Decades After Greenpoint Oil Spill, Study Finds Toxics

What Greenpoint residents and environmentalists have been saying all along--that there are some very bad things underfoot in Greenpoint because of the massive oil spill dating back to 1950--is turning out to be true. We will ignore why it has taken until 2006 for studies showing that residents may have been slowly poisoned for decades, and stick to the facts. And, the fact is that state Department of Environmental Conservation tests released last week found that there are high concentrations of dangerous chemicals under parts of Greenpoint, including benzene, a nasty carcinogen, and the explosive gas methane.

ExxonMobil's predecessors spilled about 17 million gallons of oil in Greenpoint, significantly more than the Exxon Valdez dumped, and plume has been spreading underground. The testing came about because a suit by Riverkeeper seeking to force a faster, more comprehensive cleanup.The epicenter of the toxic nastiness, which is acknowledged to be a "potential hazard" is around Bridgewater Street and Norman Avenue. At the request of the DEC, the tests were conducted by ExxonMobil and were required after Riverkeeper did its own testing and found vapors.

A public meeting on the findings will take place at 7PM on September 27 at 92 Nassau Avenue in Greenpoint. If you want to check out the Department of Environmental Conservation's material about the spill you can click here. Also, you can check the New York Post story and the Daily News story and an item in Gothamist with some good links.