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Update on the Grasse River Remediation Project for 2019

Activities are planned for the Grasse River in 2019, pending receipt of the necessary approvals from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). View the presentation with a preview to activities.

Support Facilities Construction and Other Preparations
to Continue in Spring 2018

Construction of land-based facilities and other preparations to support future in-river work for the Grasse River remediation project will continue in spring 2018. Arconic began construction of the staging area next to the river, near the intersection of County Route 42 and Route 131, in 2017. The staging area will be used to unload sediments dredged from the nearshore areas of the river and to load clean capping and backfill materials that will be placed in the river during the in-water portion of the project. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the lead agency overseeing the work, along with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT) Environment Division.

2017 construction work included clearing and grading, and installation of fencing, a water transfer line, road ways, scales and construction trailers, electrical supply and distribution, and approximately half of the sheet pile wall along the river. Arconic also expanded the secure landfill on its property to safely store dredged material from the river during in-river work. The secure landfill has been used in the past for disposal of sediments from the Grasse River and is designed to safely contain dredged sediment.

2018 Grasse River activities are expected to include:

• Completion of the sheet pile wall along the staging area riverfront and construction of a dock facility
• Removal of a small amount of sediments along the shoreline at the staging area and soil in areas along the north shore of the river near the Alcoa Bridge
• Re-opening the secure landfill for the disposal of shoreline sediments and soils
• Performing an in-river capping test targeted for small areas near the staging area to verify construction sequencing for the armor cap in certain areas of the river

Environmental monitoring, under an USEPA-approved plan and with the oversight of USEPA, has been and will continue to be conducted during active construction work. 2017 results are summarized in 2017 Construction Monitoring and 2018 results will be summarized in 2018 Construction Monitoring.

A final design for the in-river portion of the remediation project is still under development and no construction start date has been determined. We encourage you to visit this site for regular updates on the status of the project.

Remedial Design

Following the release of the EPA Record of Decision in 2013, Arconic (formerly Alcoa) has been conducting a series of investigations in the river in support of the remedial design. These studies included additional sampling and surveys as well as habitat assessment and cultural resources work. Specific examples of these studies include sturgeon work, geotechnical investigations, wetlands delineation, and mussel work. Specific information being developed includes identifying the final limits of where remedial work will be conducted and understanding current habitat conditions in support of future habitat restoration work. Additional investigation work will be performed in 2018. The development of the remedial design using the information developed from these studies is currently ongoing.

Summer 2015 Study involving Catching and Tagging Studies to Track Movements


Summer 2016 Study Involving Mussel Identification and Measurements