CAMPAIGNS
Manufactured Gas Plants on Long Island
Historic Manufactured Gas Plant
What is an MGP?
A Manufactured Gas Plant, commonly called an MGP, is an industrial facility where gas was produced from coal, oil, and/or feedstock. The gas was stored, and then piped to the local surrounding area, where it was used for lighting, cooking, and heating homes and businesses. The first MGPs in New York were constructed in the early 1800s, prior to the Civil War. Most were closed during the early-to-middle 1900s, and the last one ceased operations in 1972. Gas from MGPs was used for all the same purposes that natural gas is used today. In addition, in the late 1800s, gas was used for lighting prior to the introduction of electricity.
For a period of over 100 years, MGPs were an important part of life across Long Island and throughout New York State and the United States as a whole. In the early 1800s, they provided small amounts of gas for street lighting systems. By 1900, production had greatly increased, and gas was being widely used for heating and cooking.
Why are MGP sites of concern today?
The production of manufactured gas created several waste products that were often left at the sites. CCE is working with affected communities on Long Island to get leftover waste products still found at numerous sites across Long Island cleaned up. A dense, oily liquid known as coal tar would condense out of the gas at various stages during its production, purification, and distribution. Most plants had tar/water separators, which sometimes could not fully separate the two liquids. The resulting tar/water emulsion was often discharged to a nearby surface water body. Over the decades during which many of these MGPs operated, substantial amounts of tar also leaked from storage and processing facilities and contaminated surface soils, subsurface soils, and groundwater.
Former MGP sites often contain Coal Tar; also called naphthalene. Coal tar is a dense, oily liquid that would condense out of the gas at various stages during production, purification, and distribution. Coal tar is a direct byproduct gas sites. Coal tars are a complex mixture of organic chemicals. These chemicals fall into 2 groups: Volatile (BTEX) compounds & semi-volatile Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds.
- Volatile (BTEX) compounds: This suite of chemicals includes Benzene, Toluene, Ethyl Benzene, and Xylene. These chemicals are known as Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs). These toxic chemicals may damage the nervous system, liver, and kidneys as well as cause dizziness, memory loss, nausea, and throat and eye irritations.
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds: The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has determined that some PAHs may reasonably be expected to be carcinogens. Mice that were fed high levels of one PAH during pregnancy had difficulty reproducing and so did their offspring. These offspring also had higher rates of birth defects and lower body weights. Exposure to PAHs can occur by breathing air contaminated by coal tar.
MGPs on Long Island
A recently discovered consent order between KeySpan and the NYS DEC, signed in February 2007, listed 23 MGP sites on Long Island. In addition, the Suffolk County DOH confirmed two additional sites not in the consent order. The sites were utilized for a variety of purposes ranging from “gasoline cracking” to gas manufacturing to simple gas storage and distribution. All of the sites are currently owned by KeySpan. The vast majority of these sites have been allowed to languish and have yet to be investigated as to the extent and levels of contamination.
It is known that, at some of the sites, coal tar and BTEX compounds continue to migrate slowly in the subsurface and in Long Island’s aquifer, creating a plume of pollution. These contaminants also enter nearby surface water bodies. The Bayshore and Hempstead MGP sites each have several plumes of pollution that migrate under large communities, producing the very real threat of toxic vapor intrusions into homes, schools, churches, and local businesses. Other sites across Long Island have not been investigated, and the extent of pollution is unknown.
Bay Shore MGP Site
CCE has been working closely with members of the Bay Shore community to establish a public participation program, which is designed to keep the public informed on the site status and urge KeySpan and government agencies to clean up this site expeditiously and comprehensively. CCE has helped the Bayshore community set up the Bayshore MGP Taskforce. The Task Force meets monthly with community members and the Suffolk County Department of Health (SCDOH).
These meetings have worked to reveal information that was unknown to the community about the extent and risk of the contamination. Based on the information, several families requested indoor air tests to evaluate any presence of toxic vapors from the MGP plume entering their homes. SCDOH has agreed to do this testing for community members for free.
The Taskforce has also successfully arranged to meet quarterly with KeySpan, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the New York State Department of Health, and SCDOH, as well community members. These agencies have committed to the quarterly meetings in an effort to communicate more effectively with the community.
In just one year, the community’s active participation has achieved the goal of urging KeySpan and NYS to begin remediation efforts at the site. Although complete remediation is a long way off, progress has been made.
For more information on the Bayshore MGP, please visit www.bayshoremgp.com
Hempstead MGP Site
The Hempstead MGP began operations is the early 1900s and closed in the mid 1950s. The site is located on the border between the Village of Garden City and the Village of Hempstead.
In the latest testing done by KeySpan, the MGP contaminants have been found in soils at the site and in the water table, approximately 24-34 feet below the site. A groundwater plume, carrying the contaminants, has been located south of the site. It is approximately 600 feet wide and extends approximately 3,800 feet in a southerly direction.
Click here to view the DEC factsheet on this site
Exposure
There is a potential for members of the public to be exposed to the toxic contamination. This includes direct contact with the contaminated soil found on the site as well as inhalation of the volatile organic chemicals. The only way to limit exposure of these toxins is a comprehensive cleanup, which includes soil remediation and cleanup of the groundwater plume.
What needs to be done at ALL MGP sites?
- An indoor air sampling program needs to be established for those who live and work above the plume. Samples should be taken in the summer and the winter months.
- A groundwater remediation plan is needed. This plan needs to contain monitoring wells in the highly contaminated areas as well as the perimeters of the plume to monitor plume dynamics.
- Contaminated soil at the site should be excavated and removed.
- A meaningful Citizens' Participation Plan should be developed.
For more information on DEC’s MGP program, visit:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8430.html and
http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/remediation_hudson_pdf/mgp_strat.pdf
For a list of MGP sites owned by KeySpan, visit:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/24910.html
|
