The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be holding a meeting on Thursday, Oct. 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Mineola Village Hall's community center at 155 Washington Avenue, to address questions regarding the results of the investigation at the Jackson Steel Superfund Site and former location of the Tutor Time Day Care Center and upcoming activities.

A remedial investigation report summarizing the results of the EPA's investigation to determine the nature and extent of the contamination at and emanating from the Jackson Steel Superfund site was completed in June of 2003.

The EPA collected 95 soil samples on-site and determined that PCE and TCE concentrations exceeded New York State's cleanup objectives at three locations - an unpaved location between the Jackson Steel parking lot and the western wall of the building and in two locations within a shallow trench inside the building. PCE and TCE are commonly known chemicals used in the commercial dry cleaning industry and in some household products.

Other determinations include:

* In the three on-site dry wells, several volatile organic compounds (contaminants that evaporate into the air easily) were found to exceed New York State's cleanup objectives. PCE and TCE were detected at concentrations well below the cleanup objectives.

* EPA collected 21 samples from nine on-site wells. In the groundwater, PCE, TCE, DCA, DCE and trichloroethane exceeded standards. At the top of the acquifer, DCE was the predominant contaminant.

In addition to the remedial investigation at the Jackson Steel site, EPA conducted an investigation in an attempt to determine the source of the PCE in the former Tutor Time daycare building. This investigation was completed in May 2003. The data collected from the investigation indicates:

* PCE and TCE were detected in the soil gas underneath the Tutor Time building.

* The concentrations of PCE and TCE in the air of the Tutor Time building increased significantly when the ventilation system underneath the concrete slab floor was turned off.

* It appears that the PCE and TCE detected in the indoor air of the Tutor Time building could be, at least partly, attributed to vapor intrusion from the soil beneath the building.

* The PCE and TCE detected underneath and inside the Tutor Time building could not be linked to the known sources of contamination at Jackson Steel.