DEC Announces Cleanup of Contamination Will Begin at State Superfund Site on Bank St., Batavia

FACT SHEET Batavia Iron and Metal Company, Inc., Batavia, NY 14020, SITE No. 819018

Remedial Action is about to begin to address contaminated soils related to former operations at the Batavia Iron and Metal Company, Inc. site (“site”) located at 301 Bank Street, Batavia, Genesee County under New York’s State Superfund Program. Please take a look at the map for the site location.

The cleanup activities will be performed by Environmental Service Group (ESG), with oversight provided by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and MACTEC Engineering and Geology, P.C. The site is listed as a class “2” site in the State,

Registry of Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites (list of State Superfund sites). A class 2 site represents a significant threat
to public health or the environment; action is required.  The cleanup will address contamination in soil to meet the
requirements outlined in the Record of Decision dated April 2013 and will be protective of public health and the
environment. Remedial activities are expected to begin in March 2023, and last approximately 16 months, including a
winter shutdown. The estimated cost to implement the remedy is $13,461,000.
• Access project documents online through the
DECinfo Locator:
https://www.dec.ny.gov/data/DecDocs/819018/
• Documents also are available at the location(s)
identified at left under “Where to find information.”
Highlights of the Upcoming Cleanup Activities: The goal
of the cleanup action for the site is to achieve cleanup levels
that protect public health and the environment. The key
components of the remedy are:
• Clearing of trees prior to March 30, 2023.
• Excavation and off-site disposal to approved disposal
facilities of approximately 43,000 cubic yards of soil
impacted primarily with metals and polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs).
• The excavated areas will be restored in-kind, which
includes restoration of less than 1-acre of wetlands.
Restoration will include seeding, and planting of tree
and shrub species that are native to the area.
Batavia Iron and Metal Company, Inc. (Site No.: 819018) February 2023 Fact Sheet
STATE SUPERFUND PROGRAM
• Upon substantial completion of the remedy, restored
areas will be monitored for erosion and growth of
plants and trees.
A site-specific health and safety plan (HASP) and a Community Air Monitoring Plan (CAMP) will be
implemented during remediation activities. The HASP and CAMP establish procedures to protect on-site workers and
residents and includes required air monitoring as well as dust and odor suppression measures.
Next Steps: After cleanup activities are completed,  NYSDEC will prepare a Final Engineering Report (FER).
The FER will describe the activities completed and certify that cleanup requirements have been achieved or will be
achieved.

NYSDEC will keep the public informed throughout the cleanup of the site.  Site Description: The site is located on a 6.8-acre property
at 301-305 Bank Street. Adjacent properties include a baseball stadium, Batavia High School, and several residential homes. The site contains an 8,000 square foot building located on the southern portion adjacent to Bank Street and the majority of the site is unpaved and consists of gravel or overgrown vegetation with wetlands located at the north and northeast perimeter of the site. The property was
operated as a metal recycling facility from 1951 to 1999.

Several interim removal actions were conducted at the site to remove site debris including concrete block, scrap metal,
wood crates, rubber tires, steel drums, etc.  Additional site details, including environmental and health
assessment summaries, are available on NYSDEC’s Environmental Site Remediation Database (by entering the
site ID, 819018) at:
https://www.dec.ny.gov/cfmx/extapps/derexternal/index.cf m?pageid=3, Site Code 819018.
Summary of the Investigation: The primary contaminants of concern at the site are metals (primarily lead, cadmium,
chromium and mercury), PCBs and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which are present in site-wide soil and
wetland sediments. Impacted soil ranges in depth from 1 to 9 feet depending on location. The remedial investigations
also included analysis of groundwater and off-property soil vapor. Indoor air mitigation systems were installed at two
buildings and groundwater will continue to be monitored following the cleanup.

State Superfund Program: New York’s State Superfund Program (SSF) identifies and characterizes suspected
inactive hazardous waste disposal sites. Sites that pose a significant threat to public health and/or the environment go
through a process of investigation, evaluation, cleanup and monitoring. NYSDEC attempts to identify parties
responsible for site contamination and require cleanup before committing State funds.

For more information about the SSF, visit:
https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8439.html
We encourage you to share this fact sheet with neighbors
and tenants, and/or post this fact sheet in a prominent
area of your building for others to see.
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