gcl tie and treating inc.

DELAWARE AVENUE

The GCL Tie and Treating site occupies approximately 30 acres in an industrial area in southwestern Delaware County, New York. The property consisted of a sawmill and wood treating facility known as GCL Tie and Treating, and a former light manufacturing company. According to an analysis of historical photographs conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and accounts by local residents, wood-preserving activities at the site date as far back as the 1940's when the Delaware and Hudson Railway Company owned the property. The site first came to the attention of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) in 1986, after one of the pressure tanks used at the GCL facility malfunctioned, causing an estimated 30,000-gallon release of creosote. GCL representatives excavated contaminated surface soil and placed it in a mound; no further action was undertaken at that time. Approximately 1,100 people are employed in the nearby industrial area. About 5,000 people live within 2 miles of the site and depend on groundwater as their potable water supply. The nearest residential well is within 0.5 mile of the site. A shopping plaza consisting of three fast food restaurants and several stores is located approximately 300 feet from the site. Other facilities (i.e., a hospital, public schools, senior citizen housing, and child care centers) are located within 2 miles of the site. Site Responsibility: This site is being addressed through federal actions