New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

FACT SHEET

November 2014

Brownfield Cleanup
Program

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Site Name: CH-Kingston Gas Works
DEC Site #: C356017
Address:
North Street
Kingston, NY 12401

Have questions?
See
"Who to Contact"
Below

Remedy Proposed for Brownfield Site Contamination;

Public Comment Period Announced
The public is invited to comment on a proposed remedy being reviewed by the New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to address contamination related to the CHKingston Gas Works site (site) located at North Street, Kingston, Ulster County. Please see the
map for the site location. Documents related to the cleanup of this site can be found at the locations
identified below under "Where to Find Information."

The cleanup activities will be performed and funded by Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp.
(applicant) with oversight provided by NYSDEC.
Based on the findings of the investigation, NYSDEC, in consultation with the New York State
Department of Health (NYSDOH) has determined that the site poses a significant threat due to
elevated concentrations of contaminants in groundwater, soil, and sediment.
Additional site details, including environmental and health assessment summaries, are available
on NYSDEC's website at:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/cfmx/extapps/derexternal/haz/details.cfm?pageid=3&progno=C356017
How to Comment
NYSDEC is accepting written comments about the proposed cleanup plan for 45 days, from
November 18, 2014 through January 2, 2015. The Alternatives Analysis Report containing the
proposed site remedy is available for public review at the locations identified below under "Where to
Find Information." Please submit comments to the NYSDEC project manager listed under Project
Related Questions in the "Who to Contact" area below.
The proposed remedy consists of:
In-situ solidification (ISS), excavation, cover system installation, dredging, implementation of
institutional controls and site management as outlined below.
1. Excavation and off-site disposal of manufactured gas plant (MGP) - impacted soil on- and off

site to an approximate depth of four (4) feet below ground surface (bgs).
2. Solidification of MGP-impacted soils in deeper areas to a depth of twenty-eight (28) feet bgs onsite and twenty-one (21) feet bgs off-site. The contaminated soil will be mixed in-place together with
solidifying agents (typically Portland cement) or other binding agents using an excavator or augers.
The result is a low permeability mass that retards groundwater flow and inhibits the migration of
contaminants.
3. Clean fill meeting the requirements of NYS Regulation 6 NYCRR Part 375-6.7(d) will be
brought in to establish the designed grades at the site.
4. A cover system will be installed across the site and in areas off-site where ISS is performed to
prevent exposure to remaining contamination. The on-site cover will consist either of structures such
as buildings, pavement, sidewalks comprising any site development, a minimum of one foot of
crushed stone or a minimum of one foot of soil meeting the soil cleanup objectives (SCOs) for cover
material as set forth in NYS Regulation 6 NYCRR Part 375-6.7(d) for commercial use. Where the
soil cover is required over the on-site ISS treatment area, it will consist of a minimum of four (4) feet
of soil meeting the SCOs for commercial use. Where the soil cover is required off-site in the areas
where ISS is performed, it will consist of a minimum of four (4) feet of soil meeting the SCOs for
residential use.
5. A new permanent sheet pile bulkhead wall along the existing bulkhead will be installed.
6. Removal and off-site disposal of MGP-impacted sediment. A cap will be installed over NAPLimpacted sediments located in the natural gas pipeline crossing area of the Rondout Creek.
7. Non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) collection wells will be installed in the areas of the site
currently inaccessible due to underground utilities to monitor and remove potentially mobile NAPL
from the subsurface.
8. Placement of an environmental easement on the property that will allow the use and development
of the controlled property for commercial and industrial uses (subject to local zoning laws) and
restrict the use of groundwater as a source of potable or process water.
9. Placement of an agreement with the off-site property owner(s) to implement the remedy and any
necessary future site management plan on the off-site property not owned by Central Hudson Gas
and Electric.
10. Development of a site management plan (SMP) which will detail the soil management in the
event of future excavations in addition to long-term monitoring.
Summary of the Investigation
The remedial investigation has been completed. Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) contaminants of
concern (COCs) including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) and semi-volatile
organic compounds (SVOCs) are present in the soil, groundwater and sediment at and adjacent to the
site at levels exceeding applicable cleanup standards. Coal tar is present in the subsurface soil and in
sediments in the Rondout Creek.

