x=/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Update on Cleanup at Red Hook Park
Ball Fields 5-8
Brooklyn, NY
Community Update No. 12
Winter 2020
~ = EPA/NYC Parks Cleanup [ N
Red Hook Park Bal 1 Fields to be cleaned up by NYC Parks under EPA oversight.
WHAT IS SECONDARY LEAD SMELTING?
Secondary lead smelting plants refine scrap or used lead
materials into metallic lead of a higher purity. Such materials
can include the lead plates from batteries, lead pipe or metal
sheets that contain lead.
Secondary smelting can be responsible for releasing lead into
the surrounding environment through lead fume emissions.
Lead dust and smoke can be released through the smelting
process, and slag contaminated with lead may be left over
after the smelting process.
WHY IS LEAD A PROBLEM?
Lead is a toxic metal that was used for many years in pamt
and leaded gasoline. Lead poisoning can cause many
harmful health effects, particularly in children under the age
of six. Exposure to lead in soil can occur when children play
in the dirt and put their hands or dusty toys in their mouths.
Lead can also get into your body by breathing or swallowing
lead dust, or by eating soil containing lead.
EPA and our federal partners are committed to a
collaborative approach to address this threat, and improve
health outcomes for our nation's most vulnerable citizens -
our children.
UPDATE ON THE CLEANUP OF BALL
FIELDS 5-8 AND 9
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is
continuing to oversee work being conducted by the
New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
(NYC Parks) to clean up Red Hook Park Ball Fields 5-
8. This work began in March 2019. The ball fields were
contaminated with lead from a historic secondary lead
smelting facility known as Columbia Smelting and
Refining Works (Columbia), which once stood atop
what is now Ball Field 7.
NYC Parks' contractors recently completed
construction of the retaining wall for the synthetic turf
at Ball Fields 5-8 and completed work to provide
drainage on Henry Street and the bioswale piping
installation. Work to provide drainage on Lorraine
Street and the bioswale wall construction is in progress.
Work at Ball Field 9 started in September 2019.
Preliminary activities included: installing perimeter
fencing; dust netting; cutting down trees and pruning
trees along Bay Street; staging material on the ball
field; installing tree guards; removing aboveground
fixtures (fencing, backstop, goal posts, benches, tables,
and drinking fountains); building construction entrance;
electrical work (removing DOT and sports lighting);
and placing construction trailers along Clinton Street
and Halleck Street. Contractors have almost completed
the removal of the top six inches of soil at Ballfield 9.
SYNTHETIC TURF
RETAINING
WALL
NYC Parks layout of barrier and cover for Red Hook Park Ball Fields
WHY DO THE BALL FIELDS NEED TO BE CLEANED UP?
As part of an investigation of the former Columbia smelting plant, soil was sampled throughout all areas of Red
Hook Park. Sampling showed elevated lead levels from the former Columbia facility in surface soils across Ball
Fields 5, 6, 7 and 8. As a result, Ball Fields 5-8 were closed in Spring 2015 and will remain closed until the cleanup
is completed. At Ball Field 9, elevated lead levels were found only in deeper soil samples. Ball Field 9 had remained
open for public use until cleanup began in September 2019.
In May 2017, EPA established a task force to restore the Superfund program to its rightful
place at the center of the Agency's core mission to protect health and the environment.
epa.gov/superfund/superfund-task-force

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Community Update No. 12
Winter 2020
If you would like information about
the site please contact:
Natalie Loney
U.S. EPA
Community Involvement Coordinator
(212)637-3639
Toll Free: (800) 346-5009
lonev.natalie@epa.gov
Irmgard Lopez
U.S. EPA
On-Scene Coordinator
(732)906-6813
Lopez. Irmgard@epa. gov
Visit the EPA's website at:
https ://www. epa. gov/superfiind/colu
mbia-smelting
CLEANUP PLANS
Under EPA oversight, NYC Parks will remove all park features such as
fencing, most of the trees, curbing, other structures, and the top layer of
soil. NYC Parks will place a visual barrier over the contaminated soil,
and cover the barrier with one foot of clean soil or other material.
Artificial turf will be installed over all of the ball fields.
A bioswale (planted areas along the fields that collect stormwater that
runs off the fields when it rains), new trees, and other improvements
will be added. The baseball diamonds, grass cover, fencing, walkways,
and associated structures will then be reinstalled. The cleanup actions
will significantly reduce the chance of people coming into contact with
contaminated soil on these fields.
The barrier and cover will be maintained and inspected regularly. Dust
generated by construction activities will be controlled using water spray
and by applying water to excavated areas. The air will be monitored
throughout the cleanup to protect people's health. Details on all the
steps involved in the cleanup process can be found on EPA's website
for the project (see link at left). Please visit NYC Parks' website for
information about plans for other fields within Red Hook Park:
https://www.nycgovparks.org/about/whats-happening/red-hook-park-
remediation
HOW WILL I GET UPDATES?
EPA and NYC Parks will continue providing updates to the community on the status of the Ball Field 5-9
cleanup efforts in various ways, including fact sheets, letters to park users, updates to the websites and public
information sessions where EPA and NYC Parks will be available to present plans and answer questions.
If you would like to recei ve updates for Ball Fields 5 through 9 directly via mail or email, please contact Natalie
Loney at (212) 637-3639 or lonev.natalie@epa.gov. EPA established an Information Repository at the Red
Hook Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, where the public can review and copy records related to EPA's
investigation and the cleanup of Ball Fields 5 through 9.
SIMPLE PRECAUTIONARY STEPS TO REDUCE YOUR LEAD EXPOSURE
The following steps are recommended to reduce your potential exposure to lead contamination that may be
present in urban soils:
•	Remove shoes at the door before entering your home to prevent tracking in any dirt that may be on your
shoes. Clean the bottom of your shoes with a wet wipe or paper towel.
•	Wash your hands and face after visiting these ball fields and always before eating, drinking, or smoking.
•	Avoid digging into or disturbing soil below the surface of the fields.
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¦' .*~*.!
SUPER FUND
TASK
In May 2017, EPA established a task force to restore the Superfund program to its rightful
place at the center of the Agency's core mission to protect health and the environment.
epa.gov/superfund/superfund-task-force

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