Remediation action plan outlined for Holley

A public meeting was held March 20 in the Holley Elementary School to address concerns and receive public comment on the Department of Environmental Conservation’s plan to clean up soil and groundwater supplies in and around the Diaz Chemical plant. The meeting was not in relation to the January 5 chemical spill in which 75 gallons of 2-chloro-6 fluorophenol were released into the air.

Joseph Moloughney, project manager with the DEC, presented information to the public on areas of contamination located primarily in operational areas of the plant and beneath active buildings and groundwater contamination off-site along South Main Street. "Sandy Creek is the likely discharge point for the contaminated groundwater," he said.

Water and sediments in Sandy Creek were analyzed on several occasions, Moloughney said, and chemical compounds were detected at very low concentrations in one sample that was collected. "The creek provides a large dilution effect from clean water and contamination is not considered significant," he said.

Moloughney said numerous wells were used to evaluate and capture collection of water and monitoring has shown substantial declines in the chemical concentrations off-site because of some interim remedial measures (IRMs) that had been implemented. The IRMs in place included capping a sump in an individual’s basement that was collecting contaminated water and the installation of extraction wells. "Follow up monitoring shows substantial declines in the chemical concentrations off-site," he said.

In instances where contamination was found to be in homes, Moloughney said Diaz has complied with remediation requests and has been maintaining the monitoring devices.

Resident Stephen Markle questioned what would happen to any proposed remediation plans should Diaz decide to move or file bankruptcy and close the plant.

Moloughney said if the plant closed, clean up would be handled under the state’s Superfund, a pool of money that is set aside for hazardous waste clean-ups.

When questioned about the fact that the Superfund is out of funds, and how clean-up would be handled, there were no answers from either DEC or Department of Health officials.

Linda Flow, who has family in the village, questioned why the DEC wouldn’t consider complete removal of contaminated soil. "Complete soil removal would be costly and wouldn’t make enough of a difference in contamination levels to warrant the price," Moloughney said.

Moloughney said in some cases moving soil that is contaminated has the potential to spread the chemicals and to release them into the air. He explained that volatile organic chemicals were chemicals that evaporated and were easily dispersed into the air while semi-volatile chemicals stay where they land. "They don’t move easily through the soil or the air," he explained.

The public has until March 25 to comment on the proposed remediation strategies and the DEC will respond to the comments received and will incorporate them into any final decisions when putting together an action plan for Diaz.