DOINews: Trustees Settle Natural Resource Damage Claims Arising from Hazardous Substances Releases at Richardson Hill Road Landfill Superfund Site, Delaware County, New York

Hazardous substances at this site may have injured brook trout, smallmouth bass, northern leopard frogs, red-spotted newts (pictured), mallards, great blue herons, mink and red fox. Credit: USFWS

On January 23, 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice approved the "Settlement Agreement among the United States Department of the Interior, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; Honeywell International Inc.; and Amphenol Corporation."

Federal and State natural resource trustees settled natural resource damage claims and announced a $400,000 settlement with Honeywell International, Inc. and Amphenol Corporation for injuries to groundwater and natural resources, including recreational fishing, resulting from the release of hazardous substances at the Richardson Hill Road Landfill Superfund site in the towns of Sidney and Masonville in Delaware County, New York.

The site includes wetlands, uplands and the Herrick Hollow Creek which support a variety of songbirds, waterfowl, amphibians, fish and other wildlife. Used as a refuse disposal area from 1964 through 1969, the landfill was listed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Priorities List on July 1, 1987.

Contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), volatile organic compounds and metals were present on site, with PCBs causing the greatest concern for fish and wildlife. PCB levels in groundwater and surface water were in excess of New York State and/or EPA water quality criteria and at environmental concentrations that posed a threat to birds and fish. Residents have been advised not to consume fish from Herrick Hollow Creek due to PCB concentrations in excess of New York State Department of Health guidelines.

The $400,000 settlement will include approximately $300,000 for restoration projects that will restore, rehabilitate, replace or acquire the equivalent of the natural resources injured at or by the site. The DOI and NYSDEC will be reimbursed with approximately $100,000 for outstanding past costs to assess impacts and damages.

The natural resource trustees have begun to solicit restoration project ideas and will solicit additional projects that appropriately compensate for injuries to natural resources and address lost human uses of natural resources, such as recreational fishing. For additional information the pre-assessment screen prepared for the Richardson Hill Road Landfill Superfund site can be found at:http://www.fws.gov/northeast/nyfo/ec/RichardsonHill.htm.