ML20107E399
| ML20107E399 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Shoreham File:Long Island Lighting Company icon.png |
| Issue date: | 02/19/1985 |
| From: | Meyland S NEW YORK, STATE OF |
| To: | |
| Shared Package | |
| ML20107E279 | List: |
| References | |
| OL-3, NUDOCS 8502250554 | |
| Download: ML20107E399 (40) | |
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RG.ATED CORf:ESPONDENCE hf{ED UNITED STATES OF AMERICA *3 c
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 022 gI:47 Before the Atomic Safety and Licensing crV~; o bdG Ort fe (5ffA.
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In the Matter of )
) Docket No. 50-322-OL-3 LONG ISLAND LIGHTING COMPANY -
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(Emergency Planning)
(Shoreham Nuclear Power Station, )
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Unit 1)
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DIRECT TESTIMONY OF SARAH J. MEYLAND ON BEHALF OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK REGARDING LILCO'S PROFFERED EVIDENCE OF JANUARY 11 -
Q. Please state your name and business address.
A. My name is Sarah J. Meyland. My address is 43 South Middle Neck Road, Great Neck, New York 11021.
Q. By whom are you employed, and what position do you hold?
A. I am the Co-Executive Director of the New York State Legislative Commission on Water Resource Needs of Long Island.
The Commission was established pursuant to Chapter 50 of the Laws of New York for 1979, which, as amended, empower the Commission: (1) to investigate and evaluate studies and reports which indicate that the water supply and water resources of Suffolk and Nassau Counties may be in jeopardy; (2) to make
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2-and recommendations for provisions to be made for the regulation supervision of activities that deplete, defile, damage or other-wise adversely affect the waters of Suffolk and Nassau Counties, and the land resources associated therewith; (3) to determine where uncontaminated or virgin sources of water exist; and (4) to recommend legislative or administrative activities that are required The to preserve and protect such resources for future use.
Commission has six members, all of whom are appointed from the body of the New York State Legislature, with three members each from the State Senate and Assembly. Attachment 1 to this testi-mony is a copy of Chapter 50 of the Laws of 1979, a3 subsequently amended.
Q. Please describe your qualifications and educational background.
A. I have been the Co-Executive Director of the Commission for five years. I have also served on the Technical Advisory Committee to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Long Island droundwater Management Program, and I am presently a member of the Technical Advisory Committee for the Suffolk County Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan.
I am an elected member of the New York State Board of Directors 1
of the American Water Resources Association, a society of pro-i fessionals interested in the protection, management and develop-ment of the country's water resources. I hold a Bachelors of-Science degree in Geological Oceanography _ (California State -
Humboldt, 1972) ,- a Bachelors of Science degree in Biology, with 4
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O J B specialization in Marine Zoology (California State -Humboldt, 1972), and a Masters degree in Water Resource Management (Texas A&M, 1978). A statement of my qualifications and experience is Attachment 2 to this testimony.
Q. Please briefly describe the purpose of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation's Long Island Ground-water Management Program.
A. The New York State Department of Environmental Con-servation's Long Island Groundwater Management Program was a federally-funded project initiated by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation ("DEC") to study and obtain recom-mendations 'regarding future groundwater management on Long Island.
In the spring of 1984, the DEC completed its review and issued a draft report. The Executive Summary of that report is Attachment 3 to this testimony, and demonstrates the importance of ground-water to Long Island. In addition, the report sets forth some of Some the current Long Island groundwater problems and issues.
salient points from the DEC's report are that approximately six million New York State residents (approximately one-third of the Of this total, approxi-State's population) depend upon groundwater.
mately three and a quarter million people depend upon the groundwater This underlying Brooklyn, Queens, and Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
vast aquifer is the only source of drinking water for this population and has therefore been designated by the Federal government as a sole source aquifer.
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-< Already, groundwater contamination on Lo"g Island has resulted from commercial, industrial, agricultural and residential development of the land surface directly above the aquifer. In addition, the possibility of additional contamination reaching ~
the aquifer system is increased by the porous nature of Long Island's soils.
Once a contaminant reaches the aquifer, it tends to remain in the groundwater system for many years and clean-up may be technically or economically impossible.
Q. What is the purpose of this testimony?
A. The purpose of this testimony is to address LILCO's proffered evidence of January 11, 1985 concerning LILCO's proposal to use the Nassau Coliseum to monitor and decontaminate evacuees in the event of an emergency at the Shoreham nuclear power plant.
Q. Are you familiar with the evidence proffered by LILCO?
A. Yes. I have reviewed LILCO's evidence and am familiar with its contents.
Q. What is your opinion regarding LILCO's proposed use of the Nassau Coliseum?
A. In my opinion, there could be serious problems with LILCO's proposal.
Q. What are these problems?
A. First, LILCO's proposal to decontaminate evacuees and their vehicles at the Nassau Coliseum may pose a risk to the groundwater supply of Nassau County, Long Island, where the Coliseum is located.
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- Q. Are you familiar with the groundwater supply at Mitchel Field?
A. Yes. I am very familiar with the Mitchel Field area i
through both my job as Co-Executive Director of the New York State Legislative Commission on Water Resource Needs of Long
' Island and my membership on the Advisory Committee to the DEC's In addition, in Long Island Groundwater Management Program.
response to the final Generic Environmental Impact Statement
("GEIS") for the Mitchel Field area prepared in October 1984 by the Nassau County Planning Commission, I submitted extensive l
comments concerning the findings of the GEIS with respect to water quality and quantity in the area.
Q. What risks to the groundwater supply at Mitchel Field from LILCO's proposed use of the Nassau Coliseum are of parti-cular concern to you?
A. It is my understanding that LILCO is proposing to per-form decontamination procedures in the event of a Shoreham emergency at the Nassau Coliseum and the surrounding property.
For example, the exterior of vehicles, if found to be contaminated, would be sprayed with water and, if necessary, scrubbed with a LILCO Plan, OPIP 3.9.2, Attachment 7. The. water used detergent.
in the decontamination process, which is to be performed in the
-parking lots at the Nassau Coliseum, would, along with any radio-active contamination, run off the parking lot surface, percolate through the soil, and eventually reach the groundwater supply.
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. Mitchel Field is located in one of the primary ground-A pri-water recharge areas for Nassau County and Long Island.
mary recharge area is one which resupplies the principal under-ground aquifer, the Magothy, by the percolation of precipitation through the ground surface. See generally Attachment 3, at page 3, for a description of groundwater flow patterns on Long Island.
Mitchel Field lies wiuhin an area which has been classified as hydrogeologic " Zone 1" in the Long Island Compre-hensive Water Treatment Management Plan, also known as the "208 Plan," prepared by the Long Island Regional Planning Board in 1978. This classification system, which has been adopted by the DEC, means that stringent measures must be taken to protect the water quality of the area, since water recharged in the area is crucial to the replenishment of Long Island's groundwater supply.
Put another way, the Mitchel Field area lies in a deep flow Outside a deep flow recharge area, recharge area of Long Island.
groundwater flow patterns tend to be more shallow and to move-Groundwater flow patterns,-however, outward and toward the ocean.
in the Mitchel Field area tend to be downward into the deeper (and especially aquifers, including the Magothy, Long Island's The Nassau County's) primary source of public water supply.
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'- quality of recharge water in the Mitchel Field area must there-fore be stringently protected from contamination, since contamina-tion released in a deep flow recharge area is a greater threat l to the deeper aquifer than:is contamination released in peripheral
" shallow flow" recharge areas.
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It is the deep flow recharge pattern of water within 1 I
the Mitchel Field area, as well as the inability of the sandy soils of Long Island to filter out contaminants, which make the area very sensitive to surface contamination, and the Nassau Coliseum an inappropriate location for LILCO's proposed decontamina-tion procedures. Any contaminants that are released into the ground and recharged along with the water in the area would ultimately move through the shallow upper glacial aquifer and into the deeper Magothy aquifer, which provides more than 90%
of all water used in Nassau County. Moreover, since the Coliseum is in a deep recharge area, surface contamination would eventually move into the Magothy aquifer, which is where most public water ,
supply wells draw their water. Thus, any possible contamination i to the groundwater supply in the area of the Nassau Coliseum would pose a potential risk to the water supply of Nassau County.
