The former Lake Ontario Ordnance Works (LOOW) was a military installation located in
Niagara County, New York
Niagara County is in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 212,666. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word ''Onguiaahra''; meaning ''the strait'' or ''thunder of waters''.
Niag ...
, United States, approximately north of
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls () is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States. The largest of the three is Horseshoe Falls, ...
.
The property was purchased by the
War Department War Department may refer to:
* War Department (United Kingdom)
* United States Department of War (1789β1947)
See also
* War Office, a former department of the British Government
* Ministry of defence
* Ministry of War
* Ministry of Defence
* Dep ...
during World War II as a location for the production of
TNT
Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
. Most of the LOOW property was sold after the war.
The
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) is an executive department of the U.S. federal government that oversees U.S. national energy policy and manages the research and development of nuclear power and nuclear weapons in the United Stat ...
currently owns of the original LOOW property, on which the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) is located. The NFSS is used for the storage of radioactive materials produced during the development of America's first atom bombs.
Approximately 93 percent of the original LOOW site—currently occupied by homes, a school, a campground, the
Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima
The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima is a Modernist minor basilica and US national shrine of the Roman Catholic Church, honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Fatima, the patroness of the United States. The shrine ...
, farms, local and federal government operations, and a toxic waste facility—meets the criteria of a
Formerly Used Defense Site
Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS or FDS) are properties that were owned by, leased to, or otherwise possessed by the United States and under the jurisdiction of the United States Secretary of Defense. The term also refers to the U.S. military pro ...
,
and one portion of the property is listed as a
Superfund
Superfund is a United States federal environmental remediation program established by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). The program is administered by the United States Environmental Pro ...
cleanup site.
History
![Dormitories - Lake Ontario Ordnance Works (1943)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Dormitories_-_Lake_Ontario_Ordnance_Works_%281943%29.jpg)
The War Department purchased of farmland east of
Youngstown, New York
Youngstown is a village in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 1,935 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Youngstown is on the western edge of the town of Port ...
, in 1941 as a location to manufacture
TNT
Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
.
The location was selected because of its proximity to chemical manufacturing plants, to
Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built by New France to protect its interests in North America, specifically control of access between the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, the easternmost of the Great Lakes. The fort is on the river's e ...
, to the
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Midw ...
, and to water and electrical power.
The LOOW headquarters were at first located in a vegetable canning factory at the site.
The 149 private landowners living there—mostly farmers and orchard growers—were given 30 days to move out, and most of their 125 farmhouses and 538 barns were torn down or burned. Some homes located on the periphery of the LOOW boundary were kept.
Construction of the TNT plant began in January 1941, and employed over 7,500 workers. The production and storage areas occupied approximately near the center of property, and the remaining was undeveloped and used as a "buffer zone". A hospital, dormitories, fire department, power plant,
USO
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
hall, water supply system, and waste treatment facility were located at the LOOW, and TNT was manufactured for about 9 months, until the plant was decommissioned in 1943.
Uranium used to produce the first atom bombs from 1942 to 1948 was processed by
Linde Air Products
Linde plc is a global multinational chemical company founded in Germany and, since 2018, domiciled in Ireland and headquartered in the United Kingdom. Linde is the world's largest industrial gas company by market share and revenue. It serves ...
in nearby
Tonawanda, and in 1944, the
Manhattan Engineer District
The Manhattan Project was a research and development undertaking during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States with the support of the United Kingdom and Canada. From 1942 to 1946, the project w ...
began using the LOOW site for the storage and transshipment of radioactive residues and wastes created through the processing of uranium ore at Linde.
The
War Assets Administration
The War Assets Administration (WAA) was created to dispose of United States government-owned surplus material and property from World War II. The WAA was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by Executive Ord ...
had by 1948 sold or transferred of the original property, and the remaining were given to the newly formed
Atomic Energy Commission.
More than were sold or transferred between 1955 and 1975, although the area on which the Niagara Falls Storage Site is located remained in the possession of the U.S. government.
