American Thermostat Corporation ran a thermostat factory on an eight-acre property in South Cairo, Greene County, New York, from 1954 to 1985. Workers disposed of waste solvents improperly, pouring them into drains and dumping them on the parking lot. New York State discovered the contamination in 1981, finding nearby drinking water wells polluted with trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1983. The NPL is EPA's roster of contaminated sites that need formal cleanup attention.
Twenty-five contaminants of concern have been identified at the site. They include VOCs such as tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, chloroethene (vinyl chloride), and chloroform, along with heavy metals including lead, cadmium, chromium, and arsenic. These contaminants are present in groundwater, soil, sediment, and surface water. Ingesting or coming into direct contact with contaminated groundwater can cause adverse health effects.
Cleanup has been organized into three operable units. Operable Unit 1 focused on providing an alternate water supply and connected affected residents to the municipal water system, completing that work in 1992. Operable Unit 2 addressed source control and groundwater remediation through soil excavation, thermal treatment, and a groundwater extraction and treatment system that began operating in 1998. New York State has run that system since 2008. Operable Unit 3 covers an additional source area, and a remedial investigation and feasibility study began there in July 2022 with no completion date yet listed.
Despite more than 25 years of groundwater pumping and treatment, contamination levels have not dropped significantly. EPA is currently investigating whether remaining soil contamination is still feeding the groundwater problem. The January 2024 five-year review found the cleanup protective in the short term but called for evaluating the groundwater treatment system's effectiveness and reassessing a home previously affected by soil vapor intrusion. EPA assessments state that human exposure is currently under control and groundwater migration is stabilized. Physical construction is complete across the site, but cleanup goals have not been fully met, so the site remains on the NPL. In September 2025, EPA awarded funding to extend the Village of Catskill's waterline to serve residents in the contaminated area, with construction set to begin in spring 2026.
Community members can review site records at the Town of Catskill Office at 439 Main Street or the Village of Catskill Office at 422 Main Street, both in Catskill, New York. Additional records are held at the EPA Region 2 Superfund Records Center in New York City. EPA released a Frequently Asked Questions document in January 2025 and has prepared a Community Involvement Plan to keep the public engaged throughout the cleanup process. Questions can be directed to the site's community involvement coordinator or remedial project manager.