Q. Do you have any other concerns regarding LILCO's pro-r posed use of the Nassau Coliseum?
4 A. Yes. The Mitchel Field area is already seriously f
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' environmentally stressed, with the groundwater in parts of the area already contaminated by toxic chemical pollution from several severely contaminated ~ areas.
One of these, the "Purex" site (which is inside Mitchel Field), is one of the-most severely contaminated' sites known to. exist in Nassau County or Long Island.
LTwo public water supply wells located at Mitchel_ Field in the Uniondale Water District are already directly threatened by the.
The contamination is moving toward the' wells
.Purex contamination.
and may already have. reached the well sites.
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' Q. In what way could the proposed activities at the Nassau Coliseum have an environmental impact on the Mitchel Field area?
A. In the event that decontamination activities took place in the parking areas surrounding the Coliseum, it is conceivable that there could be radiologically contaminated runoff from the water used to wash cars and other purposes. The runoff would likely flow into drywells (cement collectors of surface water with a storage capacity of approximately 400 cubic feet) in the parking lot or directly to recharge basins (man-made depressions in the ground which vary in size but may be as large as several Recharge acres), several of which exist within Mitchel Field.b!
in the drywells and recharge basins would be relatively rapid, because of the excellent percolation quality of the soil and the short distance between the land surface and the upper glacial aquifer (i.e., the water table), which is only 20 to 30 feet underground. Thus, the contaminated water would easily and quickly reach the water table, and once there, could not easily be removed. Over time, the contamination plume (the body of pollution) would continue to migrate, and could conceivably intercept a public water supply. It is strongly suspected that the contamination from the Purex site was conducted to the groundwater by drywells.
lt 1/ The drywells, which collect runoff and allow it to perco a e
~ into the ground, are connected to piping systems that dis-charge drywells.
into recharge basins in intothe event which of the runoff, overflows (see Attachment 4 to this testimony) water from storm drainage pipes, andh the ged overf
-Thus, runoff water at Mitchel Field is eventually rec ar to the ground.
' Q. Are there any public water supply wells located close to the, Coliseum? _
A. Yes. There are nine public water supply wells within one mile of the Mitchel Field area, and Mitchel Field supply wells # 5 and # 4 are located approximately 1,000 and 2,000 feet respectively to the north of the Nassau Coliseum. Well
- 5 is located in a grassy "y" where an approach road to the Coliseum branches from Lindberg Boulevard. Well I 4 is located The south of Lindberg Boulevara, near the Meadowbrook Parkway.
proximity of these two wells to the Coliseum and the volume of water withdrawn from these wells could potentially impact the spread of any groundwater pollution caused by LILCO's use of the Coliseum, including drawing the contamination toward the well sites.
Q. What, generally, is the pattern of water withdrawal in the Mitchel Field area?
A. There is a major problem in-Nassau County with excessive i water withdrawal. According to Nassau County statistics, there are 15 districts to the south and west of Mitchel Field that are presently drawing more water out of the ground than is safe.
The two wells in western Mitchel Field are actually part of the Uniondale Water District, which is one of the 15 water districts' which are overdrawing. Two new wells just north of the Coliseum i
'are not yet operational, but will be part of the Mitchel Field Water Supply Area, which is permitted by New York State to draw f a maximum of 3.5 million gallons per day. These 15 water l
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' districts supply water to approximately one-half the population of Nassau County.
Q. Are there other water resources that could be threatened by LILCO's proposed use of the Nassau Coliseum?
A. Yes. Meadowbrook Creek, which runs close to the Coliseum, is fed by groundwater in the area. In addition, overflows from the recharge basins in the area are directed to Meadowbrook Creek.
Q. Could LILCO's proposed use of the Nassau Coliseum have any impact on the sanitary sewage system?
A. Yes. The discharge of radiologically contaminated water would go into the sanitary sewage piping and treatment facilities of sewer district # 3. This would include waste water from showering and washing activities, but the impact of radiologically 4
contaminated urine and feces from evacuees should not be overlooked.
The disruption of sewage treatment by a radiological impact on the bacteria necessary for such treatment needs to be studied for any i
adverse impacts. To my knowledge, neither LILCO nor Nassau County has considered these kinds of impact from LILCO's proposed l use of the Coliseum.
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- Q. Does that conclude your testimony?
A. Yes.
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$ ATTACHMENT 1 f
LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION ON WATER RESOURCE NEEDS OF LONG IS (CHAP 50) l l
Tha legislature herebv finds and declares that the state has ~
the sovereign power toincluding regulate the and counties control the of water Nassauresour-and ces of this state, Suffolk and an adequate and suitable water supply for two such counties for water supply, domestic, municipal, industrial, irrigation, transpor-agricultural and commercial uses, power, tation, fire protection, sewage and waterfish assimilation, and wildlife,the growth of the forest, maintenance of recreational enjoyment and other uses is essential to the safety and welf are of the people and economic growth health, l
l and prosperity of two said counties.
Recent studies and reports have been made which indicate that reasons, the water supply and water due to many . diverse resources of the two said counties may be in jeopardy.
Accordingly, a legislative commission is hereby established (a) to investigate and evaluate said reports; (b) to _make recommendations for provisions to be made for the regulation and supervision of activities that deplete, defile, damage or otherwise adversely af fect the waters of the two said (c) coun- to ties, and the land resources associated therewith; determine where uncontaminated or virgin sources of water exist in both counties; and (d) to recommend legislative or administrative actions that are required to preserve and pro-
! tect such resources for future use.
Such Commission shall consist of six members to be appointed-
' as follows: two members of the Senate Senate; shall twobe appointed members by of the the temporary president of the Assembly shall be appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly; and one member the Assembly. Any leader of the Senate; vacancy that occurs in the Commission shall be filled in the Co-Chairmen same manner in the original appointment was made.
i of the Cosmiission shall be designated by the President Pro-tem of the Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly raspectively.
No member, officer, or employee of the Commission public shall be office or disqualfied from holding and other l-employment, nor shall he forfeit any such office or employment i
by reason of his appointment hereunder, notwithstanding the provisions of any general, special, or local law, ordinance, or city charter.
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Commission may employ personnel required and fix their The compensatien within the amount appropriated therefore. The the state; hold public commission may meet within and without and private hearings and otherwise have all of the powers of a legislative committee under the legislative law. The members of the Commission shall receive no compensation for their cer-vices but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expen-ses incurred in the performance of their duties hereunder.
The Commission may request and shall receive from any sub-division, department, board, bureau, commission, office agency or other instrumentality of the state or of any political sub-division thereof, such facilities, assistance and data as it deems necessary or desirable for the proper execution of its powers and duties.
The Commission is hereby authorized and empowered to make and sign any agreements, and to do and perform any acts that may be necessary, desirable or proper to carry out the purposes and objectives set forth herein.
The Commission shall submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature containing its findings on orThebefore March thirty-Commission shall first, nineteen-hundred eighty-five. nineteen-existence until March thirty-first, continue in hundred eighty-five.
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ATTACHMENT 2
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co .m.cuvE NEW YORK ST ATE o'..c' LEGISL ATlvt CoMMISStoN oN W ATER RESOURCE NEEDS oF LoNG ISLAND BIOGRAPHY ..
SARAH J. MEYLAND Co-Executive Director Have been involved in water resource issues for 14 years -- c Training includes degrees in -
- English (BA, University of North Carolina)
- Geological Oceanography (BS - California State - Humboldt, 1972)
Bachelors of Science in Biology with specialization in g Marine Zoology (BS - California State - Humboldt, 1972)
- Masters Degree in Water Resource Management (MS - Texas -
A&M, 1978)
Presently serve as chief administrator for the Legislative Commission. The Commission is active in many areas including:
- The preparation and introduction of legislation
- The development of programs to protect Long Island water resources
- The dissemination of information about watershed protection, pollution control, and land use impacts
- The promotion of increased awareness about water resource issues by local decision makers.
