HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-CAG-2015-03-02Community Advisory Group (CAG) Minutes for March 2, 2015
Present: Nels Bohn as City Facilitator, Cynthia Brock, Ken Deschere, Regina Deschere, John
Graves, George McGonigal, Michele Palmer
Guest(s): Dave Hanny (Barton & Loguidice), Bill Reed (Unchained Properties)
PROJECT DISCUSSION: Ithaca Falls Overlook / Ithaca Gun sites
Dave Hanny reported that much work has been done, despite the cold and snow, since
November. The deteriorating bridge has been removed, taken off-site, and recycled. The top of
“The Island” and the Western Slope are the main focus now, with about 1300 tons of “non-
hazardous” material taken off-site without special precautions. Some hazardous material was
encapsulated and removed. No hazardous materials are encapsulated on or in the "island"
portion of the site.
A grid of 131 test points was laid out, with multiple passes of clean-up and testing. The grid
shows 5’x10’ sections, from which five samples each are removed: typically, four-ounce
containers of loose material. Results are averaged to yield one value for the grid point, and now
all grid points are below the 400 ppm standard. The concrete pads, which had held toxins in
place underneath them, have been removed. A temporary “timber bridge” was used to facilitate
materials movement. The next steps are work on the raceway and “plunge pool” – tedious
efforts involving hand tools, vacuuming, and avoiding patches of ice, as 4’x4’ hopper bins are
moved in and out of the area.
All suspicious material is being removed from the island, western slope, raceway, plunge pool,
and pockets of soil on the gorge walls. Much of what remains is loose, fractured, shale bedrock.
The raceway wall is very steep and some of the remaining lead could be moved with erosion,
during melting and rain, but the sections from which the lead would move are already below the
400 ppm threshold.
The decisions on the tests and results are made by the DEC, which is funding 90% of the costs.
The “restricted residential” standard (400 ppm) is lower (more protective) than other standards
which might have been used. The EPA considers the grid to be “tight and conservative”. Test
values have been reduced from over 10,000 ppm to less than 400 ppm. Continuing tests will
attempt to assure that all test points are below this threshold.
There are also five test points in the bottom of the gorge, from which to get samples for the
“usual suspect” volatiles from the three main ravines and the areas in between them. Testing
these sites at the bottom of the gorge is intended to answer the question of whether any
significant contamination migrated from the former factory site down the cliff wall to the base of
the gorge floor.
Overall, somewhat more material has been found than had been expected – this work will likely
consume all of the $1.5 million allocated. The work should resume in April, for four or five
weeks. After that, it’s more testing and waiting for results.
An original intent of these efforts was to provide a path up the gorge to provide better views of
the falls. However, this area remains rugged and will not be an easy means of access for the
public.
After the City-sponsored effort finishes, Frost Travis and his group will start their investigation.
The DEC has been trying to follow the TCE trail downhill. Sites on the sides of the Fall Creek
Elementary School have tested clean. So far, about forty homes have been tested for soil vapor
intrusion. One Sub-Slab Depressurization System (SSDS) has been installed for mitigation.
None of the ground water samples conducted by NYSDEC have exceeded NYS drinking water
standards.
Emerson Plant Site – Chain Works District
Bill Reed, of Unchained Properties, LLC (UP) works with David Lubin on project management
and helping with community outreach. The last significant event was the acceptance of the
“Final Scoping Document ” for the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) for
the “Chain Works District”, by the Ithaca City Planning Board (the “Lead Agency”) in mid-
January. Even for smaller projects, the number of steps through the State Environmental Quality
Review (SEQR) process is huge, and this is a comparatively large project.
UP staff and consultants are now meeting with the DEC about additional testing requirements.
The DEC is requesting tests in the 45 acres of woodland uphill from most of the plant buildings,
and also of the sewer line running from the former NCR site. One of the possibilities being
considered is trying to get this area released from the requirement to meet the “restricted
residential” standards. This would require an amendment to the Record of Decision (ROD) now
in force. Any process involving the DEC is (or at least seems) slow, as they don’t feel the same
urgency which affects the developers.
While the acceptance of the Scoping Document is a significant step, it is essentially a “table of
contents” for the DGEIS, which still requires considerable work to complete. Most of UP’s
advisors are impressed with the efforts so far in the “due diligence” process, but much other
work remains to assure that the land is appropriate for the intended uses and that the proposed
changes will not adversely affect the environment or neighbors.
The remediation must be performed by Emerson and approved by the DEC, as must any
amendments to the ROD. UP remains busy with conversations with potential tenants, and
working with TCAD on a new marketing plan. UP has received a grant from “”Cleaner Greener
Communities” and is working toward meeting LEED standards for the renovated properties.
Court Street (Markles Flats):
Nels reports that NYSEG owns the home at 420 North Plain Street and is trying to determine
how it will be used. The DEC says the use of this property is not subject to restrictions. IURA
staff is attempting to contact NYSEG to suggest donation of the property for affordable housing.
Stone Quarry Apartments:
Much more soil was excavated during the site clean-up than had been predicted. One of our
members commented “there seems to have been little effort to identify from which spots the soil
was taken.” The documentation provided by INHS of the soil remediation did not explicitly
identify the boundaries of the areas of the actual soil removal.
Work was done under and around the hydraulic lift areas. Excavation was required of a
thousand-gallon underground storage tank, which hadn’t shown on previous surveys. The DEC
was on-site during excavation, but final approval of the clean-up has not yet been given. It ’s
very hard to know whether all toxins on the site have been located and removed.. An SSDS will
be installed in the multi-family unit.
Next Meeting: Monday, April 6th, 6:00 – 7:30PM, 2nd Floor Conf. Room, City Hall
Notes submitted by Ken Deschere