michele
Date:
Apr 9, 2004
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
Local
Text Word Count:
652
Document Text
First homes hooked up to new Route 96 water district
By MICHELE REAVES
Journal Staff
JACKSONVILLE - Looking past the peeling white paint and dirty cream siding, Charles Schlough found something
"attractive" in the old-style home sitting close to the edge of Route 96 in the hamlet of Jacksonville.
The house at 1845 Trumansburg Road - badly in need of repair - was one of several in the Ulysses hamlet on land
affected by gas leaks that have plagued the community for more than 30 years. On Thursday, the house was connected
to the long-awaited Water District #3, which now offers residents and businesses in the community municipal water from
Bolton Point Water System in the Town of Ithaca.
A total of six homes were connected on Thursday, Town of Ulysses Supervisor Doug Austic said. About 65 permits
plumbing permits have gone out to residents who are within the water district, Ulysses Clerk Marsha Georgia added.
The water district - which runs from the border of Ulysses and Ithaca - currently has 278 curb stops for homes and
business to connect with.
Austic said he hopes the water district will revitalize the community and attract others to refurbish rundown properties in
the area. He'd also like to see land purchased by ExxonMobil along Jacksonville Road back in use.
"We're pushing for it, but they aren't extremely receptive," he said.
Patty Delaney, an EoconMobil Corporation spokeswoman said: "At this time, we have no plans for the property."
The Mobil Oil Corporation bought sox properties in the late 1980s as part of a legal settlement after gas leaks
contaminated the ground water in the 1970s.
The Kraft family home at 1857 Trumansburg Road - which is across from the Exxon gas station - was one of the
affected properties bought in 1989 by the company. Joseph Mikula said he first discovered a problem at his mother and
stepfather's bungalow house when gas fumes overtook him in the shower. The noxious fumes made him pass out.
John and Anna Kraft - now deceased - moved to Trumansburg but soon became homesick for the community they'd
timed in for more than 20 years. In 1990, they bought their house and land back. The Department of Conservation
installed a filtration system in the yard to clean the groundwater and a cistern was also added, Mikula said. Currently,
Mikula is currently trying to sell the property for $55,000. Even with news of the water district, he said he is having a
hard time.
"We got no takers for a long time because of the gas spill," Mikula said.
In the last three months, he received two offers from potential buyers. Both buyers dropped their bids on the house after
the Health Department told them about the contamination problems. Mikula said. "The health department is aggravating
because 10 years ago my mom and dad bought it back and the health department allowed them to move in," he said. "If
it isn't good for other people, why did they allow my mom and dad to move back in?"
Mikula is still deciding whether he will have the house connected to the water system or wait for a buyer.
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Schlough's land - two houses down from the Kraft's - wasn't affected by spills in the 1970s, but groundwater was
contaminated when gas additive methyl tertiary butyl ether began leaking in 1998.
The house was one of two that was given a complex filtration system in March 2000 by the Department of
Environmental Conservation to clean the water, said spokeswoman Maureen Wren.
That fad didn't bother Schlough when he bought the property in August 2003 and began refurbishing it. He hopes the
house he bought for "a bit more" than its assessed value - $42,000 - will sell for around $120,000.
"I would never have done this if public water wasn't available," the Trumansburg resident said of the project.
Contact: mreaves@ithaca.gannett.com
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
First homes hooked up to new Route 96 water district By MICHELE REAVES Journal Staff JACKSONVILLE - Looking
past the peeling white paint and dirty cream siding, Charles Schlough found something "attractive" in the old-style home
sitting close to the edge of Route 96 in the hamlet of Jacksonville.
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2 of 2 11/2/13 2:17 PM
Jacksonville celebrates water win
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Reaves, Michele
Date:
May 24, 2004
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
Local
Text Word Count: 568
Document Text
Journal Staff
JACKSONVILLE - The introduction of municipal water in Jacksonville was cause for a party Sunday as residents along
the newly established water district celebrated the end of a 30 -year battle for water.
