Exxon joins NY Brownfield program for Rochester site cleanup

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Exxon Mobil is investigating 33 acres of contaminated land in Rochester, once an oil refinery operated by its predecessor, the Vacuum Oil Company. The city aims to revitalize the area.

Crews have been clearing trees and preparing the site for about a year. Construction equipment was seen being delivered, and access to the Genesee River Trail is being fenced off. Demolition of a building on the site is planned.

Next spring, contaminated soil will be replaced with two feet of clean soil. The north portion of the site will be redeveloped, while the southern portion will remain a greenspace.

“It would be beautiful if they could revitalize that path. It’s a gorgeous path. I think it’s underused. And I think if it could be, my hope is that they will create more green space with it, rather than just more housing for the University of Rochester,” said Cynthia Brent, a nearby resident.

Exxon Mobil will reimburse the state $250,000 for previous cleanup efforts. The project is expected to take around two years.

Exxon has enrolled the refinery in New York’s Brownfield Cleanup Program, which offers tax credits to companies that clean up polluted sites.

The Vacuum Oil Company operated a petroleum refinery, blending operations, and bulk storage at the facility from around 1866 to the early 1890s. It distilled crude petroleum until it closed in 1935. Substances like crude oil and kerosene have contributed to contamination, including to groundwater.

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