Meeker Avenue Plume

Overview

The Meeker Avenue Plume sits in the Greenpoint and East Williamsburg neighborhoods of Brooklyn, New York. The EPA added it to the National Priorities List in March 2022. The site contains chlorinated volatile organic compounds, specifically tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (DCE), and vinyl chloride. These contaminants are present in soil, groundwater, and soil gas, and have affected air inside nearby residential and commercial buildings.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation began investigating the site in 2007 and has installed more than 25 sub-slab depressurization systems to keep contaminated vapors out of buildings. The EPA launched a remedial investigation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in spring 2023. Groundwater sampling covered more than 330 monitoring wells in 2023, and 40 additional wells were added to fill data gaps. A second round of groundwater sampling took place in September and October 2024 and June 2025. The EPA has sampled indoor air at 61 residential and commercial structures, 11 public housing buildings, and one public school. Most properties need no further action, though several require additional monitoring and two residential properties need mitigation systems installed.

The EPA finalized an interim plan for indoor air contamination in September 2024, selecting three cleanup methods for the vapor intrusion operable unit: sub-slab depressurization, sealing of foundation cracks and openings, and sub-membrane depressurization. Remedial action for that unit began in August 2025, with an estimated completion between September and November 2028. Work on source areas is expected to begin in 2027. The EPA notes that human exposure control status is listed as "Insufficient Data," meaning reliable conclusions about unacceptable exposures have not yet been established. Groundwater migration status is also listed as "Insufficient Data."

Note on indoor air sampling timing: one source states the EPA had collected samples from 61 structures as of March 2025, while another states sampling occurred in March 2026. Both claims are reported as stated. The EPA plans additional indoor air sampling in December 2025 and February/March 2026, with further rounds in subsequent years.

Community members can follow progress through the Community Advisory Group, which meets regularly and can be found at mapcag.org. Those who want to join the group can email meekeraveplume@gmail.com. Email updates are also available through the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator. The EPA's community involvement program is designed to give residents and local organizations a meaningful role in cleanup decisions.