Aluminum Company of America
Massena, NY

Alcoa, Inc. has owned and operated an aluminum product manufacturing facility called Alcoa West facility in the Town of Massena, New York, since 1903.  In connection with its past operations at the facility, Alcoa released hazardous substances, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), onto the facility property as well as into the Grasse River through four industrial outfalls.  As a result of these discharges, sediments in the river system surrounding the Alcoa West facility and approximately seven miles downstream have been contaminated.  Analysis of fish in the Grasse River revealed high levels of PCB contamination and as a result in 1990, the New York State Department of Health issued a consumption advisory recommending that no fish be eaten from the Grasse River between the Massena Power Canal and the mouth of the St Lawrence River.

Contamination on the Alcoa West facility property and in upland areas is being investigated and remediated by Alcoa pursuant to several Consent Orders with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). 

On September 28, 1989, EPA issued a Unilateral Administrative Order (the Order) to Alcoa requiring the company to investigate the extent of contamination at, and analyze remedial alternatives for, the Grasse River Study Area Site (Site), which includes that portion of the Grasse River between the confluence of the Grasse and St. Lawrence Rivers and a point one mile west and upriver from Alcoa's western­most outfall, and any associated tributaries and wetlands. 

In the summer of 1995, Alcoa completed a non time-critical removal action (NTCRA) that removed highly contaminated sediments from an area near an outfall at the Alcoa facility.  Alcoa removed about 3,000 cubic yards of sediment, boulders, and debris which included approximately 8,000 pounds of PCBs.

Several studies have been performed at the Site since the NTCRA was completed.  In 2001, Alcoa conducted a Capping Pilot Study in order to test a variety of capping materials and application methods over a seven acre area in the Grasse River.  In 2002, Alcoa submitted a Capping Pilot Study Documentation (CPS) Report and an Analysis of Alternatives Report (equivalent to a feasibility study report) for remediating the remaining river sediments.  Monitoring conducted in 2003, however, indicated that cap material had been lost and, in some areas, underlying sediment had eroded as a result of an ice jam scour event.  As a result, Alcoa needed to re-evaluate remedial alternatives for the Site in order to account for the possibility of future severe ice jam scour events, which were unknown prior to the 2003 event.  Alcoa conducted Remedial Operations Pilot Study (ROPS) in 2005 in which pilot-scale dredging, thin-layer capping, and armored capping were performed to generate data that will be used in a revised Analysis of Alternatives Report.  Alcoa also had conducted In-Situ PCB Bioavailability Reduction Pilot Study using granulated activated carbon in 2006 and in 2007 performed an Ice-Breaking Demonstration Project.
 
EPA anticipates issuing a Proposed Plan in 2012. The Proposed Plan is prepared after all cleanup alternatives have been developed, and will recommend what EPA considers to be the best cleanup option for the site. The public will be provided with an opportunity to comment on the Proposed Plan and a public meeting will be held to discuss the recommended cleanup method.