DefinitionsBoom: A temporary floating barrier used to contain pollution.

Bulkhead: A retaining wall along a waterfront used to separate the water from land (similar to a seawall).

Free product: Any petroleum contamination that that does not mix with or dissolve in water. Because petroleum is lighter than water, free product usually floats on top of groundwater.

Plume: The spreading of petroleum or petroleum products below the ground surface.

Project update: NYSDEC and Texaco Prevent Seepage from the Former Paragon Oil Terminal Site and Apollo Street Creek ParcelsThis fact sheet contains information regarding two of five contaminated sites known as the Greenpoint Petroleum Remediation Project (shown on inset). Over the last century, these sites have been impacted by several sources of petroleum contamination. NYSDEC is supervising the various investiga-tion, cleanup, and restoration activities at all five sites.

This update (1) summarizes the successful efforts to control seepage into Newtown Creek; and (2) describes the agreement between NYSDEC and Texaco to expand investigation and remediation to the Apollo Street Creek Parcels. The NYSDEC is continuing to seek expanded roles in investigation and remediation from other potentially responsible parties on the remaining project sites.

ApolloStreet Creek

ParcelsFormer

Paragon OilTerminal

BPTerminal

Former ExxonMobil

Terminal

Monitor Street

Russell Street

Hum

boldt Street

Cherry

Mee

ker A

venu

e

Van Dam

Street

Apollo Street

Sutton Avenue

Kingsland A

venue

Calvary Cemetery

Hausm

an Avenue

Driggs Avenue

Stewart Avenue

Gardner Avenue

Anthony Street

Morgan A

venue

Nassau Avenue

Norman Avenue

ExxonMobilOff-SitePlume

Greenpoint Cleanup Area: Former Paragon Oil TerminalSource: NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Greenpoint Petroleum Remediation ProjectNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation

Project Update

www.nysdecgreenpoint.com

Approximate Location ofCurrent Free-Product

Monitor Street

Russell Street

Hum

boldt Street

Cherry

Van Dam

Street

Apollo Street

Sutton Avenue

Kingsland A

venue

Calvary Cemetery

Hausm

an Avenue

Monitor Street

Russell Street

Hum

boldt Street

Cherry

Van Dam

Street

Apollo Street

Sutton Avenue

Kingsland A

venue

Driggs AvenueDriggs Avenue

Calvary Cemetery

Hausm

an Avenue

Mee

ker A

venu

e

Mee

ker A

venu

e Stewart Avenue

Stewart Avenue

Gardner Avenue

Gardner Avenue

Anthony Street

Anthony Street

Morgan A

venueM

organ Avenue

Nassau AvenueNassau Avenue

Norman AvenueNorman Avenue

FormerParagon Oil

Terminal

Former ExxonMobil

Terminal

BPTerminal

ExxonMobilOff-SitePlume

BPTerminal

ApolloStreet Creek

Parcels

Former ExxonMobil

Terminal

ExxonMobilOff-SitePlume

ApolloStreet Creek

Parcels FormerParagon Oil

Terminal

Current and Future Recovery EffortsThe recovery system at the former Paragon Oil Terminal presently consists of 12 wells that remove both product and ground water for separation and treatment. In 2008, a total of approximately 10,700 gallons of product was recovered from beneath the sites. Pursuant to the agreements with NYSDEC, 2 additional wells will be installed along the property lines of the former Paragon Oil Terminal and Apollo Street Creek Parcels. The additional wells are expected to speed recovery and further contain the plume. After the expanded Exxon Mobil Off-site system has been operational for 12 months, NYSDEC will evaluate its effectiveness. If deemed necessary by NYSDEC,

another recovery well will be placed upgradient at an appropriate location along Bridgewater Street. The recovery system, in combination with barriers at the existing bulkheads, has been very effective in preventing seepage to Newtown Creek.

Site Update: Former Paragon Oil Terminal (S224083) and Apollo Street Creek Parcels (S224122)The former Paragon Oil Terminal property is bordered by Newtown Creek, Meeker Avenue, Bridge-water Street, and the Apollo Street Creek parcels (120-122 Apollo Street). Petroleum operation began on the property in 1886. By 1934, petroleum operations throughout the property were affiliated with the Paragon Oil Company.