Have served on a number of committees including
- Technical Advisory Committee to the Long Island Groundwater Management Program
- Pine Barreas Pesticide and Fertilizer Project
- The Pesticide Steering Committee
- The Pine Barrens Planning Council
- Technical Advisory to the North West Nassau 201
- Board of Directors, New York Section of American Water Resources Association
. ATTACHMENT 3 Executive Summary I
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DRAFT LONG ISLAND GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM l
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'I Q New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner: Henr; G Waliams
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INTRODUCTION The largest and most important groundwater resource in New York State is the vast aquifer which underlies Long Island, including all of Nassau and Suffolk Counties and the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. It is the only source of dnnking water for over three million people, and the entire aquifer system from Brooklyn and Queens to eastem Suffolk has been designated as a sole source aquifer by the U.S. Environmental l Protection Agency (EPA) under prousions of the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. l
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Groundwater contamination on Long Island has resulted from a long period of commercial, industrial, agricultural and residential development on the land surface directly above the aquifer. Some level of contamination is unavoidably associated with human development, particularly the dense development which characterizes much of Long Island.
He possibility of contammation reaching the aquifer system is increased by the porous nature of Long Island's soils. A porous soil permits tquids to easily pass through it and, on Long Island, contaminants released at the land surface will eventually be transported down into the aquifer. As is characteristic with all aquifers, water obin the aquifer moves very s!owly through it as compared to the flow in a river or stream. Consequently, once a contaminant reaches an aquifer,it tends to remain there for many years. Once an aquifer is contaminated, cleanup may not be technically or economically feasible and treatment may be required befo-e the water can be used for drinking water supply.
De aquifer is also very sensitive to quantity stresses. Jmpohant quantity effects include water table declines (resulting in saltwater intrusion drying up of wetlands and reduction of surface stream flows) and, conversely, high water table elevations caused by cessation of pumpage (resulting in localized flooding problems). Groundwater pumpage also influences groundwater flow and, therefore can quicken the movement of contamination through an aquifer system.
On Long Island, the importance of the groundwater resource has lor.g been recognized. There is also a long history of management efforts to deal with prob! ems with the resource, usually instituted as a case by-case response to specific problems anc threats. In recent years, the use of new and highly toxic chemicals by industry and society has increased.
Evidence of these chemicals in the groundwater system made it apparent that a ,6 comprehensive review was needed of all problems threatening the aquifer system and the '
overall effectiveness of existing regulatory programs for its present and future protection. ,/
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in cooperation with several other federal, state and local d agen management of Long Island's groundwater. DEC has recently co issued a draft report. This hecutive Summary highhghts the ma and recommendations for future groundwater management.
THEAQUlFERSYSTEM Geologically, Long Island is made up of layers of sand, gravel an bedrock. Bgure I is a representative geologic cross section as viewed fr direction. The bedrock slopes gently from northwest to southeast. The ovedyin; unconsolidated material varies in thickness from zero in the northi thickness of over 2.000 feet in the south-central part of the Island. The sand aJ are moderately to highly porous, while the silt and clay lasers are high!y impe tend to retard water movement in some areas.
Four of the major geologic formations illustrated in Figure 1 - the Upper Glaci Magothy, the Jameco and the Lloyd - are the major aquifers which store L groundwater resources. Tens of trt!! ions of gallons of fresh water are am underground reservoir. All of this water comes from precipita: ion. 'the av precipitation is 44 inches.which provides a natuial recharge in the ma of one mdlion gallons per day per square mile. Part of this recharged v'ter contn ound and is surface water in the form of streams and pends, part flows deep un : ase by the discharged under bays and the ocean and another part is withdraw '
population.
Figure 2 i!!ustrates the groundware- flow pattems for the aquifer syst underlies Long Island. Groundwater recharge which enters through the land s between points Z and Z2 flows generally der sard into the deeper aquife Lloyd). These flow pattems in the central pcmon of the Island identify th recharge areas. Outside of the deep flow rechaT areas. the ground to be outward and upward toward the ocear
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Figure 2 Typical Govundwater Flow Patterns on Long Island The Magothy aquifer is presently the prime source of public water supply and is likely to remain so in the future.
Man's activities at the land surface affect the quality of recharge water to the aquifer system. Once introduced into the groundwater, contamination tends to migrate along with the flow of water in the system. Thus, surface contamination released in the deep flow recharge area is a greater threat to the deeper aquifers than is contamination released in the peripheral " shallow flow recharge areas.
Figure 3 shows hydrogeologic zones, a concept first advanced in the Long Island Comprehensive Waste Treatment Plan (Nassau-Suffolk Section 208 Plen). He hydrogeologic zones are based on the gmundwater flow pattems described above, and identify the land areas which recharge the deep flow and shallow ilow portions of the aquifer system. On Figure 3, Zones I, II, and 111 are deep flow recharge zones while Zones IV. Vill are shallow flow recharge areas. Proposed modifications to these zones for Brooklyn, Queens.
and the South Fork are discussed later in this document and are illustrated in Figure 8.
GROUNDWATERUSE In New York State, all fresh groundwater is classified by the state's Groundwg.er Quality Standards for a best usage of potable water supply. This expresses the state's fundamental management objective that groundwater be maintained safe for use as drinking water.
Tobre I shows that appro 'mately six million New York State residents depend upon groundwater. Of this total,three and a quarter million people depend upon the groundwater underlying Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk. This means that more than half the people in New York State who depend on groundwater live on less than three percent of the state's totalland surface area.
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Rgure 3 Hydrogeologic Zones in the Nassou Sufolk 206 Study Area TABLE 1 Population Dependent on Groundwater in New York State Community Indandual Water Supplies Systems Total Region 304.500 2.450.000 2.754.500 Nassau and Suffoik 518.300 NewYork City 518.300 950.900 2.909.700 Upstate New York 1 858.800 2.263.300 3.919.200 6.182.500 Totals To fully appreciate the importance of groundwater to Long Island and to understand current Long Island groundwater problems and issues it is useful to review past and present groundwater use.
Brook 4n and Queens were enginally completely dependent on groundwater.
Emensive use of the aquifer resulted in lowering the water table. intrusion of saltwater and the gradual abandonment of the Brooklyn portions of the rauifer system. Subsequently use of groundwater increased in Queens and Nassau. By the early 1960s, water table levels in Brook 4m were recovering and severe declines were evident in Queens.
Over time. New York City has increased its use of upstate surface supplies. leaving a large portion of Queens served by groundwater. Groundwater withdrawals within the eastem section of Queens remain intensive, and groundwater levels are currently below sea level.
As urban development moved eastward through Nassau County and into Suffolk l County, development of groundwater supplies generally followed the pattem of populanon growth.The entire population of Nassau and Suffolk Counties (nearly three million people) is solely dependent on groundwater for potable water as well as industrtal commercial and agricultural uses. Groundwater pumpage is concentrated near the areas of higher population densities. leaving other portions of the resource less developed. This has created an east west imbalance in the distnbution of pumpage,with much greater pumpage per unit of land area in the westem portions.
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. 7 Today, virtually all of Nassau County is highly developed and densely populated. All of Nassau County's population, plus the groundwater-dependent population of Queens. is supplied public water by 50 independent community supplies. The large number of independent water districts limits flexibility to distnbute groundwater pumpage geographically. There are very few private residential drinking water wells in Nassau and none in Queens and Brooklyn.
Suffolk County is now heavily developed in its westem portions but comparadvely undeveloped toward the eastem end of the Island. Although there are 72 private and municipal water suppliers in the county. the Suffolk County Water Authonty is by far the largest and accounts for 75 percent of the public water supply pumpage. Because the Suffolk Water Authority covers much of the county, it has much greater flembility in locating wells and distnbuting groundwater pumpage geographically than is the case in Nassau County.
