You are here: EPA Home Region 2 Superfund Find Sites General Motors (central Foundry Division)



# General Motors (central Foundry Division) NEW YORK EPA ID# NYD091972554 EPA REGION 2 CONGRESSIONAL DIST. 24 St. LAWRENCE COUNTY MASSENA

Other Names: G.M. Massena Site Description The 270acre General Motors (Central Foundry Divisio n) site originally was built to produce aluminum cy linder heads for the Chevrolet Corvair and has been in operation since 1 958. From 1959 to 1974, the plant used polychlorina ted biphenyls (PCBs) as a component of the hydraulic fluids in its die castin g process. Although GM no longer uses die casting i n its processes, they continue to manufacture engine blocks at the Massena plant. In the early 1960s, GM installed a reclamation system to recover used hydraulic fluid. PCB sludges periodically were land filled in onsite areas and also remain in the botto ms of several lagoons. The site contains approximately 850,000 cubic yards of PCBco ntaminated material. On the GM facility, contamination is located in two disposal areas, called the North Disposal Area and the East Disposal Area, an Industrial Landfill, and four Industrial Lagoons. T he Industrial Landfill was also used for the dispos al of foundry sand, excavated soil, and other solid industrial wastes. In 1971, a pproximately 800,000 gallons of PCBcontaminated slu dge were removed from two Industrial Lagoons and were deposited in the North Disposal Area. From 1973 to 1975, GM again removed PCBcontaminated sludge from the Lagoons and transferred it to a sludge set tling basin in the East Disposal Area. Miscellaneou s soils on the facility are also contaminated with PCBs. The site is bordered by the St. Lawrence River, the St. Regis Mohawk Nation, the Raquette River, and t he Reynolds Metals Company. There are approximately 4,000 Mohawks livi ng in the adjacent territory referred to as Akwesas ne. The City of Cornwall, Ontario, with approximately 50,000 residents, is 2 miles north across the river, and the Village of Ma ssena, with a population of 13,000, is located 7 miles to the east. Due to past wastewater discharges into surface wate r, St. Lawrence and Raquette River sediments have b een contaminated with PCBs. In addition, soil and sediment on the St. Reg is Mohawk Reservation has been contaminated by runo ff from the Site. Groundwater beneath the Site has been contaminated with PCBs and volatile organic compounds. Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through Federal and po tentially responsible parties' actions.

NPL LISTING HISTORY Proposed Date: 09/01/83 Final Date: 09/01/84

Threats and Contaminants PCBs were found in monitoring wells on the eastern side of the facility and in onsite soil and sedimen t samples from the St. Lawrence River. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) w ere found in groundwater directly under the site an d off site. The consumption of fish or wildlife from contaminated a reas is of special concern because of the proximity of the Mohawk Indian Reservation. Fishing is restricted by the State Hea lth Department and the Indian Reservation Administration. Individuals ingesting or touching contaminated surface water, groundwater, soil, sludges, or sediments potentially are at ri sk. Public water supply systems are not contaminated. Cleanup Approach This site is being addressed in three stages: immediate actions and two longterm remedial phasesfocusing on cleanup of river system sediments, the North Disposal Area, the Indu strial Lagoons, Reservation and facility soils, and groundwater and cleanup of the Industrial Landfill and East Disposal Area. Response Action Status

Immediate Actions: GM, under the EPA's oversight, agreed to place a te mporary cap on the Industrial Landfill in 1987 to p revent the migration of contaminants from the Landfill.



## Region 2 Superfund http://www.epa.gov/Region2/superfund/npl/0201644c.h tm Last updated on Tuesday, October 05, 2010



# Page 1 of 2 Superfund | Region 2 | US EPA

8/9/2011 http://www.epa.gov/Region2/superfund/npl/0201644c.htmNorth Disposal Area, River Sediments, Lagoons, Soil s, and Groundwater: The cleanup remedy that was selected by the EPA in 1990 includes dredging and excavating contaminated mater ials, followed by onsite treatment and disposal of residual contamination using biological treatment or other innovative tech nologies and groundwater extraction and treatment. GM completed dredging of contaminated St. Lawrence River sediments in fall 1 995 effectively removing 23,000 tons of PCB contami nated sediments from the St. Lawrence River. Additionally, approximately 14, 500 tons of PCB-contaminated site soils were excava ted . Additional cleanup activities, including the installation of the groun dwater collection and treatment system, dredging of the Raquette River and removal of stockpiled sediments are scheduled to be gin in 1999. Dredging of sediments on the St. Regis Mohawk reservation and excavation of contaminated Tribal soils has been de layed due to the denial of access to Tribal propert y. Industrial Landfill and East Disposal Area: The final cleanup remedy that was selected by the EPA in 1992 includes excavating highly contaminated materials from the East Disposa l Area followed by onsite treatment and disposal of residual contamination using biological treatment or other innovative tech nologies, capping the Industrial Landfill and less contaminated material in the East Disposal Area, and groundwater containment. GM began engineering design of this remedy in summer 1992. Additional data will be collected in the Spring and Summer of 1999 to further support the selected remedy and design. A temporary multi-layer cap was installed in 1987 thus preventing the potential for further environmental exposure to 297,000 tonsof PCB contaminated wastes.

Site Facts: The EPA and GM negotiated a Consent Order in 1985, requiring GM to conduct an investigation into the type and extent of contamination at the site. In March 1992, EPA is sued a Unilateral Administrative Order to GM requir ing GM to undertake design and implementation of the final remedy for the Nort h Disposal Area, River Sediments, Lagoons, Soils, a nd Groundwater. In August 1992, EPA issued a second Unilateral Administrative Order to GM requiring GM to undertake design and i mplementation of the final remedy for the East Disposal Area and Industrial La ndfill. GM is currently complying with both Orders. In 1994, GM requested that EPA re-evaluate the amou nt of treatment required in its cleanup decisions for the North Disposal Area, river sediments, lagoons, and soils. EPA reviewed d ata provided by GM to determine whether material in these areas could be contained, rather than treated. In July 1995, EPA r eleased a Proposed Plan which proposed a change in the treatment threshold for the North Disposal Area, river sediments, lagoons, and soils. The Plan did not propose to make any cha nges to the cleanup levels previously selected for the Site. Due to overwhelmi ng public opposition, EPA withdrew that Proposed Pl an and in September 1998 issued a revised Proposed Plan to allow for the off -site disposal, rather than treatment of River sedi ments and soils excavated during the installation of groundwater controls. Th at Proposed Plan was supported by the public, parti cularly the Tribe and will be formalized into a Record of Decision by December 31 , 1998. Environmental Progress By capping the 297,000 tons of PCB-contaminated was ted in the Industrial Landfill, the potential for f urther contamination of the General Motors (Central Foundry Division) site and risk from exposure to hazardous materials have been reduced while the selected final cleanup activities are being implemented. By dredging 23,000 tons of PCB-contaminated sediments from the St. Lawrence River system, the potential for continued contamina tion of edible fish and wildlife is reduced. Site Repository St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, Community Building, Hogansb urg, NY 13655 Massena Public Library, 41 Glen Street, Massena, NY 13662 

# Page 2of 2 Superfund | Region 2 | US EPA

8/9/2011 http://www.epa.gov/Region2/superfund/npl/0201644c.htm