With the approval of the bioaccumulation model (Appendix P), EPA has finalized the 17-mile Remedial Investigation Report which can be accessed here. [January 2023]

Proposed Consent Decree with 85 Potentially Responsible Parties for Public Comment [December 2022]

EPA and the U.S. Department of Justice announce a proposed consent decree, a legal document, with 85 potentially responsible parties, requiring them to pay a total of $150 million to support the cleanup work and resolve their liability for discharging hazardous substances into the Lower Passaic River, which is part of the Diamond Alkali Superfund site. This consent decree is open for a 90-day public comment period and is available for review on the Justice Department website. Additional information is available on EPA’s Diamond Alkali Superfund Profile Page under “Site Documents & Data”.

Community Involvement Plan [October 2022]

EPA has finalized the Community Involvement Plan (CIP) for the Upper 9 miles of the Lower Passaic River Study Area. The CIP was developed to encourage community involvement and to facilitate communication between EPA and community members, environmental groups, government officials, the media, and other parties interested in the site and cleanup actions at the site. This CIP provides the backbone of the community involvement program and serves as a useful resource that the cleanup team can turn to for advice on appropriate activities for community involvement. This CIP will serve as a roadmap for EPA in providing opportunities to share information with the public and to receive input during the interim and final cleanup action design and cleanup. It will be updated, as needed, to ensure opportunities for meaningful public participation continue throughout the interim cleanup action and beyond. This CIP is focused to fit the communication needs associated with the cleanup of the upper 9 miles of the LPRSA. It is structured to provide the reader with a high-level understanding of the work being done and to share EPA’s plans for keeping the community engaged and aware.

The CIP is available here.

EPA’s Frequently Asked Questions about the Sediment Processing Facility or Facilities [October 2021]

The cleanup plans for the lower 8.3 miles and upper 9 miles of the Passaic River call for dredging contaminated sediments from the river, which need to be processed at a sediment treatment facility or facilities. This fact sheet, located here, answers frequently asked questions such as what a sediment treatment facility is, where it might be located, and how community health and safety will be protected.

Record of Decision (ROD) for the Upper 9 Miles of the Lower Passaic River [September 2021]

EPA has finalized its decision on an interim cleanup plan for the sediment of the upper 9 miles of the Lower Passaic River that addresses sediment acting as a source of contamination for the Lower Passaic River Study Area, which is the lower 17 miles of the river.

The interim cleanup plan, called a Record of Decision, includes dredging approximately 387,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment over approximately 96 acres from river mile 8.3 to the Dundee Dam. Contaminated sediment will be dredged to the depth(s) necessary to construct a sediment cap that does not diminish water depth or exacerbate flooding both under current conditions and considering climate change impacts.

After dredging, an engineered cap will be placed to prevent contamination in the sediment from entering the water column and fish tissue. Dredged sediment will be dewatered locally and transported off-site for disposal. Once the sediment is dredged and the cap placed, the water column, fish tissue, and sediment will be monitored to determine the final remedy for the river. The estimated cost of the remedy is $441 million.

The Record of Decision, including a Responsiveness Summary containing all of EPA’s responses to public comments on the cleanup proposal, is available here.

The English version of the Final Plan Fact Sheet is available here.

The Spanish version of the Final Plan Fact Sheet is available here.

A copy of the news release is available here.

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