March, 2011 Gowanus Canal listed on the NPL: March 2010 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Walter Mugdan Superfund Director US EPA Region 2 March, 2011

Gowanus Canal listed

• n the NPL:

March 2010

• Historical center of industry & commerce
• Manufactured gas plants, mills, cement

factories, oil refineries, tanneries, paint & ink factories & chemical plants.

• 1910 - almost solid w/ sewage
• 1911 - tunnel & propeller were installed to

flush the canal w/ seawater.

• Pump was broken from ‘60-’99.
• Last dredged in ‘75.
• “Black Mayonnaise”

Gowanus - CSO & Storm Outfalls

Gowanus - other outfall locations

Si Signi nifica icant nt con

• ntami

tamina nati tion:

• n:

– Coal tar wastes (PAHs) – PCBs – Heavy metals (e.g., mercury & lead) – Pesticides – Sewage solids from CSOs

Newtown creek

Newtown Creek Listed:

September 2010

• Historic center of industry &

commerce.

• NYC began dumping raw

sewage into the creek in 1856.

• By 1870: >50 refineries were

located along banks.

• By end of 19th century: lined

w/ oil refineries & petrochemical plants, fertilizer & glue factories, copper- smelting & fat-rendering plants, shipbuilders, sugar refineries, hide tanning plants, canneries, sawmills, paint works & lumber & coal yards.

• Early 1900s: > 500 enterprises at peak
• Crowded w/ commercial vessels, incl. large

boats bringing in raw materials & fuel / taking

• ut oil, fat, varnish, chemicals & metals.
• ‘40s & ‘50s: leaks at ExxonMobil facility led to

an oil spill that has been oozing for 5 decades.

• ~17M gallons of oil (greater than Exxon Valdez)

Sampling Locations

(for Superfund Listing)

Environmental Issues

Newtown Creek

Gowanus Canal