Source: http://www.recordonline.com, February 3, 2017
By: Michael Randall
The current owner of the former Star Expansion factory will undertake an investigation to determine the current status of pollutants at the state Superfund site.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation says the investigation will look for things like groundwater contamination, concentrations of metal in the soil, and the presence of volatile organic compounds – substances that can easily turn into gases, creating harmful vapors.

The town Planning Board in January issued a positive declaration for the expansion, finding it potentially would have a significant negative environmental impact. That will trigger the compilation of a full environmental impact statement.
The DEC says the site was the subject of numerous investigations and remedial actions in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1997, Star’s owners signed a consent order with the DEC, but declared bankruptcy and abandoned the property before completing the required cleanup work.
Star Expansion, founded in 1956, made industrial fasteners such as nuts, bolts, screws and anchors, and at its peak employed as many as 400.
The site is currently home to three businesses, which make electrical equipment, furniture and cosmetics.
Attempts to reach a representative of Cornwall Properties LLC were unsuccessful.
The DEC said once the remedial investigation is complete, the owners will conduct a feasibility study to evaluate potential solutions for cleaning up any remaining contamination.
The DEC then would draft a proposed remedial action plan. That would be presented at a public meeting and be subject to a 30-day comment period before a final plan is adopted.
The DEC said that process will take at least 18 months to two years, depending on what the investigation finds.