The State of New York has filed a lawsuit against a real estate holding company over environmental contamination at a site in Jericho, New York. The complaint names Richmond Associates LP and seeks to recover costs incurred by the state in addressing hazardous substance releases at the property.
The complaint outlines environmental issues dating back to the late 1960s or early 1970s, when Solvent Finishers, Inc., an industrial dry-cleaning business, operated at 601–603 Cantiague Rock Road. During that time, the company reportedly used up to 11,000 gallons of tetrachloroethene (PCE) per year. Wastewater containing PCE was discharged directly into the ground, resulting in long-term contamination of soil and groundwater.
In 2007, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) began investigating the site and identified significant PCE contamination in the soil, groundwater, soil vapor, and indoor air. The site was designated as a "Class 2" site in 2010, indicating a significant threat to public health or the environment that requires a response. DEC referred the property to the State Superfund program after no cleanup actions were taken by potentially responsible parties, including Richmond Associates and Rubies Costume Company, which had operated on-site.
Richmond Associates is alleged to have been aware of the environmental hazards when it purchased the property in 1998 but did not undertake remediation efforts. The lawsuit cites violations of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and seeks recovery of past response costs totaling $5,197,234.06, in addition to estimated future remediation costs of approximately $14 million.
The plaintiffs are seeking strict liability under CERCLA for cleanup costs and for damages to natural resources, including groundwater, resulting from the release of hazardous substances on the property.
The plaintiffs are represented by Letitia James, Attorney General of New York, along with Assistant Attorneys General Jennifer C. Simon and Ashley M. Gregor of the Environmental Protection Bureau. The case was filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York under Case ID No. 25-cv-3784.