ourPassaic.org - Main Page
Contact Us
Home
Welcome to ourPassaic.org
Friday, July 30, 2010


The Lower Passaic River is a 17-mile tidal stretch from Dundee Dam to the river mouth at Newark Bay. The river has a long history of industrialization, which has resulted in degraded water quality, sediment contamination, loss of wetlands and abandoned or underutilized properties along the shore.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and New Jersey Department of Transportation have formed a partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to carry out the Lower Passaic River Restoration Project. The agencies are bringing together the authorities of the Superfund Program, the Water Resources Development Act, the Clean Water Act and other laws to improve the health of the river.
Goals of the Lower Passaic River Restoration Project:

  • Remediate Contaminated Sediments
  • Improve Water Quality
  • Restore Degraded Shorelines
  • Restore and Create New Habitats
  • Enhance Human Use

Objectives of the Study
Fundamental Questions






Follow our work as the Project moves forward: The partner agencies are posting draft documents for review and final documents for use under the "Project Activities" button to the left. Make sure to visit that area often, to keep track of progress on every facet of the project, including historical data evaluation, sampling, restoration, risk assessment, modeling, dredging pilot and public outreach.

Historic Data: Historical data for the Passaic River Estuary is available to view and download under the maps and contaminants tabs.

Read all about it! Click here for Press releases about the Project.

Administrative Record

A copy of the Administrative Record for the Diamond Alkali site is now available. [Click Here to Download]

Posted: 1/16/04

Project Management Plan

The "Project Management Plan" or PMP is a planning document that gives an overview of the tasks that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and New Jersey Department of Transportation will accomplish during the Lower Passaic RiverRestoration study. [Read This News]

Posted: 11/04/03

    

FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORIES

Alerto de Cangrejos de Tenazas Azules en la Region de la Bahia de Newark

Exposure to low levels of some contaminants in the environment may have long lasting health effects on people. Mercury, PCBs and dioxins are among the major contaminants found in some New Jersey fish in portions of the state. These contaminants can be especially harmful to women of childbearing age, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Children are also at risk of developmental and neurological problems if exposed to these chemicals.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS) provide advice on consuming those species of fish in which high levels of dioxin, PCBs and mercury have been found.

Click here for the NJDHSS Woman's Guide to Eating Fish and Seafood.

  
    

Surface Sediment Chemical Analyses and Benthic Invertebrate Toxicity and Bioaccumulation Testing Quality Assurance Project Plan [October 2009]

This report provides detailed procedures for conducting the second biota sampling events, which will focus on surface sediments and benthic invertebrates. It includes information such as the sample locations and numbers, the sampling techniques that will be utilized, and the laboratories and methods that will be used to analyze the samples. The plan is consistent with the overall roadmap presented in the Problem Formulation Document, which was prepared for the 17-mile RI/FS (July 2009). The data will be used to prepare the human health and ecological risk assessments. Click here to download the report.

Fish/Decapod Tissue Chemistry Analysis and Fish Community Survey Quality Assurance Project Plan [August 2009]

This report provides detailed procedures for conducting the first of the biota sampling events, which will focus on fish and decapods. It includes information such as the sample locations and numbers, the sampling techniques that will be utilized, and the laboratories and methods that will be used to analyze the samples. The plan is consistent with the overall roadmap presented in the Problem Formulation Document which was prepared for the 17-mile RI/FS (July 2009). The data will be used to prepare the human health and ecological risk assessments. Click here to download the report.

Updated Lower Passaic River Commercial Navigation Analysis [December 2008]

This document presents the current status of commercial navigation use on the Lower Passaic River. The draft of this report (March 2007) was presented in Appendix F in the Draft Source Control Early Action Focused Feasibility Study (June 2007). The updated report incorporated additional information from two data sets obtained from the IWR Waterborne Commerce Statistics including: (1) general trends from 1980 to 2006 and (2) current berth by berth uses of the waterway for the most recent ten years available (1997-2006). The analysis presents a qualitative evaluation of commodities, tonnage, and loaded drafts for all active berths. The August 2008 Conditions Survey was used to present average and controlling depths for each authorized reach of the federal navigation channel. To review this report, please click here.

Vegetation Sampling, Wetland Delineation, and Bio-Benchmark Report [December 2008] and Plant Resource Document [October 2008]

The USACE conducted vegetation studies at selected sites along the Lower Passaic River (Brackish, Transitional, and Freshwater sections), tributaries of the river and at reference sites during fall 2007 and spring 2008. Wetland delineations and bio-benchmarking were also conducted at select locations. The Vegetation Sampling Report documents the methods and findings of the sampling events. The vegetation sampling results were used for the preparation of a Plant Resource Document, which provides a comprehensive list of plant species, recommended plantings zones, planting windows, and habitat recommendations to be restored. Both of these documents provide information that will aid in future restoration sampling and planning efforts for the Study. To review the Vegetation Sampling Report, click here and to review the Plant Resource Document, click here.

EPA Makes Cleanup Decision Final For First Phase of Passaic River Cleanup

EPA, in consultation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, has selected a final cleanup plan for the first stage of a two-phased project to remove dioxin-laden sediment from the lower Passaic River. The cleanup plan, outlined in an Action Memorandum, signed by EPA on January 9, 2009, involves mechanical dredging of 40,000 cubic yards of sediment with mechanical processing to dewater the sediment on land nearby. Click here for the press release.

Please visit the "Project Activities" section for an overview of what we've been working on for the Lower Passaic River Restoration Project, and for our project documents.

...More Project News...


The government agencies involved in the Lower Passaic River Restoration Project and the Newark Bay Study will be holding joint project meetings to discuss progress with stakeholders.

The next Passaic River-Newark Bay Project Delivery Team (PDT) meeting will be on June 2, 2010 at 1-3pm, at EPA's offices (290 Broadway, NY, NY) in Room 30-03. Please contact Alice Yeh at 212-637-4427 or yeh.alice@epa.gov if you plan to attend.

The Passaic River Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting originally scheduled for June 10, 2010 has been canceled. The next CAG meeting will be on July 8, 2010 at 6-9 PM, at St. James Church in Newark, NJ. Please contact David Kluesner with any questions on the meeting at 212-637-3653 or kluesner.dave@epa.gov.



home  |  project activities  |  maps  |  digital library  |  site info  |  related links  |  contaminants  |  subscribe  |  contact us