An agreement with a developer to clean up asbestos from a site in Ulster County, New York, will set the standard for cleanups to come, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia said, according to the EPA website.
Garcia joined U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and others on Aug. 12 "to celebrate the continued removal of asbestos contamination from the former TechCity site" in Ulster, the EPA said.
"Our work at TechCity and partnership with leaders in Ulster County, the town of Ulster and New York state is a model for future cleanups," Garcia told the EPA's website. "After years of effort, this hazardous heap of asbestos pile will be removed. Today is the culmination of decisive actions that have addressed a lingering threat to public health, further placing this site on the path to productive reuse for this community."
EPA Administrator Lisa Garcia
| epa.gov
EPA Region 2 encompasses New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and eight tribal nations.
The event in Kingston formally announced EPA's agreement reached in June with iPark87, LLC, developer of the former TechCity facility, who agreed to remove asbestos from the interior of Building 1. iPark87 also agreed to remove "three large debris piles containing asbestos" generated when another building onsite was demolished and to dispose of the waste off-site at an EPA-approved landfill.
Removal of the debris piles will take about three months. Asbestos removal from Building 1 is expected to be completed early next year.
"EPA will recover all its past costs and the cost of overseeing this work, eliminating the need for public funding at this site," the EPA said.
The day was a long time coming, Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan said.
"On behalf of the 180,000 residents of Ulster County, I want to thank Senator Schumer for his steadfast efforts and coordination with the EPA on cleanup of the pollution at the former IBM site," Ryan told the EPA website. "For far too long, this site has been a shell of past economic success, and my administration has worked tirelessly with the county legislature and National Resources to come up with a true 21st-century economic revitalization plan for this property. Clearing the asbestos piles is a major step in remaking this site as a thriving beacon of new opportunity for our county."
Also on hand for the Aug. 12 announcement was New York State Sen. Michelle Hinchey (D-Kingston), who in an Aug. 12 Facebook post, referred to "the bold leadership" of Schumer, Ryan, the EPA and others for for bringing about the agreement. She also cheered the cleanup effort that began on Aug. 15 "after nearly three decades of dereliction."
"Once transformed, iPark87 will future-fit the Hudson Valley with thousands of good jobs for our residents, and -- thanks to clean energy giants like Zinc8 Energy Solutions -- we will have the cutting-edge manufacturing capabilities we need to rebuild this economic hub better for our region and healthier for our environment," Hinchey said, according to the EPA website.
