The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation held a public information and comment meeting at Island Trees High School on Tuesday night to discuss their proposed remedial action plan the Class 2 hazardous waste site, stemming from American Drive-In Cleaners on Hempstead Turnpike.

Mark Lowery, NYSDEC Regional Citizen Participation Specialist, began the presentation by explaining the procedure to the meeting. Though he asked the public to hold any questions or comments until the end, one resident spoke out, saying that the meeting was a waste because so few people were notified that it was taking place. Lowery responded that 150 residents were notified that the meeting was taking place. Island Trees School Board President Carl Bonsignore questioned whether the DEC felt that 150 people was a true representation of the community affected by this issue.

Tensions were high as Lowery, NYSDEC Project Manager Robert Filkins, TAMS Consultant Paul Kareth, and GZA GeoEnvironmental representative Lisa Visco made their detailed presentations. One resident questioned why they were going through the history and other details when the residents were there to have their health concerns addressed.

In the presentation, the DEC explained the four alternatives they considered when looking into cleanup options. They ultimately selected the fourth option, the most expansive one, which is the in situ chemical oxidation. In addition to the chemical oxidation, the cleanup will involve groundwater extraction and treatment, soil vapor extraction, closure of cesspools, asphalt paving of unpaved cesspool areas, and annual groundwater monitoring for 30 years. The cost of this cleanup will be $2,721,000, for just the site itself, which is located north of Hempstead Turnpike. The contamination has spread south of the turnpike but the DEC split the project into two sections and they expect to have a proposed remedial action plan for what they refer to as Operable Unit 2, the off-site area south of Hempstead Turnpike, in about a year.

Wendy Kuehner, the assistant sanitary engineer from the New York State Department of Health, then spoke about health issues involving the contamination. She stressed that the contamination is nowhere near the drinking wells and said that the drinking water was completely safe. She further explained that there are three potential exposure pathways- soil, groundwater, and indoor air. Kuehner said that the soil was fine and that the groundwater was where contamination had been found. They studied the school irrigation well, where low levels of perchloroethene or "perc" had been found. The levels are so low, according to Kuehner, that it does not pose a concern. There are no private drinking wells in the area, so Kuehner said that is not a concern and the public drinking wells are all far away from where the plume of contamination has spread.

The last thing tested was the indoor air, said Kuehner. She said that they had not expected to find any contamination when they took indoor air samples at the site and all the businesses in the strip with the dry cleaners, when they tested in September 2000. However, the results of those tests came back in November and showed that the levels exceeded the state's indoor air guideline, indicative of active dry cleaning. Kuehner said that the Nassau County Department of Health and NYSDEC Region 1, which includes Nassau and Suffolk Counties, were notified. When investigated, there were several violations found at American Dry Cleaners. They were supposed to shut down their dry cleaning operation following this investigation but when a second testing still found unsatisfactory indoor air levels, the Nassau County Department of Health went back and found the dry cleaners still operating their machinery. In January, electricity to the dry cleaning machines at the American Drive-In Cleaners were shut down prior to the third round of air sampling. The cleaners must now send out any cleaning and not do it on-site. On Jan. 23 the sample levels were still elevated. The health department secured emergency response funds in order to implement soil vapor extraction, which began in February. By March 9, samples showed that the contaminated air levels were decreasing. According to Kuehner this indoor air contamination was found in all the stores in the dry-cleaners' strip, all the way to the Beverage Barn.

According to Kuehner, health effects from exposure to this contamination can vary depending on dose, duration, and frequency of exposure. The effects range from problems with central nervous system, liver and kidney problems, and possible problems with the reproductive system. She said that the levels found at this site were much lower than that which would cause any of the effects except for those on the central nervous system. These problems include dizziness, headaches, memory loss, and fatigue. Again, Kuehner stressed that these symptoms would come from prolonged dose, duration, or frequency of exposure.

Several of those at the meeting expressed concern about the Blimpies that is located in that group of stores, which is often frequented by Island Trees students during their lunch break. Kuehner said food would not be contaminated. When asked if they would eat at that location, Project Manager Robert Filkins said that he eats there every time he visits the site.

When questioned about the funding for this project, the DEC representatives explained that the study was done with state SuperFund money because they could not get the property owner or operator to provide the funding. They further noted that an attempt would be made to recover those funds. Currently, though, the plan to clean up the site involves state funding. It was noted by the DEC that right now all the state SuperFund money is already earmarked and unless there is additional money put in the governor's budget neither this cleanup nor the cleanup of the other side of the turnpike, would be funded. One DEC representative noted that this funding would have to be approved by both the state assembly and senate in order for the fund to be re-authorized. Following the meeting, Councilman Gary Hudes stated, "Since the DEC indicated that the cleanup is dependent on SuperFund funds, I will be contacting state officials to encourage them to support and expedite the necessary funds to replenish the SuperFund so projects can proceed as scheduled, which in my opinion are long overdue. The health and welfare of the residents and especially the children of Island Trees should be of paramount importance to the DEC. These are our children and this is our neighborhood."

With the comment period about the proposed remedial action plan closing on March 25, the DEC expects to have a finalized plan in approximately one month.