Glens Falls council hears public concern after possible refrigerant leak at city rec center
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Summary
City officials told the Common Council that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is investigating a suspected underground refrigerant leak at the Glens Falls Recreation Center; residents and an environmental attorney urged faster reporting and clearer public information.
A public comment at the Glens Falls Common Council meeting on March 25 raised concern about a suspected underground leak of refrigerant at the city recreation center on Fire Road, and residents urged the city to give the public more information while the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation investigates.
City staff said Department of Public Works employees first noticed declining refrigerant levels on gauges in January and notified Carrier, the firm holding the maintenance contract for the rink’s refrigeration equipment. The city said the leak is beneath the building’s floor and that, to the city’s knowledge, there has been "no human exposure to the material." The DEC has an open investigation, city officials said.
Why it matters: commenters said the leak is adjacent to environmentally sensitive land including Coles Woods and Half Brook, and they want to know how much refrigerant has been lost, where it went and whether the city should have reported the problem earlier.
Public commenters pushed for clarity. Joe Wagner of Webster Avenue said he saw a DEC entry recording a spill date of "03/19/2025" and told the council he filed a FOIL request for records. Resident and environmental attorney Claudia Braemer said, "If we've known about it since January, what have we been doing? Why have we not stopped the leaking?" She asked whether the substance is hazardous and said the city should provide more information to the public.
City staff responded that DPW treated initial signs as a mechanical problem and contacted Carrier, the maintenance contractor, to address declining refrigerant levels. Speaking to the council, city staff said DEC will determine whether the situation meets the threshold for a reportable spill and that the city will "follow their lead" and provide additional information as it becomes available. The city also said there is no visible pooling or buckling of the ice that would indicate a major failure underneath the rink surface.
Councilwoman Palmer pressed the city on several points: why the city continued to add refrigerant to keep the rink operating, whether DEC was notified earlier, and whether the city was seeking funding to repair the system if the damage proves extensive. City staff said the rink was kept open to finish the season while Carrier and outside experts are being engaged to assess the system once the ice melts; the city said it has not yet received final bills and does not know total repair costs. City staff also said the chemical involved is propylene glycol-based refrigerant; they characterized its environmental hazard ratings as low but said DEC will advise on response actions.
Speakers at the meeting urged the city to be more proactive in communicating with the public and to pursue funding options if the repair will be costly. City staff said they will provide a report to the council after the ice melts and the professional assessment is complete.
The council did not take a formal vote on the matter during the meeting. City staff said they will share assessment results and any cost estimates with the council when available.
