FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JANUARY 16, 2020 • THE QUEENS COURIER 23
EPA Extends the Public Comment period on Proposed Cleanup
Plan for the Newtown Creek Superfund Site
On November 21, 2019, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing a Proposed Plan
for addressing Operable Unit 2 of the Newtown Creek Superfund site (site). A 30-day public
comment period on the Proposed Plan, which identifies the EPA’s preferred cleanup plan and
other cleanup options that were considered by the EPA, which began on November 21, 2019 and
was previously extended by 30 days has now been extended by an additional 30 days and will
end on February 28, 2020.
Overall, the Newtown Creek site is addressed under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, also known as the Superfund Law). In addition, as per the
requirements of the Clean Water Act, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection
is under order of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) to
implement a Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Long Term Control Plan for Newtown Creek (LTCP).
The LTCP was approved by NYSDEC and includes construction of a storage tunnel that would
reduce the volume of CSO discharges to Newtown Creek to achieve waterbody-specific water
quality standards consistent with the Federal CSO Control Policy and related guidance. Operable
Unit 2 of the site evaluates whether the volume control measures prescribed by the LTCP,
pursuant to the Clean Water Act order referenced above, are sufficient to meet the needs of an
eventual Superfund cleanup of the site.
The EPA’s preferred cleanup plan for this discrete aspect of the site consists of No Further Action,
where, in this case, no further action means no action beyond the anticipated implementation of
the LTCP, pursuant to the above-referenced Clean Water Act order.
The Proposed Plan is available electronically at https://www.epa.gov/superfund/newtown-creek
or by calling Natalie Loney, EPA’s community Involvement Coordinator, at (212) 637-3639 and
requesting a copy by mail.
Written comments on the Proposed Plan, postmarked no later than close of business February 28,
2020, may be emailed to schmidt.mark@epa.gov or mailed to Mark Schmidt, US EPA, 290
Broadway, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10007-1866. The Administrative Record file containing the
documents used or relied on in developing the alternatives and preferred cleanup plan is available
for public review at www.epa.gov/superfund/newtown-creek or at the following information
repository: EPA - Region 2, Superfund Records Center, 290 Broadway, 18th Floor, New York, NY
10007-1866.
For more information, please contact Natalie Loney at (212) 637-3639 or loney.natalie@epa.gov.
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