WPCNR THE DUMP NEWS. By John F. Bailey. June 6, 2007: Wendy Rosenbach, spokesperson for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation told WPCNR Tuesday that the city and the DEC have not signed the final consent order, resolving the city's 32-year dispute with the DEC on contamination in the City Dump. The Common Council authorized the Mayor to sign a settlement, paying the first $2,000 of a total fine to be disclosed at a future date. City "backup material documents" did not disclose the total fine.

Ms. Rosenbach told WPCNR that because the agreement on the fine had not been finalized yet, she could not comment on what the total amount was. She did say that the city still could be subject to cleaning up the site, as the fine "does not preclude any cleanup that would be required." The site has been contaminated with TCE (Tri-chloral Ethylene), for 32 years.

Last spring, an independent DEC test found portions of the site to include contamination of 80 PPB over the 5 PPB permitted under DEC standards. In dispute now, WPCNR has been told is the extent of the TCE coverage.

Rosenbach said that the city might be allowed to cap the contamination rather than remediate it, but said no resolution after one year has been determined yet.

Paul Wood, Executive Officer, is in the process of seeking an update for WPCNR from Commissioner of Public Works Joseph Nicoletti as to the exact progress in determining the need of a clean-up or a capping and what the issues are.