The agency removed the site from the National Priorities List after the conclusion of a decades-long clean-up effort.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has officially removed the Mercury Refining Superfund site in Colonie and Guilderland, New York, from the National Priorities List. This follows a comprehensive cleanup addressing mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination from decades of industrial operations. The site, which was added to the list in 1983, had 5,700 tons of contaminated soil and sediment removed, with the remaining soil stabilized.
“After a successful cleanup and years of thorough monitoring, EPA is confident that the site does not pose a risk to people or the surrounding environment,” said Alyssa Arcaya, EPA Deputy Regional Administrator. “This Superfund site deletion reflects years of hard work and collaboration with state and local partners to restore the site.”
Cleanup efforts were completed in 2014, and ongoing monitoring has shown no lingering risk to public health or the environment. The EPA, alongside the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, will continue to check groundwater, surface water, and sediment every five years to ensure safety.
The Mercury Refining Company still uses part of the site for operations that are now free from hazardous contamination, a significant milestone in environmental restoration.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Deputy Regional Administrator Arcya as she evaluates the restoration of superfund sites.
- For EPA Administrator Zeldin to receive God’s wisdom as he assesses the staffing, resources, and programs of the agency.
Sources: Reuters,
