Indicator (EI) RCRAInfo code (CA725)
Current Human Exposures Under Control
Facility Name:
Genaral Electric Co - Fort Edward Plant Site
Facility Address: 581 Broadway, Fort Edward, New York
Facility EPA ID #:
NYD093256063
Definition of Environmental Indicators (for the RCRA Corrective Action)
Environmental Indicators (EI) are measures being used by the RCRA Corrective Action program to go beyond
programmatic activity measures (e.g., reports received and approved) to track changes in the quality of the
environment. The two EI developed to date indicate the quality of the environment in relation to current human
exposures to contamination and the migration of contaminated groundwater. An EI for non-human (ecological)
receptors is intended to be developed in the future.
Definition of Current Human Exposures Under Control EI
A positive Current Human Exposures Under Control EI determination (YE status code) indicates that there are
no unacceptable human exposures to contamination (i.e., contaminants in concentrations in excess of
appropriate risk-based levels) that can be reasonably expected under current land- and groundwater-use conditions
(for all contamination subject to RCRA corrective action at or from the identified facility (i.e., site-wide)).
Relationship of EI to Final Remedies
While Final remedies remain the long-term objective of the RCRA Corrective Action program the EI are near-term
objectives which are currently being used as Program measures for the Government Performance and Results Act of
1993, GPRA). The Current Human Exposures Under Control EI are for reasonably expected human exposures
under current land- and groundwater-use conditions ONLY, and do not consider potential future land- or
groundwater-use conditions or ecological receptors. The RCRA Corrective Action programs overall mission to
protect human health and the environment requires that Final remedies address these issues (i.e., potential future
human exposure scenarios, future land and groundwater uses, and ecological receptors).
Duration / Applicability of EI Determinations
EI Determinations status codes should remain in RCRAInfo national database ONLY as long as they remain true (i.e.,
RCRAInfo status codes must be changed when the regulatory authorities become aware of contrary information). Current Human Exposures Under Control
Environmental Indicator (EI) RCRAInfo code (CA725)
Page 2
1.
Has all available relevant/significant information on known and reasonably suspected releases to soil,
groundwater, surface water/sediments, and air, subject to RCRA Corrective Action (e.g., from Solid Waste
Management Units (SWMU), Regulated Units (RU), and Areas of Concern (AOC)), been considered in this
EI determination? (Note: This determination addresses contaminated media regulated under New York
States Inactive Hazardous Waste Disposal Site Remedial Program.)
X
If yes - check here and continue with #2 below.

