The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a plan to address contaminated sediment in the upper nine miles of the Lower Passaic River Study Area of the Diamond Alkali Superfund site in Essex, Bergen, and Passaic Counties, New Jersey.
According to EPA, the sediment in the Lower Passaic River is severely contaminated with dioxins/furans, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), heavy metals, pesticides and other contaminants from more than a century of industrial activity.
The proposed cleanup plan – supported by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – calls for using a combination of cleanup technologies including dredging approximately 387,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment.
The proposed remedy would be an interim action – a final remedy would be selected after this action has been implemented. This proposed interim action complements the cleanup selected in 2016 for the lower eight miles of the Lower Passaic River. That cleanup includes bank-to-bank dredging and capping in that stretch of the river.
The proposed cleanup includes:
A 30-day public comment period for the proposed plan starts today, April 15, and will run until May 14, 2021. EPA will host a Virtual Public Meeting on April 27, 2021 at 6:00 p.m.