"Should we get champagne or drink water?" was the question Nancy Leach posed to her husband, Robert, when they
switched to municipal water last Thursday.
The couple has spent 19 years and raised four children at 4430 Jacksonville Road, a few hundred feet from the Exxon
Mobil gas station where the water problems started.
A gas leak from the site -on the comer of Route 96 and Jacksonville Road - contaminated wells in the 1970s. Residents
proposed Water District #3 then and again in the 1980s, but were turned down. The Jacksonville Community
Association picked up the project again and worked six years before the project took shape and was finally completed in
April.
In the meantime, Mobil provided bottled water for residents like the Leaches whose ground was contaminated by the
gasoline. Water is still provided today, Nancy Leach said. An extensive filter system was also in her basement for six
years.
Ground contamination was not the only problem for the family. Their well water had a high concentration of iron and
sulfur. Pipes and shower heads needed replacing regularly as did the water -stained bathroom fixtures, clothes and
dishes.
Running water into a Gear glass appeared cloudy all the time, Leach added. With the municipal water, the family had
cloudy water at first when running hot water, but it soon cleared up. Now the water is "crystal dear."
"It's nice not having that smell," Leach added, referring to the sulfur. "You kind of get used to it."
But visitors quickly noticed. "It's embarrassing," she said.
About 80 permits have been requested for residents to switch from well water to municipal water. There are 367 users -
residents and business within the district -who will pay whether they hook up to the service or not.
A $2.65 million, no -interest state loan, which officials thought could be paid back during the next 30 years, will now have
to be paid in 20 years. Supervisor Doug Austic said he doesn't believe it will increase the the bill - $256 this year -
beyond $300 next March. Payments on the loan begin next year and will increase in size in accordance with the
variable loan agreement.
Austic said money collected from the first bill would be used to defray the cost of the first loan payment next year.
Residents' bills cannot exceed $650 a year per user.
A $73 operation and maintenance fee will also be charged for the life of the system. Both the loan payments and
maintenance fees could increase or decrease depending on the number of users on the system.
The cost is all worth it to Mike and Jodele Marshall. The family - who have lived at 1839 Trumansburg Road since 1974
- had been hauling water from Jodele Marshall's mother's home in Ithaca due to the water quality. The hard well water
was plagued with iron algae.
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The first thing Mike Marshall noticed when he switched to municipal water was the increased water pressure. But the
best part of having new water was just being able to "walk past the kitchen sink and get a drink of water," he said.
"This is a real treat," Jodele Marshall said.
Contact: mreaves@ithaca.gannett.com
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
The couple has spent 19 years and raised four children at 4430 Jacksonville Road, a few hundred feet from the Exxon
Mobil gas station where the water problems started. Pipes and shower heads needed replacing regularly as did the
water -stained bathroom fixtures, dothes and dishes.
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2 of 2 11/2/13 1:50 PM
Jacksonville:
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Reaves, Michele
Date:
Jul 6, 2004
Start Page:
B.3
Section:
Local
Text Wont Count:
585
Document Text
You've come a long way baby
By MICHELE REAVES
Journal Staff
It doesn't take long for cars to rush through the hamlet of Jacksonville, situated alongside Route 96 in Ulysses.
But the tiny community has become a focal point of activity as municipal water was recently added, new sidewalk was
poured, and plans for the future discussed.
"Right now we are collecting as much information as we can," said Richard Coogan, Ulysses' deputy supervisor and
president of the Jacksonville Community Associa-tion. 'The town recognizes that the hamlet of Jacksonville would be
the next logical place for growth."
Ulysses officials have designated the hamlet as a high-density residential and business districL With the municipal
water line, they hope people will be drawn to the community and then businesses will follow.
"One of the things that came up is that we just don't have the population density to support a business," Coogan said.
