The oil leak cleanup at Halecky-IMTT Park has shifted into a post-recovery operation, the extent of environmental damage to the site is still unknown, and nearby residents are still concerned that the leak will affect them and their properties.
When the leak was discovered on Feb. 22 at the eastside park, state Department of Environmental Protection, contract responder Ken’s Marine, and International-Matex Tank Terminals (IMTT) workers recovered 128,000 gallons of heating oil and then began the cleanup.
The federal Environmental Protection Administration is not involved.
The pipeline that leaked is owned by IMTT.
“I have full confidence in IMTT. They have been a great partner,” Mayor James Davis said. “They’ve assured me they’ll do the whole cleanup and put the park back together the way it was.”
Davis said IMTT is in constant contact with the city. The mayor said he has spoken with concerned residents.
One resident of a home on adjacent East 27th Street said that he had not been told about what was happening, even as trucks and other equipment were operating at the park.
“The house has been shaking like crazy,” said Geoffrey Giudice, who’s lived for 10 years at 104 East 27th Street, one of the houses closest to the oil leak. “I haven’t heard a word. Nobody has said anything.”
Giudice said the shaking at his home the past two weeks reminded him of the time a pipeline was relocated there last year. With the recent leak, he’s seen up to about 15 vehicles in the park at one time, he said.
“They don’t tell us if there’s a health hazard. We don’t know down the line.” – Helen Miller
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Helen Miller of 97 East 27th Street said the sounds of generators and blinding spotlights had become the norm for the residents on her block. The smell of oil permeated the air.
“We didn’t know what was going on,” she said. “They told us it was an oil spill and didn’t tell us anymore.”
Miller said she is worried about long-term health risks that might be associated with the oil leak.
“They don’t tell us if there’s a health hazard. We don’t know down the line,” she said. “I’m not saying there’s going to be. But you don’t know.”
“We have stopped the leak, which was not a public health threat,” said an IMTT spokeswoman. “We have been in regular dialog with the relevant stakeholders, and have provided local authorities with continuous updates and information about the incident.”
State DEP spokesman Larry Hajna said work at the site will soon be turned over to Cornerstone Environmental, IMTT’s licensed site remediation professional (LSRP).
No contamination to homes
“There is no indication that contaminate was moving offsite or was going to impact the residential properties,” Hajna said on March 4.
However, LSRP workers investigating the oil leak will follow its trail to determine the extent of damage.
“They work their way out until the contamination stops,” Hajna said. “Maybe they’d be worried about vapors that would potentially get into a house by way of saturating the ground under these properties. I’m not saying that is what happened here. But that’s the kind of thing we’d be looking at.”
Hajna said the state has “very specific” guidelines that the LSRP has to follow, and that they are obligated under state law to comply with certain investigation and cleanup standards. Wherever soil is found to be saturated with oil, it must be excavated and backfilled.
“We’re working to ensure that there are no offsite impacts. That’s why we’re still on the scene,” Hajna said. “We don’t want people to be scared because they have questions and no answers. We want to make sure the immediate situation is brought under control.”
Baton not passed yet on project
As of last week, IMTT and the state DEP were working on the transition to Cornerstone Environmental, the LSRP, according to Hajna.
“The baton hasn’t been quite handed off yet,” he said.
Hajna said there was no final total on the number of gallons of oil recovered so far.
Cornerstone Environmental did not return a phone call seeking information on its role.
Miller said she was unhappy that she would not be able to walk in the park for a while. The park is also home to wildlife and has been designated a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.
Joseph Passantino may be reached at JoePass@hudsonreporter.com.