GOSHEN – Remediation of 150 West Main Street in Goshen, the site
of the former New York State Electric and Gas manufactured gas plant,
will begin shortly.
The one-acre parcel remains owned by NYSEG, but no remnants of the former
gas plant are above grade.
For some 60 years, from 1885 to 1945, the site was the location for
the former facility. As a result of that operation, coal tar was produced
as a byproduct. The site was converted to a natural gas operations center
from 1945 to 1947.
It is that coal tar that remains underground including former manufactured
gas plant structures and foundations and the cleanup activities include
excavation and off-site disposal of some 760 cubic yards of surface and
subsurface soil. Some 2,600 cubic yards of contaminated soil to approximately
28 feet below grade will be treated with cement to create a low permeability
material that prevents the further release of the contaminants into the
environment.
Sediment with elevated levels of contamination in the Rio Grande Creek
near the mouth of the 24-inch outfall pipe that cross the site and discharges
to the creek, will be removed. Clean material suitable for the habitat
at the bottom of the creek will be imported to replace the soil that will
be removed.
Recovery wells will be installed in areas to collect mobile coal tar in
one area of the site. A site cover will be installed to allow for commercial
use of the site.
