(WNY News Now) – A comprehensive cleanup operation has been completed to address contamination issues at the Weber-Knapp Company site in Jamestown, Chautauqua County, New York, under the state’s Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP), paving the way for the site’s safe redevelopment.

Jamestown – In a significant milestone, the contamination cleanup effort related to the Weber-Knapp Company site, situated at 441 Chandler Street in Jamestown under New York State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP), has successfully concluded. The Weber-Knapp Company conducted the cleanup operations, with oversight provided by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). The company has submitted a draft Final Engineering Report (FER) for NYSDEC review, affirming that the cleanup efforts have met or will meet the necessary requirements to ensure the protection of public health and the environment for the proposed site use.

Highlights of the Site Cleanup:
The remediation efforts encompassed several crucial activities, ensuring that the site is now safe for redevelopment:

Excavation: Approximately 150 tons of soil contaminated with chlorinated volatile organic compounds, along with 7,221 gallons of groundwater, were excavated and appropriately disposed of from an approximately 200-square-foot area, extending 13.5 feet below ground surface.

Vapor Mitigation: An existing positive pressure HVAC system was employed to mitigate the potential migration of soil vapors into the building.

Groundwater Extraction and Treatment: A groundwater extraction system was utilized to capture, treat, and remove contaminated groundwater, with on-site treatment via an air stripper prior to discharge to the sewer.

Source Material and Sediment/Soil Removal: Soil and sediment removal occurred to eliminate contaminants of concern from the storm water outfall to the Chadakoin River, involving approximately 75 tons of contaminated soil and material and 23,000 gallons of water.

Site Cover System: The site will maintain a cover, comprising the site’s structures (buildings, pavement, sidewalks) and a 1-foot soil cover in landscaped areas, meeting Industrial Use Soil Cleanup Objectives.

Development of a Site Management Plan (SMP): The SMP, required by the Environmental Easement, will include plans for Institutional and Engineering Controls (IC/ECs), monitoring, operation and maintenance, and reporting.

Environmental Easement:
An Environmental Easement will be recorded to prevent future exposure to any remaining contamination at the site and to ensure the implementation of the SMP.

Next Steps:
Upon approval of the FER by NYSDEC, it will be made available to the public. Subsequently, NYSDEC will issue a Certificate of Completion (COC), which will be announced in a fact sheet. Following the receipt of a COC, the applicant will have the opportunity to redevelop the site. Moreover, they will be eligible for tax credits to offset a portion of the costs incurred during the cleanup activities and for the site’s redevelopment.

Site Description:
The Weber-Knapp Company site, located at 441 Chandler Street in the City of Jamestown, Chautauqua County, covers an area of approximately 2.65 acres. It currently operates as a metal fabricating and finishing facility with associated offices. The site is bordered by the former DC Roll forms site (NYSDEC Superfund Site No. 907019) to the north, Allen Street and a residential area to the east, Chandler Street to the south, and the Chadakoin River to the west. The site’s historical use has included residential use and manufacturing operations by Weber-Knapp since around 1910.

The property has now been remediated for industrial use and will continue to be utilized for metal fabrication and finishing.