Enabling Responsible Land Management and Reuse
Remediation – Engaging Communities, Transforming Properties
Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (CECONY) and Orange & Rockland Utilities, Inc. (O&R) (collectively and individually referred to as the “Company” below) formerly owned, own, or manage numerous real properties in the greater New York City area. Among these are former electric generation and distribution facilities and former Manufactured Gas Plants (MGPs), that were operated as early as the mid-1800s until the mid-twentieth century to convert coal to gas for lighting, cooking, and other uses prior to the widespread use of electricity and the advent of natural gas pipelines. Due to changes in generation technology, demand, and user distribution, a facility may need to be relocated, consolidated with other operations, or retired. Properties that have been consolidated or are no longer serving a utility function are available either for re-use for another utility function within the Company or become surplus. Surplus property is available to be divested so that it can serve a new productive function in the community in which it is located. Many former properties, particularly the former MGPs, were divested decades ago prior to the modern era of environmental cleanup standards and regulations.
These owned or formerly-owned utility properties are investigated and remediated as necessary by a dedicated staff of scientists, engineers, and technical experts (the Remediation Group), that has been in place since the early 1990s. The work performed by the Remediation Group has matured into a comprehensive Site Investigation and Remediation (SIR) program that includes a community outreach component as described further below. The SIR program staff lead the Company’s efforts to investigate these sites for the presence of historic operations impacts, and if necessary, undertake remediation, as applicable, in close coordination with federal, state, and local regulators. The Company develops comprehensive work plans to complete investigations and remediation in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and cleanup standards. Where possible, we seek to coordinate activities with third-party redevelopment plans to achieve efficient remedies that repurpose the sites for productive use.
A robust community outreach effort is a key component of our remediation program. The Company regularly meets with property owners, community stakeholders, elected officials, and government agencies to discuss stakeholders’ concerns.
Public information sessions, notices, and project updates are critical components of the Company’s comprehensive approach. Project milestones and public reports are regularly posted on our MGP web page (coned.com/mgp) and in site-specific publicly accessible document repositories within the nearby community. The Company also has a dedicated hotline to address community questions, which is particularly helpful during remediation work.
To prepare for the sale of real property that is owned by the Company but no longer needed, the Company performs certain activities, including an environmental assessment or investigation, the implementation of remedial action if deemed necessary, and ultimately, formal reclassification to “non-utility” status. The environmental assessment is typically conducted by our SIR program staff and follows a multi-step process. Initially, data and information are obtained about the history of a property prior to ownership and during the Company’s development and operations on the property. Due to the long industrial history of certain of these parcels, the next stage of assessment entails site investigation and serves to determine the current environmental conditions. The findings from the assessment or investigation are used to determine what, if any, remedial action may be necessary to render the property suitable for sale. These determinations are made based on the intended future use of the property and applicable regulatory requirements.
Here are some recent Remediation highlights:
- In Peekskill, the Company remediated a portion of a former MGP site located in a growing hi-tech manufacturing community on the city’s waterfront. Contaminated soil was removed from a privately-owned vacant lot, and the subject properties are ready for future development. The Company is preparing to return to a separate area downgradient from this site to dredge MGP-impacted sediment from the adjacent Peekskill Bay. The dredging project will include the removal of broken-down piers and a sunken barge, enhancing bay access. The Company incorporated community input into this clean-up plan, which will enhance the environment and quality of life in the area.
- The Company has also made a positive impact in the waterways in Queens, specifically Flushing Creek. Sediments containing contaminants were successfully excavated from the area of the creek bed adjacent to the Flushing Industrial Park, which the Company operated from 1923 to the 1980s. The Company restored the dredged area with clean granular fill material and received closure from DEC and DOH.
- In the Bronx, Con Edison has been collaborating with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) on the remediation of the former Con Edison MGP site located on the Hunts Point peninsula. The former MGP is being remediated through the New York State Brownfield Cleanup Program parcel by parcel, with EDC constructing storm hardening measures in coordination with the remediation work. The remediated parcels have been and are expected to be utilized to enhance the use of the peninsula through waterfront greenspace, modernized food distribution centers, and other community-benefiting infrastructure.