Waterfront Superfund Site Undergoing 5 Year Review

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The City of Newburgh recently published a public notice from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They will be conducting the first five year review of the Consolidated Iron and Metal Superfund Site at the end of Washington Street on the waterfront. This 8 acre site served as a car and scrap metal junkyard between the 1950’s and 1999.

The purpose of five year review is to ensure that implemented remedies at Superfund sites function as intended and continue to be protective of human health and the environment. The clean up began in 2009 and was completed in 2010. A source says that a portion of the Consolidated Iron Site is to be reserved for parkland. The new zoning ordinance requires riverfront sites to reserve a certain percentage of the land for public access. A conceptual presentation was made by a developer for a combination of a history theme museum and aquarium that would engage both the Superfund site and the old city owned incinerator.

No plans have ever been confirmed as definite. However, the clean up and development of this land is important to the progress of the city. There are 7 brownfield sites that the City of Newburgh is focusing on. This one is the only one on the water.

Anyone else have any details about the proposed project?

11 Comment

  • I can’t speak of any new development plans, however, a relative of the former Consolidated Iron owned and operated TCI out of 26 Renwick Street. Trans-cycle Industries gutted large transformers, which used PCB oil as a coolant, PCB contaminants were one of the toxic materials previously found at Consolidated Iron. If I remember correctly, the third generation of the same family recently began operations of a recycling business in Newburgh as well but only as a ‘brokerage’. The Renwick building would have served as a great Skate Board park, assuming it’s “clean”, as the interior has a sloping floor in one area and an extraordinary ceiling height.
    http://www.sampratt.com/sam/2012/09/why-tci-left-newburgh.html

    • The address of TCI was 1-15 Colden Street, the building’s side is on Renwick St. and just down the road from 1 Edward (featured currently on this web site). I couldn’t think of the address, and now remember they originally operated out of the Consolidated Iron site which is 26 Renwick.

    • Really great source of info Walt!

  • That would make a great site for a sandy beach and public pool(s).
    There are very very few good public swimming pools in Orange County where serious swimmers can train. For public health, this would be fabulous use for year round exercise.
    Attractive to people from surrounding areas to come into the City for swim events.
    I vote for a new County Swim. Let the county employees do their work on their laptops from home and build something for the people for a change.

  • A waterfront community farm and farmer’s market and farm to table restaurant and farm museum and classes on agriculture and green/compact ways of producing food (eg vertical gardening, hydroponics, indoor gardening, etc) and a fish farm along with the aquarium…and flowers.

    or a new ‘Coney Island’

    😉

    • All powered by coastal river turbines, those currents are awesome.

      • No, Walt, you may not be aware that the Hudson, is known as Muhheakantuck (“river that flows two ways”) is a tidal estuary, so that north travelling salt water mingles with the water flowing south. This makes use of currents problematic…

        On the other hand, the smell of the salty sea air on warm days makes for a really wonderful and quite unique characteristic of the Hudson river at Newburgh!

        • No, Hannah, you may not be aware that technology has circumvented the issue of “making use of currents problematic”, i.e. vertical turbines, non corrosive materials.
          http://www.livescience.com/7883-powerful-ideas-river-turbines-electrify-york-city.html
          I’ll add, if a port is developed a ‘stones throw’ down river does this not conflict with a neighboring “Coney Island” in such close proximity.
          Aside, the street sweepers are out this morning, that’s a start.

          • A good idea, in theory–but the devil is in the details. Would really be interested in knowing whether the Newburgh/Beacon section of the river could generate the necessary current in each direction. No power is generated during tide changes, as the turbine only works when the water is moving 2 knots (2.3 mph) or more.(ref) ..

          • A battery based storage/distribution system can be incorporated for power management. A joint effort involving the local utility company would take advantage of their expertise and economy of scale. However, TPTB tend to frown on “theoretical” ideas that promote an independence of the petro-dollar.

  • For many old pictures of Newburgh, check out http://nfayearbooks.com/