Lehigh Valley Railroad

Overview

A December 1970 derailment on the Lehigh Valley Railroad spilled 30,000 gallons of TCE (trichloroethylene) near Gulf Road in Le Roy, New York. The chemical seeped into the bedrock aquifer and formed a roughly 4-mile groundwater plume moving east from the spill point. TCE also reached nearby surface waters and has entered homes through vapor intrusion, a process where contaminated vapors rise from the ground into indoor air. The EPA added the site to its National Priorities List (NPL) of priority Superfund sites in January 1999.

Seven contaminants of concern have been identified at the site, including trichloroethene, vinyl chloride, 1,1-dichloroethene, cis-1,2-dichloroethene, and trans-1,2-dichloroethene. These chemicals appear in groundwater, soil, and surface water. Trichloroethene is the most widespread, found across both operable units and in all three media. Risk assessments completed in 2015, 2016, and 2021 found unacceptable health risks from exposure to contaminated groundwater, soils, surface water, and indoor air.

Cleanup work has happened in stages. A waterline was extended in 2003 to provide clean drinking water to about 70 affected residents. Since 2008, 38 properties have been tested for vapor intrusion, and 12 homes have had mitigation systems installed to control TCE vapors indoors. In September 2023, the EPA issued a final cleanup plan covering soil, groundwater, surface water, and vapor intrusion. Highly contaminated soil at the spill area will be excavated and disposed of off-site, while areas with lower contamination levels will receive a protective soil cover. For groundwater, the EPA determined that no existing treatment methods can meet cleanup standards in a reasonable time, so long-term monitoring and institutional controls will manage exposure instead. In-situ treatment and a streambed cover are planned for contaminated seeps in Mud Creek.

Remedial design work is scheduled to run from September 2024 through September 2025. Before excavation begins, the railroad company will remove aboveground piping from earlier cleanup work in May and June 2026 to allow additional soil sampling. That sampling will define the exact boundaries of the excavation, with soil cleanup itself expected to start in 2026 and run through late 2027. The site has not yet reached construction completion or been deleted from the NPL.

Community members with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager. Site records are also available online through the EPA's Site Profile Page and at local repositories in the LeRoy and Caledonia areas.