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EPA Removes Long Island Toxic Site From Superfund National Priorities List

Release Date: 09/13/2010
Contact Information: (News Media Only): Jim Fallon 212-637-5034, [email protected]

(New York, NY) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has successfully completed cleanup work at the SMS Instruments Superfund site located in Deer Park, NY and has deleted the site from the Superfund National Priorities List of the most hazardous waste sites. After completing all the cleanup work needed to address contaminated soil and ground water, and assessing recent monitoring data, EPA has determined that the cleanup was successful and that the site no longer poses a significant threat to public health or the environment. The primary contaminants of concern at the site were volatile organic compounds including benzene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes, which can pose significant risks to people’s health.

“The cleanup of this site is a success and we can now remove this once hazardous property from the Superfund list,” said EPA Administrator Judith Enck. “Our assessment shows that the work we have done will fully protect people’s health and the environment.”

The SMS Instruments Superfund site is located on a 1.5-acre parcel in a light industrial and residential area of Deer Park, New York. From 1971 to 1983, SMS Instruments Inc. overhauled military aircraft components and dumped wastewater from degreasing and other refurbishing operations into a leaching pool on-site. In addition, an underground storage tank used to store fuel leaked, further contaminating soil and ground water with volatile organic compounds and heavy metals, including chromium and lead. In 1986, EPA placed the site on the Superfund National Priorities List, and it was partly paid for by the responsible party.

The site was cleaned up in three stages. First, the industrial leaching pool was pumped out, backfilled with clean sand, and sealed. In addition, the underground storage tank that was leaking was removed and the soil around it was excavated. EPA subsequently pumped contaminated ground water to the surface, treated it to remove contaminants, and then deposited it into the ground water. In addition, EPA investigated the existence of other potential sources of contaminated ground water in grades above the site and found none.

The public comment period for EPA’s direct final rule for deletion of the SMS Instruments site from the NPL ended on August 29, 2010. Since no significant comments opposed to delisting were received, the ruling will become official on September 13, 2010 and the site will be deleted from the Superfund list.

Any questions about the site or its history can be directed to Mark Dannenberg, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2, 290 Broadway, 20th Floor, New York, New York 10007-1866.

To date, nearly 350 Superfund sites nationally have been cleaned up and deleted from the NPL. For more information about the Superfund program in our region https://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/

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