As a company, Atlantic Richfield Company, part of the BP group of companies, has a strong commitment to being involved in the communities in which it operates. Since kicking off this remediation project, Atlantic Richfield has partnered with a number of community organizations on key projects.

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New York firefighters demonstrate rescue equipment donated by BP
By Robert Miner and Fred Yaeger for Planet BP

The Hastings-on-Hudson, New York Volunteer Fire Department showcased new rescue and extrication equipment at a demonstration at a former wire-and-cable-manufacturing site currently being remediated by Atlantic Richfield Company, a BP-affiliated company.

BP donated $35,000 to the Village to pay for a full complement of rescue and extrication tools.

Fire Chief Jim Sarfaty said, “Our previous extrication equipment was nearly 30 years old, and simply no longer capable of handling the stronger alloys used in newer vehicles. New cutters, spreaders and air bags will help our firefighters work both quicker and safer. In an accident, the more quickly we can extricate people, stabilize them and transport them to a hospital, the higher their odds of survival and recovery.”

Patrick King, BP’s vice-president of Global Operations for the Remediation Management function, donned firefighter safety gear and lent a hand in using the tools to remove the roof and doors off the demonstration vehicle.

Eric Larson, BP’s Operations Project Manager for the site and a volunteer firefighter himself, spearheaded the partnership with the community’s volunteer fire department. “The fire department plays a critical support and safety role on our Hastings project. We’ve worked closely with the fire department on safety issues related to demolition, construction and truck traffic. In the future, we expect an increase in construction activities and traffic, and the Hastings fire department would be the first responders to any incident. We wanted to make certain their rescue teams have access to the kind of equipment they need to do their job safely and effectively.”

Deputy Fire Chief Ron Gagliardi noted the strong relationship they have developed with Atlantic Richfield’s project team. “We have developed a very positive relationship with Eric Larson and his team. We appreciate how supportive Atlantic Richfield Company and BP have been to our Department and its mission, and we’re prepared to support them in every way we can to do their work on the waterfront and in the Hudson River safely.”

The equipment includes a vehicle stabilization strut kit, a new set of high-pressure air bags capable of lifting 25 tons, a hydraulic power unit, high-pressure cutters, a heavy-duty spreader, a hydraulic ram and new high-pressure hydraulic hoses.

In addition to the rescue and extrication equipment, BP has funded a new water rescue boat, fire prevention education, and a local scholarship for children of firefighters.

BP funds new rescue and extrication equipment for fire department

Atlantic Richfield Company, a BP-affiliated company, kicked off National Fire Prevention Week in Hastings-on-Hudson by donating $35,000 for new rescue and extrication equipment to replace outdated equipment used by the fire department, and making an additional contribution to support the Department’s long-standing fire prevention education program.

First Assistant Fire Chief Jim Sarfaty said, “Our current extrication equipment is over 25 years old, and simply is no longer capable of handling the stronger alloys used in newer vehicles. New cutters, spreaders and air bags will help our firefighters work both quicker and safer. In an accident, the more quickly we can extricate people, stabilize them and transport them to a hospital, the higher their odds of survival and recovery.”

Fire Prevention Officer Cris DiBenedetto, said, “Every year, we bring our programs to more than 700 children in area schools. We know the value of this education. BP’s support will help us pay for the materials we need – the coloring books, the videos, the handouts — that help us bring this important message into our schools.”

Eric Larson, Atlantic Richfield Company’s Operations Project Manager for the clean-up of the former Anaconda Wire & Cable Company factory in Hastings-on-Hudson and a volunteer firefighter himself, spearheaded the partnership with the community’s volunteer fire department. “The fire department plays a critical support and safety role on our Hastings project. We’ve worked closely with the fire department on safety issues related to demolition, construction and truck traffic. In the future, we expect an increase in construction activities and traffic, and the Hastings fire department would be the first responders to any incident. We wanted to make certain their rescue teams have access to the kind of equipment they need to do their job safely and effectively.”

Hastings-on-Hudson Fire Chief Ron Gagliardi noted the strong relationship they have developed with Atlantic Richfield’s project team. “We have developed a very positive relationship with Eric Larson and his team. We appreciate how supportive Atlantic Richfield Company and BP have been to our Department and its mission, and we’re prepared to support them in every way we can to do their work on the waterfront and in the Hudson River safely.”

BP again sponsors Friday Night Live events in downtown Hastings-on-Hudson

BP is again sponsoring the Friday Night Live events for 2011-2012 in downtown Hastings-on-Hudson. The monthly festivities promote the downtown area with music, dancing, films, food, shopping and other entertainment.

Pictured from left to right at a recent check presentation: Hastings-on-Hudson Trustee Jeremiah Quinlan, Mayor Peter Swiderski, BP Operations Project Manager Eric Larson, Trustee and Friday Night Live Coordinator Meg Walker.

