 Welcome to the community newsletter for the Niagara and Erie County Radiological Assessment (NECRA) project to help keep interested residents, businesses, and community leaders updated about the initiative’s progress. You can unsubscribe at any time using the ‘unsubscribe’ link at the bottom of this page.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), in consultation with New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), continue to advance the radiological assessment across areas of interest in Niagara and Erie counties and are committed to keeping the public informed.
In this issue:
At the drop-in tabling sessions, representatives from EPA, NYSDEC, and NYSDOH will be present to answer questions and provide information to residents. We held drop-in tabling sessions at the Calvin K. Richards Senior/Youth Activity Center, the Grand Island Welcome Center, the Niagara Falls Convention Center, the Lewiston Library, and the Orchard Park Public Library. Over 300 residents attended those sessions, asking questions, and learning more about the property access and survey process.
We’re holding the next drop-in tabling session on Tuesday, November 10, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Calvin K. Richards Senior/Youth Activity Center in Veteran’s Memorial Park, 7000 Joe Rotella Way.
The tabling session will have information about the Witmer Road Drive-In Site Supplemental Environmental Assessment as well as provide an opportunity for the community to learn more about the Niagara and Erie County Radiological Assessment.
Beginning the week of November 9, 2026, EPA will start cleanup activities at two residential properties in the Town of Niagara, including digging up and disposing of contaminated soil.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is addressing contamination at properties identified through the Niagara and Erie Counties Radiological Assessment and referred to EPA by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and New York State Department of Health for further assessment to evaluate clean up options.
What residents can expect to see:
- Workers removing contaminated soil and placing in lined containers which will be sealed for transportation and disposal.
- Sealed roll-off dumpsters where contaminated soil will be stored on the properties.
- Tractor trailers transporting dumpsters to licensed disposal facilities out-of-state.
- Workers adding clean topsoil and grass seed and straw.
- Workers scanning property to measure radiation and digging up soil and taking samples.
- Specialized equipment such as hand augers and small excavators.
- Areas marked with spray paint, caution tape, and plastic tarps.
To protect the health and safety of workers and the community during this work EPA is:
- Placing fencing and warning signs around the areas where contractors are working to prevent trespassers.
- Installing silt fence and/or hay bales to control runoff during work and when decontaminating equipment.
- Using water misting to control dust and monitor the air for dust around the work areas.
- Requiring protective equipment and daily safety briefings for workers.
We’re excited to provide a dashboard to allow community members to track NECRA progress in their municipality. We invite you to explore this new dashboard providing county and municipality specific data that is updated daily. That data includes:
- The number of ASPECT flyover points: Locations of interest identified during the aerial survey for follow-up ground-based radiological surveys. All properties within the locations of interest received a request for access to their property to complete a ground survey. Many locations of interest include multiple properties.
- The number of signed access forms: Properties for which a form was signed by the property owner to provide consent for radiological screening activities to occur on their property.
- The number of completed initial screening assessments: This screening is a ground-level radiological screening conducted using specialized instruments while survey teams move across the property. Depending on the size and characteristics of the property, the assessment may collect hundreds of measurements. ATVs, drones, or other equipment may also be used to survey areas that cannot be safely or readily accessed on foot. Completion of an initial assessment does not necessarily mean that evaluation of the property is complete
- The number of referred parcels: parcels referred by NYSDEC to U.S. EPA for additional evaluation following an initial screening. Additional evaluations may include more detailed radiological surveys, soil sampling, or other information-gathering activities.
- The number of parcels issued a No Further Action (NFA) determination package: The results have led the Agencies to the conclusion that no evidence of radiological contamination was detected at the property.
More than 1,150 property owners have signed access agreements to have their properties screened, and our field teams have completed screening surveys of 1,123 of those properties. We are continuing to schedule screenings.
Preliminary data reviews indicate that the vast majority of properties screened will need no further action. To date, 960 properties have received notification indicating no additional radiological investigation is needed at those properties. Information packets, which include a formal letter of determination, a copy of the property’s screening map, fact sheet, and frequently asked questions with contact information, were mailed to property owners. Notifications to residents and property owners will be forwarded on a continuing basis as the data is reviewed. The Environmental Unit is still reviewing the results for over 150 of these. Forty properties to date have been referred by NYSDEC to EPA for additional assessment.
As part of the ongoing Niagara and Erie County Radiological Assessment, EPA and NYSDEC, in consultation with NYSDOH, are conducting background sampling to determine the range of naturally occurring radioactivity throughout Niagara and Erie counties. This effort will help inform the cleanup phase of the assessment.
The supplemental environmental assessment at the Former Witmer Road Drive-In site located at 4287 Witmer Road, Town of Niagara, Niagara County has begun and will continue weather dependent. Adjacent off-site areas will also be evaluated. DEC secured site access from property owners and developed a plan to conduct an investigation building upon existing chemical data from previous evaluations of the site.
Visit on.ny.gov/NECRA to view the July 20 meeting presentation, informational fact sheets about fieldwork, soil sampling, radiation health and safety, and how to contact agency representatives.
Call Center
Please call 844-612-8144 Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to reach our NECRA team. If you call outside these hours and leave a message, call center representatives will get back to you during operational times.
Our call center team will do their best to provide you with general information about the project and help direct property-specific questions for follow-up by a community liaison, health physicist, or other specialist involved in understanding your property’s data.
NECRA Email: NECRA@dec.ny.gov
NYSDEC, NYSDOH, and EPA will continue providing updates as fieldwork progresses and additional information becomes available.
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