Texaco, Inc. bought Paragon Oil in 1958 and operated the Terminal until 1968. Peerless Importers (now known as Empire Merchants) purchased the property in 1968, and still operates the property as a liquor distribution warehouse.

In 1991, petroleum seepage was found to occur through the facility’s bulkhead into Newtown Creek. Under the supervision of NYSDEC, ExxonMobil conducted creekside recovery activities from 1991 to May 2005. In 2005, Texaco took over recovery activities at the former Paragon Oil Terminal Property and began land-side recovery of petroleum at the property. Since 2005, Texaco, under oversight by NYSDEC, has reduced the petroleum seep to an irregular and infrequent sheen contained in the boom system.

ApolloStreet Creek

ParcelsFormer

Paragon OilTerminal

BPTerminal

Former ExxonMobil

Terminal

Monitor Street

Russell Street

Hum

boldt Street

Cherry

Mee

ker A

venu

e

Van Dam

Street

Apollo Street

Sutton Avenue

Kingsland A

venue

Calvary Cemetery

Hausm

an Avenue

Driggs Avenue

Stewart Avenue

Gardner Avenue

Anthony Street

Morgan A

venue

Nassau Avenue

Norman Avenue

ExxonMobilOff-SitePlume

NYSDEC/Texaco Expanded Scope of WorkIn September 2005, NYSDEC and Texaco entered into an administrative order for the former Paragon terminal site. Although the free product (petroleum) plume originated from multiple sources, under the administrative order, Texaco assumed responsibility for the identification and cleanup of the petroleum plume. Texaco also agreed to control petroleum seepage into Newtown Creek at this location.

On May 15, 2009, NYSDEC and Texaco entered into a new administrative order which expands the efforts to address contamination at both the former Paragon Terminal and Apollo Street Creek parcels. Under the new administrative order, Texaco agreed to address contamination beneath the neighboring Apollo Street Creek Parcels site, even though Texaco never owned or maintained operations at that property.

In general, Texaco agreed to contain and manage the sources of contamination at both sites and to reduce or eliminate exposure to the contaminants regardless of the source of contamination. Please click here to view the new administrative order.

NYSDEC and Texaco Reduce the Free Product Seep from the Former Paragon Oil Terminal Site and Apollo Street Creek Parcels to an Infrequent Sheen contained in a boom system.

The five sites collectively labeled as the Greenpoint Petroleum Remediation project recovered an average of 60,000 gallons per month of free product from April to June 2009. To date, from these sites, the total recovery of free product exceeds 10 million gallons.

In August 2008, under DEC supervision, Texaco proposed and completed a pilot program on some of the active recovery wells to evaluate if vapor recovery could enhance residual free product removal. This method was found to be effective. Texaco will now add a vapor recovery component to the existing recovery wells to further enhance product recovery. Texaco will also voluntarily install a precautionary vapor intrusion system under one of the Empire Merchants offices.

In addition to recovery efforts, NYSDEC and Texaco have taken various measures to eliminate or minimize product seepage in this area of Newtown Creek. Texaco applied sealant to the seams of the steel bulkhead at the former Paragon Oil Terminal Property, and repaired the concrete and wooden bulkhead and installed an impermeable barrier at the Apollo Street Creek Parcels. Under the workplan, Texaco will also continue to monitor and maintain the containment booms along a portion of the bulkheads at both sites to capture any remnants of seepage still occurring into Newtown Creek.

Texaco, in conjunction with NYSDEC, will also evaluate the ongoing free product, groundwater, soil, and vapor (“media of concern”) cleanup at both Sites, and via Alternatives Analysis Reports, provide recommendations on possible ways to enhance their cleanup efforts for public review.

Project documents are available for viewing on this website (www.nysdecgreenpoint.com) and in your community at the following document repositories:

For project-related questions, contact Ed Hampston, NYSDEC,(888) 459-8667. For health-related questions, contact Dawn Hettrick,

NYSDOH, (800) 458-1158 ext. 27880.

Brooklyn Public Library

Greenpoint Public Library

Newtown Creek Monitoring Committee

Brooklyn Community Board No. 1

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), in cooperation with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), is pleased to provide you with the latest updates on the Greenpoint Petroleum Remediation project site and related activities.

The NYSDEC has also set up a program to provide regular email updates of recent progress and happenings at the Greenpoint Petroleum Remediation sites. You can

CLICK HERE to sign up to receive these electronic updates.

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