That wasn't always the case.
"In the late 1800s, it was almost a self-sufficient community," Jacksonville historian and lifelong resident Nancy Dean
said.
The community was settled along the Ithaca -Geneva Turnpike in 1799 and was briefly known as Van Cortlandt Village
for Col. Philip Van Cortlandt who was awarded the land after the Revolutionary War, Dean said. Van Cortlandt never
settled in the area.
But others came and built inns and taverns as stagecoach stops along the way. In time, blacksmiths, a school, general
stores, a creamery, a potash factory and an egg pickling plant found their way to the community. Dean said.
"Because there wasn't the water power, Jacksonville didn't grow like Trumansburg," Dean added.
Still, families continued to come to the area.
Jacksonville has been home to Virginia Luce for 55 years.
"We were looking for a house and we were just fortunate enough to hear about the house in Jacksonville and bought it
in 1949 and were still here" she said.
She and her husband, William Jr., moved from Ithaca but continued running the Luce Dairy Co. there.
For that reason, she had two phones in her house. One to call Ithaca and one for calling Trumansburg.
"There was one telephone system," she said of the Trumansburg Telephone Co. "To reach Ithaca or anywhere other
than Ithaca it was long distance."
Fellow Jacksonville resident Charles Dykes was able to influence the telephone company in Ithaca to bring a line to
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Jacksonville. Those who needed to call Ithaca and its surrounding communities got a second phone connected to that
line to avoid the long distance charges.
The community also had it's own school that served first -through seventh- graders. The two -room school house stood
next to the Jacksonville Community Church on Route 96.
Nancy Dean was a student there in the 1950s. She said about 30 children comprised the seven grades while she was
there. The children matriculated through the schools and then were either bused to the Trumansburg school district or
their parents drove them to Ithaca. The school closed in 1962 because of the dwindling number of children.
Jacksonville became more a bedroom community after World War II. Businesses were sold or closed and few remain
today.
The Ithaca -Geneva Turnpike, now Route 96, was widened in the earlier 1950s.
"it was a nice quiet country road," Luce said. "The state of New York decided it needed to be wider ... which was a
terrible mistake for the village. It removed a row of trees, removed the sidewalks. So then it left us a kind of gaping
whole."
Contact: mreaves@ithaca.ganneft.com
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Abstract (Document Summary)
In time, blacksmiths, a school, general stores, a creamery, a potash factory and an egg pickling plant found their way to
the community, Dean said. "Because there wasn't the water power, Jacksonville didn't grow like Trumansburg" Dean
added.
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Ulysses might add water district
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author:
Reaves, Michele
Date:
Jul 24, 2004
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
Local
Text Word Count:
473
Document Text
Expansion would conned Trumansburg, Jacksonville
By MICHELE REAVES
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - With the Jacksonville water district in place, Ulysses officials are looking to create Water District No. 5,
connecting the Jacksonville district to Trumansburg's system.
The connection would give Trumansburg a new backup water source. Ulysses residents along Waterburg, Podunk and
Indian Fort roads, not already hooked into a system created by Trumansburg, would be allowed to hook up to municipal
water.
"We're still negotiating on how it would work," Trumansburg Mayor John Levine said.
The current village waterline extends out to Ulysses, connecting with a well on Indian Fort Road, Levine said. The well
served as the village's water source until the 1960s. The well on Indian Fort Road now serves as the village's backup
water source.
The water line runs out South Street to Podunk and Waterburg roads. From Waterburg, it connects to Indian Fort Road
and runs out along Route 227 to the Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services residential building.
About 60 homes in Ulysses are connected to the Trumansburg system, paying an out -of -district fee for service,
Supervisor Doug Austic said.
Ulysses residents have to prove hardship in order to conned to Trumansburg's water system.
"When a bunch of people asked to hook up last year, the town agreed to form a water district," Levine said.
Problems with the water table caused wells to fail, Levine said.
