EPA Superfund site
UNITED STATES AVENUE BURN
Exposure status: insufficient data
Data limitations: Proximity to a Superfund site boundary does not mean your property is contaminated. EPA site boundaries show the area designated for cleanup, not the full extent of contamination. Groundwater plumes can extend beyond site boundaries. This tool shows publicly available EPA federal data. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by EPA, and is not a substitute for a professional environmental assessment.
About this site's exposure pathways
As of May 2026, the United States Avenue Burn Superfund site is considered “Insufficient Data to make a Human Exposure evaluation” (HEID). This status does not necessarily mean that unacceptable exposures are occurring. Contaminants of concern include arsenic and lead in soil and groundwater, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, xylene, and pentachlorophenol in groundwater. EPA selected a soil and sediment remedy in 2017 and completed construction in 2024 under EPA oversight. Additional information is needed to determine whether actual or reasonably anticipated human exposures are occurring above acceptable risk‑based levels for groundwater.
Groundwater will be addressed under Operable Unit 3 (OU3). Planned activities to collect sufficient information include allowing time for post‑construction conditions to stabilize; conducting a groundwater investigation; installing and sampling additional monitoring wells to delineate plume extent and trends, if needed; and evaluating potential exposure pathways such as private well use and incidental ingestion and dermal contact with groundwater. EPA will evaluate the new data through a Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) to support the Human Exposure determination and selection of a groundwater remedy. EPA currently anticipates there will be sufficient data to make a Human Exposure determination by September 2030 because the OU3 Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study (RI/FS) will be completed and the groundwater Record of Decision (ROD) will be signed by that time.
If you live or work near the site, you can reduce your exposure by using municipal water where available or testing private wells before use, avoiding contact with on‑site soils and nearby drainage sediments, and following posted signs or local advisories. For more information, contact the EPA Community Involvement Coordinator Maya Greally through the site webpage or at 212-637-3588 or [email protected]. EPA will continue to meet with residents and stakeholders, issue public notices and updated fact sheets, and keep the site profile on EPA’s website up to date.