State environmental officials are proposing a second expedited cleanup project at the Coventry Commons site in Newark as redevelopment plans move forward for a large affordable housing complex in Wayne County.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, in consultation with the State Department of Health, announced the proposed cleanup plan for the contaminated site at 130-132 Harrison Street under the State Superfund Program.
Cleanup work is expected to begin in June and continue for approximately three months. The remediation will be carried out by Coventry Commons Housing Development Fund Corporation and Coventry Commons LLC under DEC oversight.
A 30-day public comment period on the proposed cleanup plan is now underway and runs through June 12.
The Coventry Commons property is currently classified as a Class “P” potential inactive hazardous waste site, meaning preliminary information suggests contamination may qualify the site for placement on the state Superfund registry.
According to DEC, the proposed Interim Remedial Measure plan includes excavation and off-site disposal of contaminated surface soils containing volatile organic compounds, along with groundwater and soil sampling to evaluate the effectiveness of the cleanup.
Crews will also install clean backfill material and construct a site-wide cover system consisting of either two feet of clean soil or hardscape materials such as asphalt or concrete. Air monitoring and health and safety plans will also be implemented during all excavation work.
The 5.31-acre property is bordered by Harrison Street, Blackmar Street, Colacino Industries, and Phoenix Automotive Group. The site currently contains two vacant brick buildings that are being redeveloped into affordable housing through New York State Homes and Community Renewal.
Plans for the redevelopment include converting a three-story former factory building into 96 apartments and a two-story office building into five additional apartments. The project is supported through Newark’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative Strategic Investment Plan.
State investigators said the primary contaminants found at the site include volatile organic compounds, semi-volatile organic compounds, and heavy metals in soil throughout the property. VOC contamination has also been identified in groundwater, primarily on the northern half of the site.
DEC officials said a previous expedited cleanup action at the site was completed earlier this spring.
