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EPA Extends Public Comment Period for Proposal to Put Raritan Bay Site on Nation's Superfund List

Release Date: 07/23/2009
Contact Information: Beth Totman (212) 637-3662, [email protected]

(New York, N.Y.) In response to a request from the public, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the period of time open for community input on the proposal to add the Raritan Bay Slag site to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL). The listing would enable EPA to continue an investigation into the extent of contamination at the Raritan Bay Slag site and to take the proper measures to address the contamination.

The Raritan Bay Slag site consists of areas with lead-contaminated material, including slag and pieces of battery casings. At this point, identified areas include two areas that contain contaminated slag material used to construct a seawall and a jetty along the southern shore of the Raritan Bay in Old Bridge Township and Sayreville, as well as areas of Margaret’s Creek in Old Bridge. The first location is on the Laurence Harbor seawall, which is adjacent to the Old Bridge Waterfront Park in the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge Township. The second section consists of the western jetty in Sayreville and extends from the Cheesequake Creek Inlet into Raritan Bay. The third area is approximately 50 acres associated with Margaret’s Creek where elevated lead levels have been identified.

EPA’s Removal Action Branch erected public warning notices in both English and Spanish in the areas of concern, warning of the threat posed by the elevated levels of lead. Additionally, security fencing has been installed to restrict access. Reconnaissance operations along the shoreline of the Arthur Kill, Raritan River and lower portions of Staten Island were completed by the U.S. Coast Guard this spring to identify other areas that could have potentially been affected by the slag. Listing to the NPL would enable EPA to continue in a rigorous and extensive investigation into the extent of the contamination and the most effective way to deal with it.

The site was proposed for NPL listing on April 8, 2009, at which point a 60-day public comment period began. With the 60-day extension of the public comment period, EPA will be accepting comments on the proposed listing until August 17, 2009. For instructions to submit comments go to https://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/pubcom.htm or contact Dennis Munhall, Region 2 NPL Coordinator at (212) 637-4343 or [email protected]. To find out more about the NPL Site Listing Process, visit: https://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/npl_hrs.htm. For a Google Earth aerial view of the Raritan Bay Slag site: https://www.epa.gov/region2/kml/raritan_bay_slag_site.kmz. (Please note that you must have Google Earth installed on your computer to view the map. To download Google Earth, visit http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html).