Staff Report / October 2, 2025
CORNING, N.Y. – Local residents will soon have the opportunity to speak directly with state officials about environmental contamination found in three city parks and the plans to address it.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Department of Health (DOH) announced they will host a community availability session on Thursday, October 16, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel in Corning. The event will be open-house style, allowing residents to stop in at their convenience and have one-on-one conversations with state representatives.
The session comes after the DEC confirmed that Denison Park, McKinney Park, and William Street/Hillvue Park were designated Superfund sites earlier this year. Soil testing revealed hazardous levels of arsenic, cadmium, and lead—materials the agency says can be traced back to glass manufacturing waste historically used as fill throughout the city.
Officials say the remediation strategy involves removing roughly two feet of contaminated soil from the parks while protecting existing trees. Cleanup plans are currently being developed and are expected to be finalized by spring 2026.
“This is an important step in restoring these public spaces and ensuring the health and safety of the community,” the DEC said in a statement.
Residents seeking additional details can review project background materials on the DEC website, email PublicAvailability.Corning@Parsons.com, or call the project hotline at 833-770-1716.
