Remediation Standards

Introduction to Remediation Standards

May 2021

These rules implement the provisions of the Brownfield and Contaminated Site Remediation Act, N.J.S.A. 58:10B-12, and other statutes, by establishing standards for the remediation of contaminated ground water, surface water, soil, soil leachate and indoor air. These rules supplement the requirements of the Technical Requirements for Site Remediation rules, N.J.A.C. 7:26E.

On June 2, 2008, the Department adopted new Remediation Standards rules at N.J.A.C. 7:26D. These rules were readopted without change on April 27, 2015. The soil remediation standards contained in those rules were effective on June 2, 2008. The ground water and surface water remediation standards were previously effective at N.J.A.C. 7:26E-1.13.

On September 18, 2017, the Department updated the soil remediation standards for 19 contaminants, as listed in N.J.A.C. 7:26D, Appendix 1, Tables 1A and 1B. The updated soil remediation standards reflect revisions to the toxicity information for these contaminants, as contained in the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database (see www.epa.gov/iris), on which the soil remediation standards are based.

On May 17, 2021, the Department adopted amended rules at N.J.A.C. 7:26D. Included in the amended rules are soil and soil leachate remediation standards for the migration to ground water exposure pathway and indoor air remediation standards for the vapor intrusion exposure pathway. Also included is the replacement of direct contact soil remediation standards with separate soil remediation standards for the inhalation exposure pathway and the ingestion-dermal exposure pathway. In addition, the rule amendments Expands the existing interim remediation standard process to include soil and soil leachate for the migration to ground water exposure pathway, indoor air for the vapor intrusion exposure pathway, and ground water. Also, the existing process for updating remediation standards has been expanded to include soil and soil leachate for the migration to ground water exposure pathway, indoor air for the vapor intrusion exposure pathway, and ground water. The existing alternative remediation standards process has been expanded to include soil and soil leachate for the migration to ground water exposure pathway and indoor air for the vapor intrusion exposure pathway.

Remediation Standards

• Remediation Standards, N.J.A.C. 7:26D (May 17, 2021)
• Remediation Standards Proposal (April 6, 2020)
• Remediation Standards Adoption Package (May 17, 2021)

Interim Remediation Standards

• Interim Soil, Soil Leachate, and Indoor Air Criteria, Reporting Limits, and Remediation Standards

  • Methanol
  • Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)
  • Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
  • Pefluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)
  • Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid and its ammonium salt (GenX)

Remediation Standards Comparison Tables

• Direct Contact Standards Comparison 1999-2021
• Ingestion-Dermal Exposure Pathway Soil Remediation Standards 2017-2021
• Inhalation Exposure Pathway Soil Remediation Standards 2017-2021
• Migration to Ground Water Exposure Pathway Soil and Leachate Remediation Standards 2013-2021
• Indoor Air Standards Comparison for the Vapor Intrusion Exposure Pathway 2007-2021
• Indoor Air RL and SL Comparison for the Vapor Intrusion Exposure Pathway
• 2023 Remediation Standards by Chemical Fraction

Phase In/Order of Magnitude Guidance

The Department has revised the following guidance documents that will help remediating parties comply with the new remediation standards:

• Phase-In Period Guidance for the Use of Remediation Standards, N.J.A.C. 7:26D (Updated May 2021)
• Order of Magnitude Evaluation Guidance (Updated May 2021)
• Frequently Asked Questions: Order of Magnitude, Phase-in, Vapor Intrusion (Posted September 2021)

Basis and Background Documents

• Soil and Soil Leachate Remediation Standards for the Migration to Ground Water Exposure Pathway, Basis and Background (May 2021)
• Soil Remediation Standards for the Ingestion-Dermal Exposure Pathway, Basis and Background (May 2021)
• Soil Remediation Standards for the Inhalation Exposure Pathway, Basis and Background (May 2021)
• Indoor Air Remediation Standards for the Vapor Intrusion Exposure Pathway, Basis and Background (May 2021)

Guidance Documents

• Alternative Remediation Standards Technical Guidance for Soil and Soil Leachate for the Migration to Ground Water Exposure Pathway (Version 1.0 May 2021)
• Alternative Remediation Standards Technical Guidance for Soil for the Ingestion-Dermal and Inhalation Exposure Pathways (Version 1.0 May 2021)
• Vapor Intrusion Technical Guidance (Version 5.0 May 2021) - Appendix G provides guidance for the derivation and application of Alternative Remediation Standards for indoor air
• Administrative Guidance for the Migration to Ground Water Exposure Pathway Soil Remediation Standards (Version 1.0 October 2021)

Calculators

The Soil and Soil Leachate Migration to Ground Water Exposure Pathway Calculator

• Soil and Soil Leachate Migration to Ground Water Exposure Pathway Calculator (Version 1.2 June 2023)

This includes the following calculators:

• Soil-Water Partition Equation Calculator
• Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure Calculator
• Dilution-Attenuation Factor Calculator
• Fraction Organic Carbon Calculator
• PFAS SPLP Calculator

Soil Ingestion-Dermal Exposure Pathway Calculator

• Soil Ingestion-Dermal Exposure Pathway Calculator (Version 1.1 October 2022)

Soil Inhalation Exposure Pathway Calculator

• Soil Inhalation Exposure Pathway Calculator (Version 1.0 May 2021)

Vapor Intrusion Exposure Pathway Calculator

• Vapor Intrusion Exposure Pathway Calculator (Version 1.0 May 2021)

The Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbon Ingestion-Dermal Exposure Pathway Calculator:

• Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbon Ingestion-Dermal Exposure Pathway Calculator (Version 1.1 August 2021)

This includes the following calculators:

• Category 2 Sample-Specific Residential
• Category 2 Sample-Specific Non-Residential
• Category 1 and 2 Alternative Remediation Standards for Soil (based on Land Use Exposure Scenarios)

Tips for Using NJDEP Remediation Standards Calculators

• Tips for Using NJDEP Remediation Standards Calculators [pdf] (October 2022)

Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbon Information

• Evaluation of Extractable Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Soil Technical Guidance (Version 1.0, 2019)
• Guidance on the Human Health Based and Ecologically Based Soil Remediation Criteria for Number 2 Fuel Oil and Diesel Fuel Oil (September 2008)

Chromium

• Chromium

Alternative or Interim Remediation Standards and or Screening Level Application Forms

• Alternative or Interim Remediation Standards and or Screening Level Application Form and Instructions
• Remediation Standards Notification Spreadsheet

NOTE: The following attainment and compliance documents which pertain specifically to the migration to ground water exposure pathway may be accessed at www.nj.gov/dep/srp/guidance/

• Volatile Organic Contamination including methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and tertiary butyl alcohol (TBA) derived from discharges of Petroleum Mixtures Posted 25 January 2009
• Capping of Inorganic and Semi-volatile Contaminants for the Impact to Ground Water Pathway (March 2014)
• Capping of Volatile Contaminants for the Impact to Ground Water Pathway (January 2019)

Remediation Standards Archive page

Notes

To obtain official copies of these regulations consult the DEP's How to Get Copies of Departmental Rules page.

This is a "courtesy copy" of the rules. For more information, see the NJ Office of Administrative Law's Rules page.

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THE SPREADSHEETS

To work properly, the spreadsheet files have to be downloaded or saved to your computer first. Your spreadsheet software also needs to have macros enabled for most of the spreadsheets linked from this page.