General Motors (Central Foundry Division)

Overview

The General Motors Central Foundry Division site sits in Massena, New York, near the Akwesasne Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal territory. The facility made aluminum cylinder heads from 1959 to 2009. Industrial operations left behind a mix of hazardous substances in the surrounding environment. EPA added the site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in 1984, and cleanup work has been underway in various forms since then.

Contaminants at the site include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), vinyl chloride, trichloroethene, dichloroethene compounds, phenol, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These have spread into groundwater, soil, sediment, sludge, and solid waste. The site is split into two operable units (OUs). OU1 covers the foundry area, lagoons, groundwater, surface water, and tribal lands. OU2 covers the landfill, eastern disposal area, and groundwater.

Cleanup has included dredging PCB-contaminated sediment from the St. Lawrence River, finished in 1995, and excavating contaminated soil and lagoons from the early 2000s through 2015. Buildings were demolished and subsurface contamination removed by 2014. A groundwater collection and treatment system was built in 2020. A temporary cap on the Industrial Landfill went up in 1987. The RACER Trust, formed in 2011 after General Motors filed for bankruptcy, has spent more than $150 million on design and cleanup. Two PCB-contaminated tribal properties next to the former facility still need to be cleaned. Samples were collected in 2021, a cleanup design plan was finished in June 2024, and EPA expects to complete excavation on those properties in 2026.

Human exposure and groundwater migration are both considered under control. EPA has found no unacceptable human exposure pathways currently active, and contaminated groundwater is stable with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. However, physical construction is not yet complete across the entire site, and the site has not met all criteria to be considered ready for anticipated reuse. Fish consumption advisories are in place for the area, issued by both the New York State Department of Health and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe. A five-year review was completed in December 2025, and the next is scheduled for 2025, with EPA regularly checking that cleanup actions continue to protect health and the environment.

Community members can review site documents at three locations: the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Environment Division in Akwesasne, the Massena Public Library, and the EPA Region 2 Superfund Records Center in New York City. Questions can be directed to EPA staff listed as contacts for the site. The RACER Trust is also marketing the property for reuse and redevelopment.