Another important difference in water supplies between Suffolk and Nassau Counties is the number of private residential drinking water wells. There are approximately 70.000 such wells presently in use in Suffolk County.
Groundwater for public water supply in Nassau and Queens Counties is withdrawn mostly from the Magothy aquifer. Proceeding eastward through Suffolk County. more demand is placed on the Upper Glacial aquifer.
The availability of safe and adequate supplies of groundwater for use as drinking water is, in some areas of the Island, becoming questionable because of both quality and quantity problems as outlined below. Future demand for water is expected to increase. not only on Long Island, but also across the entire New York City metropolitan region. As shown on Table 2, all of the surrounding areas of southwestem New York State and northem New Jersey have projected water supply deficits for the year 2000. Thus, for the foreseeable future Long Island's water supply problems must be solved on Long Island, the attematives for supplementing the Island's water supply from other sources are indeed limaed.
TABLE 2 Estimated Water Supply Deficits for Year 2000 Southeast New York and Northem New Jersey Projected Detc r:n Mllions of Gallons Per Day
. Area '206 Mid Hudson 161 Northem NewJersey 126 New York CityTotal 13
' Nassau County 0 Suffolk County In addition to water supply, other important groundwater uses include agncultural L Irrigation. IndusMal process and cooling water applications. Important natural furictions supported by groundwater include the maintenance of wetlands and the recharge of surface streams during dry periods. These streams, together with groundwater underflow, have a major impact on the salinity levels and other ecological conditions of the bays and harbor areas of Long Island. Management of groundwater for man's uses must take into account these important natural constraints.
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GROUNDWATER PROBLEMS Govemment resources for soMng eneronmental problems are limited, and it is imperative that the most senous problems be identif:ed for prionty attention. The most significant groundwater problems on Long Island today are:
- Contamination by synthetic organic chemicals including solvents, degreasers, petroleum products and agncultural pesticides.
- Nitrogen./ nitrate contamination from sewage disposal and fertiter use, both i agricultural and domestic.
- Groundwater quantity problems including aquifer depletion. saltwaier intrusion l l
' and flooding, often associated with regionalimbalances of water demand.
The following highlights the nature and extent of each prionty problem.
Synthetic Crganic Chemicals Contamination by synthetic organic chemicals is the highest pnonty threat to Long Island groundwaters at the present time and is likely to remain so. The three major categenes of organic contaminants are:
- industrial / commercial solvents and degreasers.
- gasoline and petroleum products; and
- pesticides and herbicides During the mid 1970s growing concem for synthetic organics in groundwater led to monitonng programs to detect these contaminants. Also at that eme, improved sampling and analytical techniques and equipment were developed, and water quality standards were established for a limited number of organi: ompounds.
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7 9 Public water supply wells contaminated with pesticide.
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j Areas of pesticide contamination of groundwater.
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.p,& Figure 5 5 jQ Pesticide Contamination of Long Island Groundwater At this time, more than 700 specific synthetic organic chemicals have been identif'ed in drinking water supplies in the United States. Chemicals whi:h have been most frequently detected on Long Island include trichloroethane. tnchloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene; gasoline and petroleum products including the constituents benzene. xylene. and toluene; plus certain agricultural pesticides.
Figure 4 shows public water supply wells on Long Island which have een closed because of synthetic organic contamination and also the approximate a eas whee sampling has indicated shallow well contamination in excess of organics standards. Area- af pesticide contamination are shown separate!y on a subsequent map (Figure 5).
To date some 20 percent of public water supply wells in the Jamaica area of New York City have exceeded New York State Department of Health (DOH) guidelines for ,
synthetic organics. Six percent of the Nassau County's public water supply wells have j exceeded guidelines. and four percent of Suffolk County public wells have exceeded ;
guidelines. Many other wells also show some contamination currently below DOH i guidelines.
Solvents and degreasers Solvents and degreasers are utilized in various commercial operations and industnal
- processes such as commerciallaundries. fumiture stnpping plants metal process ng plants.
machine shops. food and beverage processing plants and cleansing of transportation vehicles and their parts.
The State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) is intended to control j point source wastewater discharges of these synthetic organics and other potent:a:ly toxic or hazardous chemicals. Nevertheless discharges do occur from facilities subject to SPDES permits in the form of permit violations and discharges of matenals for which there are no present standards and, therefore. are not included in the permit. However. spills. teaks and improper handling of synthetic organic chemicals at industrial and commercial sites may ultimately represent a greater threat to Long Island groundwaters than do permitted 7
e 5
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I wastewater discharges. Solvents and degreasers are also commonly used for c unclogging sewer lines and cesspools and in various other consumer produc home and which can enter the groundwater through individual household subsu disposal systems. Some septic tank cleaning products are banned by state County laws. In Queer.s. exfiltration of these materials from sewers is also a groundwater contamination.
Petroleum The three pnmary causes of petroleum contamination are leaks. spills and stormwater runoff. For the period of 1981 through 1982 nearly 1.000 spills were rep DEC for Nassau and Suffolk Counties alone. Over 75 percent were inland spills or underground storage tanks. In Brooklyn and Queens. more than 50 document groundwater contamination by petroleum have occurred since 1978. includin million gallon pool found undemeath Greenpoint. Brooklyn. Unfortunately. clean-up operations are tremendously expensive and often only marginally effective in of Long Island.
Pesticides Contamination of Long Island groundwaters with synthetic organic pesticides has become a serious problem over the last decade.
In 1978 wells on both the North and South Forks were sampled for the pesticid aldicarb which had been extensively used on eastem Suffolk County potato farms betw 1975 and 1979. An initial sampling survey of 330 wells in the area adjacent to the farm detected aldicarb in concentrations exceeding the DOH recommended guideline in percent of the wells.
In 1979. the manufacturcr requeste - EPA to resise the label for Temik (the commercial name of a dicarb). and. thus. efit 7:vely ban its use on Long Island. As aldicarb is no longer be:ng applied. Reside ~- whose pnvate wells exceeded the gui were adtised not to use the water and werc +ubsequently provided with activated car filtration systems at the expense of the manufacturer. The village of Greenport a activated carbon treatment on one municipal well.
Pubitc water s cpty well contaminated with nitrate.
A#
General areas ;f shal',ow nitrate y contarnination.
y9 .,
O g '
i Ae d i '
- v Figurr 6 Nitmte Comamination of Groundscater on Long Island 8
~ - - - - _ _ _ - _ _ - _ _ __
In 1980. more than 8.000 wells in eastem Suffolk were sampled in areas where aldicarb contamination was suspected. Thirteen percent of the private wells, seven percent of the community water supply wells and eight percent of non community supplies (restaurants.
hotels, etc.) exceeded DOH guidelines.
The extent of aldicarb contamination on eastem Long Island is i!!ustrated in Rgure 5.
The Suffolk County Department of Health Services has continued to monitor for other pesticides used in the agricultural areas of eastem Suffolk. Other pesticides detected to date include Carbofuran. Dacthal,1.2 dichloropropane. Dinoseb. Methomyl. Paraquat.
Oxamyl and Carbaryl. Although none of these have been found as extensively as aldicarb.
this evidence nonetheless points to the extreme sensitivity of Long Island soils as regards teaching of organic pesticides to groundwater.
Nitrogen Contamination from nitrogen in the form of nitrate is another important quality problem on Long Island. particularly in heavily developed areas and agricultural areas. The major sources of nitrate contamination include septic systems and both domestic and agricultural fertilizer use. Other sources which may be important in some locations are sewage treatment plant effluent. landfills and improper disposal of sewage sludge.