Construction to conned Water District No. 3 with Water District No. 5 should take place next year, Austic said. A
mile -long line is needed to conned Water District No. 3, which ends at Cold Springs and Durling roads, to Water District
No. 5.
The connection will cost about $300,000; a large percentage of that will be paid for by the village, Austic said.
Problems with the getting chlorine distributed in the line may make it necessary for the project to happen sooner,
though.
There are few people on the higher end of the line, which reaches up to Cold Springs and Durling roads, connected to
the Jacksonville system, Austic said. If the 60 homes in Water District No. 5 were connected, then water would run
evenly throughout the entire system.
Austic said more homes are connecting to the line so this may not be a problem in the near future.
He added that the lost to residents should be cheaper when the town's water district is finally created. The district
should be in place by this fall after village and town board members come to a legal agreement.
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Ulysses residents who receive Trumansburg water pay between $60 and $75 a quarter for water, Levine said. Once the
water tower project is complete. Trumansburg residents rates will "go up substantially" to pay off the $1 million loan.
The rate increase will not go into affect until the 2005 budget period.
Contact: mreaves@ithaca.gannett.com.
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Abstract (Document Summary)
Expansion would connect Trumansburg, Jacksonville By MICHELE REAVES Journal Staff ULYSSES - With the
Jacksonville water district in place, Ulysses officials are looking to create Water District No. 5, connecting the
Jacksonville district to Trumansburg's system.
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2of2 11/2/132:14 PM
New users hooking up to Jacksonville water
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Author.
Reaves, Michele
Date:
Oct 20, 2004
Start Page:
B.1
Section:
Local
Text Word Count: 569
Document Text
Journal Staff
ULYSSES - Six months have passed since water began flowing in Ulysses' Water District No. 3 and work in the area
has not slowed.
'We're still hooking up people out there," said Supervisor Doug Austic.
Since the districts completion, 107 residents and business owners have connected their property to the water line,
according to town clerk Marsha Georgia.
Plumbing permits are also being sold regularly, though many have bought them and then not switched from their well to
the municipal water system.
Water is supplied currently from the Six Mile Creek Reservoir, the City of Ithaca's water source, Paul Tunison, general
manager of the Bolton Point Water System.
The Town of Ithaca contracted the city to supply a portion of its water until a new line was connected to the Bolton point
plant. The connection should be complete in December.
There were 367 users identified for the water district. Residents have said cost and satisfaction with their well has kept
some on their own water source.
Part of the continued work on the system involves problems sending chlorine along the length of the line the runs along
Route 96 in the Town of Ithaca and Ulysses, as well as adjacent streets to Jacksonville.
Water - supplied by the City of Ithaca and bought through the Town of Ithaca - had been pumped daily to the district's
water tank on Van Doms Comers Road. The heavily chlorinated water wasn't reaching the tank or moving well along
the water lines, Austic said.
Austic said the problem was not critical because the water still passed bacteria tests. But the chlorine level did not meet
Tompkins County Health Department standards.
To fix the problem, engineers increased the amount of water being pumped up the system and towered the amount of
water retained in the tank, he said.
"If we had more people, we'd be better off too," Austic added of residents drawing water higher up on the system
Whether residents and businesses within the system use the water or not, they could see their bill increase.
Austic estimated the cost at $300 next year, as the first bill is due on a $2.65 million no -interest state loan used to fund
the project. The bill was $256 earlier this year.
But the loan now must be repaid in the next 20 years instead of 30 years as town officials originally planned. A $73
operation and maintenance fee will also be charged for the life of the system.
Austic said he plans to use part of the water fund's balance to lower the cost. An exact amount will be determined later
within the budget process. A budget workshop meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. Oct. 25.
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Austic also told board members he'd like the town to purchase a truck, which would be shared between the water
district manager and the zoning officer. Austic currently serves as the town's water district manager.
