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LOOW & NFSS
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Lake Ontario Ordnance Works (LOOW) & Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) In 1941 the Department of Defense (DOD) purchased 7,500 acres of land in Niagara County, on which was built the former Lake Ontario Ordnance Works (LOOW), for the purpose of manufacturing trinitrotoluene (TNT) during World War II. The TNT production, production support, and storage areas were constructed on approximately 2,500 acres. The remaining 5,000 acres, located to the west of the production area, were left undeveloped. During World War II, the Army manufactured TNT for about 9 months at a facility on the site, which included a power plant, hospital, fire department, water supply system, and waste treatment system. The TNT plant was decommissioned in 1943. In 1945, 5,000 acres outside the production areas were declared excess and transferred to General Service Administration for disposal to private landowners. The remaining acres were used by various government agencies. As Department of Defense operations decreased, additional property was sold. Current owners of the site include the Lewiston-Porter Schools, local and federal governments, general residential areas, and private corporations. In the 1940s approximately 1,500 acres in the southern portion of the LOOW production area were transferred to the Manhattan Engineering District (MED), which later became the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and then the Department of Energy (DOE). From the 1950s to the 1980s this area was used for various activities including the production of high energy fuel, and storage of radioactive materials during the development of the atomic bomb. Of the original 1,500 acres, 191 acres is still owned by the DOE and is known as the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS), while the remainder are owned by other entities and known as vicinity properties of the NFSS.
USACE Activities at LOOW Environmental investigations related to past federal activities at the former LOOW are the responsibility of several federal agencies. No single federal agency has overall responsibility or authority for the entire former LOOW site. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is conducting environmental investigations on behalf of the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Energy (DOE). There are other Department of Defense environmental investigations on former LOOW properties which the USACE is not involved. These are discussed in more detail below. The purpose of the USACE investigations is to determine the nature, extent, and risks to human health and the environment resulting from contamination by past federal activities at the site. USACE is not involved in addressing potential contamination from private use of the former LOOW properties or future private use of LOOW properties. USACE executes environmental investigations and cleanup actions in accordance with the process established by Congress and codified in federal law and regulations - the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Contingency Plan (NCP). DERP-FUDS Program: Environmental investigations into the activities of the Department of Defense (DOD) are conducted in accordance with the Defense Environmental Restoration Program (DERP). This national program was established on 17 October 1986 to address contamination caused by defense activities. The cleanup mission for the DERP is to perform appropriate, cost-effective cleanup of contamination caused by DOD and to protect human health, public safety, and the environment. Sites no longer owned by the DoD as of 17 October 1986, are addressed under the DERP Formerly Used Defense Site (FUDS) program. The US Army is the executive agent responsible for the DERP-FUDS program. The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) executes DERP-FUDS projects. The USACE Buffalo District is conducting DERP-FUDS projects throughout approximately 6,500 acres of the former 7,500 acre LOOW site. Department of Energy (DOE) Investigations: Environmental investigations into activities of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and its predecessor the Department of Energy (DOE) are conducted in accordance with the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). The FUSRAP addresses contamination resulting from the nation's early atomic weapons program. In 1997, the United States Congress directed the USACE to execute the FUSRAP on behalf of the DOE. Within the original footprint of the former LOOW lies the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) and related Vicinity Properties which were used during the USACE Manhattan Engineer District's (MED) development of the nation's early atomic weapons program. The NFSS is a federally owned repository for radioactive residues and wastes from the MED. The Buffalo District is conducting a separate but related CERCLA investigation on the NFSS for radiological contamination.
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Other DOD Activities at LOOW There are two properties, totaling nearly 1,000 acres which are not within the USACE authority to investigate. Because these properties were owned by the DOD after 17 October 1986, they are addressed under the DERP Installation Restoration Program (IRP). The armed service owning the property after 17 October 1986 executes DERP-IRP projects at that site. US Army: The 860 acre parcel north of Balmer Road is currently owned by the US Army and licensed to the NY Army National Guard. This parcel is known as the Weekend Training Site (WETS). It is ineligible for DERP-FUDS because it is still owned by the DoD. The US Army real estate agent is the New York District (NAN). The US Army primary point of contact for environmental issues at this site is: National Guard Bureau The US Army agency responsible for implementing the Defense Environmental Restoration Program-Installation Restoration Program (DERP-IRP) for US Army properties in New York is: Northern Regional Environmental Office US Air Force: The 98 acre property located on Porter-Center Road is currently owned by the US Air Force. This parcel is known as the Former Youngstown Test Annex Site. The US Air Force has completed environmental investigations at the site. There are no outstanding issues with respect to environmental contamination at this property. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has approved the US Air Force investigation and concurs there are no outstanding issues. For more information on this property, contact: US Air Force Research Laboratory | ||||||||||||
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Community Involvement The US Army Corps of Engineers Buffalo District seeks your input to help plan and schedule the outreach activities for the former Lake Ontario Ordnance Works (LOOW) Site. Your communication needs and desires will be captured in the Corps' Community Relations Plan detailing how the Corps will engage the widespread interests and expertise existing with local individuals and groups. Our goal is to offer timely and meaningful opportunities for public input to our projects and to promote the dissemination of project information to the community. Public involvement activities complement the Corps' mission to address environmental contamination at the former LOOW Site from past Department of Defense (DoD) activities. Major project activities scheduled for 2009 include:
Please send an e-mail to derpfuds@usace.army.mil and tell us what your concerns are, how you would like to be involved in the decision-making process for the site, how often you want to hear from us and what methods or activities you would like us to sponsor in our outreach program. You may also mail a letter to: USACE, Attn: Special Projects Team - Outreach, 1776 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY 14207 or call us at 716-879-4438 to be interviewed. This information may be used to help develop community relations plans for other sites within the Buffalo District. | ||||||||||||
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News Releases Beyond the Headlines... The Corps Story Beyond the Headlines... 13 September 2008 Beyond the Headlines... 12 July 2008
News Releases:
News from the Corps: News from the Corps emails are sent regularly when we have new information regarding the former Lake Ontario Ordnance Works Site or the Niagara Falls Storage Site. To receive News from the Corps, please email us at: derpfuds@usace.army.mil and ask to be added to our list. Click on the links below to review the latest news. News from the Corps - 5 Dec 2008 News from the Corps - 26 Nov 2008
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Documents Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on LOOW and NFSS (Jul 2008) Progress Reports: LOOW Progress Report (Aug 2006)
Presentations: LOOW-NFSS Public Presentation (Oct 2007)
Community Involvement: Letter from Corps to LOOW Community Group Steering Committee Chair (Jul 2008) Letter Regarding Decision on Establishment of a DoD RAB (Jul 2008) Questions from the Community on Establishment of a DoD RAB (May 2008) Letter from NYS Attorney General on Community Involvement (Mar 2008)
Restoration Advisory Board Fact Sheet (Mar 2008) DOD Restoration Advisory Board Rule Handbook (Mar 2007) (All document files are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.) To request specific LOOW or NFSS documents, please fill out the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request Form (Click Here) and submit it to the Buffalo District FOIA Coordinator listed on the form. | ||||||||||||
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Links DERP-FUDS Information: Environmental Cleanup Information: Project Partners: | ||||||||||||
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