Bronx Residents Raise Concerns Over Methane Gas At Site Of Future Golf Course
NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- Residents of a Bronx neighborhood are concerned that construction of a golf course on the site of an old landfill may be causing dangerous levels of explosive gas to be released into the air.
As the garbage underneath Donald Trump's new landfill decays, it emits methane that can burn and in some cases explode.
Throggs Neck residents told CBS 2's Elise Finchon Monday that they are worried that continued construction at the old Ferry Point landfill could have deadly consequences.
"We're all living in danger," Susan Hanna said.
Recent measurements at the 222-acre site showed consistently high levels of gas in multiple areas, but officials told CBS 2 that measures have been put in place that will effectively prevent off-site migration of landfill gas.
Despite assurances from the State Department of Environmental Conservation, some people still have questions.
"Are there concentrations of ethane that we should be concerned about?" Councilman James Vacca said. "The people in my community want the golf course finished but they want a safe environment surrounding their homes."
The community board in Throggs Neck asked the city to turn the landfill into a golf course back in the late 1970s. The $97-million project has been 35 years in the making and will be managed by Donald Trump when it opens in 2014.
Residents told CBS 2 that they were glad to see a golf course come to the neighborhood, but were worried by the lack of information surrounding it.
"Nobody official comes over to put up a warning or notice to beware," Edward Petters said.
A meeting has been scheduled to answer the immediate concerns about methane and to set up a system for residents to find out information as construction continues.
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