The abbreviated Tuesday, Feb. 12 Community Board 9 meeting, held at the Fairfield Pavilion in Richmond Hill, featured a public hearing focusing on the proposed cleanup of the former Ozone Industries site located in Ozone Park.
Senior Project Manger David G. Austin from ENSR, a worldwide provider of comprehensive health and safety management services, appeared at the conference alongside Ted Coyle of End Zone Inc. (the successor company to Ozone Industries) to present a summary of environmental studies performed by an ENSR project team to examine soil and groundwater contamination at the former aircraft manufacturing location.
Ozone Industries, in operation from 1948 to 1996, reportedly used a chemical solvent trichloroethene (TCE) to degrease their parts in the eight storage bays they occupied beneath the the abandoned elevated Long Island Railroad between 99th and 100th streets to the west and east and 101th and 103rd avenues to the north and south.
In 1996, it was discovered that contaminated groundwater had migrated southward at about 35 feet below surface level.
With the approval of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Department of Health, ENSR began collecting soil and groundwater samples underneath and adjacent to the site in 2004.
“Throughout that period, there have been some reports issued,” said Austin. “From those reports, we’ve revised and fine tuned our work plans. We’re now at the end of our assessment process and we’re now drafting reports which will include results of all our assessment work and will also include what kind of remedy or cleanup we think is necessary for the site.”
Those reports, he continued, have been deposited in a document repository in the Central Library Branch of the Queens Public Library in Jamaica.
Monthly progress reports and fact sheets are reportedly being mailed to local residents and community leaders.
When asked by Board 9 Chairperson Andrea Crawford what the intended future use of the location would be, Austin replied that he’s only involved in the cleanup of the site and will leave the property in its present condition.
Top and bottom photos show areas formerly occupied by Ozone Industries from 1948 to 1996. ENSR, a Massachusetts-based health and safety services company, will be entrusted with the cleanup of this site, consisting of the removal of contaminated soil and groundwater. (photos: J. Naughton)
Board 9’s Sherman Kane inquired about the duration of the cleanup to which Austin responded that the type of technology utilized in the undertaking will determine that.
A specific start date will reportedly be given in an upcoming report which will be released in the late Spring or early Summer months, according to the ENSR spokesperson.
Crawford Updates Board
Although the Board failed to reach a quorum preventing it from conducting the regular order of business, Crawford did issue a brief update on efforts being made to prepare a study on the movement to transform the defunct Long Island Rail Road branch into a greenway bicycle path.
The Board, she said, has been in contact with architects from the City University of New York who are reportedly preparing materials for an upcoming study.The proposed greenway would consist of three-and-a-half miles of abandoned tracks running from Rego Park to Ozone Park.
Crawford also referenced six recent text amendment recommendations recently made by the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects that the Board believes would “give free reign to developers to maximize property dimensions while depriving the community of free and unencumbered areas,” as stated during Community Board 9’s December meeting.
The chairperson told those in attendance that she found the AIA’s text amendment suggestions to be “damaging on a number of levels.”She added that if the amendments are approved by the Department of City Planning, it wouldn’t set a great precedent by having a lobby group push legislation that affects the entire city.
Pol Reps Address Legislation
Michael Johnson from State Sen. Serphin Maltese’s office was on hand to bring community members up to speed on the recently-passed Lawn Litter Bill aimed at preventing store and restaurant owners from flooding people’s doorsteps with circulars and menus by handing out fines.
The bill is reportedly being reviewed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has a 90-day window to determine which city agency will be chosen to enforce the ruling.
Also appearing was Diane Barrett, Assemblyman Rory Lancman’s chief of staff, who told Board members that the legislator is working on the Oasis Bill, which would give community boards input on mental facilities moving into their districts.
Activist on Ridgewood Reservoir (See Previous Related Blog Posting)
South Queens activist David M. Quintana gave a presentation regarding the ongoing plans for the Ridgewood Reservoir.
Quintana opened with a history of the site, dating back to the mid-1850s, when the reservoir was used as a primary source of water for the city of Brooklyn.
Current plans on the part of the Parks Department to redesign the 50-acre site adjacent to Highland Park on the Brooklyn/Queens border were brought into focus.
Two of the plans being mulled would reportedly turn one of the reservoir’s basins into a recreational park.
South Queens activist David M. Quintana asks for Board 9’s support in preserving the greenery within the Ridgewood Reservoir.
Quintana stated that he opposed this idea, indicating that it would entail the demolition of 30 acres in order to install an artificial-turf field.
As an alternative, the Ozone Park resident and Community Board 10 member suggested the addition of walkways and bicycle paths.
Crawford invited Quintana to revisit Community Board 9 and issue a formal presentation.
In a list of desired outcomes for the Ridgewood Reservoir and Highland Park prepared by the Ridgewood Reservoir Education and Preservation Project, submitted by Quintana to the Times Newsweekly, the following objectives are highlighted:
• To preserve and enhance the ecosystems within all three basins.
• To create an environmental learning and research center for the use of area schools, colleges and the general public.
• To develop a long-term management plan to remove and mitigate damaging invasive plant life and improve wild life habitat.
• To create a museum or learning center.
• To encourage active recreation at the reservoir.
• To restore all lampposts, fences, stairways, railings and walkways.
• To provide seating, viewing areas and necessary amenities for passive recreation.
• To create two over-the-road walkways.
• To coordinate and integrate all facilities at Highland Park and the Ridgewood Reservoir.
• To ensure the coordinated, well-funded administration and maintenance of the entire area.
Community Board 9 regularly meets on the second Tuesday of the month. The location of the next meeting will be announced at a later time.
