Troop Leader Melissa Sciortino holds a trash bag while Girl Scouts Lana, left, and Kennedy, gather garbage dropped on the ground by people at DeWitt Recreation Area in Batavia.

Also helping from Troop 60870 in Spencerport was Isabella.

The girls were earning badges for environment, hiking and wilderness.

The clean-up was part of the Genesee County Parks Department celebration of Earth Day at DeWitt.

Robert and Sara Mackenzie were among the volunteers today helping to clean up Oakfield for the community's 13th annual Earth Day observance. The Mackenzies were picking up trash on Drake Street Road.

Heidi Young, with the Genesee County Soil and Water Conservation District, loads a pair of trees into the truck of Joe Reif, of Clarence, as part of the department's tree and shrub program for 2022.

Area residents were able to pre-order a variety of trees and shrubs for spring planting from Soil and Water and pick them up today at the Agri-Culture Center on East Main Street Road, Batavia.

This year there were 41 tree and shrub options for sale and 15 different multi-stem packages. Items ranged from evergreens, hardwoods, fruit trees, and flowering shrubs, to perennial flowers and ferns. Items that were not offered in a while have reappeared in the catalog this year, including white cedar transplants, yellow birch, pin cherry, and white flowering dogwood.

Photos by Howard Owens

On behalf of New York Green, CC Environment & Planning and LaBella Associates are holding a Public Input Meeting on Tuesday, April 19, to discuss the Draft Genesee County Resiliency Plan. The Draft Resiliency Plan provides an overview of current and future climate trends and impacts in Genesee County; identification of County assets, risks, vulnerabilities, and opportunities; development and prioritization of local resilience strategies; and projects designed for immediate implementation. The Draft Resiliency Plan is available for public review and comment at: COUNTYWIDE RESILIENCY PLAN (ny-green.org).

The Resiliency Plan is being developed in partnership between New York Green and Genesee County, with funding from the NYS Department of State.

The Public Open House will be held on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at the Innovation Room in the Genesee County Economic Development Center Office, located at 99 MedTech Drive in Batavia. There will be two sessions to facilitate participation. The first session will be held from 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm. The second will be held from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm. A presentation outlining the Draft Resiliency Plan will be provided, followed by an open discussion.

For more information, contact Sheila Hess at CC Environment & Planning, at (518) 219-4030 or visit COUNTYWIDE RESILIENCY PLAN (ny-green.org).

A new Genesee River Blueway Map is ready for use by canoeists and kayakers who wish to explore and connect with the Genesee River.

The downloadable Overview Map (pdf) shows current river access locations from Pennsylvania to Lake Ontario.

A web-based Interactive Map gives users detailed information about each access point, including photos of the sites. Printed copies of the Overview Map will be available at access points over the next few months as signage and map holders are installed.

Genesee RiverWatch partnered with Genesee River Wilds in Allegany County and the Genesee Valley Conservancy in Geneseo to develop the Blueway Map.

The new map updates a 2004 version produced by the Sierra Club Rochester Regional Group.

Today’s map adds new sites and removes those which have fallen into disrepair and are unsafe to use. The addition of an expanded online map will allow information to be updated frequently and to include data on river conditions and nearby services that would not fit on a printed document.

The work was funded by a $25,000 grant from New York Sea Grant and financial and in-kind support from the Greater Allegany County Chamber of Commerce.

As part of this project, Genesee RiverWatch has developed a prioritized list of sites for new and improved access based on input from stakeholders and citizens, aerial imaging, GIS, the work of others, and site visits.

This work is summarized in the Genesee River Canoe/Kayak Access Improvement Plan 2019 and will be used as guidance for future funding applications.

Additional Information

Genesee River Facts

The Genesee River flows 157 miles from its sources near Gold, Pennsylvania to Lake Ontario at Rochester, New York. The Genesee Basin drains approximately 2,500 square miles in Monroe, Livingston, Genesee, Orleans, Wyoming, Ontario, Steuben, Allegany and Cattaraugus counties in New York and Potter County in Pennsylvania. Twenty-four sub-watersheds of the Genesee contain 5,048 miles of streams.

Current land use within the watershed is approximately 52-percent agricultural, 40-percent forest, 4-percent urban, 2-percent wetlands, and 2-percent other developed lands.

