The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will be holding a public meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 10 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Mineola Village Hall, 155 Washington Avenue, to discuss the proposed plan to clean up contaminated soil and groundwater at the Jackson Steel Superfund site, which is located at 435 First Street in Mineola near Herricks Road.

The property was used from the mid-1970s until 1991 as a "roll form metal shapes" manufacturing facility. Degreasers including tetracholorethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE) and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) were used at the facility until 1985. Sludges from degreasing equipment were stored in drums and in an on-site 275 gallon tank.

The site, which is located near the former Tutor Time daycare center, has been tested for soil and groundwater contamination. In soils sampled at 33 locations during a remedial investigation conducted from October 2001 to August 2002, volatile organic compounds were found at all 10 unpaved locations and 23 sampling locations situated under pavement.

Sampling results indicate that chemicals that may have been discharged into the dry wells during the active life of the facility have resulted in the contamination of the shallow Upper Glacial Aquifer at the site. The highest total of volatile organic compound concentrations were measured in the monitoring wells immediately located below two dry wells located under the parking areas.

These monitoring wells also contained a higher number of volatile organic compounds exceeding the maximum contaminant levels in comparison to the remaining monitoring wells. Volatile organic chemicals were also found at the middle of the Upper Glacial Aquifer at the site, though the concentrations were lower than those measured in the shallow aquifer at this location.

Based on the evaluation of various alternatives, EPA and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) recommend a plan that includes excavation of contaminated surface soils, building trench, sumps and contents of dry wells; off site treatment and/or disposal; treatment of volatile organic compound-contaminated subsurface soils using in situ soil vapor extraction, a process by which volatile compounds are removed by employing vapor extraction wells alone or in combination with air injection wells. Vacuum blowers supply the motive force, including air flow through the soil matrix. The air strips the volatile compounds from the soil and carries them to the screened extraction well.

This option has a capital cost of $1,008,000, an annual operation and maintenance cost of $824,000 and a present-worth cost of $2,383,000 with a construction time of six months.

For the remediation of groundwater contamination, the EPA is proposing a plan for an in situ chemical oxidation for the treatment of the upper aquifer and groundwater extraction and treatment for the lower aquifer. Because this alternative would result in contaminants remaining on-site above levels that allow for unrestricted use and unlimited exposure, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) requires that be reviewed at least once every five years.

This option has a capital cost of $1,189,000 to $1,742,000, an annual operation, maintenance and monitoring cost of $673,500 to $718,500 and a present-worth cost of $4,168,000 to $4,433,000 with a construction time of six months.

To request a copy of the proposed plan, e-mail Cecilia Echols, community involvement coordinator at echols.cecilia@epa.gov or call her at (212) 637-3678 or toll-free at 1-800-346-5009 or visit EPA website at www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/jackson_steel_proposal2004.pdf.

The public comment period for this proposed plan is from July 22 to Aug. 21.

All written comments should be addressed to: Joel Singerman, Chief, Central New York Remediation Section, U.S. EPA, 290 Broadway, 20th Floor, New York, New York 10007-1866, by fax at 212-637-3966 or by e-mail to singerman.joel@epa.gov.