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FACT SHEET-Sylvania-Corning, NY

Sylvania Corning Plant/Former Sylvania Electric Products Facility Site

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District
Published Dec. 14, 2023

DESCRIPTION: The Sylvania Corning Plant/former Sylvania Electric Products Facility (a.k.a Sylcor) site (the Site) is a 9.49 acres area divided into three (3) separate properties located at 70, 100, and 140 Cantiague Rock Road, Town of Oyster Bay, County of Nassau, State of New York, in the westernmost portion of Hicksville, Long Island approximately thirty (30) miles east of lower Manhattan. The site was utilized for the manufacture of Government and commercial nuclear elements (e.g., cores, slugs, fuel elements) for reactors used in research and electric power generation between 1952 and 1967. Operations at the site used natural, enriched, and depleted uranium, and to a lesser extent thorium. Site contamination consists of these radioactive materials as well as nickel and volatile organics. Sylvania and related entities ("Sylvania") conducted nuclear work on site under a major contract to the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) from 1952-1965 (referred to as "AEC Contract work"), and conducted other nuclear work for commercial and other government contracts (referred to as "Commercial work").

Commercial work began in 1957, which were mostly, but not completely, located on the 70 Cantiague Rock Road property. AEC Contract work occurred, mostly but not completely, on the 100 and 140 Cantiague Rock Road properties. Contract documents and AEC commercial licenses indicate that AEC Contract and Commercial work involved large amounts of similar radioactive materials (e.g., uranium and thorium) and similar volatile organic compounds such as degreasers (e.g., PCE). Waste materials were frequently burned or disposed of on site in unlined sumps. Wastes were also directed to leach pools, although little information is available as to the nature of these wastes.

General Telephone and Electric Operations and Support Inc (GTEOSI), a corporate predecessor of the original Sylvania manufacturing company, entered into a voluntary cleanup agreement with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) to remediate the soils at the Site to allow unrestricted future use of the Site. The ensuing remediation was conducted in 2003 and 2004 and consisted of a large-scale excavation of soils from 14 remedial cells where 194,733,449 pounds (approximately 97,000 tons) of soil and materials were removed and shipped for disposal at licensed or permitted landfills.  The site was referred to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP)  to complete additional investigation and remedial activities as they relate to government liabilities in 2005.

AUTHORIZATION/PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The United States Department of Energy (DOE) determined that the site is eligible for inclusion in FUSRAP. USACE will address the site under authorization given it by the U.S. Congress in the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act of 1998 to determine if there is a need for action.

STATUS: USACE completed a Preliminary Assessment in fiscal year 2005 (FY05) and an on-site Remedial Investigation (RI) in FY10. The Site was included in a Regional Groundwater Listing on the National Priorities List (NPL) by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in September 2011. Off-site groundwater characterization has been completed and is included in a comprehensive RI report that was finalized in September 2021. In FY22 the USACE began performing a Feasibility Study to review remedial alternatives for the site. In addition, the USACE completed a Pilot Study using Soil Vapor Extraction and Air Sparge designed to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the soil and shallow groundwater at a former disposal area on the 100 property. The study was a successful demonstration that this technology is well suited for removal of these VOCs at this site. Currently the Feasibility Study is in the finalization stages, once complete the Record of Decision (ROD) will be drafted. Groundwater sampling efforts continue to evaluate, and track contaminates of concern in the site. Implementation of the groundwater pilot study remediation alternatives will begin FY 25.

For more information please click here

Sylvania Corning FUSRAP Preliminary Assessment

Sylvania Corning FUSRAP Site Final Remedial Investigation

Final RI Sylvania FUSRAP Appendices A-G

Final RI Sylvania FUSRAP Appendices H-N

CONTACT:

Helen K. Edge, Project Manager
Phone: (917) 790-8332
Email: Helen.K.Edge@usace.army.mil
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District 
Programs and Project Management Division
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278