To the Editor:

At 2312 to 2316 Western Ave in Guilderland, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Site Remediation database states, "Site Geology and Hydrogeology: The parcel lies approximately 200 feet above Mean Sea Level and slopes moderately from north to south.

“Soil borings encountered sand, silt, and gravel at shallow depths, but more competent gray clay at approximately 15 feet below ground surface (bgs). The most significant impacts appear to reside just above this gray clay at approximately 15 feet bgs. Groundwater was encountered at about 2 to 5 feet below ground surface and was found to flow to the south/southwest and toward the Hunger Kill.”

The department’s Site Health Assessment says, “Access to the site is not restricted and people who enter the site could contact contaminants in the soil by walking on it, digging, or otherwise disturbing the soil.

“People are not drinking the contaminated groundwater because the area is served by a public water supply that is not affected by this contamination. Volatile organic compounds in the groundwater and soil may move into the soil vapor (air spaces within the soil), which in turn may move into overlying buildings and affect the indoor air quality.

“This process which is similar to the movement of radon gas from the subsurface into the indoor air of building, is referred to as soil vapor intrusion. The site is vacant so inhalation of site contaminants in indoor air via vapor intrusion is not a current concern.

“However, the potential exists for inhalation of site contaminants due to soil vapor intrusion for any future on-site development. Additional environmental investigation is necessary to further evaluate potential exposure pathways both on and off-site.”

The department lists these “contaminants of concern”: trichloroethene (TCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethene, tetrachloroethene (PCE), and vinyl chloride.

Theresa Bohl’s letter to the editor of May 23 [“Bohl property will be abandoned if Guilderland Village proposal isn’t approved”] asks the town to “rest assured we have done everything according to the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation guidelines to address the contamination to this point.”

What does Theresa Bohl mean and to what point? What are the responsibilities of the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Health and the property owner? Are the three parties able to give updates on what clean-up has been completed and who will finish the job?

What safety measures are in place for the existing residents in the area? Will the town be placing signage to warn residents and motorists of environmental contaminant disturbance?  

We don’t need to rest assured; we need details to be assured …. We need to know about land disturbance, remediation, and impact to the water.

Christine Duffy

Guilderland

Editor’s note: Recent stories The Enterprise has written on the properties from 2298 to 2314 Western Ave., where Guilderland Village LLC is proposing to build Foundry Square, with 285 apartments, include: “Another mixed-use proposal for contaminated Western Avenue site,” on May 13, and “Guilderland planners mull brownfield concerns at Foundry Square” on May 29.