EPA Finalized Protectiveness Review of Cleanup at Diamond Alkali Superfund Site [January 2026]

EPA has completed the Sixth Five-Year Review of the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site located at 80 and 120 Lister Ave in Newark, NJ. This review confirmed that the cleanup conducted at the site, which included construction of flood and slurry walls, placement of an engineered cap, and pumping and treating of groundwater, protects public health and the environment and functions as intended by the site decision documents. EPA reviewed site operation, maintenance and monitoring information as well as the status of land use controls in making this determination.

What is an EPA Five-Year Review? EPA inspects Superfund sites every five years to ensure that cleanups conducted remain fully protective of human health and the environment. These regular reviews, which are required by federal law when contaminants remain at a site, include:

• Inspection of the site and cleanup technologies;
• Review of monitoring data, operating data, and maintenance records, and
• Determination if any new regulatory requirements have been established since EPA’s original cleanup decision was finalized.

If you have any questions about the 5-Year Review, please contact Eugenia Naranjo, EPA Project Manager, at naranjo.eugenia@epa.gov.

The EPA Announces Final Cleanup Plan for 80-120 Lister Avenue portion of the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site [January 2025]

The EPA has finalized the plan to clean up the 80-120 Lister Avenue property in Newark, which is part of the Diamond Alkali Superfund site. The EPA’s final cleanup plan calls for continued operation of the existing remedy, with improvements including reinstalling and reactivating a total of seven groundwater pumps, upgrading the current groundwater treatment system, and making any necessary repairs to the existing cap covering contaminated materials. This approach builds on the previously completed work and would avoid the short-term risks associated with other options such as digging up and removing the contaminated material outright. The final cleanup plan (also called a Record of Decision), responses to public comments and Community Update fact sheet are available on the EPA’s Superfund web site.

Community Involvement Plan (CIP) for 80-120 Lister Avenue [July 2024]

The EPA finalized the Community Involvement Plan, also referred to as CIP, for 80-120 Lister Avenue, also known as Operable Unit 1. The agency developed the CIP, with community input, to encourage community involvement and to facilitate communication between the EPA and all stakeholders interested in the site and cleanup actions at the site. The EPA will update the CIP as needed, to ensure that opportunities for meaningful public participation continue throughout the cleanup action and beyond. This CIP is focused to fit the communication needs associated with the cleanup of 80-120 Lister Ave. It is structured to provide the reader with a high-level understanding of the work being done and to share the EPA’s plans for keeping the community engaged and aware.

EPA Approves Final Clean-Up Design for Lower 8.3 Miles of the Passaic River [May 2024]

EPA has approved the final engineering design work needed to clean up the lower 8.3 miles of the Passaic River. The design was developed by Occidental Chemical Corporation-Glenn Springs Holdings and subject to review and approval by EPA. A fact sheet located here provides an overview of what’s in the design. The design documents will be posted in the Digital Library, under “All Public Documents”, “Passaic River Lower 8 Mile Action”.