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Monroe and Surrounding Counties Superfund/Hazardous Waste Map
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State Superfund Hazardous Waste Dump |
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Hazardous Substance Dump |
Remediating Toxic Dumps: New York's Superfund
Over 700 hazardous waste dumps in New York are addressed by the State Superfund
program which was created in 1982 under the Interactive Hazardous Waste Disposal
Site law. The Federal Superfund only addresses the nation's worst hazardous
waste dumps, including over 80 in New York. The State Superfund program is based
on the "polluter pay" principle, and funds can only be used if the
state's enforcement efforts to compel the polluter to fund the cleanup are
unsuccessful.
Superfund policies require testing of the dump, remediation, citizen
participation, health investigations and polluter oversight. In 1986, voters
passed the Environmental Bond Act which infused the State Superfund with over $1
billion dollars—50% funded by industry fees and 50% funded by the
taxpayer—making it one of the largest state remediation programs in the
nation.
Two critical problems with the State Superfund program are severely hampering
its effectiveness to address New York's toxic legacy. Dumps are falling through
the cracks due to a legal loophole and the program is on the verge of
bankruptcy.
Dumps Falling Through the Cracks
Over 600 Hazardous Substance Dumps are not eligible for remediation under State
Superfund due to an unfortunate legal loophole&. New York's State Superfund
can only address Hazardous Waste dumps which are definded under the federal
Resource, Conservation & Recovery Act (RCRA). If a dump is contaminated with
hazardous substances which are not on the RCRA list, it cannot be addressed
under the State Superfund program. Hazardous Substance dumps—which contain
heavy metals, cyanide, PCB's and other toxic chemicals—are denied eligibility
simply because they do not meet the narrow legal definition of hazardous waste
which is based on how a "waste" was created. Hazardous substances were
created from old manufacturing processes (such as coal gasification) or from
contaminated products which are not on the RCRA list. A 1995 DEC draft report
found that over 600 Hazardous Substance dumps are polluting New York's
environment. Dumps which contain hazardous substances include industrial dumps,
old landfills, construction & demolition dumps and coal gasification dumps.
DEC's report estimates the cost to address these dumps is between $1.6 to $2
billion—with $598 to $773 million coming from Superfund monies and the
remaining funds coming from the polluters.
*1,386 dumps includes 774 State Superfund dumps (Class 1, 2,
2A, and 3 sites) and 612 Hazardous Substance dumps. (Department of
Environmental conservation Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Site Draft Study,
December, 1994). The final Hazardous Substance Study will be released in the
near future and there may some changes in the number of sites. For instance,
approximately 100 coal tar deposit dumps and hazardous landfills included in
the draft Study will reportedly be deleted because the Department believes
they are being adequately addressed by the Division of Solid Waste. This map
includes these known or suspected hazardous dumps since they can pose an
environmental and public health threat.
The Monroe county area map and text are excerpts from a map
which includes the entire state of New York.
The original map was done in consultation with the New York State Assembly
Legislative Commission on Toxic Substances & Hazardous Wastes.
The map was produced by Applied GIS, Schenectady, New York, June, 1995.
Contact Citizen's Environmental Coalition at (518) 462-5527,
33 Central Ave., Albany New York 12210 or at our Western New York Office at
(716) 798011, 399 N. Main St., Suite A, Medina, New York, 14103.
Please contact them if you would like a list of dumps in your county,
additional information, or have any questions or comments.
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