DEC Finishes Cleanup at Frink America

Comprehensive Cleanup Turns Polluted Site into Community Asset

ALBANY, NY (02/05/2010)(readMedia)– New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis recently announced that the cleanup of the former Frink America snowplow manufacturing site in Clayton (Jefferson County) is complete, clearing the way for the 8-acre parcel along the St. Lawrence River to return to productive use.

The cleanup of the site was made possible by $1.5 million in grants from the Environmental Restoration Program (ERP). The DEC-run program helps municipalities stuck with cleaning up abandoned industrial sites when the former site owner or other responsible party cannot be forced to pay for remediation, and developers willing to take over the cleanup cannot be found.

“The contamination of this site took decades. But by working in close collaboration with local officials, we completed a comprehensive cleanup in a few short years,” Commissioner Grannis said. “The former Frink America site – attractive because of its location on the St. Lawrence River, near the town docks and with beautiful views of the islands – can now return to productive use. That’s good news for the environment, public health and the local economy.”

Local officials have proposed mixed-use development for the site. This may include park areas, green space and light commercial development.

“Any time a small local government like the Town of Clayton takes on a major project like this, collaboration is essential,” said Clayton Supervisor Justin A. Taylor. “We’ve benefited from the help of many partners, including the Clayton Local Development Corporation, the Village of Clayton, Jefferson County, the Development Authority of the North Country, the state Department of Health and the DEC on this project. All of those involved were positive and pro-active and that has brought the task at hand to a successful completion. The Clayton community and the region will benefit from this for decades to come.”

“This project provides a great example of how we can work together at the state and local level to ensure contaminated properties are made safe and productive once again,” said Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine. “This cleanup project has created the conditions needed for private investment on this site to create jobs and contribute to the local tax base for generations. As a cornerstone in this village, a redeveloped Frink site will be a welcome addition here, where town and village officials have done a great job fostering development along the beautiful St. Lawrence River. I want to thank the DEC for its role in the process and Commissioner Grannis for recognizing the significance of this project.”

“The return of this site to productive use will greatly benefit the local economy,” said Assemblywoman Addie Russell. “Our river frontage is one of our best assets and the proposed mixed use will provide wonderful opportunities for everyone while preserving the viewshed. I commend all of the local officials who worked so hard to complete the site cleanup in such a relatively short period of time, and to Commissioner Grannis and the DEC for understanding the importance of this project for Clayton and the surrounding communities.”

The site, located at the intersection of Webb Street and Riverside Drive, historically had been used as a rail yard and an ice house, and at times served as a storage area for lumber and coal, among other uses. It became the home to Frink America in the 1920s when Carl A. Frink moved his burgeoning snowplow business to the property. Previously a local tire shop owner, Frink launched his new company after he successfully constructed a steel snowplow to clear a bus route from Clayton to Watertown. Frink America operated at the site until 2000.

The snowplow fabrication process involved the cutting, welding, rolling and painting of raw steel. Unfortunately, the process resulted in soil and groundwater contamination that included metals, non-chlorinated solvents (toluene and xylene) and petroleum (releases from on-site fuel tanks and a petroleum bulk storage operation). While DEC was negotiating the remediation of these issues, the facility was sold to a Quebec company that abruptly closed the factory. The town later acquired the site through foreclosure and applied for ERP assistance in 2005.

The comprehensive cleanup included demolishing structures that contained paint waste and asbestos, digging out petroleum tanks and waste-storage tanks and removing contaminated soils – approximately 20,000 tons of soil were excavated at depths ranging from two to eight feet below the surface.

Following the completion of these actions, the town conducted a follow-up investigation of soils, surface water and groundwater, and soil vapors. Based on the results, DEC, in consultation with the state Department of Health, determined that the site no longer poses a threat to human health or the environment.

DEC Finishes Cleanup at Frink America

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