Next Steps
NYSDEC will consider public comments received on the proposed remedy presented in the
Alternative Analysis Report and ultimately issue a final Decision Document. The New York State
Department of Health (NYSDOH) must also concur with the remedy. The Decision Document will
be made available to the public. The applicant may then design and perform the cleanup action to
address the site contamination, with oversight by NYSDEC and NYSDOH.
NYSDEC will keep the public informed throughout the investigation and cleanup of the site.
Background
Location: The Central Hudson Gas and Electric (CHGE) Kingston Gas Works site is located on
North Street, Kingston, Ulster County, NY.
Site Features: The site consists of one parcel totaling 1.7 acres. The main site features include above
and below ground gas transmission and distribution lines, two small buildings (currently used by
CHGE for storage), and foundations and footings from former structures. The ground surface is
currently covered by approximately 6 inches of ballast stone. A deteriorating wooden bulkhead
borders the southern perimeter of the site. Access to the site is limited by a chain-link fence. The area
surrounding the site consists primarily of industrial/commercial properties. The property is bordered
on the north by a former scrap yard (B. Millens Sons, Inc., Site #356030), to the east by an access
road off of East Strand Street, to the south by Rondout Creek, and to the west by a fuel oil tank farm
(KOSCO). The area is served by a public water system.
Current Zoning and Land Use: The site currently operates as a natural gas regulator station with
limited site access and is also used by CHGE for storage. The site is grandfathered as industrial,
although it is located within the RF-R Rondout Creek zoning District, which allows for restricted
residential use. The purpose of this district is to afford priority to water dependent uses, achieve
public access to the coastal area, control development, create distinct Hudson River and Rondout
Creek waterfront districts, and to implement the policies and purposes of the City of Kingston Local
Waterfront Revitalization Program.
Past Use of the Site: The site is a former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) which operated from the
1890s to 1958.
A phase 1 investigation was conducted at the site in 1986. Additional investigations were completed
at the site between June 2001 and March 2002. Several activities including the removal of two
subsurface structures and associated piping, removal of select existing subsurface structures and
piping, and removal of NAPL-impacted material from a rectangular structure located near the
northwest corner of the site and a tar area were conducted in conjunction with facility improvements
between 2003 and 2005. In 2006, a supplemental site investigation was conducted at the site.
Site Geology and Hydrogeology: Fill material overlies the site from the ground surface to
approximately 15 feet (ft) below ground, with the thickest portion along the eastern area of the site.
The fill material is comprised of silty, unsorted sands containing little to some gravel mixed with coal
fragments, coal ash, cinders, concrete, timbers, wood, and brick fragments. A sand/silt layer is
located beneath the fill unit with a thickness varying from approximately 3 ft to 38 ft, with the
thickest portion in the northwest portion of the site. A silt/clay layer is generally located beneath the
sand/silt layer across the site. In some locations, generally along the western portion of the site, fine

to medium sands were encountered in the silt/clay layer at approximately 35 ft below ground.
Bedrock was not encountered during the investigation. Groundwater depth at the site ranges from
approximately 2 to 5 feet below ground surface. Groundwater flows south-southeast toward Rondout
Creek.

BrownfieldCleanupProgram:NewYork'sBrownfieldCleanupProgram(BCP)encouragesthevoluntary
cleanupofcontaminatedpropertiesknownas"brownfields"sothattheycanbereusedandredeveloped.
Theseusesincluderecreation,housing,businessorotheruses.
Abrownfieldisanyrealpropertythatisdifficulttoreuseorredevelopbecauseofthepresenceor
potentialpresenceofcontamination.
FormoreinformationabouttheBCP,visit:http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8450.html

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Where to Find Information
Project documents are available at the following locations to help the public stay informed.
Kingston Library
Attn: Ms. Margaret Menard
55 Franklin Street
Kingston, NY 12401
Phone: 845-256-3018
NYSDEC Region 3 Office
21 S. Putt Corners Road
New Paltz, NY 12561
Phone: 845-256-3018
Please call for an appointment
Who to Contact
Comments and questions are always welcome and should be directed as follows:

Project Related Questions

Jamie Verrigni
Department of Environmental Conservation
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-7014
518-402-9662
jamie.verrigni@dec.ny.gov

Site-Related Health Questions

Kristin Kulow
New York State Department of Health
Oneonta District Office
28 Hill Street, Suite 201
Oneonta, NY 13820
607-432-3911
beei@health.ny.gov

We encourage you to share this fact sheet with neighbors and tenants, and/or post this fact
sheet in a prominent area of your building for others to see.
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09/25/2013 SYRACUSE, DIV/GROUP: ENV/IM-DV DJHOWES

B0020536/0001/00001/CDR/20536N01.CDR

SITE LOCATION

REFERENCE: BASE MAP SOURCE USGS 7.5 MINUTE QUADS. SERIES KINGSTON EAST, NEW YORK, 1955.
2000'

2000'

0
Approximate Scale: 1" = 2000'

CENTRAL HUDSON GAS & ELECTRIC CORP

KINGSTON, NEW YORK

REMEDIAL ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS REPORT

SITE LOCATION MAP

Area Location

FIGURE