General Motors-Inland Fisher Guide plant and Ley Creek sediments/soils
A sub-site of the Onondaga Lake Superfund Site
New 2010 Fact Sheet
Description
The former General Motors – Inland Fisher Guide (Syracuse plant) is located on Town Line Road in the Town of Salina. Several buildings, parking areas and a landfill are present at the site. The site is currently leased to various manufacturing companies. GM’s early manufacturing operations at the site included plating, buffing, forming and finishing metal auto parts. These operations were discontinued in the early 1970s and the facility was subsequently used to manufacture and paint plastic body trim components. Some wastes associated with the injection molding and painting operations included PCB-contaminated hydraulic oils, waste solvents, and paint sludge. All GM manufacturing operations at this facility ceased by December of 1993. General Motors went into bankruptcy in 2009, so Federal funding may be used to finance remaining cleanup measures.
Environmental Issues
Confirmed hazardous wastes at the site included PCBs, chlorinated solvents (trichloroethylene), copper, nickel, and chromium. Surface water, groundwater, soils, and vegetation have been contaminated by waste spills and releases from the manufacturing operation. Public access to the site is restricted by fencing and security. Interior plant surfaces were cleaned prior to re-occupancy of the building by local industries. Contamination is primarily below the ground surface so incidental exposures on the site are not expected. The surrounding community is served by a public water supply so exposures via drinking water are not expected. However, there is concern for exposure via vapors intruding from contaminated soils into the main plant building.
In addition, sediments in Ley Creek and floodplain soils, have been extensively contaminated with PCBs. The waters of Ley Creek, as well as fish living in the creek, have been found to be contaminated with PCBs. Ley Creek sediments and floodplain soils extending from Townline Rd. to Wolf Rd. (Route 11) are considered part of the GM-IFG site.
What’s being done to address the problem?
Several investigations have been completed at the site. A Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) is underway. Three major Intermediate Remedial Measures (IRMs) were completed in 2006, including removing 26,000 tons of soil containing PCBs, capping an industrial landfill, and constructing a treatment pond and water treatment system.
Partial List of site Contaminants
| CAS # | Contaminant Name | Contaminated Media |
More Information |
| 7440-50-8 | COPPER | SOIL/ GROUNDWATER | ATSDR Profile |
| 7440-02-0 | NICKEL | SOIL/ GROUNDWATER | ATSDR Profile |
| 7440-47-3 | CHROMIUM | SOIL/ GROUNDWATER | ATSDR Profile |
| 1336-36-3 | PCBs | SOIL/ GROUNDWATER | ATSDR Profile |
Contacts for more information and comments
Susan Edwards, Project Manager
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
625 Broadway, 12th floor, Albany, NY 12233-7016
sledward@gw.dec.state.ny.usPhone: 518-402-9676
Hours: M – Fri, 8:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. Please call for an appointment
Documents for this site are available for public inspection at:
Atlantic States Legal Foundation Depository Library
658 West Onondaga Street, Syracuse NY 13204-3711 Phone: 315-475-1170 Fax: 315-475-6719
http://www.aslf.org/
Onondaga County Public Library
Central Branch at the Galleries
447 South Salina Street, Syracuse, NY 13202 Phone: (315) 435-1800
Hours: M, Th, Fri, Sat, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Tu, W, 9:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-7016 Phone: (518) 402-9676
Hours: M – Fri, 8:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. Please call for an appointment
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Region 7
615 Erie Blvd. West, Syracuse, NY 13204-2400 Phone: (315) 426-7400
Hours: M – Fri, 8:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. Please call for an appointment