JOHNSTOWN - The Common Council on Monday approved a contract extension with the state to continue to work on environmental Brownfields programs in the city.
The city in 2006 was awarded a $36,000 grant by the state Department of State under the Brownfield Opportunity Areas Program.
The resolution approved by the council at City Hall indicated the Department of State determined it is "in the best interest of the Brownfield Opportunity Areas Program to provide a no cost extension" to complete the grant award's scope of work.
"They agreed to have an extension for a year," City Engineer Chad Kortz told the council.
Engineering firm Malcolm Pirnie Inc. of Clifton Park is working with the city as a consultant, as part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 2's Brownfields Assessment Program, to do an environmental review of three former tannery sites. Ongoing work is being done at an old tannery site known as the "snake pit" at 311 W. State St.; the former H & J Leather Corp., 312-314 N. Perry St.; and the former Demi's Leather Corp., 24 Briggs St.
Kortz said he and Mayor Sarah Slingerland had a conference call with the state to ask for the extension.
The city engineer said the city has already spent 75 percent of the $36,000 grant.
Kortz said Malcolm Pirnie's consulting work is just about done and a representative of that firm may be attending the council's April 19 business meeting. After that the city can make decisions on what to do next at the sites, he said. From now to April 19, Kortz said there is "very little to be done" with the environmental project.
"The Brownfields is a long and cumbersome activity," Slingerland said. "But we're on the path. We're moving forward."
The "snake pit" got its name because there was once tanning and finishing of snake and other reptile skins there. The city demolished the property, which is vacant.
The former five-story Demi's Leather building was demolished in 2007. The site is now vacant. EPA workers at the site initially found elevated levels of chromium and lead in the soil.
The site at 312-314 N. Perry St. - which not only included H & J, but also the former Gloria's Pizzeria - was the subject of an early EPA investigation in 2007. Workers found and removed waste there that included heavy metals and volatile organic compounds. The city demolished the building in 2008.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com