For an online interactive version of this map click here. For a pdf version of this map click here.

The NY State Dept. of Environmental Conservation has identified several large plumes of chlorinated solvents (TCE & PCE) in the soils and groundwater beneath Greenpoint and East Williamsburg. These plumes are collectively referred to by DEC as the "Meeker Ave. Plume". The plumes are the result of decades of dumping and irresponsible manufacturing practices by historic and contemporary drycleaning, dyeing, and metalworking businesses.

During the winter of 2007/2008 DEC/DOH conducted indoor air sampling in East Williamsburg just south of the BQE and discovered hazardous vapors from the Meeker Ave. Plumes in the indoor air of almost every residence they tested. Of the hundreds of homes that are potentially impacted by hazardous TCE and PCE vapors from the Meeker Ave. Plumes, DEC regrettably tested only 12. Of the 12 homes tested: 10 require mitigation, 1 requires mitigation/monitoring, and 1 requires that residents "take reasonable and practical actions to identify source(s) and reduce exposure". Human exposures to TCE and PCE have been linked to the development of autoimmune diseases, birth defects, nervous system disorders, infertility, and cancer. Hundreds of Greenpoint and East Williamsburg residents and employees are potentially affected.

The Newtown Creek Alliance calls on DEC and DOH to take immediate action to protect human health and clean up the Meeker Ave. Plumes. DEC/DOH:

• Should work with the Newtown Creek Alliance to establish a cooperative vapor intrusion testing outreach effort for those residences potentially impacted by the Meeker Ave. Plumes. (Of the hundreds of homes with potential vapor intrusion problems, only twelve have been tested to date). The outreach effort should target tenants in addition to building owners. 
  
  
• Should organize a public information session to notify the community about the Meeker Ave. Plumes as soon as is feasible
  
  
• Should provide an accounting of their community outreach efforts so that the effectiveness of their communications strategies may be evaluated accurately and improved upon if necessary.
  
  
• Should provide a timeline for all aspects of their investigation, mitigation, and remediation efforts.
  
  
• Should expand the residential air sampling area to include homes in the northwestern portion of the current study area, an area where DEC's investigations indicate the risk of hazardous vapor intrusion in homes is high.
  
  
• Should mitigate the residences impacted by the Meeker Ave. Plumes and mitigation should proceed according to the most rapid schedule possible. Because the cost of mitigating homes and businesses with vapor intrusion problems is comparable to the cost of testing and because seasonal and daily variations make it difficult to accurately measure the true concentration of chlorinated solvents under foundations and in indoor air, mitigation systems should be offered to all the homes and businesses within the footprint of the plumes.
  
  
• Should remediate the Meeker Ave. plumes and remediation should proceed according to the most rapid schedule possible.
  
  
• Should recommend to the EPA that the Meeker Ave. Plumes be classified as a federal Superfund site and placed on the National Priorities List.
  
  
• Should add naphthalene to the analytical suite of chemicals tested for during all soil gas, groundwater, indoor and outdoor air sampling, because the current study area abuts the National Grid State Superfund site - a property known to be contaminated with manufactured gas plant wastes that include naphthalene.
  
  
• Should work to revise the New York State air guideline for TCE of 5.0 mcg/m³. DOH's TCE-in-indoor-air guideline is two orders of magnitude higher than the most protective risk-based concentrations for TCE in air developed by California, Colorado, New Jersey and several EPA regional offices, which range from 0.016 to 0.02
  
  
• Should work to revise the New York State air guideline for PCE of 100 mcg/m³.  DOH's PCE-in-indoor-air guideline is 250 times higher than U.S. EPA's Regional Screening Level of .41 micrograms per cubic meter.

Supporting Documentation

1. DEC/DOH Meeker Ave. Plume Fact Sheet

2. DEC Meeker Ave. Plume Residential Air Sampling Report (summary, 4.2mb)

3. DEC Meeker Ave. Plume Trackdown Phase I report (introduction only, 196kb)

4. DEC Meeker Ave. Plume Trackdown Phase II report (introduction only, 580kb)

5. DEC Meeker Ave. Plume Trackdown Phase III report (introduction only, 692kb)

6. Meeker Ave. Plume Map (4mb, note that the layers can be toggled on and off)

7. Results from the initial 2006/2007 ExxonMobil Greenpoint oil spill vapor intrusion and indoor air sampling investigation

8. Slide from the October 16th, 2007 DEC/DOH presentation in Greenpoint detailing two "areas of concern" where elevated levels of several chemicals were found during the 2006/2007 ExxonMobil Greenpoint oil spill vapor intrusion and indoor air sampling investigation

9. DOH guidance for evaluating residential soil vapor intrusion and fact sheets on PCE and TCE

10. NY State Assembly Report, "Vapor Intrusion of Toxic Chemicals: An Emerging Public Health Concern".

News Coverage

Daily News . 12/9/08. "State Testing 450 Greenpoint Homes Sitting on Plume of Toxic Chemicals ".

New York Times. 12/7/08. "A Problem Rises to the Surface in Greenpoint".

Greenpoint Star. 12/4/08. "Blooming Plumes Spells Greenpoint Doom".

What We Can Do

Please contact us at newtowncreek@gmail.com if you can lend your expertise or enthusiasm to our cleanup efforts.

HOME