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EPA Proposes Two Sites Linked To Chemical Contamination on Long Island For The Federal Superfund National Priorities List

Release Date: 10/21/1999
Contact Information: Richard Cahill (212) 637-3666 / [email protected]

(#99168) NEW YORK, N.Y. -- The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to add two hazardous waste sites that have contaminated local groundwater on Long Island, New York to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) of the nation's most serious hazardous waste sites.

Jackson Steel Products, Inc., a former "roll form metal shapes" manufacturer located on the border of Mineola and North Hempstead, abandoned the site in 1991 and left volatile organic chemicals behind in drywells on the property. These chemicals contaminated the soil below the property and eventually reached the groundwater. Lawrence Aviation Industries, Inc. is an active manufacturing facility operating in Port Jefferson Station since 1977 that produces titanium sheeting for the aeronautics industry. Chemicals from the facility have contaminated groundwater, which caused the closing of several residential private drinking water wells north of the site. The affected families have been connected to a public water supply to eliminate the threat of exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE).

"This proposal to designate these two properties as Superfund sites is an essential step in securing federal money for investigations and studies to pinpoint the extent of the problem and identify the best way to protect public health from any potential threats," said EPA Regional Administrator Jeanne M. Fox. Sites that are placed on the final NPL are eligible for cleanups financed under the Superfund Trust Fund. In addition to these proposed sites, there are 26 federal Superfund NPL sites on Long Island.

The NPL rule, which officially proposes the site listings, will be published tomorrow, October 22, 1999, in the Federal Register. For members of the public interested in obtaining copies of the notice, an updated NPL list or Site description, please contact the RCRA/Superfund Hotline at 1-800-424-9346 or 703-412-9810. Further information on the Superfund program can also be obtained from EPA's homepage: www.epa.gov.superfund.

For more information contact:

Richard Cahill, Press Office
EPA Region 2
290 Broadway
NY, NY 10007-1866
Voice: 212-637-3666 FAX: 212-637-5046 E-Mail: [email protected]