EPA Proposes Cleanup Plan for Crumb Trailer Park Site

(New York, N.Y.)--The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in consultation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, is proposing a cleanup plan for the Crumb Trailer Park site located on Burrows Road in West Winfield, Herkimer County, New York. Under the proposed action, EPA would move the trailers that are located on the site to an on-or off-property location and place a clean soil cover over contaminated soils.

“EPA’s priority is to ensure the safety of the people who live near hazardous waste sites,” said Regional Administrator Alan J. Steinberg. “This proposed action will first and foremost safeguard the residents of the Crumb Trailer Park.”

EPA will hold a public information session to explain the proposed action on August 21, 2007 at 7:00 pm at the West Winfield Free Library located on 179 South Street in West Winfield, NY.

While performing a cleanup at the Hiteman Leather Co. property on West Winfield’s South Street in 1996, EPA learned that waste materials from the tannery operation had gone to a Burrows Road municipal dump, which operated from the 1930s until the 1950s. After the municipal dump closed, Frederick Crumb purchased the property from the Village of West Winfield and reportedly covered the refuse area with soil. Crumb Trailer Park now stands on this property. The 2.5-acre park contains 15 mobile homes and is currently owned by Crumb’s Trailer Park, LLC.

Testing of the site by the New York State Department of Health in 1996 found metals at elevated levels, but the concentrations were not above health-based standards. In 2002 and 2006, EPA sampled the site more extensively. These sample results showed elevated concentrations of a number of metals.

The proposed action would reduce any direct contact, ingestion, or inhalation threat posed by surface soils and minimize the potential for migration of contaminants from the site.

A 30-day public comment period on the proposal began July 31, 2007. EPA will select a final action for the site after reviewing and considering all comments submitted during the public comment period. Interested individuals can send comments to:

Jack O’Dell, Remedial Project Manager
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
290 Broadway, 20th floor
New York, New York 10007-1866
odell.jack@epa.gov