The Genesee River has been shaped by its glacial history. The last glacier receded around 12,000 years ago, leaving the spectacular Letchworth gorge and magnificent waterfalls, but also unconsolidated soils that erode easily and produce approximately 420,000 tons of river sediment each year.

Genesee RiverWatch

Genesee RiverWatch Inc. improves the water quality of the Genesee River and its tributaries to create environmental, recreational, and economic assets for its communities. We also connect people to the river, encouraging them to explore, experience and celebrate the river.

Contact George Thomas at (585) 233-6086 or Gthomas@ceinfo.org

Genesee River Wilds

Genesee River Wilds is an organization of like-minded people whose goal is to develop the use of the upper Genesee River for outdoor recreation and enjoyment of the natural environment. We focus on improving existing facilities, constructing new infrastructure, expanding trails, adding parks and on balancing development with ecological conservation.

Contact Thomas Rhett at: Thomas.Rhett16@houghton.edu

Genesee Valley Conservancy

The Genesee Valley Conservancy is a not-for-profit land trust that strives to conserve important natural resources and strengthen connections between people and the land in the Genesee River watershed.

Since 1990, GVC has worked to permanently protect important wildlife habitat, working farms and forest land, and expansive natural areas within Livingston, Wyoming, Allegany, Ontario, Steuben, and Monroe counties.

In addition to directly conserving land, Genesee Valley Conservancy facilitates sound land-use planning amongst municipalities for the benefit of the community. Genesee Valley Conservancy also owns three nature preserves, open to the public year-round for outdoor recreation such as hiking and canoeing and hosts educational lectures and walks on protected property.

Established in 1993, CUTW is one of the largest community-based environmental programs in the world, uniting community groups, schools, businesses, and local governments to carry out activities that address local environmental issues. The organization inspired billions of people across all continents to tread lightly, clean up, and conserve the planet in addition to combating waste and plastic pollution.

In order to fulfill its commitment to the program Tops is hosting a Clean Up the World Weekend, Sept. 20-22, at all 159 of its stores across three states, including its two stores in Genesee County -- Batavia and Le Roy.

Over the course of the three days, 10,000 reusable bags made of 10-percent recyclable materials will randomly be given away, encouraging shoppers to use recycled bags over plastic. This is especially pertinent in New York State where a plastic bag ban is currently in legislation and set to go into effect in March.

Additionally shoppers will learn more about specific earth friendly brands available at Tops including Full Circle, Mrs. Meyers, Method, Seventh Generation and more as they make their own personal choices to make a difference in their own carbon footprint.

Lastly, Tops associates will be participating in environmental clean ups across the communities in which it serves. From river and beach clean ups to beautifying trails and parks, Tops is encouraging its associates to make a difference.

“At Tops Friendly Markets, social responsibility and sustainability have always been at the core of our mission, upholding standards that ensure we reduce environmental waste and energy consumption while providing our customers with sustainably sourced, high-quality products,” said Kathy Sautter, public and media relations manager for Tops Friendly Markets.

“We continue to make great strides in reducing our environmental impact in every facet of our business. For example we are able to reduce the amount of inedible food going back into landfills by recycling over 346 tons of inedible food and over 156 tons of unusable organic products this year alone.”

Across the chain, Tops raises its efficiencies in other ways as well by implementing energy efficient lighting which drastically reduces energy consumption throughout their stores properties. The chain began upgrading interior lighting to LED lights/fixtures thru a program with Lime Energy Services in several of its stores as well as its corporate offices and mailroom. In 2019 these retro-fittings now save over 1,909,725 kWh annually.

As Tops launched into a year of remodels in 2019 LED lighting continues to be used to ensure additional savings. LED lighting was also used in fuel canopies in 2019 helping to save over 181,000 kWh annually in exterior lighting as well.

Tops also took a look at how it could reduce the amount of refrigerant containing ozone depleting gases and retrofitted multiple systems companywide resulting in 20,000 pounds less for an overall 10-percent reduction. Overall the company was able to reduce its leak rates on these harmful refrigerants by 20 percent keeping 5,600 pounds out of the atmosphere.

Tops is also on track to exceed last year’s totals when it comes to recycling. So far this year alone the company has recycled more than 9,500 tons of cardboard and over 395 tons of plastic bags and film.

Federal and state environmental agencies are continuing to monitor and work on cleanup of contaminants at the Lehigh Train Derailment Superfund Site off of Gulf Road, according to information obtained by The Batavian.

