DEP
Designates Four Brownfield Development Areas to Stimulate
Reuse of Contaminated Sites
Cleanup
Star Program for Consultants Created to Speed Remedial Work
(03/120) Palmyra --- New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bradley
M. Campbell today designated neighborhoods in Hillside,
Irvington, Newark and Palmyra as Brownfield Development
Areas to encourage cleanup and reuse of contaminated sites
in these communities. Commissioner Campbell also announced
the start of a Cleanup Star program to reform the role of
environmental consultants by allowing those pre-qualified
by DEP to work with developers and responsible parties to
expedite site cleanups and redevelopment.
"Brownfield redevelopment is vital
for the economic health of our existing cities and suburban
centers and to stem the tide of sprawl," said Commissioner
Campbell. "Under Governor McGreevey's leadership, New
Jersey has enhanced its brownfields program to bring relief
to neighborhoods blighted by contaminated sites and improve
the quality of life and economic opportunities for local
residents."
DEP's Brownfield Development Area (BDA)
program works with selected communities impacted by multiple
brownfield sites to implement remediation and reuse plans
in a coordinated fashion. Under this designation, all brownfield
sites within a development area will be assigned to a single
case manager, who will coordinate with partnering state
agencies to direct targeted technical and financial assistance
to stimulate reuse. The plans will be developed under the
direction of a local steering committee with support from
DEP advisors.
"The BDA designation is critical to
the Borough of Palmyra in our efforts to redevelop the brownfields
area on the south side of Route 73," said Palmyra Mayor
John Gural. "Palmyra is a small community with a limited
tax base and without the resources of the BDA program we
would be severely challenged."
Commissioner Campbell made the announcement
at a former drive-in along Route 73 that is used as a flea
market on weekends. Brownfield Development Area designations
were also made for a neighborhood along the Elizabeth River
in Hillside, Union County, and the Coit Street Redevelopment
Area in Irvington and a portion of Lister Avenue in Newark,
both in Essex County.
"The Township of Hillside is very
excited to have secured this BDA designation," said
Mayor Karen McCoy Oliver. "This designation will continue
to allow Hillside to grow and attract new economic development
opportunities. Hillside is committed to seeing all Brownfield
sites utilized for their maximum potential.""By
securing this designation, we have cleared a major hurdle
for the remediation and reuse of brownfields sites,"
said Irvington Mayor Wayne Smith. "We will aggressively
pursue every funding source to clean up the affected properties.
This achievement is a critical component in our plan to
redevelop Irvington's industrial zone, which in the long
term, has the potential to attract a strong labor force
and become a major player in the regional economy."
"Selection of the Lister Avenue Brownfield
Development Area in Newark's East Ward by DEP will focus
public and private financial and technical resources into
a partnership with the City of Newark, area property owners,
businesses and the Ironbound community," said Newark
Mayor Sharpe James. "The result will be a better quality
of life, more open space and jobs on former industrial sites.
New enterprises on now vacant land will offer sites for
business expansion and new tax ratables. I commend the Lister
Avenue Brownfield Development Area's Steering Committee
for forging such a promising public/private partnership
for brownfield redevelopment and pledge full cooperation
of the City of Newark to assure its success."
The Cleanup Star program is designed to
achieve three main goals: increase the quality of the environmental
consulting profession; facilitate remediation of low-risk
sites; and allow DEP case managers to devote more resources
to high priority cases. DEP will audit consultants' work
to ensure regulatory compliance and protection of public
health and the environment.
" Under the innovative Cleanup Star
program, DEP will pre-qualify environmental consultants
meeting all environmental standards for cleanups and rigorous
training and professional requirements," said Commissioner
Campbell. "These 'Cleanup Stars' will be permitted
to expedite the investigation and cleanup of low-risk sites,
subject to appropriate safeguards."
The Cleanup Star program will contribute
to the improvement of the environmental consulting profession
by establishing standards of excellence for consultants
performing remedial work. Also, DEP case managers will have
more time to focus on sites with greater environmental or
public health concerns by relying on consultants in the
Cleanup Star program to use their expertise at the least
contaminated sites.
In terms of spurring redevelopment activity,
the Cleanup Star program will allow uncontaminated or slightly
contaminated property to move quickly through the DEP remedial
process, allowing the properties to be sold or reused for
important new purposes.
The investigation and remediation of Cleanup
Star sites also must be completed in full compliance with
the Technical Requirements for Site Remediation, which are
DEP's regulations governing all phases of the site remediation
process.
NJDEP anticipates that homeowner underground
heating oil storage tank cases, brownfield sites on which
there is no trigger for investigation of ground water contamination,
discreet spills where a discharger is pursuing final cleanup
approval and certain other sites are the types that may
be eligible to proceed through the Cleanup Star Program.
DEP will post a Request for Participation
and a Cleanup Star Application on DEP's Site Remediation
Program web page. Environmental professionals are encouraged
to review the Cleanup Star application and to apply if they
meet the specified criteria.
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