BEC Trucking sits in Vestal, New York in Broome County. The property was used for truck body manufacturing and vehicle maintenance starting in the mid-1960s. Painting and maintenance work produced hazardous wastes that were stored improperly in drums on-site. In 1982, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation found about 50 drums and stained soil from spills. A new property owner removed the drums and contaminated soil the following year.
EPA identified five contaminants of concern at the site. Arsenic and benzene were found in groundwater. Benzo[a]pyrene turned up in sediment. Chrysene was found in both soil and sediment. The original drums held waste motor oil, metal cutting oil, paint thinners, solvents, methanol, toluene, and petroleum distillates.
EPA added the site to its National Priorities List (NPL) in June 1986. A remedial investigation ran from September 1987 through September 1989. EPA signed a decision document in 1989 recommending no further action after finding that contaminant levels in groundwater, surface water, and sediment were within accepted state and federal guidelines. EPA then conducted a removal action between September 1990 and March 1991. Sampling in 1991 and 1996 confirmed contamination was under control, and no further monitoring was found necessary.
Construction was completed on August 10, 1992, and EPA deleted the site from the NPL on October 14, 1992. Human exposure is under control, with no unacceptable exposure pathways identified. All cleanup goals have been met for current and expected future land uses, required land-use restrictions are in place, and the site achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status on June 15, 2006. The property currently stores construction materials, and nearby residents, including those in the adjacent Stewart Trailer Park, are connected to a public water system. One business operates on-site, employing 20 people with roughly $1,357,000 in annual sales.
Community members who want to learn more can review site records at the Vestal Public Library at 320 Vestal Parkway East, Vestal Town Hall at 605 Vestal Parkway West, or the EPA Region 2 Superfund Records Center at 290 Broadway, 18th Floor in New York City. Questions can be directed to EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager.
