The SuperFund Process

In Review: Does the Superfund Process work?

Based upon the process as outlined in this blog, I believe that the process that is CERCLA or the Superfund certainly has worked in the case of this site's discovery, assessments, remediation and decisions.  While the pollutants and contaminants were not totally removed the record of decision for the remediation process has mitigated most all of harmful human health effects and eliminated most all harmful effects on the habitat and ecological processes at or around the site.  By capping the contaminants, monitoring the groundwater plume through annual well monitoring and sampling and controlling gas emissions the site is cutoff from human contact.

Every aspect of the process cumbersome and detailed as it is worked to the remediation of the Brick Township Landfill.  The unfortunate consequence of the Superfund is that is has been out of money since 2003.  There no longer is a mandate or process to re-establish funding for Superfund.  I found that Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore) is proposing legislation to reinstate the "polluters fee" and fund Superfund sites cleanup.  It is also supported by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.  In a letter dated 06/21/2010  the EPA petitioned Congress to support of reinstating the lapsed Superfund “polluter pays” taxes.

There are over 1200 sites throughout the United States and more are being discovered....who will fund the cleanups?

Steve Nagiewicz
April 23, 2011

Project Abstract

My Blog is part of my course requirements for my Environmental Quality Course at Stockton College.  This is a graduate course that discusses different types of pollution and how they affects our environment and especially human health.  Specifically, this blog will be a detailed analysis of one Superfund site in New Jersey and steps taken since its selection to the National Priorities List of the Environmental Protection Agency.  And since we are dealing the federal, state and local governments lots of acronyms, scientific terminology  and processes are involved!

As with any subject it is helpful to understand terminology.  Here are a few of the acronyms and terms you will be reading on these posts.

• USEPA or United States Environmental Protection Agency.  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency started on December 2, 1970. EPA was established to consolidate in one agency a variety of federal research, monitoring, standard-setting and enforcement activities to ensure environmental protection. EPA's mission is to protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment—air, water, and land—upon which life depends. History of the EPA

• C.E.R.C.L.A or the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act was developed and enacted on December, 1980 for the purpose of taxing chemical and petroleum industries to create a Superfund for environmental clean up. Approximately $1.6 billion was collected from this tax in five years. The money has been put aside and used for hazardous waste sites that are not controlled or have been abandoned.   This is also more commonly known as the Superfund.  For herein my postings will refer to CERCLA as the Superfund. CERCLA or Superfund
  
  HRS or Hazard Ranking System; is the principal mechanism EPA uses to place uncontrolled waste sites on the National Priorities List (NPL). It is a numerically based screening system that uses information from initial, limited investigations - the preliminary assessment and site inspection to assess the relative potential of sites to pose a threat to human health or the environment.  Hazard Ranking System

  NPL of National Priorities List.  Is the Federal list of Superfund sites throughout the United States.  Sites are first proposed to the National Priorities List (NPL) in the Federal Register. EPA then accepts public comments on the sites, responds to the comments, and places on the NPL those sites that continue to meet the requirements for listing. About the NPL

Here are some facts and figures about the scope and magnitude of the pollution issues that I plan to discuss and highlight over the next two months:         

As of March 2011 these are the number of sites currently being managed.

Status	Non-Federal (General)	Federal	Total
Proposed Sites	57	5	62
Final Sites	1122	158	1280
Deleted Sites	332	15	347

Of all of these listed sites, New Jersey 142 hazardous-waste sites and is by far the leader in states with the number of sites on the NPL.  Only 29 of them have been cleaned up and NJ has  received $3 billion from the Superfund in the past 30 years.  It is expected that New Jersey will add 10-25 more over the next five years. NJ Superfund Sites
New Jersey EPA Home Page is handled through EPA's Region 2, which covers New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, The US Virgin Islands and 8 Indian Nations  EPA Region 2
The Actual sites listed on the NPL in New Jersey are here: NJ Superfund sites

The particular site I will be discussing in my Blog is: The Brick Township Landfill
I selected the The Brick Landfill Superfund Site because it is located in Brick, New Jersey, which is where I live.  This blog will follow the process from when it was discovered to final remediation and use.