BP continues as key sponsor of Take Me to the River Festival

More than a thousand Hastings-on-Hudson residents attended the 2011 Take Me to the River event. BP continued its involvement as a key sponsor of the festival. The event featured local musicians and eco-friendly informational booths.

BP Operations Project Manager Eric Larson presented a check to officers of 12 Miles North, the sponsor organization for the event. Pictured from left to right: Niki Armacost, 12 Miles North officer, Eric Larson, BP Operations Project Manager, Barbara Prisament and Liz Liebeskind, both12 Miles North officers.

BP sponsors Hastings-On-Hudson Little League baseball

BP's Eric Larson Throws Commemorative First Pitch For Hastings-On-Hudson Little League's Opening Day Ceremonies

More than 250 Hastings-On-Hudson Little Leaguers aged twelve through fifteen, and their parents participated in Opening Day Ceremonies that celebrating the new 2011 Little League Baseball Season in Hastings-On-Hudson. BP is a key sponsor of the Hastings Little League providing a $6,000 grant for the purchase of a baseball scoreboard and renovations of their baseball field.

BP’s Operations Manager Eric Larson is pictured throwing the Commemorative first pitch.

Photo Courtesy of Jim Metzger

ATLANTIC RICHFIELD COMPANY is a key sponsor of the fourth annual Take Me The River Grassroots Music and Art Festival

Atlantic Richfield company, a BP-affiliated company, was a major sponsor of the fourth annual Take Me To The River Grassroots Music and Art Festival in Hastings-on-Hudson.

The Take Me To The River Grassroots Music and Art Festival celebrated local and nationally acclaimed folk, blues, jazz world and alternative musicians. Complementing the music was a wide variety art exhibits. The event was highlighted with a solar powered stage including informational booths about solar power. The daylong event, attended by hundreds of area residents was held in association with the Hastings-on-Hudson Parks and Recreation Department.

Atlantic Richfield Company, a BP Affiliated Company was a key sponsor of the event, donating $5,000 to help underwrite the cost of the Festival.

Pictured at the on-stage Check Presentation Ceremony from left to right: Hastings-on-Hudson Trustee Niki Armacost, 12 milesnorth organizers Barbara Prisament and Liz Liebeskind,, and Fred Yaeger, representing Atlantic Richfield Company.

Atlantic Richfield Company clears structures on the Hastings-on-Hudson waterfront preparing for environmental clean-up

Hastings-on-Hudson Mayor Peter Swiderski (pictured at right) toured the site in 2009 prior to a major demolition project at the former Anaconda Wire and Cable Company manufacturing site in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. The demolition was a significant step forward at this high-profile project along the Hudson River.

Atlantic Richfield Company (AR), a BP-affiliated company, took down 11 structures on the waterfront this fall in an effort to prepare the site for future environmental cleanup.

This project cleared all of the remaining structures except the water tower and the two brick buildings on the north end of the waterfront.

"There has been a great deal of work quietly going on at this site over the last several years focused on further investigating site conditions and developing a feasible remediation plan to unlock the future redevelopment potential for this site. However, very little of this work has been visible to the community. This demolition will provide a very visible sign of progress on our project," AR Deputy Operations Manager Joe Sontchi (pictured at left) said.

Mayor Swiderski said, "The demolition cleared away some unattractive industrial buildings and opened up significant views of the River and the Palisades for our residents. More importantly, it will clear the way for the cleanup effort that must be accomplished before this site can be put back to use to benefit the community. We are celebrating a major step forward for this important project and for the future of Hastings-on-Hudson."

Before any redevelopment can occur on the waterfront, AR will need to remediate PCB contamination left from Anaconda Wire and Cable’s World War II-era manufacturing operations.

Sontchi explained, "The PCBs were used during World War II to coat electrical cable for U.S. Navy warships as a fire retardant. The cable coatings were widely credited with saving the lives of thousands of sailors by preventing electrical fires when ships were struck during battle. Until the widespread use of PCB coating on war ships, the fires that resulted from being struck with enemy explosives often killed more people and did more damage than the actual explosives. PCB use was discontinued by the end of World War II when the plant was reconverted to manufacturing cable for civilian uses."

Sontchi said AR remains engaged with New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in the on-going regulatory process directed at selection of a remedy for PCB contamination. "Once a decision is made on the remedy, there will be several years of project planning and cleanup activities here before this site can be redeveloped or reused," Sontchi said. "However, our hope is that this demolition work will help expedite that process by removing a major hurdle to any remediation we will need to perform."

AR previously removed 10 other structures on the 28-acre site, most in 2004 and 2005.

Just as in previous work, AR focused on safety as it removed these buildings. AR employed dust control measures and real-time air monitoring to ensure that all work, whether asbestos abatement or demolition, was conducted to minimize any risk to the safety of workers on site or to the community.

