SUBJECT:

PURPOSE:

ITHACA
Thursday, April 21, 2005
10:30 a.m.
Shirley A. Raffensperger Meeting Room
Town Hall
215 North Tioga Street
Ithaca, NY

Contamination of indoor air by volatile chemicals from contaminated soil and groundwater is an emerging area of public health concern. Vapor intrusion is known to have occurred at Superfund sites in New York State and has occurred at brownfield sites as well. While the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Health, as well as the United States Environmental Protection Agency, have issued draft guidance pertaining to various aspects of vapor intrusion, none of these agencies have issued final guidance.

Chapter 1 of the Laws of 2003 established the Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP) as well as refinancing the State Superfund program and providing for a comprehensive program for the long-term restoration of groundwater. The BCP requires, at all brownfield sites, the "elimination of volatilization into buildings: provided however if such elimination is not feasible such exposure shall be eliminated to the greatest extent feasible." Vapor intrusion should be considered in remediation of all contaminated sites.

The purpose of this hearing, the second in a series, is to examine issues concerning the vaporization of contamination and to determine what can be learned to address vapor intrusion in the future. The Committee will take testimony from various witnesses including panels of government officials, public health and environmental experts and citizens representing affected communities.

Oral testimony will be accepted by invitation only and limited to 5 minutes duration. 10 copies of any prepared testimony should be submitted at the hearing registration desk. The Committee would appreciate advance receipt of prepared statements. Written testimony will also be accepted and may be sent to the contact person listed on the reply form. In order to further publicize the hearing, please inform interested parties of the Committee’s interest in receiving written testimony from all sources.

In order to meet the needs of those who may have a disability, the Assembly, in accordance with its policy of non-discrimination on the basis of disability, as well as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made its facilities and services available to all individuals with disabilities. For individuals with disabilities, accommodations will be provided, upon reasonable request, to afford such individuals access and admission to Assembly facilities and activities.

PUBLIC HEARING REPLY FORM

Persons invited to present testimony at the public hearing on the Vaporization of Contamination from Soil and Groundwater to be held on April 21, 2005, or who wish to submit written testimony, are requested to complete and return this reply form by April 13, 2005 by mail or fax to:

Alex Roth
Principal Legislative Analyst
New York State Assembly
Program & Counsel Staff
Capitol/ Room 520
Albany, NY 12248
e-mail: rotha@assembly.state.ny.us
(518) 455-4363 fax (518) 455-5182

(It is important that the reply form be fully completed and returned so that persons may be notified in the event of emergency postponement or cancellation.)

I will address my remarks to the following subjects:

I will require assistance and/or handicapped accessibility information. Please specify the type of assistance required: