Next month Nyack will welcome a big tent to town down by the river. However, the show inside won’t be open to the public because the only juggling taking place will involve the careful handling of hazardous wastes, some of which date back to 1852. You can learn more about the remediation plans for the former Manufactured Gas Plant site on Gedney Street fronting the Hudson River at a public hearing at the Nyack Center on Mon Nov 18 at 7p.
The Gedney Street site, adjacent to the Clermont Condominiums at the foot of Main Street in Nyack, was once home to a 19th century Manufactured Gas Plant. While the gas tanks and pressure gauges are long gone, its pollutants remain. The original gasworks service was established in 1852 as a small-scale operation that delivered gas through underground pipes to local clients.
In 1890, it was reorganized as Nyack Gaslight and Fuel Corporation and converted from coal to carbureted water gas. Later, the company halted production, operating only when consumer demand peaked. Despite infrequent production, the gas manufacturing process produced coal tar condensation that escaped from storage vessels and pipes, seeping into the surrounding soil on the banks of the Hudson River.
Remediation work on the site will begin in December, 2013 and is expected to last 6-8 months. All work will be conducted during Mon-Fri from 7a-5p.
See also:
- Gas Plant On The Hudson, July 2012
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NYS Superfund Cleanup Factsheet: Action to Begin at the former Nyack MGP Site, NYS DEC 11/12/2013
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Nyack MGP Cleanup Informational Meeting set for Nov 18, Riverkeeper.org