U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-8) today reacted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decision on remediating a highly contaminated site in the lower Passaic River.  EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck has signed an agreement with the Lower Passaic Cooperating Parties Group to start the process of removing approximately 16,000 cubic yards of sediments contaminated with dioxin and PCBs at river mile 10.9. 

“I am pleased that the EPA and the cooperating parties were able to reach an agreement where the polluter will pay for 100% of this initial removal action.  Those living along the banks of the lower Passaic deserve to have their river remediated to the highest possible environmental standard.  I’m committed to fighting to ensure that all of the 120,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment be removed as the EPA continues to develop its plan to remediate the entire lower Passaic,” said Pascrell, who for a decade served on the House Water Resources Subcommittee and has been involved with advancing restoration of the Passaic River.

Pascrell wrote to the EPA in February advocating that the potentially responsible parties be required to remove all 120,000 cubic yards of sediment.  Both the congressman’s letter and the EPA response are attached.

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