On the way there (Riverview Innovation and Technology) to meet up with our group, a few of us almost missed the turn off of River Road – we were watching for the Tonawanda Coke sign, which has been taken down. Before going onto the grounds, we were provided with rubber boots, hard hats, and glasses – all safety precautions as this is still a contaminated area. Everyone boarded a bus which drove us through the property, with two stops where we were able to disembark and look around in a cordoned off area. After a safety briefing, our guides explained the various buildings and what purpose they served while TCC was still in operation.
The site looked bleak and empty, it was very difficult to imagine that just a year ago this facility was in operation, spewing benzene into the air of this community. The first area we stopped at had piles of coal and coke which were sold by TCC before the facility closed. These products are relatively inert according to our guide, and will be taken off site by the buyer in the coming months. We all boarded the bus again and drove past the coke oven, which is now crumbling. The next place we stopped, we were told, is one of the most contaminated areas in the entire facility. Glancing around, this is easy to believe. We were surrounded by pipes missing insulation, decrepit buildings, and pools of dark, still water. There was also a distinct, unpleasant odor in the air at this stop.
While in some ways this was a grave reminder of how much work it takes to hold a company accountable for their pollution, it also brought home just how far the Tonawanda and Grand Island communities have come. Tonawanda Coke will never poison their air ever again. The current plan for this site, after remediation of the toxins that were left by Tonawanda Coke, is to redevelop it into a data center. It is refreshing to imagine this site as something new and different, something that brings benefit to this community after so many years of harm. It is important to remember that this was all made possible by just a few community members, who went out with buckets to track down the source of this pollution and fight to protect their community. Before leaving the facility, the original bucket brigade was able to take a picture in front of the stacks (see below). Through their efforts, Tonawanda Coke has finally stopped polluting the air they breathe!
The Tonawanda “Bucket Brigade” (formerly known as the Clean Air Coalition of WNY) from L-R Tim Logsdon, Adele Henderson, Jackie James, Bob Hirsch
Lastly, while the air in Tonawanda is now clean, CSCR is currently focusing on contaminants that may have migrated off site and settled in the soil of nearby backyards. If you are interested in testing your soil for toxins– give us a call, send an email, or reach out to us on Facebook.
Liz Reilly
CSCR Intern