Hmm, this stinks.
The New York City School Construction Authority is considering breaking ground on a new elementary school in Brooklyn, across from a state Superfund site with a history of carcinogens.
The site, on Dupont Street in Greenpoint, is the former location of Newhart Plastics, a vinyl and plastics facility, and is home to toxic phthalates and chemicals found around the notoriously toxic Gowanus Canal. It was designated in 2010 because it has double underground plumes containing trichlorethylene (TCE), the same carcinogen as chlorine.
“It’s across the street. [from a Superfund site] “It looks bad from a perception standpoint, but from an environmental standpoint, this is the cleanest place we've found in Greenpoint,” an SCA representative told the Post.
“None of those things. [alternative] It was a suitable location for building a school,” the official added. “The whole of Greenpoint has a long history of heavy industrial use. The kinds of issues you see in Greenpoint are also seen throughout Greenpoint.”
Despite the proposed construction site's proximity to the Franklin Street school, the SCA has announced plans if the project moves forward, including adding a hydraulic barrier between the two locations, which was added last year to prevent future contaminants. It said it was going “beyond” regulatory requirements to keep students safe. .
The agency says there is no risk of toxic vapors rising from the soil, but construction officials plan to build a protective slab on top of the ground anyway, and the plans won't include basements or cellars.
SCA officials declared that the contaminants “never reach the school grounds” and are 12 feet underground, making it impossible for the public to come into contact with the hazardous materials.
“Newhart Plastics has never had an impact on our site and we do not believe it will ever have an impact on our site,” the representative added.
Despite the confidence in this proposal, it is not without criticism. Critics criticized the previous iteration of the plan in 2019 over concerns about the school's proximity to hazardous waste (the Dupont Street site is listed on the state's registry of inactive hazardous waste sites). ) as a “serious threat to public health or the environment”. )
“No child should have to attend school next door to toxic waste, but a generation of Greenpoint children will unless a replacement site is found for their future school.” 2019 is written in the paper. Petition from North Brooklyn Neighborswhich gathered over 6,700 signatures at the time.
“Situating schools near these hazards represents a reckless disregard for the physical and mental health of future school students, teachers, administrators, and families,” the petition added.
In addition to PFAS-containing materials, the SCA document also indicates the “potential” presence of asbestos-containing materials and lead-based paint at the proposed school site.
However, the SCA said two separate inspections found no contaminants from the Newhart site at the proposed school site.
All “suspicious” materials found at 257 Franklin St. will be tested and removed as necessary in accordance with state Department of Environmental Protection requirements, SCA officials told the Post.
“This school site has been a source of controversy in Greenpoint for 20 years because of the significant contamination of the neighborhood,” City Councilman Lincoln Ressler (D-Brooklyn) told the Post. “Fortunately, significant progress has been made toward remediating the NuHart Superfund site.”
A City Council meeting regarding the revival plan is scheduled to be held virtually on Jan. 22.
This is not the first time the agency has submitted plans to build in a potentially dangerous location. In 2011, a North Bronx elementary school closed due to the presence of TCE, just 20 years after it opened. The school had recorded hundreds of student cases. new york daily news Reported.
SCA officials told the Post that the Franklin Street site remains the safest option for Greenpoint's growing student population, and that they believe children are already in “overcrowded” classrooms. Ta. According to , North Greenpoint's population under 18 increased slightly from 11% to 11.6%. US Census data.
The site, near the Greenpoint Landing development, is a 20-minute walk from the nearest school, officials noted.
SCA documents say there is limited space for new schools, and the site for the new 450-seat school was chosen because it is outside the flood zone. It also has two sides facing the street for student pick-up and drop-off.
Remediation of the DuPont Street Superfund site is said to have begun in 2022 and is now being completed. engineering report It was filed in November and found that TCE was dissolved in groundwater at concentrations “significantly exceeding applicable standards.”
The NuHart Plastics site itself is 471 housing complex There are two buildings and a basement, according to state documents.
Officials say even if the school project moves forward, it will still be years before students fill the halls.
“We urgently need a new elementary school in Northern Greenpoint,” added Ressler, the local councilor. “However, we are committed to soliciting community input and hearing from young families about whether they believe this place is safe for their children.”
