MAYOR MASIELLO ANNOUNCES ABBY STREET CLEAN-UP PROGRAM
August 30, 1999
Contact: Peter K. Cutler (716) 851-5841
 

BUFFALO (8/30/99) - Mayor Anthony M. Masiello today announced the beginning of the engineering portion of a city response to environmental problems discovered on Abby Street in South Buffalo.

"Our interest is the protection of our citizens' health and well being," stated Mayor Masiello. "We will continue to respond aggressively to any and all environmental matters that affect the residents of our city."

Sevenson Environmental commenced site preparation work today at four lots on Abby Street, which were used historically as parking pads by Donner Hanna Coke and Republic Steel. City workers discovered that these properties contained what appeared to be residues from past industrial activities.

As a result, the Mayor directed the city's Office for the Environment and Corporation Counsel to investigate the conditions on Abby Street and recommend an appropriate response. A subsequent scientific analysis conducted with the assistance of URS Greiner Woodward Clyde Dames and Moore, with input from NYS Department of Health, determined the reasonable and prudent response would be to excavate the soils on all four properties to the depth of prehistoric natural clay, and to replace with clean soil.

The city's Office for the Environment will continue to work with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and NYS Department of Health to ensure that all issues are addressed in this situation. It is anticipated that these state agencies will continue to monitor activities throughout the clean-up effort.

It is important to underscore that according to the experts involved in this process that there is no immediate danger to any individual from the contaminated soil on site. The city's actions are to protect the health of residents over the long term. Additionally, the removal action is being carried out by experienced environmental contractors operating according to techniques that will prevent the exposure of humans to contaminants during the operation.

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