The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is inviting public feedback on its proposal to finalize a cleanup plan for the 80-120 Lister Ave. portion of the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site in Newark, NJ. The site spans 5.8 acres between 80-120 Lister Ave., the Lower Passaic River, and part of Newark Bay, and has been contaminated with soil, debris, and groundwater from past activities.
The EPA initially implemented an interim plan that involved capping the contaminated material at Lister Avenue and operating a groundwater containment system. The new proposed permanent plan aims to enhance these existing systems for better long-term containment.
Given the site's complexity, the EPA divided it into four phases known as Operable Units (OUs). This proposed permanent plan focuses on OU1, which includes a former pesticide and herbicide manufacturing facility that polluted the surrounding area, including the Lower Passaic River and Newark Bay.
The public comment period runs from September 10th to October 10th, 2024. A hybrid public meeting will be held on September 19th at NJIT's Central King Building in Newark to discuss the proposed plan. Registration for this meeting is available online.
"EPA’s work to protect the people of Newark and Passaic River communities from toxic contamination at the Lister Ave. location has proven successful," said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "This next proposal will build on those ongoing efforts."
The proposed plan includes continued operation of existing remedies with improvements such as reinstalling seven groundwater pumps, upgrading the groundwater treatment system, and repairing any damage to the cap covering contaminated materials. This approach aims to avoid short-term risks associated with other options like excavation.
The EPA evaluated potential climate change impacts and confirmed that previous cleanups were designed to withstand floods and storms. The agency conducted a climate change vulnerability assessment for the proposed cleanup plan considering rising temperatures, sea level rise, extreme weather events, and heavy precipitation.
For investigating and cleaning up the river, EPA divided a 17-mile stretch of the Lower Passaic River into two units: lower 8.3 miles and upper 9 miles. In 2024, EPA approved Occidental Chemical Corporation's engineering design for cleaning up the lower segment while designs for the upper segment are still under development by Occidental Chemical Corporation.
Written comments can be submitted until October 10th via mail or email to Eugenia Naranjo at EPA's New York office.
For more information about this cleanup effort or additional background details, visit EPA Region 2's website or their social media pages.