The elimination of TCE contaminants from groundwater in the four-mile-long plume area, which stretches from Gulf Road to four miles east and southeast of the derailment site, is not likely to occur in most of our lifetimes.

The derailment site cleanup was largely forgotten until 2011 when it became the focus of speculation during the Le Roy tic issue when about a dozen high school girls developed spontaneous tic-like movements.

Bob Bowcock, an environmental scientist brought to Le Roy by environmental activist and lawyer Erin Brockovich, determined then that there was no TCE reaching the school property, and it was unlikely the spill site and the tics were linked (the girls were diagnosed with conversion disorder and no scientific evidence ever emerged to contradict that diagnosis).

Information about the spill site made public by the Environmental Protection Agency since then confirm Bowcock's analysis.

In 2017, the Lehigh Valley Railroad corporation, under the direction of the EPA and the DEC, completed a vapor-extraction program at the spill site.

Michael Basile, regional spokesman for the EPA, said the vapor removal effort, which lasted for two years, did remove some TCE, but vapor extraction cannot remove all of it.

"It has been determined that there is TCE embedded in the rock/gravel at the site that cannot be removed via the SVE system," Basile wrote in an email. "Consultants for the responsible party have recently completed a study that has looked at several remedial measures that may be feasible to address the contamination at the site. It is under review by EPA and New York State. EPA will determine the appropriate next steps."

TCE, or trichloroethylene, according to the EPA website, is "a volatile organic compound." It is a clear, colorless liquid that has a sweet odor and evaporates quickly. TCE is a toxic chemical with human health concerns."

After the Lehigh Valley derailment in 1970, a plume of TCE quickly spread to the east and southeast for about four miles, in a human-foot-shaped pattern and groundwater forces around it have kept it contained to that area. It has become embedded in the bedrock of the plume area making it impossible to completely remove.

Eventually, it will all evaporate as hydraulic action brings more and more of it to the surface, but that process will take five decades or more.

"Considering the railroad derailment occurred in December 1970 -- where it was estimated that 30,000 to 35,000 gallons of TCE were spilled onto the ground contaminating the soil and groundwater -- even with the most sophisticated hydrogeological equipment it is very difficult to estimate how much contamination still exists in the area," Basile said.

The EPA says current vapor levels in the plume area are generally below the levels of human health concerns.

Basile said 13 residences in the plume area have been affected by the spill and have vapor-mitigation systems installed in their homes and the EPA continues to monitor these properties.

The public water supply has been protected from the plume, according to the EPA.

"With the extension of the public water supply to the affected homes and businesses, the installation of the soil-vapor mitigation systems on the affected homes, plus continual monitoring of the groundwater, public health and safety concerns continue to be achieved," Basile said.

Top photo: Vapor removal pipes still in place at the derailment site. The vapor removal effort has ended but the pipes remain in place while the EPA and DEC evaluate what steps to take next.

FIle photo: What the site looked like in 2012. The barrels were removed within weeks after this photo was taken, which was during Bob Bowcock's inspection of the site.

Below is a video produced by the EPA in 2017 about the spill cleanup. It goes into a great amount of detail about the hydraulics of the spill, its history, and how it's being monitored and remediated.

The Department of Environmental Conservation has completed clean up of environmental contamination on city property next door to the former Batavia Iron and Metal Co. property at 301 Bank St.

The former metal recycling plant is a state Superfund site and has been a target of environmental remediation for toxic waste since 2013.

The property in question is land along the northern end of the Dwyer Stadium parking lot.

Clean up of the entire site is almost complete.

From August 2017 to June 2018, crews removed soil along the property line and at the rear of the property.

"The primary goal of the cleanup effort was to ensure effective removal and property disposal of contaminated soil and debris on City property and to restore the property with clean soil," the DEC stated in a report on the project.

The contractor was Nature's Way Environmental, from Alden.

During remediation, 17,000 tons of soil and debris was removed. 

The city property received clean soil and grass seed.

The DEC estimates the remaining surface clean up of the Iron and Metal property will be completed by late 2018.

The site was operated as a metal recycling facility from 1951 to 1999. Two furnaces operated on the property from the early 1970s until 1994. The furnaces reclaimed wire and smelted white metals. Before the furnaces were installed, the company used open-burn dumpsters to remove insulation from wiring.

From these activities, contaminants leached onto city property and three neighboring residential properties.

Cleanup of the residential properties was completed in 2014.