Groundwater monitoring data indicates that nitrate / nitrogen contamination is widespread on Long Island. Nitrate concentrations are increasing in the major public water supply aquifers (Magothy) for most of the developed and agncultural areas. Figure 6 is a map showing public water supply wells contaminated by nitrate and approximate areas where nitrate in the shallow aquifers exceeds the 10-milligram-per liter standard.
It is important to evaluate the monitoring data carefully, especially histoccal trends in concentrations of contamination,in order to identify the most significant present-day sources of nitrate / nitrogen.
In the sewered portion of Nassau County, for example. nitrate concentrations appear to be decreasing in the Upper Glacial aquifer and increasing in the deeper Magothy. These trends probably reflect a significant long-term reduction in the amount of nitrate released at the land surface. due to discontinuation of agriculture in the area as well as sewenng of the area with wastewater discharge to the ocean. The concentrations in the deeper aquifers may be increasing simply because past contamination is slowly migrating downward through the Magothy. Despite sewenng. other sources. such as turf and lawn fertilization. continue to contnbute some nitrate contamination to the Upper Glacial aquifer. Also. sewenng is not
' always a panacea for this problem. In Brooklyn and Queens. aging and leaking sewers are
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considered to be a source of nitrogen contamination to the aquifer.
Groundu ater Quantity Problems Simply stated. a groundwater quantity problem occurs when there is too little groundwater (depletion) or too much groundwater (flooding) in a localized area relative to some " normal" groundwater condition or some existing level of human development.
Since all fresh groundwater on Long Island originates from precipitation and since there have been no significant changes in the normal precipitation in the region. the quantities of groundwater available in any local area are subject to depletion trends or flooding trends primarily as a result of human activity.
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o Trends toward lower water table elevations are generally caused l man, which pump the available groundwater faster than it can bel recharge or which block or divert the natural recharge (e.g.. storm drainl dischargmg to surface waters) from reaching the groundwater.
In the densely populated portions of Queens and Nassau. the po pumping the aquifer is significantly increased due to the veryl demand. In the peninsular areas of the Island, groundwater depletiol associated with the much smaller quantities of fresh groundwate l illustrates presently identified areas of groundwater stress caused by over Currently. depressed water table elevations in central Queens are a dire
! consequence of public water supply pumpage in the Jamaica area. Pum exceeds recharge to the groundwater, resulting in a loss of storage in the g reservoir (groundwater mining). Water table elevations are below sea le area including parts of Queens and Nassau. Minimum levels have been below sea level, increasing the potential for saltwater intmsion into the aquif Problems associated with high water table elevations include flo basements. subways. conduits and cesspools. Groundwater flood particularly prevalent in portions of Brooklyn and Queens k City'swh, terminated due to contamination. These areas are now suppliedd'fr upstate surface water sources. Presiously below-normal water ta d The dewatering I
to normallevels and caused flooding of structures built in the intenm perio .
of subways in Brook!su accounts for the withdrawal (and dis million gallons per day from three sites N.
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- w. .
/1' . A y y Aquifer Affected Area
- Area Long Beach L:osd 1 Mag e 2 5EQueens SWNassau Gaca v390er, uo.
3 nma:ca Figure 7 Lv.o 4 Great Necx L:yy3 po,: w ,,3 ,g,on Quantity Stressed Areas 5 Ucxd Basune Upper G:aci on LongIsland 9, Nassau Point Upper Gic i.
8 Great Hog Neck Upper Gae a 9 Onent Uppet Gaca:
North Hasen 10 ' fpper Gacs 11 Montauk 10
7 1 D
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ASSOCIATION OF PROBLEMS AND CAUSES Table 2 summarizes the prionty groundwater problems on Long Island and the most important causes of each. The nght hand column provides a thumbnail sketch of the human activities which'are the most significant contnbutors to the groundwater problems on Long Island.' To effectively utilize governmental resources available for groundwater protection. programs which control these human activities must be emphasized.
(
TABLE 3 LongIsland Groundwater Problems Major Problems Most Significant Sounes Solvents and Degreasers Leaks-ProductStorage Spills & Accidents & Facility Housekeeping landfills ImproperIndustrialHazardous or
, ResidualWaste Disposal ImproperIndustrialWastewater Disposal On-site Domestic Sewage Systems-L Consumer Products p On-site Domeste Sewage Syste~s -
SepticTank Cleaners Leaks -Product Storage Gasoline & Petroleum Products Spills & Accidents & Facility Housekeeping Nitrate / Nitrogen On-site Domestic Sewage Systems SewageTreatment Ptant Effluent Improper ScavengerWaste Disposal landfills Feelizer Turf, Home.
Agncu:ruralUse Pesteides & Herbicides AgneulturalUse Quantty Management Problems Overpumping SaltwaterIntrusions Depletion of Aquifer Segments Sewage Col lecton & Remote Disposal Inadequate Construction Codes Reduction of Wetlands &
Streams Loct.11 zed Groundwater Flooding Cessacon of Pumping 11 l
-- - ~ . ..
EXISTING REGULATORYPROGRAMS Groundwater management, particularly on Long Island, is extreme Correspondingly, there are a variety of agencies and programs at alllev cany out the many different tasks needed to protect the resource.
Concem for groundwater on Long Island is not new. The long standing imp of groundwater within the everall water resource picture has always application of public health, water supply and environmental programs.
programs denve much of their statutory authority from dfederal l and these programs have focused on specific types of threats such as munici wastewater discharges and landfills. As an environmental or public health threa recognized, a program to correct or abate the problem was developed and Over many yeau, the number of these programs has grown. Rarely, howeve viewed the entire array of programs and activities as an integrated package w the groundwater resource.
Historically, the local health agencies have canied out the largest p activities within the overall groundwater program on Long f Island. They various local programs and, through delegation, administer major portions o sta environmental and public health efforts. Long Island has been fortunate in local agencies which have tailored the administration of many state a activities to best meet local groundwater resource management needs.
Table 3 illusntes current program elements relating to groundwater mana on Long Island and the pattern of agency roles and responsibilities.
- The five agencies that have major stantory authority and carry ou regulatory activities in the areas of stardards setting. contam water quantity regulation, public water supply regulation and regula enforcement are: DEC, DOH, the Nassau and Suffolk County Healt Departments and the New York City Department of Health.
- Other federal. state, and regional agencies have important roles in th program. These include EPA the United States Geological S Long Island Regional Planning Board. ,ne Nassau County D Works. the New York City Departments of Environmental Protecti Planning. Many of these agencies base cntical roles in one or more pr elements.
d land
- Cities, towns and villages have the ma;or statutory authonty for zoning an use control - a crucial area uSere the major state, county and feder lack authonry. Local jurisdictions also play a major role in constru operating facilities and in responding to contamination incidents hazardous materials spi!!s.
It is apparent from Table 3 that programs currentlyin operatio needed to protect and conserve Long Island's groundwater for futu funding for major preventive regulatory programs, such as l th and industnalwastewater discharges and solid and hazardous waste di 12
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TABLE 4 Summary of Existing Programs Related to Major Groundwater Management Agencies AgencylOrganization . . . .. .
- "* So"* ~ - '
$"i" * " ta ' vias " = *
"* aw^ $'* ' " *
- va" ** ' e i** a t **
PROGRAM AREA Resource Management Standards and Classifications _$ _ { g_ , _ _ _ _ _ ___
.g.
