State Action Plan Lists PFOA As A Hazardous Substance; Declares Saint-Gobain Plant A State Superfund Site
by Deb Alter
Hoosick Rising held their monthly meeting on January 26 in the middle of a week when the water contamination issue was leading the news every evening and the prospect of an economic rebirth in Hoosick Falls seemed remote. But members of the group remained committed to their project and are hopeful that the water problem can be dealt with as soon as possible so that a positive trajectory for the community can be re-established.
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The Mayor gave an update on recent progress towards installation of filtration equipment to remove the PFOA from the water. Two GAC tanks, each weighing 220,000 pounds, were delivered that morning and are ready to be installed. Once they are installed, pipes will be flushed, lines cleared, and the water will tested. Once the tested water comes back with an okay from the NYS DOH, Hoosick Falls residents will be able to drink and cook with their tap water.
An enclosure will be built to house the tanks, which will be heated. The larger, long-term filtration system will be installed adjacent to these and will be ready by this coming October, or possibly sooner. Preparation work for the long term system has already begun inside the water treatment plant. The Mayor encouraged everyone to go down and have a look.
There are many phases to the project, and while it’s been fast-tracked, Village Mayor David Borge said, “We’re not skipping any steps or taking any shortcuts, but it’s not going to be languishing on anyone’s desk going nowhere.” And, he said, “We want to find out everywhere it is and get it fixed. We don’t want to not know.”
Several in the audience said that they had worked at Saint-Gobain and the companies that were at the McCaffery Street location before them, and that nobody knew about PFOA back then, so they weren’t careful with it.
David Sutton and Alexis Lorenz were both complimentary about how Saint-Gobain has been so forthcoming and seem to be doing the right thing. “They are not being a big, bad, evil corporation,” said Lorenz.
Borge confirmed that the law firm that the Village has engaged to guide them through the process has experience with environmental law and Superfund sites.
The roles that the DEC and EPA and other government agencies would play in the clean up process, such as finding additional sources and locations of contamination, testing private wells, remediating sites, getting designated as a Superfund site, etc. were also discussed but after the Mayor, Town Supervisor Mark Surdam, and School Superintendent Ken Facin were unexpectedly called to a last minute meeting in Albany by Governor Cuomo the next day, those issues took a very different turn and/or were expedited.
At the Wednesday meeting, Governor Cuomo announced an immediate state action plan to address the PFOA contamination in Hoosick Falls. An emergency regulation was issued to classify PFOA as a “hazardous substance.” The Saint-Gobain facility was classified as a State Superfund Site, unlocking state resources and allowing legal remedies to address the contamination. The State will conduct Health Risk Analysis to establish a PFOA drinking water guidance level, as well as retest private wells in the village of Hoosick Falls. They will immediately install filtration systems at schools and other community gathering places. Blood testing of community members who want it will begin in mid-February. The State has also established a Hotline so that the public can stay informed; residents can call 1-800-801-8092 for more information.
In addition, once the PFOA contamination is addressed, the State has said it is committed to work with the community and banks to safeguard property values.
On Thursday, December 28, the EPA announced a lifetime health advisory level of 100 parts per trillion.
“We are taking immediate and aggressive actions to protect the health of Hoosick Falls residents,” said Governor Cuomo. “These actions will ensure that the source and extent of PFOA contamination is identified, and all necessary steps are taken to swiftly address the chemical’s presence. My administration is investigating this situation fully, and we will do whatever is necessary to ensure safe, clean drinking water for local residents.”
Mayor Borge said, “I am grateful for Governor Cuomo’s swift action to help our community quickly restore the use of our water supply – and am pleased by the level of coordination by state agencies responding to this issue. This is a major step forward for all residents of the greater Hoosick Falls community.”
Supervisor Surdam said he is “thankful for the Governor’s recognition of the problem our community is facing with its water supply, and for the actions the State is taking today. I want to assure all of the residents in the Town of Hoosick that we are undergoing a tremendous effort to deal with these concerns.”
“Today’s meeting with Governor Cuomo was productive and meaningful, and promises real results for our students and parents…We are grateful for the Governor’s leadership in galvanizing resources to assist our community,” said HFCSD Superintendent Ken Facin.
Trustco Bank and the Bank of Bennington have put Hoosick Falls mortgages on hold because of the impact the water contamination has had on property values. They say they will reverse this decision when the water is once again safe to drink and cook with, based on the DOH’s certification. As of now, Key Bank and the Hoosick Federal Credit Union are still lending. “The quicker the water is fixed, the quicker we’ll be on the rise again,” said Mayor Borge.
“It happened, and we have to deal with it,” Supervisor Surdam said, and reminded everyone at the meeting that “Hoosick is a great community. Think about the pool, the skating rink, the golf course, the arts, the schools…this is still a great place to raise a family.” He also said that, although the money has already been budgeted for a revaluation of all properties in Hoosick, that project will be put on hold for a year while the more pressing problem of the water is resolved.
The Hoosick Rising meeting started with a tour of the building in which it was being held, Parson’s Corner (formerly Doherty’s Corner), now nearly completed. The top floor is a two-bedroom apartment with roof access and great views, and has already been rented. There are two units on the second floor, a studio ($795/month) and a one-bedroom ($900/month), neither of which have been rented yet. The retail space on the first floor has a mezzanine level overlooking the main space. Sequence Development is still looking for just the right retail tenant for that space. The building is 90-95% complete, it just needs some finishing touches.[/private]