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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.
EPA Announces Proposed Plan for Diamond Alkali Superfund Site Operable Unit 4
EPA is proposing a plan to address contaminated source sediment in the upper 9 miles of the Lower Passaic River Study Area (LPRSA) of the Diamond Alkali Superfund
site. The plan identifies the preferred remedial alternative, or cleanup action. The LPRSA is Operable Unit 4 (OU4), the part that covers the entire Lower Passaic
River. To review the Proposed Plan: click here
To review the April 2021 Community Update fact sheet in English: click here
To review the April 2021 Community Update fact sheet in Spanish: click here
EPA hosted a Virtual Public Meeting on the Proposed Plan on April 27, 2021. To review the meeting slides: click here
To review the Diamond Alkali OU 4 Administrative Record: click here
EPA Finalized Protectiveness Review of Cleanup at Diamond Alkali Superfund Site [December 2020]
EPA has completed the Fifth
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.
Final Remedial Investigation Report [July 2019]
The Remedial Investigation Report (RI) for the LPRSA characterizes the distribution of contaminants in sediment, surface water,
and biota, their fate and transport, and the risks they pose to human and ecological receptors. Document links are available here.
EPA CSTAG Makes Recommendations on Upper 9 Mile Interim Action [June 2018]
EPA’s Contaminated Sediments Technical Advisory Group (CSTAG) made recommendations on a proposed Upper 9-Mile Interim Action
following a meeting with EPA Region 2 and key stakeholders in March. Their comments and the Region 2 response are posted
on the CSTAG web site
(exiting ourPassaic.org), in the “Diamond Alkali – Lower Passaic River, Newark, New Jersey” section.
New Community Involvement Plan Finalized [August 2017]
The Community Involvement Plan for the Lower Passaic River has been revised to focus on upcoming work in the lower 8.3 miles of
the Passaic River. The plan provides an overview of outreach tools and techniques that the EPA uses to share information and
involve the public during the cleanup process. Please see the final plan here.
EPA Secures Agreement with Occidental Chemical to Conduct the Design Work for the Lower 8.3 Mile Cleanup [October 2016]
EPA announced a legal agreement with Occidental Chemical Corporation to perform design work needed to begin the cleanup of the lower 8.3
miles of the Lower Passaic River. This work, which includes sampling, evaluating technologies and doing the engineering work necessary
before physical cleanup work can begin, will be done under EPA oversight. The design work is estimated to cost approximately $165 million.
Occidental Chemical will also pay for EPA’s oversight costs. The press release is available
here.
The legal agreement is available here.
EPA Finalizes Protectiveness Review of Cleanup at Diamond Alkali Superfund Site [June 2016]
EPA has completed the 4th 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 Elizabeth Butler, EPA Project Manager, at
butler.elizabeth@epa.gov.
EPA Reviews Cleanup at Diamond Alkali Superfund Site [September 2015]
EPA is conducting its 4th Five-Year Review of the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site located at 80 and 120 Lister Ave in Newark, NJ. This review seeks to
confirm 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 will review
site operation, maintenance and monitoring information as well as the status of land use controls.
EPA welcomes community input about this site, especially any concerns about the implemented cleanup. Written correspondence should be emailed before
November 13, 2015 to the EPA Project Manager for the site listed below. Once the five-year review is completed, the results will be made available
on this website.
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.
When will EPA’s Five-Year Review Report be available? A summary of activities and evaluation of the long-term protectiveness of the remedy will
be included in the upcoming Five-Year Review report. It is anticipated that the Five-Year Review report will be available by June 2016 at
www.ourpassaic.org.
For More Information: See the folder named “80-120 Lister Ave (OU1) 5-Year Review” in the
Digital Library, which includes the data tables.
If you have any questions about the 5-Year Review, please contact Elizabeth Butler, EPA Project Manager, at butler.elizabeth@epa.gov.
Seventy Companies Reach Agreement with EPA to Remove Highly Contaminated Mud from a Section of the Lower Passaic River
The EPA announced on June 18, 2012 that it has reached agreement with 70
companies considered potentially responsible for contamination of the lower
Passaic River to remove approximately 16,000 cubic yards of highly contaminated
sediment from a half-mile long area of the Passaic River in Lyndhurst, New Jersey
at their expense. Please click here
to see the press release.
A copy of the agreement can be found here:
The US Army Corps of Engineers is preparing a Focused Ecosystem Restoration Plan (FERP) for the Lower 8 Miles of the Passaic River and Tributaries as a companion to the
USEPA Focused Feasibility Study outlining potential remedial action alternatives for the Lower 8 Miles.