Planning and Hewiew _ _ _ _ _
_g_. $_ 9, g g _ __
Monitoring. Data Collection and Manipulation Environmental Review (SEOR, Sole Source)
] __
g _.g
$ $_ lg Regulatory Program Direction
~
Source Control g $
Hazardous Material Storage / Handling g $ $
industrialiCommercial arid Halardous Waste g g $ $ $
g $
Municipal Sohd Vvaste ~
g 9 9 9 Sewage Treatment ~
g e e e Industrial / Commercial Wastew ater e
e e ._
on Site Saniiasy Waste , _
Pesticide /F ertiliter g ,
g 9
~
w lgl l@l l lgl l Zoning and Land Development Controls l l l l l l l l {l l l l l Water Supply _
l .._
Well Permits and Driller Registrations g ,eee [e e,G
~
G Public Water Suppiy ,
e e ,
Response and Remediation g
g g g g Con
- amination HesponsetSupes tund g g
~
g g Contaminated Aquifer Management
_[
~
~ ~
g ]' g Well Head Treatment g g g 9 .$ $
Sewering _
g g g g Regional Water Distribution and importation , _
,[, j j~ { [ ~ ^l _{l~ [" l] l l l .j l' {~l j j {l~ ]
Public Education and Participation [ [ l l_ ~ l _, l l~ .l l l l_l l ( l l [f .] l l Research [ l l _l {
lglgl l l l l l l9l l$l l l$l l l l l l Regulatory Enforcement l l LEGEND: l] attie or No Hole
( } Partecipalmg Pogram Hole
$ Primasy Program Hole
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> e theme of the program recommendations below. Additionally, in the ar handling of hazardous materials, the management c' goundwater govemment regulation of land use. the program recommends expansion of existing actisities.
PROPOSED PROGRAM ACTIONS The groundwater management program recommendations outlined belo developed with two basic considerations in mind - the problems and in place to address these problems. Collectively, the recommenda cohesive program which will provide an effective framework for groundwate activities in the future. It is neither a state nor a local program, but rather a re blending the activities of severalindependent state and local agencies. Lo acting either under their own authority or as agents of the state, sho to-day work needed to administer regulatory programs.
In totai, the Long Island Groundwater Management Report contains recommended actions - the most important of which are summarized in pages.
In the absence of adequate funding to allow for their implementa actions do not represent individual agency commitments. A companion d separate Resource Assessment Documentwhich estimates cos prionty ranking and lead implementation agencies for the individua REGULATORYPROGRAM DIRECTION Good management needs current information. DEC. DOH. and the Suff and New York City Departments of Health should participate in annual meeting the status of the program and any new issues which may have surfaced during its This regular exchange of information among agency decision makers w l regulatory agencies to make appropriate changes in the program.
l inventory, including summary information on major public well closures. cont incidents and hazardous materials leaks and spills should be prepared information supp!ied by the pamcipating agenc:es and used to proside feedb effectiveness.
Any workable program must be able to respond to chang:ng con requires feedback on how well the program is accomplishing wha DEC. in consultat.on with the participating agencies. should devel evaluation of program performance. New information and program a formally incorporated every three year < in an update of the Long Isl i
Management Program.
STANDARDS AND CLASSIFICATIONS One of the comerstones of both surface and groundwater quality ma sptem of best usage classifications and associated water q 14
. . . _ . .. . . . . ,~ . . , _ . . . . .. ,, ,-, - , _ . . - . . . . . ,, . , , , . , . , _ . . . -
r n o enforceable quality targets in that they presenbe the best use of the groundwater in any locality and the maximum allowable concentration of various pollutants according to its intended best u Under the existing sptem of groundwater quality standards and classifications in New York State, the best use of all groundwater is for drinking water supply.
An issue of major importance for groundwater management on Long Island and elsewhere is the increasing evidence of toxic chemicals - particularly syrthetic organic chemicals -in the enuronment.The inability of the standards setting process to keep pace with an ever expanding universe of toxic chemicals adds significantly to the management problem. Development of standards for new chemicals is a very lengthy and resource- .
intensive process and depends on the availability of defensible health effects data.
New York State believes that strong federal (EPA) action is needed to establish National Dnnking Water Standards for toxic chemicals commonly found in groundwater, not only on Long Island be in the rest of the state and nation as we't. In the absence of appropnate federal action. Dti and DOH should continue efforts to establish sound and defensible guidelines ar.d/or standards for industrial chemicals commonly in use on Long Island which pose a threat to groundwater quality.
GEOGRAPHICAL TARGETING OF PROGRAM EMPHASIS In order to provide a consistent basis for groundwater management, the agencies should adopt the hydrogeologic zone concept, which descnbes the Island's deep flow recharge areas and its shallow recharge areas. Deep flow areas replenish the waters in the deep aquifers which are considered to be the pnncipallong-term source of dening water.
The program should extend the hydrogeologic zones into Brooklyn and Quee - and should establish a new deep flow recharge zone on the South Fork of the Island as shee.n in Figure
- 6. Where available regulatory program resources (funding and staffing) are lim - d. program activities to protect the deep flow recharge areas should receive higher priocrg.
i R:"' ,
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' l Figure 8 Approximate locations of the Proposed Revisions j to the Hydrogeologic Zonesfor Long Island ,
Boundanes of the deep flow recharge areas I h in the Nassau Suffolk 208 Study Area - l' Zones I.11. and 111.
Proposed reestons to the Deep Flow f Recharge areas.
15
I s + c, a receive special Three other types of geographical areas have been identifie management attention. They are:
- 1. Industrialecommercial areas where there is concentrated stonng and of hazardous chemicals:
- 2. Special groundwater protection areas, which are undevelope undeveloped) recharge areas where protection of the land surface maintaining high-quality water recharge; t.nd
- 3. Quantity stressed areas where water withdrawals currently exceed groundwater yield.
Programs to address the special management needs indthese area under Site as a System management, Special Groundu:ater Recharge Area Prote Groundu:ater Quantity Management.
HA7ARDOUS MATERIAL STORAGE AND HANDLING A major threat to groundwater comes from spills and leaks of hazardous which are not wastes and consequently have not been subjected to tradition programs. Rese include petroleum products as well as industrial pro and degreasers.
Here is a strong need to fill the program gap that exists on the control of materials. As part of a more intensive surveillance effort,there must be increa l
good industrial housekeeping, spill prevention and institution of in management practices for matedals handling.
Suffolk County, through County Sanitary Code Article 12. has taken stron j, control these threats. It is proposed that Nassau County and New Yo l programs covering toxics and hazardous materiais storage and handling DEC should enforce the requirements of the state's new Petroleum B Law and continue to make available reports DEC has recently develo the public and communities in the safe storage of petroleum products.
These reports are:
l
- State of the Art Technology Manual;
- Facility Sit ng Manual; and j
- Model Ordinance for Siting Bulk Storage Facilities.
SITE AS-A SYSTEMMANAGEMENT i For special management areas involving major, complex industria clusters of commercial / industrial facilities, a system of interdiscip!! nary r should be evaluated for use by DEC and local health departments. T examine all potential contamination sources such as chemical storage as well as wastewater discharges at specific industrial / commercial s coordinate the efforts of existing regulatory programs with a strong empha of contamination..
Suffolk County's efforts under Article 12. which utilizes interdisciplinary inspections. represent significant progress in the direction of thi preventive management. The expansion of this effort to other be evaluated.
16 L o __ _ _ _ _
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WASTEWATERDISCHARGES Municipal, industrial and commercial wastewater discharges are regulated through the SPDES system. DEC's approach to administering the SPDES program in the face of limited resources has been to prioritize SPDES permit surveillance and compliance actisities by size and type of discharge, with emphasis on control of toxic discharges and other i significant industrial and municipal discharges.
On Long Island, DEC should also utilize the following geographic / hydrologic prionties to further guide program emphasis:
- Special Groundwater Protection Areas (see Figure 9)
- Areas of High Intensity Industnal/ Commercial Development (See Site As-A-System Management)
- Deep Flow Recharge Areas
- Shallow Flow Recharge Areas As part of a statewide effort to improve administration and enforcement of SPDES permits DEC has made the following commitments:
- To wnte an enforcement policy goveming water, air and solid waste regulatory programs. This policy will specify types and levels of penalties and establish formal enforcement procedures.
- To hire four more attomeys to assia in water program enforcement. As of September 1.1983, four assistant regional attomeys have been hired, including a -
fulltime attomey for Region 1.
- To increase the number of technical seminars and workshops on enforcement for DEC staff. l
- To establish a quality assurance program to improve the accuracy ar .3 reliability of l
testing processes by DEC and dischargers. As of September 1. M3. a quality assurance / quality control (QA!QC) plan has been developri ar.: will be in operation April 1,1984.
