THIS IS AN UPDATE TO THE PRE-REFERRAL SENT TO DOJ REGARDING THE SITE ON MARCH 29, 1991. BASED UPON INSPECTIONS AND STUDIES CONDUCTED BY THE EPA BETWEEN 1981 AND 1983, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE WATER FROM THE RANNEY WELL WAS CONTAMINATED WITH VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS, PARTICULARLY VINYL CHLORIDE AND TRACE AMOUNTS OF OTHER VOCS. BETWEEN MARCH 1986 AND JULY 1987, NYSDEC CONDUCTED A REMEDIAL INVESTIGATION AND FEASIBILITY STUDY TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF CHEMICALS ENTERING THE RANNEY WELL. A RECORD OF DECISION WHICH DOCUMENTED THE SELECTED REMEDIAL ACTION FOR THE SITE WAS ISSUED BY EPA ON 9/25/87. THE REMEDIAL ACTION IN THE ROD INCLUDED THE INSTALLATION OF AN AIR STRIPPING TOWER ON THE RANNEY WELL DISCHARGE AND CONTINUATION OF THE USE OF THE EXISTING PURGE WELL. SINCE THE ISSUANCE OF THE 1987 ROD, EPA HAS HAD LEAD RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SITE. EPA ENTERED INTO A CONSENT DECREE WITH TWO POTENTIALLY RESPONSIBLE PARTIES, THE VILLAGE OF ENDICOTT, NEW YORK AND THE TOWN OF UNION, NEW YORK, PURSUANT TO WHICH THE TOWN AND THE VILLAGE AGREED TO IMPLEMENT THE REMEDY SELECTED BY THE 1987 ROD. THE CONSENT DECREE WAS ENTERED ON 1/19/89 IN THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK. THE VILLAGE AND THE TOWN AGREED PURSUANT TO THE CONSENT DECREE TO CONSTRUCT AN AIR STRIPPER TO TREAT THE WATER FROM THE RANNEY WELL. THE AIR STRIPPER BEGAN OPERATING AT THE SITE DURING THE FALL OF 1991.
ON 9/19/88, EPA ISSUED AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER T