City begins clean-up of old oil company site

Posted: September 15, 2008
Updated: September 22, 2008 

Grants from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and NY State Department of Environmental Conservation are enabling the City of Port Jervis to clean-up the abandoned Statewide Oil Company site and reclaim the East Main Street property for public use.

Acquired by the City through tax foreclosure in 1998, the 1.3 acre parcel houses the remnants of the century- old former fuel distribution site. Work began Sept. 18 to prepare the property for the removal of four large above ground petroleum storage tanks, two small structures, and the interconnecting pipes; and the subsequent remediation of the site.

The first phase of the project – which involves the cleaning, dismantling, and removal of the tank system – is being performed by Luzon Environmental Services, an environmental quality management system with 30 years of experience in waste disposal and site remediation. Luzon expects it will take crews approximately three weeks to complete the work. This includes the few days it will take them this week to prepare the site by clearing overgrown foliage. All aspects of the project – to include the Health and Safety Plan – have been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation.

Due to the site’s proximity to Port Jervis Middle School, City officials are working closely with district administrators to limit the impact the project will have on students and staff. “We have been assured by all parties involved – to include the City; Peter Conde, the project manager overseeing the work for the Chazen Companies; and Luzon Environmental Services – that the site clean-up project is extremely safe and poses no health or safety risk,” said Superintendent John Xanthis.

As an added safety measure, the district has asked Luzon to schedule the opening and cleaning of the sealed fuel tanks on a day when school is not in session. The work, which is required to remove any remaining oil and vapors, was performed on Saturday, Sept. 20. The Pop Warner games scheduled to be played that day at Glennette Field was rescheduled to Sunday, Sept. 21.

Even though the tanks will be thoroughly cleaned before they are dismantled, the following precautions will be made to ensure the air quality remains safe: an air monitoring station will be operational at the site throughout the project and random spot checks will be conducted daily. Surficial soil samples will also be taken for multiple locations on the site and analyzed. All work will be conducted within the confines of the fenced project site.

The City is also taking steps to secure the site during the project. To prevent anyone from accessing the area, the City has fortified the existing chain-link fence with a new pad-locked gate. Additionally, the side of the fence facing the school will be covered and the area will be patrolled heavily by the Port Jervis Police Department.

Anyone who has questions about the tank removal and site remediation should contact the Director of Port Jervis Community Development Agency Kathleen Hendrickson at
858-4024.

A copy of the project Health and Safety Plan is available at the following locations: the Community Development Agency, the Port Jervis Library, Port Jervis School District Administration Building, and Port Jervis Middle School. A copy is also posted on the district web site by clicking here.