DEC Investigation Recommends More Cleanup At New Rochelle Site

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will likely require cleanup and monitoring at a site where a multi-story apartment building is being constructed.

A downtown New Rochelle property formerly used as a railroad yard and later as the home of coal and oil companies at 10 Commerce Dr. will require long-term mitigation, according to an investigation by the DEC. The agency notes that a multi-story residential building with a parking garage is currently being built at the "brownfield" location.

The report notes that measures have already been put in place to help mitigate exposure to potentially harmful gases in the lower level of the building, but further tests might mean stronger measures need to be taken.

"Sampling detected petroleum hydrocarbon and chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOC) which have the potential to result in soil vapor intrusion (SVI) into the first floor of the building currently under construction if left unaddressed," according to the study. "As a result, an SVI evaluation of the on site building is required. However, exposure to the VOC vapors has been addressed by proactively installing a passive sub-slab depressurization system (SSDS) and vapor barrier beneath this area of the building. If the SVI evaluation to be performed identifies indoor air impacts, the SSDS system will be required to be made active."

An Interim Remedial Measure (IRM) was implemented in 2020 to excavate soil. Five underground storage tanks discovered during this cleanup were also removed. Approximately 25,700 tons of material were excavated and disposed of during the initial cleanup.

The revised cleanup proposal is open to public comment from September 9 through October 23, 2021, at 518-402-9662. The agency is referring questions about the health impacts of the project to the New York State Department of Health Bureau of Environmental Exposure at 518-402-1338.