DEC
Finishes Cleanup at Frink America in
Clayton
Comprehensive Cleanup Turns Polluted
Site into Community Asset
Media Release via Newzjunky.com
CLAYTON, N.Y., Feb. 5, 2010 — New
York State Department of
Environmental Conservation (DEC)
Commissioner Pete Grannis today
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.
Official: Senator Aubertine
%20026.JPG)
%20023.JPG)
%20027.JPG)
%20029.JPG)
%20032.JPG)
%20035.JPG)
%20036.JPG)
%20083.JPG)
%20084.JPG)
%20109.JPG)
%20110.JPG)
