BY JESSICA PARKS
The federal Environmental
Protection Agency has fi nished
testing the water and
soil at the notoriously contaminated
Coney Island Creek —
and they found further proof of
a serious contamination from
samplings taken in mid-2021.
The Site Inspection Report,
released on Jan. 13, is the next
phase in determining whether
the creek should be designated
a Superfund cleanup site based
on the likelihood of it releasing
hazardous substances into the
environment, following the
Preliminary Assessment completed
in September 2020.
Despite the report documenting
the presence of contaminants
in Coney Island
Creek — where a new ferry
terminal is being constructed
at the western edge of Kaiser
Park — a representative of the
EPA said it was too soon to recommend
the site to the Superfund
National Priorities List,
and further investigation and
consultation is needed.
Weston Solutions collected
50 sediment samples from 21
locations within the creek and
eight surface water samples
from seven locations throughout
April 2021 for the site inspection
St. Louis
Pork Ribs
$499
Lb.
COURIER L 10 IFE, JANUARY 21-27, 2022
report, which showed
the presence of contaminants
in the creek’s sediment — primarily
polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons, a chemical that
occurs naturally in coal, crude
oil and gasoline. Surface water
samples also detected the presence
of cyanide in the creek, of
which the origin is unknown.
Samples taken were also
found to contain other toxins
such as volatile organic compounds,
chemicals that have
a high vapor pressure at room
temperature; semi-volatile organic
compounds, a sub-group
of volatile organic compounds
that usually have a higher
molecular weight and higher
boiling point temperature;
Samplings by the EPA found the presence of contaminants such as cyanide in Coney Island Creek, a waterway
often used for swimming and boating. File photo by Charles Denson
and pesticides.
The results of the widespread
sampling of the creek,
which are further detailed in
the report, will inform what
further actions are needed, a
press representative for the
federal agency told Brooklyn
Paper. This site would be eligible
for Superfund status only
if it is graded as a high enough
hazard though the EPA’s Hazard
Ranking System.
Though the creek is widely
known to be contaminated, it
is used for recreational activities
including fi shing for consumption
and boating, and
though it is not permitted, the
creek is often used for religious
ceremonies such as baptisms
and for swimming.
The waterway, which defi
nes the Coney Island peninsula,
neighbors NYCHA’s Gravesend
Houses where tenant
advocates have proclaimed already
existing diseases have
been harsher since the construction
of the contested Coney
Island Ferry, as its associated
dredging is stirring up
the contaminated sediment.
The city Economic Development
Corporation, which is
spearheading the expansion
of the NYC Ferry system, recently
delayed the Coney site
launch from the end of 2021 to
late-2022, to allow for further
dredging while accomodating
an annual moratorium to
protect winter fl ounder and
horseshoe crabs.
News of the delay came as a
relief to Assemblymember Mathylde
Frontus, who has been
a staunch opponent of the ferry’s
placement on the bayside
of the peninsula, as she said it
will give the community more
time to advocate for the ferry
terminal’s relocation to the
oceanside of Coney Island.
“It’s a matter of doing it
the right way,” she previously
told Brooklyn Paper. “The delay
gives us a little breathing
room to continue to conduct
our advocacy.”
EPA report confi rms
contamination in
Coney Island Creek
FRESH MEAT SPECIALS
Eggland Best
Large
Organic
Eggs
$599
Gift Cards
Available
with Peppers &
Mushrooms
!"
#$%&'()*%+,)*--%+)*.--
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR TYPOGRAPHICICAL ERRORS. PICTURES ARE FOR DISPLAY PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT DEPICT ACTUAL ITEMS
#/0
All
1/2 Gallon
Milk
Tuscan
$249
Each
Specials begin Friday, January 21st����������������������������������������������������������������
DELI SPECIALS COOKED FOOD SPECIALS
Landi’s
Homemade
Roasted
Chicken
Classic
or
BBQ
$699
Each
Now
Featuring:
Kansas City
Style
Pork Chops
& Prime
Dry Aged
Steaks
Honey Roasted
Loin of
Pork
$ 899
Lb.
Fresh! Roasted
Turkey
Breast
$ 999
Lb.
Pepperoni
$ 999
Lb.
Fresh!
Pork
Tenderloin
$499
Lb.
Boar’s Head
American
Cheese
$ 599
Lb.
U.S.D.A. Choice
Pepper
Steak
$699
Lb.
Sausage &
Peppers
with Onions
in Sauce
$ 949
Each
U.S.D.A. Choice
Flank Steak
$999
Lb.
Chicken
Scarpariello
$949
Each
Bell & Evans
(The Excellent Chicken)
Chicken Legs
$199
Lb.
“Pat Lafrieda”
Hamburgers
(4 in a pack)
$999
Each
Our Homemade
Manicotta
with Sauce
$949
Each
Grandma Landi’s
Lasagna
$949
Each