LACKAWANNA, N.Y. — Pollution, debris, and worn-down buildings fill the Bethlehem Steel site in Lackawanna — but not for long. 

What You Need To Know

  • Local leaders want to do a comprehensive cleanup of Bethlehem Steel site 

  • The $35-million project will clean more than 500 acres of polluted land

  • Town officials say they are waiting on a remedial action plan that will have set dates as to when the cleanup will begin and be completed

Local leaders want to return the site to the economic engine it used to be, starting with a comprehensive cleanup. 

The $35 million project will clean more than 500 acres of polluted land. Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul says this is a well overdue project.

"People are going to look at this site and think about the glorious past, yes, but we also need to remember the lessons of what happened with the environmental attack on our water and air here," said Hochul.

For years, Bethlehem Steel was a point of pride in Western New York and employed thousands of people. Hochul says this project hits home for her. She says she grew up in Woodlawn and had family members who worked in the steel plant. 

"My grandfather worked here his entire life, that's why he came to Buffalo as an Irish immigrant. My father worked in the blast furnace for a while, my uncles too. This was the bread and butter for an entire community."

While there are multiple projects, the cleanup plan will be paid for by the owners. It's expected that it will take $50-$60 million to completely redevelop the site. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will be overseeing the project. Upon completion, community members will have access to the waterfront for the first time in a century. It will also bring jobs to the area after the pandemic took away so many. 

"One thing we know in WNY is we want to work, we're not afraid of hard jobs, and we know that this site is going to be repurposed and it's going to be reused for people to work on again," New York Assemblyman Sean Ryan said. 

Town officials say they are waiting on a remedial action plan that will have set dates as to when the cleanup will begin and be completed. Hochul says local leaders will be asking the public for input on what to bring to the site.