- To support a bill requiring certification of laboratories doing analstical work for the state. The laboratory certification bill was enacted into law by the leg:s:ature dunng 1983.
- To hire 12 more inspectors statewide to enforce SPDES permit requ.rements. As of September 1.1983. hiring of the surveillance staff had begun. Four of the new l >
positions have been assigned to DEC Regions 1 and 2 which coser Long Island l
- To expand electronic data processing to provide quicker access to information on l
i SPDES permits. self monitonng and surveillance.
- To develop a technical manual to guide permit-issuing staff in setting permit limits
~
for chemicals and establishing monitonng schedules for dischargers A decision matnx for SPDES permit requirements has been developed and adopted by DEC.
HAZARDOUS WASTES This program area is charactenzed by intense public interest and dramatic regulatory program changes. It is of criticalimportance to develop management programs for these 17 l
wastes on the basis of verifiable needs rather than on popular fears which may not be founded in fact. The most pressing need is to establish sound, verifiable data on the quantities and types of wastes and the geographical point of generation of hazard DEC will complete its evaluations of first year data from the hazardous waste manifest system, the generator annual reports and the Part 360 permit annual repJ department will issue its findings to the Legislature. DEC should propose program modifications to close any industrial waste or hazardous waste management deficiencie indicated by the data.
The Suffolk and Nassau County Health Departments and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection should conduct detailed hazardous waste generation sunieys covering representative industnal/ commercial areas within their respective jurisdictions and prepare reports on the types and amounts of wastes including the amount of such wastes generated by small (under 100 kilograms / m generators. DEC should act as the coordinating agency for this work.
The state Hazardous Waste Siting Task Force should examine the newest information regarding the need for hazardous waste treatment facilities in the state and recommend a policy and process for developing any needed treatment capacity.
MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE New state legislation applicable to Nassau and Suffolk Counties prohibits any new or expanded landfill in the deep flow recharge zones immediately and prohibits o existing landfills in the same zones after seven years (1990). Specific exemptions are provided for emergency situations and for landf "5 receiving residue from resource recove incine ation or composting. The same law imposes conditions on the operation of land outside the deep flow recharge zones.
With the assistance of local health depar:ments. DEC should evaluate every landf on Long Island and establish a priority list and schedule for all sites to be closed cooperation with the Long Island Regional Planning Board. DEC should comp Island regional solid waste management plan to reflect phasing out of alllandfill deep flow recharge areas and all other sites significantly threatening the env addition. the department will assist programming of altemative solid waste management solutions. DEC should promote resource recovery as the best long-term solid wa altemative. Scheduler for the development of resource recovery projects should be coordinated with the priority listing for landfill c!osures.
PESTICIDES Under the federal Insecticide. Fungicide. Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA registers pesticides for use. FIFRA pesticide screening procedures have recently be pesticides. EPA should aggressively implement the new procedures to m chemicals that can teach into groundweter are not issued federal registrations. Mo determine the impac* of pesticide use will continue.
New pesticides proposed for use in eastem Suffolk County should requ merited. groundwater monitoring at the expense of the manufacturer as a c reg:stration.
18
Y o . c4 Agencies representing the agncultural community, aided by Comell University and the Cooperative Extension Seivice, should research and develop attemative agncultural metb-ds to reduce the current use of chemicals in eastem Suffolk County.
ZONING ANDLAND USECONTROLS Regulat'on of how the land is used and what is built on it is an integral factor in protecting groundwater. In New York State, land-use control authority is reserved for local govemments under the home rule doctrine. It is, therefore, essential that local govemments exercise their jurisdiction in land.use issues. mindful of the need to protect groundwater, as prud-mtly as possible.
Nitrate contamination associated with septic sptems and residential fertilizer use in newly developed areas is often best controlled by limiting population densities. Zoning to properly locate industrial / commercial development is an essential supplement to the regulatory programs previously discussed for reducing contamination threats to entical aquifer recharge areas.
The Long Island Rgional Planning Board (LIRPB) should develop model local zoning provisions and site development guidelines to reduce the impact of development on groundwater and advise loca. govemments on their use.
SPECIAL GROUNDWATER RECHARGE AREA PROTECTION Special Groundwater Protection Areas are defined as significant, large!y undeveloped or sparsely developed geographic areas of Long Island which recharge portions of the deep t!ow aquifer sprem (see Figure 7). A primary example is tr.e sparsely developed portion of the Long Island Pine Barrens in eastem Suffolk Counce 4P" J'
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5,_ $ - w n, .
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t
..($ d Figure 9 Appmxtmate Location of Special Groundwater Pmtection Areas on LongIsla O souaaanes or proposed oeep rio-Recharge areas.
g Areas identfied as special Groundwater Protect;on Areas 19
b a gy Special management attention must be given to these areas to maintain them sources of high quality, uncontaminated recharge to the deep flow aquifer system.
The Regional Planning Board and DEC should work with local govemments to designate all Special Groundwater Protection Areas as " environmentally sens under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR). Such designation will mea actions in these areas will be more likely to receive a thorough environmentalimpact review.
Watershed management strategies should be prepared for Special Groundwater Protection Areas by DEC, LIRPB, the county health agency and local govemment. Each strategy should include consideration of:
L Land use and zoning
- existing and proposed land use
- existing and recommended zoning a land purchase and preservation
- 2. Regulation of contaminant sources
- prohibition of toxic materials storage or use
- control of point discharges j Work has already started on these strategies with federal grant funds made availabl l to the LIRPB by DEC.
DEC and the Joint Legislative Commission on Water Resources Needs of Long Island should develop and propose federal and state legislation to provide funds for pla and land acquisition to preserve Special Groundwater Protection Areas.
GROUNDWATER QUANTITYMANAGEMENT -
Figure 5 illustrates known area = of existmg quantity stress on Long Island. There is evidence that additional areas c.4y become stressed in the future. The Long Islar'd Well Permit Program ana water Supply Permit Program as presently funded and supported by current policy and technical assistance. to not adequately prevent adverse quantity impacts on the aquifer system.
DEC should refine and utilize the Long Island Well Perrnit and Water Supply Perm:t Programs to institute a prevention oriented groundwater quantity management all of Long Island. A basic technical foundation should be the development of safe y estimates - that amount of water which can be pumped out of the ground in a given area without seriously depleting the volume of water in storage or inducing other negative environmental impacts. Long Island should be mapped for areas of existing quantity stress and impending quantity stress. DEC and DOH working with local health departments, should develop groundwater quantity / water supply strategies for these areas. Manageme options such as mandatory water conservation, increased groundwater recharge, wate treatment water importation and local population / development controls should be included.
In order to provide an Island wide regional perspective for such strategies. DEC a DOH should seek funding to prepare a groundwater quantity / water supply plan for a Long Island.
20
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- p-The U.S. Geological Survey should provide ongoing technical /hydrogeologic support for this quantity management program through a cooperative agreement and financial support from DEC.
WATER CONSERVATION Water conservation is a basic element of good water management and is particularly importantin a sole source aquifer area like Long Island where portions of the aquifer system are, or may experience, quantity stress. Water conservation should be promoted for all areas of Long Island. For known areas of quantity stress. DEC should require water conservation measures as a condition of Long Island Well Permits and Water Supply Permits.
In areas with aging water distribution systems such as in Brooklyn and Queens.
studies should be undertaken to evaluate the effects of system leakage on the total volumes of water withdrawn for use.
CONTAMINATION RESPONSE AND REMEDIATION The overall emphasis of programs to protect anJ conserve Long Island's groundwater for the future must be preventative rather than reactive. It is easier and cheaper to prevent contamination than to clean up after contamination has occurred. Nevertheless. a reasonable level of program effort must be devoted to contamination response and technically feasible, cost effective remediation.
