County and Village officials can now reach an agreement on how to redevelop the former Jackson Steel plant
(Long Island, NY) U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice today announced new progress in the effort to redevelop the vacant Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund site located at the former Jackson Steel manufacturing plant in the Village of Mineola. Rice held a meeting on Friday, May 22nd with federal, state and local officials to discuss the status of the site, which had been contaminated by degreasing chemicals that posed a significant threat to public health. At the meeting, EPA officials stated that they have completed remediation of the site and that the agency is committed to working with whoever takes ownership of the property to ensure that vapor levels remain in accordance with standards set by the EPA, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Department of Health. County and Village officials also expressed their commitment to work together to reach a settlement and determine the best plan for future use of the property.
In addition to Rep. Rice and representatives from the EPA, officials who participated in the meeting include: New York State Senator Jack Martins, Nassau County Chief Real Estate Negotiator and Special Counsel Kevin Walsh, Acting Nassau County Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter, Village of Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss, Village of Mineola Deputy Mayor Paul Pereira, and Village of Mineola Clerk Joseph Scalero.
“After a very productive meeting, it’s clear that all the interested parties now have the information they need to reach an agreement on how best to redevelop the former Jackson Steel plant in a way that benefits the entire community,” said Rep. Kathleen Rice. “I thank the EPA for their efforts to ensure that this site will not threaten public health, and I’ll continue to work with state, county and village officials to get this long-dormant property back on the tax rolls.”
“Through the EPA’s cleanup and remediation, the community has taken a positive step in reversing the environmental devastation caused through decades of industrial abuse, protecting our community’s health, and ensuring that our drinking water is preserved. Thank you to all levels of government that came together to make this happen and paving the way for this site to be redeveloped for the benefit of the entire Mineola community,” said Senator Jack M. Martins.
“The Jackson Steel Superfund site has been off the tax rolls for far too long now,” said Village of Mineola Mayor Scott Strauss. “I thank Congresswoman Rice for taking the lead and putting together a very productive meeting with all interested parties, and I’m encouraged to see all levels of government commit to working together to ensure a safe future for a site that will greatly benefit our community.”
