What soil arsenic levels are found in Middleport?
Reports that FMC has prepared for the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the New York State Department of Health, have previously determined local background levels for arsenic in soil in Middleport in a range from 4.4 to 56.1 parts per million (ppm). This range is typical of that found in many other local communities, as well as in other communities in North America. (Dragun and Chiasson 1991) A spring 2002 study of soil arsenic levels in Gasport will provide additional background data. Background levels are the levels of substances or the locations that are not influenced by the releases from a site. In the case of Middleport, background levels can be due to natural or human activities unrelated to past operations at the Middleport facility, or both.
