Marathon Battery Corp. operated in Cold Spring, New York from 1952 to 1979, manufacturing batteries and leaving behind widespread contamination in soil, groundwater, sediments, and building structures. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List (NPL) in September 1983. The NPL is the federal government's catalog of the most serious hazardous waste sites in the country. EPA deleted the site from the NPL in October 1996 after determining cleanup goals had been met.
Nine contaminants of concern were identified across the site. These include heavy metals, specifically cadmium, nickel, and cobalt, and chlorinated solvents including trichloroethene (TCE), tetrachloroethene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,2-dichloroethene, and chloroform. Contamination was found in soil, groundwater, sediments, and building materials. The metals were spread across the marsh, cove, and plant grounds, while the solvents were concentrated mainly in groundwater.
Cleanup was organized into three operable units covering the marsh, the cove and pier area, and the former plant grounds and residential yards. Work included dredging the East Foundry Cove Marsh and Constitution Marsh, demolishing the former battery facility, excavating cadmium-contaminated soil from the plant grounds and nearby residential yards, and treating groundwater. A pilot study to break down TCE in groundwater started in 2005 with limited success. An air sparge and vapor extraction system ran from 2012 to 2014, removing 30 pounds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from soils. An ozone injection system then treated the groundwater plume from June 2017 through June 2018. A vapor intrusion survey in 2009 tested 10 homes, and one received a mitigation system.
Today, human exposure is under control and groundwater migration is stabilized. Physical construction across the entire site is complete. The site holds a "sitewide ready for anticipated use" designation, meaning all cleanup goals for current and expected future land uses have been met and required land-use controls are in place. Annual inspections and groundwater monitoring continue. Five-year reviews in 1998, 2003, 2008, 2013, 2018, and 2023 all confirmed the cleanups remain protective of human health and the environment. The next review is scheduled for April 2028. The Scenic Hudson Land Trust purchased an 85-acre parcel that includes the marsh and cove areas, adding hiking trails and preserving the site's Civil War industrial history. The former battery factory parcel was rezoned from industrial to mixed-use in 2023 and awaits private redevelopment.
Community members with questions can contact EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator. Site documents are available for public review at the EPA Superfund Records Center in New York City, the Constitution Marsh Audubon Society Sanctuary in Garrison, New York, and Cold Spring Town Hall at 87 Main Street in Cold Spring.
