Con Edison begins cleanup of toxic plumes

[x635 4,066]

Interesting article. I didn't even know these sites existed, much less the history behind them.

Con Edison begins cleanup of toxic plume under White Plains church

By KEITH EDDINGS

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: January 4, 2008)

WHITE PLAINS - They were engines of industrialization for almost a century, churning out combustible gas that provided light and heat to factories and homes from 5,000 sites across the United States from the Civil War to the 1950s, including at about two dozen sites in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties.

But like so much else from an era when industry operated with few health or environmental regulations, the manufactured gas plants that converted coal to gas left a filthy legacy. Today, about 50 years after the last of them closed, the tar, ash and cinder that many of them leaked have become festering underground plumes of potential carcinogens, including benzene, toluene and xylene.

FULL STORY: http://www.nyjournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...EWS02/801040396

[khas143 13]

RIP Bro...

[Guest partyrock]

Here's the superfund list for NYS. This is the major sites. There are also dozens and dozens of other sites covered by more local agencies.

http://www.epa.gov/region02/cleanup/sites/nytoc_county.html