AR also worked closely with the Village to minimize traffic impacts from trucks removing debris from the site. AR contractors followed a Village-designated truck route and will restrict truck traffic during high traffic periods.

Sontchi said, "Our project is located in the heart of the community along the waterfront. We want to do everything possible to do this work safely and efficiently and minimize any impact on our neighbors here." more info ››

Atlantic Richfield Company sponsors Friday Night Live to promote downtown

Atlantic Richfield Company (AR) has joined as a key sponsor of the monthly Friday Night live celebrations downtown. The events offer music, food, shopping and other activities to promote the downtown area.

AR project manager Joe Sontchi said, "We recognize that this fall’s demolition project will have some impact on downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods, especially with some additional truck traffic. As a way to thank our neighbors here in Hastings-on-Hudson, we wanted to join as a sponsor for this fun community event."

Atlantic Richfield Company, a BP - affiliated company, donates solar-powered vehicle to the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson

Atlantic Richfield Company, a BP-affiliated company, recently made a gift of a solar-powered, all-terrain electric vehicle to the Village.

"BP, on behalf of Atlantic Richfield Company, proudly donates this vehicle to the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson," stated Joe Sontchi, Deputy Operations Manager, US Other Assets, Atlantic Richfield (pictured being interviewed at left). "This vehicle demonstrates our commitment to alternative energy and to harnessing the non-polluting power of the sun. It also represents the ingenuity that is needed from companies and municipalities alike as we strive to provide traditional and nontraditional energy for the future. BP is a global leader in solar technology, so we are happy to support the Village's interest in reducing its carbon footprint through the use of solar power."

The solar-powered vehicle, equipped with a 48-volt battery system charged by a 185-watt photovoltaic solar panel manufactured by Bad Boy Buggies, will be used to transport Village staff and Hastings-on-Hudson residents of all ages to activities and events.

Pictured from Left to Right: Joe Sontchi, Deputy Operations Manager, US Other Assets, Atlantic Richfield being interviewed by News 12 Westchester Reporter Alice Gaynor and at far right Fred Yaeger, Communications and Public Affairs Consultant for Atlantic Richfield.

News 12 interviews Atlantic Richfield Company official

News 12 interviewed Joe Sontchi, Deputy Operations Manager, US Other Assets, Atlantic Richfield Company regarding the company's recent donation of a solar-powered, all-terrain electric vehicle to the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson.

Pictured from left to right: Joe Sontchi, News 12 Westchester Reporter Alice Gaynor and, at far right, Fred Yaeger, Communications and Public Affairs Consultant for Atlantic Richfield.

BP is a major sponsor of Grassroots Music Festival.

BP, on behalf of Atlantic Richfield Company, served as a major sponsor of the 2009 Grassroots Music Festival in Hastings-on-Hudson.

The annual Take Me to the River — Grassroots Music Festival celebrates local and nationally acclaimed folk, blues, jazz and rock musicians. 2009 included the addition of a second stage that was completely solar powered, supporting the green movement.

Atlantic Richfield donates $5,000 for the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson's quadricentennial Hudson River Day celebration

The Village of Hastings-on-Hudson recently participated in the Quadricentennial Celebration of the Hudson River along with other Riverfront cities and towns. The year 2009 marks the 400th anniversary of the voyage of English Captain Henry Hudson, who led the first European expedition to sail up the river that now bears his name.

The Village recently hosted ‘Riverday,' which featured a Flotilla of Ships Parade that sailed up the Hudson River passing the Village. Atlantic Richfield, a BP-affiliated company was a key sponsor of the Riverday Celebration, by donating $5,000 to support the event. The Celebration included live music, crafts for children, food and refreshments. Over 400 Hastings-on-Hudson residents of all ages were in attendance at the MacEachron Waterfront Park.

Pictured from Left to Right: Joe Sontchi, Deputy Operations Manager, Atlantic Richfield and Peter Swiderski, Mayor Village of Hastings-on-Hudson.

BP is major sponsor of Explore New York 400

BP and its affiliated companies are major sponsors of the River Day celebration of the 400th Anniversary of Henry Hudson's exploration of the river that now bears his name, as well as the 200th anniversary of Robert Fulton's maiden journey up the Hudson River on the first successful steamboat.

A highlight of Explore New York 400 included a special trip up the Hudson River by a flotilla of heritage vessels, including a replica of Henry Hudson's Half Moon.

Joe Sontchi, Deputy Operations Manager and project manager for Atlantic Richfield's Hastings-on-Hudson site, said, "BP, through our affiliated company Atlantic Richfield Company, is working in Hastings-on-Hudson to restore an important riverfront site to the community after over 175 years of industrial use. BP understands and appreciates the importance of the Hudson River to this region and we are pleased to play a role in the celebration."