If no - re-evaluate existing data, or

if data are not available skip to #6 and check the IN status code.
Facility Information:
General Electric Companys Capacitor Products Division (GE Fort
Edward) facility is located approximately 800 feet east of the Hudson
River between the Villages of Fort Edward to the south and Hudson Falls
to the north and is approximately 32 acres. Residential areas border
the facility to the north, south and east. The site is bounded by
Broadway on the east, Park Avenue on the south, and Lower Allen Street
and D&H Railroad tracks on the west. A 200-foot wide parcel west of the
main portion of the site, between Allen Street and the Hudson River, is
also part of the site.
There are seven permanent buildings on the site, including the
main manufacturing building, which is comprised of several joined
structures constructed over a span of 25 years, and the aluminum rolling
mill (Building 40, the Foil Mill). The remainder of the site is made
up of parking areas and a concrete basin, part of the existing
wastewater management system. See Figure 1 (attached).
The facility manufactured selsyn motors between 1942 and 1946.
From 1946 to the present, industrial capacitors were manufactured at the
site. Operations related to capacitor manufacture have included
aluminum rolling, tin plating, polypropylene film manufacture, and
refining and blending of capacitor dielectric fluids. A tank farm was
used for storage, refining, and distribution of capacitor dielectric
fluids. Prior to 1977, the capacitor dielectric fluids used were PCB.
Industrial solvents were also used at the site. Over the course of
industrial operations at the facility, releases of hazardous wastes
(including industrial solvents and PCB) occurred at the site in a number
of areas, including at the railroad off-loading area, in the tank farm
and treat areas (where capacitors were filled with dielectric fluids),
in the vicinity of Building 40, and from industrial sewers at the
facility. Wastewaters were also discharged untreated via the 004
outfall to the Hudson River prior to 1977 which also contained PCB,
resulting in contamination of the area near the 004 outfall, and the
Hudson River at large. The facility currently has a RCRA Permit for
storage, although it has submitted and received approval for
implementation of its storage area closure plan. Current Human Exposures Under Control
Environmental Indicator (EI) RCRAInfo code (CA725)
Page 3 Current Human Exposures Under Control
Environmental Indicator (EI) RCRAInfo code (CA725)
Page 4
1
Contamination and contaminated describes media containing contaminants (in any form, NAPL
and/or dissolved, vapors, or solids, that are subject to RCRA) in concentrations in excess of appropriately protective
risk-based levels (for the media, that identify risks within the acceptable risk range).
2
Recent evidence (from the Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment, and others) suggest that
unacceptable indoor air concentrations are more common in structures above groundwater with volatile
contaminants than previously believed. This is a rapidly developing field and reviewers are encouraged to look to
the latest guidance for the appropriate methods and scale of demonstration necessary to be reasonably certain that
indoor air (in structures located above (and adjacent to) groundwater with volatile contaminants) does not present
unacceptable risks.
2.
Are groundwater, soil, surface water, sediments, or air media known or reasonably suspected to be
contaminated
1
above appropriately protective risk-based levels (applicable promulgated standards, as
well as other appropriate standards, guidelines, guidance, or criteria) from releases subject to RCRA
Corrective Action (from SWMUs, RUs or AOCs)?
Yes
No
?
Rationale / Key Contaminants
Groundwater

x


(see below)
Air (indoors)
2

x


Surface Soil (e.g., <2 ft)

x


Surface Water
x



Sediment
x



Subsurf. Soil (e.g., >2 ft)
x



Air (outdoors)

x



If no (for all media) - skip to #6, and enter YE, status code after providing or citing
appropriate levels, and referencing sufficient supporting documentation demonstrating
that these levels are not exceeded.
X
If yes (for any media) - continue after identifying key contaminants in each
contaminated medium, citing appropriate levels (or provide an explanation for the
determination that the medium could pose an unacceptable risk), and referencing
supporting documentation.

If unknown (for any media) - skip to #6 and enter IN status code.
Rationale:
Since 1976, numerous hydrogeologic investigations have been
conducted at and in the vicinity of the GE Fort Edward facility
(Geraghty & Miller 1983; Lawler, Matusky & Skelly 1989; OBrien & Gere
1997). The results of these investigations have revealed the presence
of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and PCBs in soil and groundwater.
Between July 1995 and January 1997, a supplemental RI was
conducted at the facility pursuant to Order on Consent #A5-0316-94-06
between NYSDEC and GE. The RI report and a subsequent feasibility study
(FS) were submitted to NYSDEC in January 1997. Based on the results of
the RI/FS, a Record of Decision (ROD) for the GE Fort Edward Plant Site
was issued by NYSDEC for OU3 and OU4 in January 2000. Operable units 3 Current Human Exposures Under Control
Environmental Indicator (EI) RCRAInfo code (CA725)
Page 5
and 4 are the result of ongoing monitoring associated with the GE Fort
Edward Site, and the Hudson River.
Description of Operable Units
Reviews (in 1994) of the performance of the remedial programs for
OU1 and OU2, along with the discovery of additional sources of
contamination not identified in the original RI/FS for the site resulted
in the issuance of two Orders on Consent by the Department which address
the additional investigations in the vicinity of the manufacturing
buildings at the site (OU3), and additional investigations and Interim