Click here to download a copy of the restoration opportunities that
have been identified to date which include existing data about the site, a proposed conceptual restoration plan and the Target Ecosystem Characteristics (TECs) that can be
implemented within the footprint. The TECs that could be advanced at each site will advance the overall goals and targets outlined in the Hudson Raritan Estuary Comprehensive
Restoration Plan. If you have comments, input to existing opportunities and/or new opportunities, please contact Lisa Baron at lisa.a.baron@usace.army.mil
Lyndhurst Recreational Fields Sampling Results [March 2012]:
As part of a study of the Lower Passaic River being conducted by the Cooperating Parties Group, under EPA oversight, a detailed characterization of a mudflat adjacent to Riverside County Park in
Lyndhurst found relatively high concentrations of dioxins/furans, PCBs, mercury and other contaminants. EPA collected samples of surface soil from Riverside Park at the end of January 2012
to look into whether dioxins, PCBs and mercury may have been carried into the park by periodic flooding. The results show that the measured concentrations of dioxins, PCBs and mercury present
in soil are well below levels of concern. Based on its analysis, EPA does not plan on further sampling of the park's recreational areas and deems that cleanup actions on soil in the park are
not warranted in this instance. The sampling report is posted on the Agency’s Diamond Alkali web site
here (click on "Additional Documents").
Restoration Opportunities Identified for the Lower 8 Miles and Tributaries of the Lower Passaic River: Now Available for Review
Lower Passaic River Flood Mud Sampling Results Released [November 2011]:
Flooding of athletic fields along the Passaic River following Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee
prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to collect samples of soil and sediment in late September
at four locations in North Arlington and Lyndhurst, New Jersey. EPA proactively undertook an assessment to
determine potential health impacts at these sites. Soil samples were collected from these recreational fields
to screen for the presence of dioxins, furans and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Sampling was
done out of an abundance of caution in connection with the on-going study of contaminated sediments in the
Lower Passaic River. The results show that the measured concentrations of dioxins and PCBs in soil are below
levels of concern.
Fact sheet and the final report are available here (click on "Additional Documents").
Construction Begins for the First Phase of the Passaic River Cleanup
Tierra Solutions, Inc. began mobilization and site preparation activities at the
Diamond Alkali site for the Phase 1 Removal Action on July 12, 2011. EPA and the
Army Corps of Engineers will oversee the work which will take place in 2011 and
2012 at two locations. About 40,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment will be
removed from within a sheet pile enclosure adjacent to the Diamond Alkali site,
piped to an upland processing facility one quarter mile downstream on Blanchard
Street, dewatered, and loaded in sealed containers for transport off-site for
disposal. For a schedule, go to "Removal" under "Project Activities".
Click here
for a link to the Interim Final Community Health and Safety Plan.
Lower Passaic River Flood Mud Sampling Results Released [November 2011]:
Flooding of athletic fields along the Passaic River following Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee
prompted the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to collect samples of soil and sediment in late September
at four locations in North Arlington and Lyndhurst, New Jersey. EPA proactively undertook an assessment to
determine potential health impacts at these sites. Soil samples were collected from these recreational fields
to screen for the presence of dioxins, furans and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Sampling was
done out of an abundance of caution in connection with the on-going study of contaminated sediments in the
Lower Passaic River. The results show that the measured concentrations of dioxins and PCBs in soil are below
levels of concern.
Fact sheet and the final report are available here (click on "Additional Documents").
First Phase of Passaic River Cleanup Set to Begin
EPA and Tierra Solutions, Inc have developed a fact sheet detailing the locations
and activities of the Phase 1 Removal Action work that is scheduled to begin in
July and last through the end of 2012. Included in the fact sheet are the
community hotline numbers in English, Spanish and Portuguese and a flow diagram
of all of the elements of the work. Click
here for the fact sheet.
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.
Draft Natural Resource Damage Assessment Plan for
Comment
NOAA and USFWS announce the availability of a draft Natural
Resource Damage Assessment Plan for public comment. The Natural
Resource Damage Assessment Plan is one step in the damage
assessment process. It serves to document exposure of natural
resources to hazardous substances and identify anticipated
procedures for evaluating natural resource injuries potentially
caused by such exposure. Click
here to download the plan.
EPA Enters Into Agreement
EPA has entered into an administrative agreement with 73
potentially responsible parties (known as the "Cooperating
Parties") for those parties to take over the Superfund portion
of the joint Passaic River study (i.e., the remedial
investigation and feasibility study). The Cooperating Parties
will perform the study under EPA oversight, except for limited
work that EPA is continuing to perform to develop a focused
feasibility study and possibly select an early action. EPA will
also continue to coordinate the Superfund portion of the study
with the restoration study that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
is performing with New Jersey Department of Transportation as
local sponsor.
Passaic Settlement Press Release
Administrative Order on Consent
Administrative Order on Consent Scope of Work
Second Municipality Workshop Held
A second workshop for municipalities was held on July 12,
2007 in Newark, bringing together municipalities in the lower 8
miles of the Passaic River and in the Newark Bay area with
federal-state partner agencies to discuss possibilities for
integrating municipality plans and visions with federal-state
cleanup and restoration projects. This workshop was a follow-up
to the April 18, 2007 municipality workshop. Click
here to find out more about the meeting by reading the
work shop summary.