Buildings and operations
Building 401
![Building 401 - Niagara Falls Storage Site, Lewiston, New York](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Building_401_-_Niagara_Falls_Storage_Site%2C_Lewiston%2C_New_York.jpg)
Beginning in 1943, Building 401 was used as the powerhouse for the production of TNT, though operations lasted less than a year. Building 401 was renovated, and from 1953β59 and 1965β71, it was used as a
Boron-10
Boron is a chemical element with the symbol B and atomic number 5. In its crystalline form it is a brittle, dark, lustrous metalloid; in its amorphous form it is a brown powder. As the lightest element of the ''boron group'' it has thr ...
isotope separation plant. The interior of Building 401 was gutted in 1971, and its hardware and instrumentation were disposed of. Building 401 was demolished in 2010.
Concrete silo
![Lake Ontario Ordnance Works - west view (1944)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Lake_Ontario_Ordnance_Works_-_west_view_%281944%29.gif)
A concrete silo was erected within the east boundary of the LOOW, immediately next to Porter Center Road, which was publicly accessible. A fence with signs warning of "radioactive material" ran next to the road.
In 1952, drums containing of highly-radioactive
K-65 residues K-65 residues are the very radioactive mill residues resulting from the uniquely concentrated uranium ore discovered before WW II in Katanga province (Shinkolobwe mine) of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Belgian Congo).
According to ...
were loaded into the silo.
The concrete silo was dismantled sometime after 1979.
Interim waste containment structure
![Aerial view of Niagara Falls Storage Site, Lewiston, New York (2002)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/Aerial_view_of_Niagara_Falls_Storage_Site%2C_Lewiston%2C_New_York_%282002%29.jpg)
Construction of the interim waste containment structure was completed in 1991, and is located entirely within the Niagara Falls Storage Site. The mound is used for the storage of
radioactive waste
Radioactive waste is a type of hazardous waste that contains radioactive material. Radioactive waste is a result of many activities, including nuclear medicine, nuclear research, nuclear power generation, rare-earth mining, and nuclear weapons r ...
and residues, and the grass-covered "interim cap" is designed to retard both rainwater infiltration and radon emission.
All of the contaminated and radioactive materials stored at the former LOOW site—including
thorium
Thorium is a weakly radioactive metallic chemical element with the symbol Th and atomic number 90. Thorium is silvery and tarnishes black when it is exposed to air, forming thorium dioxide; it is moderately soft and malleable and has a high me ...
,
uranium
Uranium is a chemical element with the symbol U and atomic number 92. It is a silvery-grey metal in the actinide series of the periodic table. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons. Uranium is weak ...
, and the world's largest concentration of
radium
Radium is a chemical element with the symbol Ra and atomic number 88. It is the sixth element in group 2 of the periodic table, also known as the alkaline earth metals. Pure radium is silvery-white, but it readily reacts with nitrogen (rather t ...
-226—were placed into the structure.
[
]
Rochester Burial Site
In 1951, laboratory waste and animals that had been injected with plutonium during experiments at the
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees.
The University of Roc ...
were shipped to the LOOW site for burial.
US Army operations
The
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
was given an parcel of land from the original LOOW property, located on the northeast boundary. Beginning in 1957 it housed 36
Nike
Nike often refers to:
* Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory
* Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment
Nike may also refer to:
People
* Nike (name), a surname and feminine given ...
surface-to-air missiles intended to protect the nearby
Niagara Hydroelectric Power Project.
The property is currently licensed to the
New York Army National Guard
The New York Army National Guard is a component of the New York National Guard and the Army National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the United States Army's available combat forces and approximat ...
, and is used as a weekend training site.
US Air Force operations
A parcel of land from the original LOOW property was given to the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
, on which they located an experimental rocket fuel plant called the Youngstown Test Annex Site.
