The Long Island Rail Road (LIRR), working closely with the New York State Departments of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Health, and the railroad's consultant, have developed a remedial action work plan to clean up a railroad-owned Nassau Boulevard substation located on Edgemere Road in Garden City this summer. The removal of contaminated soil from the site is found to have traces of mercury in it.

According to the DEC, approximately 84 cubic yards of contaminated soil are planned to be removed and, following the excavation, end point samples will be collected to ensure the soil cleanup objectives have been met. DEC officials note that, if necessary, additional soils may be excavated.

The soil excavation will remove the source of contamination from the site and reduce or eliminate exposure to receptors, a DEC fact sheet noted. Further, LIRR officials said that prior to any soil removal, the existing substation building will be demolished and a new one erected after the excavation is complete.

LIRR President Helena Williams assures that all work will be performed in a manner that "protects area residents, employees and customers, including air testing and monitoring." She further noted in an April 18 letter sent to Mayor Peter Bee that all soil removal would be provided by experienced contractors with appropriate NYSDEC permits.

Work is scheduled to take place for six weeks beginning in June. Residents can view the remedial action work plan, dated January 2008, at the Garden City Public Library, located at 60 Seventh Street.

By way of background, the LIRR built, owned and operated substations throughout Long Island dating back to the early 1930s. Until the 1980s, the substations housed mercury rectifiers - devices used to supply power to LIRR locomotives and electric passenger car fleets, according to the NYSDEC fact sheet.

During the 1980s, the mercury rectifiers were removed from the substations and replaced with non-mercury containing solid-state equipment. However, past work practices employed during the operation and maintenance of the mercury rectifiers have affected the site.

The on-site building is an approximately 625 square foot one-story brick structure. Adjacent to the structure there is a 2,100 square foot transformer yard. The structure and transformer yard is south of the railroad tracks, the fact sheet continued.

Back in 2004, according to President Williams, the LIRR entered into an agreement with the NYSDEC to clean up 20 electric substations, including one in nearby Floral Park and others in Little Neck, Queens; Mineola; and Port Washington.

According to Village Administrator Robert Schoelle, the village's Public Works Department has reviewed the remediation program and is satisfied all things are being done to the utmost of safety.

Kathy Auro, who lives on Merillon Avenue, near that train station, asked village officials whether or not they have initiated soil testing to look for possible contaminants in the soil other than mercury? Schoelle said they have not, not to his knowledge.

The LIRR's cleanup is being implemented under the provisions of the Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP), which was established in New York to address the environmental, legal and financial barriers that often hinder the redevelopment and reuse of contaminated properties, according to the NYSDEC. The Voluntary Cleanup Agreement signed by the NYSDEC and the LIRR went into effect in November 2004.

Residents are urged to take advantage of a 30-day comment period, going on now through May 23. Written comments can be sent to Nathan E. Putnam, project manager, NYSDEC, 11th Floor, 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-7015 (518-402-9621). All health-related concerns can be sent to Scarlett Messier, public health specialist, NYSDOH, Flanigan Square, 547 River Street, Troy, NY 12180 (1-800-458-1158).