Workshop Held to Discuss Integration of Municipality
Plans & Visions with Federal-State Cleanup & Restoration
Projects
A municipalities workshop was held on April 18, 2007 in
Newark, bringing together municipalities throughout the lower
Passaic River and Newark Bay with federal-state partner agencies
and key stakeholder groups to discuss possibilities for
integrating municipality plans and visions with federal-state
cleanup and restoration projects.
The partner agencies provided the more than 75 in attendance
with an opportunity to initiate or continue a dialogue between
waterfront municipalities and federal-state agencies.
Discussions also took place on how to continue the coordination
of municipal redevelopment activities with agency cleanup and
restoration work. You can find out more about the meeting by
reading the
workshop summary.
Second Passaic River Symposium: Progress & Challenges
Held at Montclair State University; October 13, 2006
Organized by the Passaic River Institute of Montclair State
University and the Hudson-Delaware Chapter, Society for
Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry, the Second Passaic River
Symposium attracted 300 participants, a capacity crowd, to
discuss activities in the Passaic River Basin. Participants and
presenters gauged what progress has been made in addressing
problems in the Basin, what new efforts have been launched, and
what new challenges we still face. The "Lower Passaic River
Restoration Project" was prominently featured in the 2006
Symposium. Projects and issues in the upper River and tributary
watersheds were also examined.
Click here for the Symposium Web Site:
Symposium Agenda, Registration Form and Program Flyer
DRAFT FIELD SAMPLING PLAN VOLUME 2 RELEASED
The partner agencies have completed a draft version of Field
Sampling Plan (FSP) Volume 2 for the Lower Passaic River
Restoration Project. Click
here for the full Draft FSP Volume 2 (65 MB) or
here for a smaller file that does not include the figures (6
MB). This planning document represents an interagency effort to
collect ecological and biological data that are necessary for
the evaluation of restoration opportunities and components of
the human health and ecological risk assessments. The Draft FSP
Volume 2 will be the subject of a combined Restoration Workgroup
and Sampling Workgroup Meeting that is currently being
scheduled. Further details will be announced as they become
available.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN FINALIZED
The partner agencies have prepared and completed the Community
Involvement Plan (CIP) for the Lower Passaic River Restoration
Project and Newark Bay Study. It creates a blueprint for public
involvement over the life of the project.
The commitment of the partner agencies to active and open public
involvement forms the basis of this document. The CIP provides a
toolbox of options for keeping the public informed and for
soliciting input. As a living document for a dynamic project,
the CIP will be reviewed annually, and updated as needed to
reflect project progress and changes to community needs,
concerns, issues, and contacts.
Click
here for the Final Community Involvement Plan (Due to
the large size of the file, downloading may take a few minutes).
For more information about the CIP or public involvement,
contact:
David Kluesner, Public Affairs
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Phone: (212) 637-3653
Fax: (212) 637-4445
Email: kluesner.dave@epa.gov
Progress of Interim Action Evaluation
On May 24, 2006 a remedial options work group held a meeting to
discuss the progress of an evaluation of possible early actions
to clean the Lower Passaic River. Click
here for a pdf copy of the presentation.
The Future Is Now.
EPA Demonstrates Bold, New Technology That Turns
Contaminated Sediment into Useable Soil
On March 24, 2006, EPA hosted an event in Woodbridge, New Jersey
demonstrating an exciting new technology that takes contaminated
sediment and turns it into high quality top soil. This soil
washing process is patented by BioGenesis Enterprises, Inc., and
has been used to treat approximately 2,269 cubic yards of
sediment from the Passaic River. This project is being conducted
through the USEPA/NJDOT NY/NJ Sediment Decontamination Program.
Click
here
to read the entire story and
here to see photos of the process.
Lower Passaic Environmental Dredging Pilot
Successfully Completed
On December 5, 2005 New Jersey DOT, EPA and the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers launched a dredging and sediment decontamination
pilot of a complexity never before conducted during an on-going
feasibility study. Despite the brutal winter conditions on the
river, the partner agencies achieved their dredging goal of
removing close to 5,000 cubic yards of sediment. Three feet of
sediments contaminated with PCBs, mercury, metals and dioxin,
among others, were removed from the bottom of the Passaic River
in a 1.5 acre area adjacent to downtown Newark. Some of the
world's finest technical experts were brought to bear on this
effort. It began a two-part evaluation of environmental dredging
and sediment decontamination technologies that will include the
collection of data on environmental dredging technology
performance, productivity, re-suspension and treatability of
contaminated sediments. The pilot project even made the cover of
the December 2005 edition of WORLD DREDGING Mining and
Construction. (Click
here for cover)
Click
here to read Article
Click
here to read Press Release
Click
here to read Fact Sheet
Click
here to read the World Dredging article
Original EPA Agreements with Cooperating
Parties Group (CPG):
EPA entered into an agreement in 2004
with a group of potentially responsible parties
(known as the Cooperating Parties Group or CPG)
for them to provide money for EPA to study the Lower Passaic River.
That agreement was modified in 2005
and 2007 to add companies to the group
and money to the study
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