Private waste treatment facilities
*
Hooker Chemical Company
Hooker Chemical Company (or Hooker Electrochemical Company) was an American firm producing chloralkali products from 1903 to 1968. In 1922, bought the S. Wander & Sons Company to sell lye βand chlorinated lime. The company became notorious in t ...
purchased a large portion of the original LOOW property from a private landowner in 1975 to use as a dump site.
*
Waste Management, Inc
Waste Management, Inc., doing business as WM, is a waste management, comprehensive waste, and environmental services company operating in North America. Founded in 1968, the company is headquartered in the Bank of America Tower in Houston, Texa ...
currently owns and operates a treatment, storage, disposal, and recovery facility near the center of the former LOOW property. It is the only hazardous waste landfill remaining in the Northeastern United States, and was the location where the
anthrax
Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium ''Bacillus anthracis''. It can occur in four forms: skin, lungs, intestinal, and injection. Symptom onset occurs between one day and more than two months after the infection is contracted. The sk ...
-contaminated desk of news-anchor
Tom Brokaw
Thomas John Brokaw (; born February 6, 1940) is an American retired network television journalist and author. He first served as the co-anchor of ''The Today Show'' from 1976 to 1981 with Jane Pauley, then as the anchor and managing editor of '' ...
was disposed of in 2001.
* Modern Disposal Services operates a landfill on the former LOOW property.
Other uses
Approximately 380 private residences and a mobile home park are located within the footprint of the former LOOW site. A school, several small farms, a campground, and the
Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima
The Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima is a Modernist minor basilica and US national shrine of the Roman Catholic Church, honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Fatima, the patroness of the United States. The shrine ...
, which attracts thousands of visitors annually, are also located in the former LOOW site.
Safety concerns
In 1981, the ''New York State Assembly Task Force on Toxic Substances'' wrote that the LOOW was "born in the crisis of war", and that:
The report added that
radioactive waste
Radioactive waste is a type of hazardous waste that contains radioactive material. Radioactive waste is a result of many activities, including nuclear medicine, nuclear research, nuclear power generation, rare-earth mining, and nuclear weapons r ...
had been stored "in rusting barrels stacked along the roadside".
Author
Ginger Strand
Ginger Strand is an American author of nonfiction and fiction. Her 2005 debut novel ''Flight'' was adapted from several of her short stories. Her published books of non-fiction include ''Inventing Niagara: Beauty, Power, and Lies'' in May 2008, ' ...
wrote about the LOOW in her 2008 book ''Inventing Niagara'': "the Army Corps engineers, currently charged with the cleanup, readily admit they don't know everything that went on there".
An extensive study conducted by the
concluded in 2014 that there was "no evidence of potential source areas or releases of contamination to groundwater, surface water, or soil associated with any of the ground disturbances evaluated" at the former LOOW site.
Currently, approximately or 93 percent of the original LOOW site meets the criteria of a
Formerly Used Defense Site
Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS or FDS) are properties that were owned by, leased to, or otherwise possessed by the United States and under the jurisdiction of the United States Secretary of Defense. The term also refers to the U.S. military pro ...
, making it eligible for environmental restoration funds available from the U.S. Army.
One portion of the property containing contaminated groundwater is listed as a
Superfund
Superfund is a United States federal environmental remediation program established by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). The program is administered by the United States Environmental Pro ...
cleanup site.
A 2005 article in the ''
Niagara Gazette
The ''Niagara Gazette'', also referred to as ''The Gazette'', is a morning daily newspaper published in Niagara Falls, New York, United States, which covers several parts of Niagara County, including the Town of Niagara, and the City of Niagara Fa ...
'' alleged that radiation at the site was causing an ongoing hazard for the nearby Lewiston-Porter Central School District.
References
{{reflist
Geography of Niagara County, New York
Manhattan Project sites
Project Nike
Radioactive waste repositories in the United States
United States Army arsenals
United States Army arsenals during World War II
Installations of the U.S. Department of Defense
Superfund sites in New York (state)
Landfills in the United States
Environmental issues in New York (state)
United States Department of Energy facilities
1941 establishments in New York (state)