The Site is located in the northwestern area of the Adirondack Park at the intersection of NYS Route 3 and County Route 60 in the Town of Clifton in St. Lawrence County (approximate coordinates 44.167399, -74.994183). The Site consists of an approximate 36 acre area within the 54 acre former Jones & Laughlin Ore Company property. The Site includes several large, abandoned buildings in various states of disrepair, a network of tunnels, as well as a number of piles of demolition debris. The buildings are surrounded by former parking areas and roadway. Portions of the site are wooded and overgrown with the Little River flowing from east to west through the central portion of the site. The former 2.5-mile long, 200 feet deep, strip mine (Benson Mines) has flooded and now forms an approximate 300 acre lake along the site’s northern border.
On June 27, 2014, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) referred the Site to EPA to assess and consider the Site for a removal action to address CERCLA hazardous substance that are present and pose a potential threat of direct contact to human health. EPA reviewed the NYSDEC’s request along with associated assessment reports and conducted two site inspections on July 15, 2014 and July 31, 2014. During the Site inspections EPA observed friable asbestos containing materials (ACM) in decaying bags in one building as well as friable ACM pipe insulation laying on the floors of other buildings on the Site. EPA also observed mercury containing devices (i.e. switches and components) within two Site buildings. These devices were in decaying condition and pose a potential threat of release. Along with the friable ACM and mercury devices, approximately 1 dozen small storage containers and drums of unknown material were observed, within buildings, throughout the Site. The Site is not fully secured and evidence exists of trespass or unauthorized entry. Along with the Site’s decaying buildings and infrastructure, EPA observed evidence of vandalism and unauthorized scrapping of ferrous and non-ferrous metal at the Site.
