The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced the completion of the cleanup process for neighborhoods around the former Geneva Foundry Site at 23 Jackson Street in Geneva by 2024. This effort marks the culmination of a multi-year project initiated in 2017 to remove soil contaminated with arsenic and lead from residential areas near the historic foundry.
In March 2024, the DEC will resume soil removal and property restoration, targeting the final year of remedial construction activities. The project is expected to wrap up by July, following individual meetings between DEC representatives and property owners to discuss soil data, confirm consent for access, and coordinate remediation efforts. This year, cleanup will extend to five additional properties, including both ongoing and new sites, alongside landscaping for properties remediated in 2023.
Upon finishing the property cleanups, the DEC will restore the project’s equipment and materials staging areas on State, Jackson, Geneva, and Lehigh streets in collaboration with the City of Geneva. All backfill materials used in the restoration will be pre-tested to ensure they meet DEC’s health and environmental protection standards. The cleanup initiative addresses contamination from air emissions of the Geneva Foundry, which operated from the late 19th century until 1988, significantly improving the safety and environmental health of the surrounding community.
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