Groundwater Sampling a Key Component to LM Long-Term Stewardship at a Site Returned to the Community for Beneficial Reuse

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Legacy Management (LM) conducted biennial groundwater sampling at the Colonie, New York, Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) site in July. The sampling is part of the site’s long-term stewardship program to help ensure protection of people and the environment. 

During the 1950s and ‘60s, National Lead Industries worked with uranium and thorium at the site under license by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, a predecessor to DOE. The work contaminated the environment, and remediation was initiated in 1984. Since some residual contamination remained after site remediation was completed, LM will continue the long-term groundwater monitoring program until the onsite groundwater reaches its target cleanup goals for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) contaminants.

LM sampling staff conduct groundwater sampling every two years and follow a rigorous sampling and analysis plan to guarantee that results are accurate and representative of site groundwater conditions. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) provides regulatory oversight of LM’s groundwater program by reviewing groundwater reports and often observing sampling events. 

Representatives from NYSDEC and Amtrak were present during this year’s sampling. “Working together ensures everyone stays informed and that groundwater remains a shared priority,” said LM Site Manager Melissa Lutz. “There’s a lot of planning needed prior to initiating field work to ensure a safe and successful sampling event.”

An important part of the planning process includes coordinating with property owners to access the monitoring wells located on site and on the adjacent Amtrak property. For wells within the adjacent Amtrak property, a right of entry permit is obtained from the railroad and specific safety training is completed since working close to the tracks presents a unique set of hazards. 

The cleanup groundwater remedy is called “monitored natural attenuation,” which measures a contaminant’s natural reduction over time. In recent years, groundwater monitoring has shown that the levels of residual contamination continue trending downward as expected. In 2023 and again in 2025, sampling results confirmed that only one well has elevated levels of a chemical called tetrachloroethene, one of the VOCs monitored in the groundwater. The next sampling event is scheduled for 2027, and results will show whether cleanup goals have been reached in all wells. A report describing the sampling conducted this year along with the laboratory results is expected to be finalized and published in fall 2025.

“Continued groundwater monitoring gives the community and NYSDEC confidence that LM is committed to the current and future safety of the community,” said Lutz. “It’s exciting to watch as the groundwater approaches the target cleanup goals for all wells. LM continues to evaluate the effectiveness of monitored natural attenuation remedy and once concentrations are found to be consistently below the target cleanup goals, LM will provide justification to NYSDEC to bring monitoring to a close.”

The Colonie site is another great example where environmental monitoring continues seamlessly at an LM site after being transferred to a private owner for beneficial reuse. As the Colonie site property owner prepares to realize their vision of the redeveloped property, strategic planning and open lines of communication between all parties sets the stage for the property owner and LM to be successful in their respective missions.

LM will continue to share their sampling results with the public and NYSDEC to ensure the Colonie site is safe. For more information on the Colonie FUSRAP Site and LM’s long-term stewardship efforts, visit Colonie, New York, Site | Department of Energy.