EPA Working to Clean Up Goudey Station Superfund Site Near JC

The federal Environmental Protection Agency is working to decontaminate a Superfund project site in the town of Union.

The former Goudey Power Station near the village of Johnson City was operated by NYSEG for several decades. The utility sold the coal-burning plant in 1999.

Environmental regulators have long been concerned about hazardous substances at the site just west of Riverside Drive in Westover. Issues include various chemicals, along with asbestos and petroleum problems.

Local authorities and state investigators took a greater interest in the site after a petroleum fire was ignited by a torch being used by workers removing scrap metal.

An EPA investigation revealed demolition work had started before asbestos had been removed. Asbestos was found in a large debris field surrounding the old plant and on the property's roadways.

The federal agency is planning to secure asbestos-containing debris on the site. The EPA also is evaluating the property for the presence of hazardous substances.

According to public records, the property is owned by NRGY Development LLC of Tampa, Florida.

Northeast Heavy Metal - a western New York company - is pursuing legal action against the current owners of the old Goudey Station site and a demolition company.

An auction of the property to satisfy a judgment of nearly $250,000 had been scheduled in January but it was postponed.

There have been fewer problems reported at the site since fencing improvements were made.

It's not known when demolition work may resume and who will be responsible for paying for removing what remains of the old NYSEG generating plant.

VIDEO: WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph inspected the abandoned site in Westover.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.