The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the New York State Department of Health (DOH) have released details on the progress of the cleanup at the Haight Farm inactive hazardous waste disposal site. The Haight Farm site is located on Upper Holley Road in the Town of Clarendon. The cleanup is necessary to treat groundwater that has been contaminated with degreasing solvents known as volatile organic compounds, primarily trichloroethene.

A Dual Phase Vacuum Extraction (DVE) system, which collects and treats contaminated groundwater and soil vapors, was installed in November 1999 and was operated, monitored and maintained into June 2000. During that time period, the DVE system was determined to be successful in significantly decreasing groundwater contaminant levels toward NYS standards.

The DVE has been restarted and will continue to operate until May 2001. Groundwater contaminant levels will continue to be monitored and reported to the DEC and DOH during that time frame. Also, during the upcoming winter months, one additional off-site monitoring well will be installed west of Upper Holley Road between the site and the quarry. This well will be used to better monitor the migration of off-site groundwater contamination which originated from the site.

Once all of the data have been collected and reviewed, the DEC will determine if further operation and treatment will be necessary in the future.