White Plains CitizeNetReporter - COST OF SHUTTING CITY DUMP MILLIONS HIGHER ACCORDING TO NYDEC. COUNCIL MEMBERS

WPCNR DUMP NEWS. By John F. Bailey. June 4, 2012: A spokesperson for the New York State Department of Conservation confirmed to WPCNR this week the cost of sealing and closing the Tri Chloral Etylene-contaminated Gedney Landfill is going at least $2 million more beyond than the $8 Million to $10 Million price originally told the Common Council, which has yet to authorize financing for the entire clean-up. Wendy Rosenback, spokesperson for the NYDEC told WPCNR that Martin Brand, Program Director of the Division of Materials Management for the DEC estimates the cleanup, scheduled to begin in July, will cost the city $10 to $12 Million. WPCNR has been told by sources that the Common Council has been informed privately in a non-public meeting within the last three weeks with the city Department of Public Works the cleanup could cost as much as $14 Million and a request to float more in bonds for the additional financing was met with dismay to say the least. Whether the figure is as high as $14 Million has not been confirmed by any member of the Common Council, but the DEC today confirmed it is going to soar higher than the $8 to $10 Million the Department of Public Works originally estimated. When WPCNR contacted Common Council members to see if the $14 Million figure had been related to them, Councilmen David Buchwald, Dennis Krolian, and John Martin all said the cleanup project was still in the bid process and they had not heard that price from the Department of Public Works. Councilwoman Beth Smayda said she did not recall a meeting on that topic and Councilwoman Milagros Lecuona wrote WPCNR she was not at any such meeting. Councilman Benjamin Boykin did not respond. WPCNR called Joseph Nicoletti, Commissioner of Public Works and left a message and asked him if the DEC’s Brand was correct, and if the $14 Million figure had been disclosed to the Council or was closer to $12 Million. Mr. Nicoletti so far has not responded. The DEC and the City Department of Public Works have been formulating a plan for remediation, sealing and closure of the dump since 2005 when the DEC informed the city it has to deal with the TCE-contamination that had been seeping into the Mamaroneck River estuary flowing through the dump. The city had previously ignored the TCE-contamination since 1976, which was left over from when a dry cleaning establishment was located adjacent to the dump. As part of the process he city has also been directed by the DEC to resod the Our Lady of Sorrows Softball Field adjacent the dump


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