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Seaway Site

Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District
Published Dec. 11, 2023
Updated: March 10, 2026
Work at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, holds a public information session on the FUSRAP Seaway site, Tonawanda, New York, April 18, 2024.

Work at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site

Work is prepared to begin at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site, Tonawanda, New York, April 2024.

Work at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site

Work is prepared to begin at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site, Tonawanda, New York, April 2024.

Work at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site

Work is prepared to begin at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site, Tonawanda, New York, April 2024.

Work at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site

Radon attenuation layer operations continue at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site, Tonawanda, New York, June 4, 2024.

Work at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site

A geosynthetic fabric liner is installed at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site, Tonawanda, New York, June 24, 2024.

Work at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site

A geosynthetic fabric liner is inspected at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site, Tonawanda, New York, June 25, 2024.

Work at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site

A geosynthetic fabric liner is installed at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway Site, Tonawanda, New York, July 20, 2024.

Work at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site

Radon attenuation layer operations continue at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site, Tonawanda, New York, July 24, 2024.

Work at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site
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Radon attenuation layer operations continue at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site, Tonawanda, New York, July 24, 2024.

Work at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site
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A geosynthetic fabric liner is installed and compacted at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway Site, Tonawanda, New York, July 25, 2024.

Work at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site
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A gas vent is assembled and installed at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, FUSRAP Seaway site, Tonawanda, New York, July 29, 2024.

About the Seaway Site

Location

The site is located along River Road in Tonawanda, NY, within the 100-acre Seaway Industrial Park, near the Grand Island Bridge.

Background

  • During the 1940s, waste from the former Linde Site's nuclear weapons program activities were stored at a property known as the Ashland 1 site (adjacent to the Seaway Site).
  • In 1974, some of those materials were moved from the Ashland 1 Site and disposed of in the Seaway Site.
  • In 1993, disposal to the Seaway landfill ended and a portion of the landfill was capped per state requirements.

Community Involvement & Project Status

  • Community Engagement: USACE engaged with the community in March and April 2024, including a public information session on April 18, 2024.
  • Contract and Scope: In September 2023, USACE awarded a $17.6 million contract to install a 22-acre engineered cap over Areas A, B, and C of the Seaway Site.
  • Site Preparation and Safety: By late April 2024, equipment staging, site preparation, and safety measures (including air monitoring) were completed. Air monitoring began 30 days before remedial work and continued through the completion of the radon attenuation layer in August 2024.
  • Construction: Construction of the engineered cap began on April 30, 2024, and was completed in December 2025.

Seaway Site Timeline

Year Event
1974–1997 AEC/DOE managed FUSRAP; surveys and investigations conducted at Tonawanda properties, including Seaway.
1993 DOE completed a Remedial Investigation (RI) and Feasibility Study (FS) and issued a Proposed Plan (PP) for on-site disposal of contaminants.
1994 DOE suspended decision-making to re-evaluate alternatives due to community concerns.
1998 FUSRAP responsibility transferred from DOE to USACE under the Fiscal Year 1998 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 105-62); separate plans and decisions issued for other Tonawanda sites.
2008 USACE issued a Feasibility Study addendum and revised Proposed Plan, identifying contaminated soils and confirming groundwater/leachate were not impacted.
2009 Record of Decision (ROD) approved; selected remedy was containment with limited off-site disposal, including capping and excavation.
2016 USACE completed excavation and off-site disposal of contaminated soil from Seaway Northside.
2017 USACE delineated contamination in Seaway Southside.
2021 Contract awarded for engineered cap design and planning.
2022 First five-year review of the selected remedy completed in accordance with CERCLA requirements.
2023 Contract awarded for engineered cap installation.
2024 Installation of the engineered cap began.
2025 Engineered cap completed in December 2025.

 

Key documents: are available at the Project Assistance Library (PAL):

Sources of Additional Information

News from the Corps

Subscribe to periodic updates by emailing fusrap@usace.army.mil.

Contact Information

Phone: 1-800-833-6390 (Option 4)

Email: fusrap@usace.army.mil

Address:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District
478 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14202