Hazardous Waste Cleanup: G.E.C. Alstrom Transportation Incorporated in Hornell, New York
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Site Responsibility
Cleanup Status
The March 1994 Record of Decision described the selected remedy for the G.E.C. site. New York State Department of Conservation (NYSDEC) completed the design for the remedy in 1996, and completed the construction in July 1998. A final report was submitted in October 1998. The elements of the remedy were as follows:
- Excavation and disposal of 2,100 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the grease pit area. Contaminated soils were disposed of in an off-site landfill. The excavation was backfilled with clean soil.
- Excavation and disposal of 360 cubic yards of contaminated soil from a residential area. Contaminated soils were disposed of in an off-site landfill. The excavation was backfilled with clean soil.
- Excavation and disposal of 1,500 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the former tank storage areas. Contaminated soils were disposed of in an off-site landfill. The area was covered with a six-inch permeable cover of soil, topsoil and seeded.
- Sediment from the storm drains were removed and disposed of in an off-site landfill to mitigate the exposure pathway to the Canisteo River.
An ongoing operation and maintenance program will require periodic sampling of the Canisteo River surface water and sediment, and long term maintenance of the soil cover system over the former tank storage area. The remedy for the river sediments in the March 1994 Record of Decision included controlling on-site sources to prevent further impact to the river and periodic monitoring of the river sediments.
Site Description
The primary use at G.E.C. has been for railcar repair and construction. The two main operational areas have been a refueling area and a large service shop. The major users of the site have included the Erie-Lackawana Railroad, Conrail, General Electric, Morrison-Knudsen Hornell Car Shop and the current occupants, G.E.C. Alstrom Transportation Incorporated. Historic plant operations and releases contributed to contamination of soil and river sediments with inorganic and semi-volatile compounds.
Contaminants at this Facility
Investigations performed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) have found contamination in the soil and river sediments. Groundwater samples have not been shown to contain contamination above standards, except for lead and total recoverable hydrocarbons, which were marginally above standards. Lead is present in surface soil and river sediments at the entire site and in some residential backyards adjacent to the site. Elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydocarbons have been identified in onsite soil and in the river as a result of a diesel fuel spill in 1980.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
In response to unsuccessful negotiations with responsible parties concerning the site remediation, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) implemented a remedial program through the State Inactive Hazardous Waste Site Program in 1984. The NYSDEC initiated an investigation in 1992 that focused on past hazardous waste disposal at the site. A Record of Decision was published in March 1994.
GE submitted a Part A Permit Application to EPA in 1980. The facility stopped operations in 1982. A Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Permit was never issued to GE.
A regulated surface impoundment was closed under the approved closure plan and GE submitted a closure certification in September 1983. In 1984, the site was placed on the New York State Registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste Sites.