The Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said these 85 parties are responsible for releases of hazardous substances into the Lower Passaic River, contaminating the 17-mile tidal stretch, including the lower 8.3 miles.
“This agreement holds responsible parties financially accountable for the legacy of pollution in the Lower Passaic River,” said Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The settlement will advance the cleanup of the river for the benefit of those communities living alongside it who have been historically overburdened by pollution.”
“This agreement continues our work of ensuring responsible parties pay for or conduct the cleanup of the Passaic River,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia for the EPA Region 2. “Today’s agreement requires those responsible for the contamination to pay their fair share for releasing hazardous substances into the Lower Passaic. This work brings us closer to a cleaner healthier river that can be enjoyed by those who live near its banks.”
EPA expects to use the settlement funds to support ongoing efforts to clean up the site, specifically the lower 8.3 miles and the upper 9 miles which make up the entire 17-mile Lower Passaic River Study Area.
In addition to the proposed consent decree, EPA has reached several related agreements, including one where parties investigated the 17-mile Lower Passaic River, another where Occidental Chemical Corporation, a potentially responsible party, is designing the cleanup chosen for the lower 8.3 miles, and several cost recovery agreements that resulted in payments to EPA of millions of dollars.
This consent decree is subject to a 45-day public comment period and is available for public review on the Justice Department website.