- DEC. DOH, and the Nassau. Suffolk and New York City Health Departments should maintain a capacity to perform contamination incident response, including trackdown to identify contamination sources. Where trackdown is poss.Sie, these agencies should use their enforcement authority to recover remedia an costs
. from responsible parties.
- DEC should continue to identify. evaluate and clean up all existing azardcus waste disposal sites on Long Island. These efforts should include using state and federal Superfund authonty combined with the other enforcement capabt!ities of -
all federal state and local agencies. including DEC's new Division of Environmental Enforcement. First prtonty should be to force site eva!uation and remediation by responsible individuals and firms.
- DEC. in cooperation with the Suffolk. Nassau and New York City Departments of Health should develop and update (on a three year cstle in accord .eth Long Island Groundwater Program updates) a document which identifies, descnbes and maps all known contaminated segments. The above agencies should. in response to direct existing or potential impact on water supply wells. develop response strategies for contaminated aquifer segments. This document is a significant part of the problem inventory referenced in the Regulatory Program Direction section.
- DOH should prepare and maintain up to date guidance forwater supphers on the availability, approvability and costs of wellhead treatment methods. DOH should identify. for possible funding. projects to develop and demonstrate new technology.
i'
- DEC In consultation with DOT and the Comptroller's Office. should prepare a manual to guide state and local agencies on petroleum and hazardous matertals 21 t
I,
' to ' s w
,l' spills and cleanups. The manual should include notification procedures, agenc responsibilities, clean-up procedures and enforcement requirements.
REGUl.ATORt' ENFORCEMENT Enforcement of applicable regulations is anintegralpart of allenvironmen regulatory programs. including those relating to hazardous chemical st westewater discharges, solid and hazardous wastes and pesticides.
There is a need to establish a clear written policy on enforcement and to inc amount of regulatory program resources devoted to enforcement.
Several recent DEC commitments to impro - Se enforcement of the SPDE' program have been desenbed above (see Wasteuoter Discharges). It c commitments actually relate to the enforcement of all environmental quality reg programs administered by the department.
There is no illusion that these initiatives will totally meet all the long term n they are a step forward. There will be a continuing need to emphasize r and to assign adequate resources to enforcement activities. Success sho an ongoing basis through the annual regulatory management oversight func PUBLICEDUCATION AND PARTICIPATION DEC will conduct a puolic participation program for the Long Island Ground Management Program.
An educational program should be developed by the participating agenci the general public about Long Island's water resources. This should inc and implementation of an educational curriculum for use in public scho the New York State Legislative Commission on Water Resource Needs o CONCLUSION Strong, well designed management programs to protect the quality Long Island's groundwater resources are essential for the future soci cf the region. The recently completed draft Long island Groundwater M has been prepared specifically to assess the scope of management n range of govemmental activities required to properly manage this for the future. -
This executive summary is a synopsis of the most salient facts, issues an recommendanons from that draft report.
In the development of govemmental programs. it is important that the sug and concems of all segments of society be properly considered.We would any concems, comments c. suggestions you may have. Commen Daniel Halton Chector Bureau of Water Resources New York Statt Department of Environmental Conservation 50 Wolf Road Rm. 328 Afoany, New York 12233 22 k
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ggATED 008B
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA o NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION g COCMErn Before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board USARf" "5 FEB 22 All:47
)
In the Matter of ) 0 y 3,gcag gg j,,
i ) ,a SERWCT, LONG ISLAND LIGHTING-COMPANY ) Docket No. 50"-Yh, DOL-3
) (Emergency Planning)
'(Shoreham Nuclear Power Station )
-Unit 1) ) ~~
)
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that copies of:
- l. DIRECT TESTIMONY OF LEON CAMPO ON BEHALF OF SUFFOLK
, COUNTY REGARDING LILCO'S PROFFERED EVIDENCE OF JANUARY 11 I 2. DIRECT TESTIMONY OF JAMES H. JOHNSON, JR. ON BEHALF I '
OF SUFFOLK COUNTY REGARDING LILCO'S PROFFERED EVIDENCE OF JANUARY 11
- 3. DIRECT TESTIMONY OF EDWARD P. RADFORD ON BEHALF 0F SUFFOLK COUNTY REGARDING LILCO'S PROFFERED EVIDENCE OF JANUARY 11
- 4. DIRECT TESTIMONY OF DEPUTY CIIIEF INSPECTOR RICHARD
- C. ROBERTS ON BEHALF OF SUFFOLK COUNTY REGARDING l
LILCO'S PROFFERED EVIDENCE OF JANUARY.11 ,
I i' 5. DIRECT TESTIMONY OF CHARLES E. KILDUFF ON BEHALF OF NEW YORK STATE ~REGARDING LILCO'S PROFFERED EVIDENCE l, OF JANUARY 11 1
- 6. DIRECT TESTIMONY OF LANGDON MARSH ON BEHALF OF THE l STATE OF NEW YORK REGARDING LILCO'.S PROFFERED EVIDENCE OF JANUARY 11 l
l' 7. DIRECT TESTIMONY OF SARAH J. MEYLAND ON BEHALF OF THE
' STATE OF.NEW YORK REGARDING LILCO'S PROFFERED EVIDENCE .
OF JANUARY 11 have been. served on the individuals identified below on this 19th day of February, 1985 by U.S. mail, first-class, except as other-wise noted.
em* 6
a
- a
- Morton B. Margulies Edwin J. Reis, Esq. "
! Administrative Law Judge
- Bernard M. Bordenick, Esq. E Atomic Safety and Licensing Board U.S.. Nuclear Regulatory Commission u U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Washington, D.C. 20555 -
Washington, D.C. 20555 3
- Dr. Jerry R. Kline Atomic Safety and Licensing Board
- Spence Perry, Esq.
Associate General Counsel g
m U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Federal Emergency. Management Agency Washington, D.C. 20555 Washington, D.C. 20471 -.
- Mr. Frederick J. Shon Stephen B. Latham, Esq.
Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Twomey, Latham & Shea i U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission P.O. Box 398 Washington, D.C. 20555 33 West Second Street ~
Riverhead, New York 11901 Edward M. Barrett, Esq.
General Counsel Docketing and Service Section Long Island Lighting Company Office of the Secretary 3 250 Old Country Road U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission d2 Mineol.a, New York 11501 1717 H Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20555
- W. Taylor Reveley, III, Esq. h Hunton & Williams Hon. Peter Cohalan j P.O. Box 1535 Suffolk County Executive -
707 East Main Street H. Lee Dennison Building 1 Richmond, Virginia 23212 Veterans Memorial Highway g,:
Hauppauge, New York 11788 4 Nora Bredes 2 Executive Director James B. Dougherty 5 Shoreham Opponents Coalition 3045 Porter Street, N.W. w 195 East Main Street Washington, D.C. 20008 . Q Smithtown, New York 11787 -
Atomic Safety and Licensing i
- Ms. Donna D. Duer Appeal Board G Atomic Safety and Licensing U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission =
Board Panel Washington, D.C. 20555 4 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission i Wachington, D.C. 20555 Fabian G. Palomino, Esq. r Special Counsel to the Governor Martin Bradley Ashare, Esq. Executive Chamber, Room 229 !
Suffolk County Attorney State Capitol j H. Lee Dennison Building Albany, New York 12224 q Veterans Memorial Highway y Hauppauge, New York 11788 -]
Atomic .3afety and Licensing Board Panel d U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 1 Washington, D.C. 20555 g 4
1 m
6 3
a
3-ocStewart M. Glass / Esq. Mary Gundrum, Esq.
Regional Counsel New York State Department Federal Emergency Management
~
of Law Agency 2 World Trade Center 26 Federal Plaza Room 4614 New York, New York 10278 New York, New York 10047 Michael S. Miller KIRKPATRICK & LOCKHART 1900 M' Street, N.W., Suite 800 Washington, D.C. 20036 Dated: February 19, 1985
- 'By Hand
- By Federal Express e
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