He said paying $0.37 per mile for town employees to drive around town cost about $900 last month and between
$1,200 and $1,500 in previous months.
"That's a lot of gas," Austic said on Monday of the money spent. "You could buy your own truck."
In the town's tentative budget, $20,000 was budgeted in the zoning and building equipment lines for the vehicle. Austic
said buying the truck through state bidding may lower the cost to about $15,000.
Contact: mreaves@ithaca.gannett.com
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Abstract (Document Summary)
Since the district's completion, 107 residents and business owners have connected their property to the water line,
according to town clerk Marsha Georgia.
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2 of 2 11/2/13 1:53 PM
Ulysses, T -burg seek solution for proposed water district
The Ithaca Journal - Ithaca, N.Y.
Date: Aug 12, 2006
Start Page: 6.1
Section: Local
Text Word Count: 626
Document Text
Journal Staff
An informal joint committee composed of Ulysses and Trumansburg officials met for the first time this week to grapple
through the complexities of a proposed water district and to try and meet each other half way on several disagreements.
The proposed Water District Number 5 would cost the town about $4.8 million and would provide water service to
Ulysses residents who are currently not being served by any municipality.
The proposed water district is 14 miles of pipe that loops in and out around Trumansburg and stretches from
Jacksonville to Taughannock State Park. Water districts provide water service within one or more municipalities. The
cost of the water service is paid by a tax or fee levied within the district.
Ulysses Supervisor, Douglas Austic, estimates that about 30 percent of the town's residents are in need of the
municipal water service. In the 2000 census the town's population was 4,476 with 1,490 owner -occupied residences
and 506 renter -occupied households.
Controversy arose this summer when Austic applied for the state funds for the district without a vote from the town
board. The move upset officials and residents.
"He gives no explanation," said Ulysses board member Lucia Tyler. "He just says that he thinks it was the best for the
town, and he is not apologetic about this at all. It's turned out to be somewhat divisive."
The state approved Austic's plan, giving the town a 30 -year no interest loan to complete the district.
Officials with the village, which already has a water system, said that the proposed district will absorb a fourth of their
water customers and raise rates for their remaining users.
The newly formed joint committee was created to help mend fences and improve talks between the town and village
about the water project.
"It's a horrible deal for everybody else in the village," said Trumansburg Mayor, John Levine. Levine estimates that rates
for the remaining village residents will increase by 40 percent, a figure Austic disputes.
"Most of the cost of the water system are fixed like service and staff," Levine said. "Basically we will have three-quarters
of the people paying 100 percent of the cost."
Levine admits that a new water district will provide some town residents with much needed water and would potentially
make the town more attractive to developers.
"This is why it's not so simple to work out," said Tyler, who is a member of the joint committee. "Because it does solve
some problems with bad water in the town."
Tyler and Levine said Austic's plan still leaves some town residents without municipal water. Residents on Dubois Road
toward Ithaca would not be served by the proposed water district.
The informal joint committee met Monday to discuss options for making Water District Number 5 less painful for the
village and still beneficial to town residents who need the water.
Levine said solutions could be as simple as making adjustments to the current plan or as aggressive as putting in a
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completely new application with the state next year.
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/ithacajoumal/doc/377896113.htm...
Austic said the current deal is the best the town will get and that the town and village are better served by pushing
forward with his plan.
"The village's water cost was going to increase anyway because their current water system is old and will require
updating," he said. "With my plan they get a second source of water from a completely new system."
Levine expects the committee to meet for several months. Their next meeting is Aug. 23.
"Given the amount of money at stake and given the effect on the village's water users, in good conscience I can't go
ahead until I'm really sure that whatever we're doing is the best thing for the village residents," he said.
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Abstract (Document Summary)
Because it does solve some problems with bad water in the town.
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Abstract (Document Summary)
Both the loan payments and maintenance fees could increase or decrease depending on the number of users on the
system.
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