MASSENA -- Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response (RACER) Trust, which oversees the cleanup of the former General Motors site, awarded Perras Environmental Control Inc., in recognition of the company’s performance during a recently completed phase of remediation at the property, RACER said.

The company, based in Massena, removed approximately 204,000 tons of contaminated material from a section of the property known as the North Disposal Area. That’s roughly the weight of two large cruise ships, RACER said.

Perras completed the work, which generally involved about 50 employees, over a period of 16 months on time and without injury, a total of 72,000 safe hours worked, RACER said.

Remediation of the property, which was ordered and is overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is scheduled for completion in 2016. RACER Trust also is marketing the property for sale to a buyer or buyers who will invest in redevelopment and job creation.

The recently completed phase of remediation involved dismantling of three buildings and the excavation and off-site disposal of polychlorinated biphyenyl-impacted soils.

Process-water lagoons and disposal pits were excavated and backfilled with clean soil, with excavations in places reaching as deep as 50 feet below grade, RACER said.