Atlantic Richfield Company supports Climate Action Week with $5,000 funding grant

Atlantic Richfield Company Deputy Operations Manager Joe Sontchi (pictured at left) presents Village of Hastings-on-Hudson Mayor Wm. Lee Kinnally Jr. and Board of Trustee members Diggitt McLaughlin and Peter Swiderski with a $5,000 check from Atlantic Richfield to support the Village's first Climate Action Week.

Climate Action Week is devoted to educating the community on climate change and empowering residents to effect change by being environmentally responsible in their lives and in the community.

Hastings Trailways Map

The Atlantic Richfield Company (AR) was pleased to support and underwrite the printing and production costs of 5,000 copies of the Trailways Map of Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. The Trailways Map is a colorful map illustrated with symbols identifying significant features of trails and recreation areas in the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson. The map is available free of charge at the James Harmon Community Center, municipal building, public library and in blue mailboxes located at the entrance to each of the eight trails in the Hastings system.

Atlantic Richfield Company arranges One River Street tour for Rivertown's Enterprise newspaper reporter

Joe Sontchi, Atlantic Richfield Company's Deputy Operations Manager, (pictured at right) in August 2007, provided a waterfront update and walking tour of the One River Street Site for Rivertown's Enterprise reporter, Kimberly Hiss.

Atlantic Richfield Company participated in the 7th annual Hudson River Valley Ramble

Atlantic Richfield Company participated in the 7th Annual Hudson River Valley Ramble held in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY during the month of September 2006. The Hudson River Valley Ramble was sponsored by the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area and the Hudson River Valley greenway with assistance from the Hudson River Estuary Program, NYSDEC. The Rowley's Bridge Trail was the site, in Hastings-on-Hudson, for this year's event. Pictured from left to right are Fred Yaeger, Atlantic Richfield Company's Government and Public Affairs Consultant, Fred Hubbard, Hastings-on-Hudson Village Naturalist, Lee Kinnally, Mayor of Hastings-on-Hudson, Fran A. Frobel, Hastings-on-Hudson Village Manager, and Diggett McLaughlin and Jeremiah Quinlan, Village Trustees.

Atlantic Richfield's former Project Manager Dave Kalet provides a waterfront update to the Village of Hastings-On-Hudson's Board of Trustees

In March 2006, Dave Kalet, former Remediation Manager for the Atlantic Richfield Company (AR), gave a presentation on the One River Street Project to the Village of Hastings-On-Hudson's Board of Trustees. His presentation stated the architectural study which analyzed the condition of Buildings 51 and 52, the water tower as well as their historic features, and the feasibility of preservation is now completed. The report is expected to be presented to the community in late April or in mid-May 2006.

He also discussed the Remedial Design stage of the work at the One River Street site. The boring and test pit phase of the Pre-Design Investigation (PDI) has been completed and the work is continuing on the design itself. The drilling has provided soil data for use by geotechnical engineers during design of the structural element, such as sheet pile bulkheads along the waterfront and excavation support systems.

Dave Kalet's presentation to the Board of Trustees was part of AR's on-going commitment to work closely with the community and elected officials to ensure an open dialogue and public awareness on the latest activities at the One River Street site.

Atlantic Richfield Company's former Project Manager Dave Kalet speaks at the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York

In May 2005, Dave Kalet, former Remediation Manager for the Atlantic Richfield Company (AR), gave a presentation on the One River Street Project, to the 6th grade science students at The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York. The presentation covered the science of environmental remediation and PCB removal, as well as related issues such as building demolition and protecting the health and safety of workers and the community. The presentation was part of AR’s commitment to work closely with the community and maintain public awareness with regard to the latest activities at the One River Street site.

Former Project Manager Dave Kalet of Atlantic Richfield Company interviewed by News 12 Westchester television

Atlantic Richfield Company’s One River Street remediation project in Hasting-on-Hudson, New York was featured on News 12 Westchester television in February 2005. Dave Kalet, former Remediation Manager for AR, explained to News 12 Westchester reporter Tara Rosenblum the schedule for upcoming activities on the site. Also featured in the television report was the unanimous approval of AR’s application to remove structurally unsound buildings on the One River Street site by the five-member Board of Trustees of the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson.

Atlantic Richfield Company supports Hastings-on-Hudson annual cleanup day

On the weekend of April 16 th and 17 th 2005, the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson held their annual cleanup days with the goal of improving the beauty of the Village and enhancing community life, by making the Village a cleaner and healthier place to live. Teams of volunteers were allocated specific areas of the Village to cleanup with the aim of filling as many trash bags as possible.

In addition, the Village held a competition for children to create a Cleanup Day Poster. The Cleanup Ceremony was held on April 16 th at the Hastings Community Center between 12 and 1:30pm, where prizes were awarded for the best poster. The Atlantic Richfield Company underwrote the cost for food and refreshments for the more than 100 residents who attended this event.