Governor George Pataki yesterday announced nearly $1.2 million in Environmental Restoration Program grants to investigate environmental contamination at 10 sites in Cortland, Genesee, Madison, Oneida, St. Lawrence, Schenectady, Suffolk and Sullivan counties. The grants are being funded through the 1996 Clean Water/Clean Air Bond Act.

The 10 grants awarded today are as follows:

- $63,225 to the City of Cortland, Cortland County: For the investigation of environmental contamination at the Noss Industrial Park in the City of Cortland. The City, which acquired the property in 1979, will perform the investigation of the 5-acre property located at Noss Park Drive. Limited Environmental Site Assessments performed in 1998 reveal petroleum, metals, acid, coal tar, and asbestos contamination in both the soil and groundwater at the site. The investigation will include sampling of soil, sediment groundwater and waste materials at the site. The City plans to redevelop the property to contribute to community and economic developments projects.

- $108,000 to the City of Batavia, Genesee County: For the investigation of environmental contamination at the Batavia Iron and Metal Company in the City of Batavia. Historical operations at the abandoned 6.8-acre property included use as a metal recycling and processing facility. In November 2004, DEC removed several drums and other containers from the site, along with their contents and surrounding contaminated soil in order to protect the surrounding natural resources from any possible leaks. Most of the materials removed were petroleum products. The City of Batavia will perform the investigation at the property located at 301 Bank Street. The investigation will include soil and groundwater testing. After the investigation, the City will determine what cleanup activities are necessary to safely redevelop the property.

- $54,000 to Madison County: For the investigation of environmental contamination at a former gas station in the Village of Hamilton, Madison County. The property, located at 47 Utica Street, consists of a single-story, cinderblock building located on approximately one-quarter-acre. The County acquired the property in 2002. The site's previous owner performed an initial underground storage tank removal and removed some petroleum contaminated soil. A DEC investigation revealed some petroleum contamination left on the property. Madison County will perform a more extensive investigation of the property to gather additional site data, confirm the results of DEC's study, and determine the extent of the contamination. The County hopes to redevelop the property as a local retail or realty business.

- $73,620 to the City of Oneida, Madison County: For the investigation of environmental contamination at the 210 Sconondoa Site in the City of Oneida. The property was historically used as an automobile service station and residential housing. The site currently consists of a four-story building, which was once a multi-family apartment complex. Upon acquisition of the property, the City removed four underground fuel storage tanks, their liquid contents, and some contaminated soil that resulted from the former gas station. The results of this work revealed that the contamination had impacted the site's soil and groundwater. This discovery prompted the need for a complete environmental investigation to determine the nature and extent of contamination.

- $90,000 to the Town of Trenton, Oneida County: For the investigation of environmental contamination at the former E-Z Stop gas station, a 1.5-acre parcel located at 9244 Route 12. The site is suspected to contain leaking underground petroleum storage tanks. The investigation will determine the extent of soil and groundwater contamination. It will also help fund the removal and cleanup of any underground storage tanks found during the investigation. The Town plans to redevelop the site for commercial or retail use.

- $200,000 to St. Lawrence County: For the investigation of environmental contamination at the former Willow Island Restaurant in Canton. The County acquired the former gas station and restaurant, located at One West Main on Willow Island, in 2004 and plans to redevelop the site through the Grasse River Heritage Area Development Corporation into a visitor and welcome center. The gas station operated until the mid 1980s. It was renovated into an organic food restaurant in the late 1990's. The grant will fund investigative work to confirm the presence and extent of contamination.

- $180,000 to the City of Schenectady and the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority, Schenectady County: For the investigation of environmental contamination at the 2.5-acre 213 Broadway Property in the City of Schenectady. The City will perform the investigation at the site, which currently serves as a parking facility. The City performed Environmental Site Assessments at the property in the past to provide a detailed history and preliminary description of the contamination at the property. The site history indicates a gas station operated at the site. Preliminary soil and ground water samples revealed some petroleum contamination. The grant will allow the City to perform a complete environmental investigation to better understand the extent of contamination and help formulate the best method to remediate it. The City plans to redevelop the site into commercial or retail business and needed parking for downtown businesses and the famed Proctors Theatre.

- $135,000 to the City of Schenectady and the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority, Schenectady County: For the investigation of environmental contamination at the 314 Clinton Street Property in the City of Schenectady. The City will perform the investigation at the 2.5-acre property, which currently serves as a parking facility. The City performed Environmental Site Assessments at this property to provide a detailed history and preliminary description of the contamination at the property. The site history indicates the site was used a gas station and dry cleaning business. Preliminary analysis of the groundwater and soil samples reveals contamination consistent with these operations. The grant will allow the City to better understand the extent of contamination and help formulate the best method to remediate it. The City plans to redevelop the site into commercial or retail business and needed parking for downtown businesses and the famed Proctors Theatre.

- $80,000 to Suffolk County: For the investigation of environmental contamination at the Ronkonkoma Wallpaper site located at 934 Easton Street in Ronkonkoma. Ronkonkoma Wallpaper operated at the 3.3-acre property from 1920 to at least 1988, making wallpaper. All buildings have since been removed from the site. The County acquired the property in December of 1999 and plans to redevelop the property as low income, residential housing. During limited site investigations, volatile organic compounds and metals were detected on-site. Drums containing waste solvents were also found. The drums were removed and the contaminated dry wells were excavated. With this funding, the County will install monitoring wells and collect soil samples to characterize the contamination that remains in the site's soil and groundwater.

- $205,000 to the Town of Fallsburg, Sullivan County: For the investigation of environmental contamination at the Hills Holding Corporation Construction and Demolition Debris Landfill in the Town of Fallsburg. The Town will perform the investigation of the large, 26.4-acre property located on New York State Route 42, abutting the Neversink River. Approximately 8 acres of the site were used as an unregulated construction and demolition landfill in the summer of 1988 which lead to contamination of the site's soil and groundwater, as well as the adjacent surface water and sediment of the Neversink River. Site contaminants include volatile organic compounds, semi volatile organic compounds, and PCBs in site subsurface soils. Additional contaminants including barium, iron, lead, magnesium, and zinc were found in the groundwater. The Town's investigation will include additional site sampling to determine the extent of contamination and help determine the best and most effective method to clean it up. The Town plans to redevelop the site for commercial or recreational use.