Exxon Mobil to Reimburse State $250,000 for Previous Costs for Investigation and Cleanup Activities 

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced an Order on Consent with the Exxon Mobil Corporation to investigate contamination from historical operations at the former Vacuum Oil Refinery, an approximately 33-acre area in the city of Rochester, Monroe County. The investigation will play an important role in the ongoing redevelopment and revitalization collaborations along the city’s Genesee River corridor. 

“Securing an Order on Consent with Exxon Mobil for the former Vacuum Oil facility represents an important milestone in achieving a comprehensive cleanup of this long-contaminated site in Rochester,” Commissioner Lefton said. “DEC will exercise close oversight to ensure the protection of public health and the environment in the Rochester community. We are excited for the next chapter for Vacuum Oil and its connection to the larger work underway by DEC, the city, and our many public and private partners to restore and redevelop this segment of the Genesee River.” 

DEC issued an Order on Consent requiring ExxonMobil to investigate the extent of contamination within the remaining areas of the historical Former Vacuum Oil Refinery footprint not already being addressed under separate sites in the Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP). DEC’s Division of Environmental Remediation will provide oversight of the investigation through the State Superfund (SSF) program, including review and approval of cleanup plans. 

The investigation and resulting comprehensive cleanup of the former Vacuum Oil Company Refinery will allow the city of Rochester to proceed with the construction of a new riverwalk along the Genessee River. The order also requires the Exxon Mobil Corporation to pay $250,000 to reimburse the State’s previous costs to investigate and clean up various parcels within the former Vacuum Oil facility’s historical footprint.  

Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans said, “We finally have the last piece of the puzzle for the former Vacuum Oil site with this Order on Consent. I am grateful for the strong partnership that we have with Exxon Mobil and the DEC in our shared commitment to ensure the Plymouth-Exchange neighborhood is whole again, return prime riverfront real estate to city residents, and restore a healthy connection to the river and nature.” 

Facility History 

The Former Vacuum Oil Company was a predecessor of the Exxon Mobil Corporation and operated a petroleum refinery, blending operations, and bulk storage at portions of the facility footprint from approximately 1866 to the early 1890s. From the early 1890s until the facility’s closure in 1935, it operated as a distiller of crude petroleum to produce petroleum products. Crude oil, kerosene, naphtha, finished lubricants, and containers for these products were manufactured and stored on site, resulting in historical chemical and oil contamination, including groundwater contaminated with volatile organic compounds and metals. 

Most of the above-grade structures have been demolished and removed, with some remnants of former structures remaining. The facility also included canal beds, a rail yard, barrel manufacturing and storage, and underground facilities that previously serviced manufacturing operations. The canal was in operation from approximately 1840 to 1877 when it was drained and converted to the railbed for the Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad until decommissioning in 1971.