Rep. Sherrill Tours Superfund Sites With EPA Regional Administrator, NJDEP Commissioner After Announcement of New National Remediation Plans Made Possible By Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
EPA Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia Joined Rep. Sherrill To Highlight Plans to Fund Cleanup Projects at 49 Superfund Sites Nationally, Including 7 in New Jersey

Fairfield, NJ–– Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) joined the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP) Commissioner Shawn LaTourette for a tour of two Superfund sites at Unimatic Manufacturing Corp. and Caldwell Trucking Co. in Fairfield. In between the tours, she held a press conference with the EPA Regional Administrator to announce the agency’s plans to fund new cleanup projects at 49 Superfund sites nationwide, including seven sites in New Jersey, in part with funding provided by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

“For too long, New Jerseyans have dealt with the hazardous burdens Superfund sites place on our environment, public health, and communities,” said Rep. Sherrill. “As Chairwoman of the Environment subcommittee, I’m proud that the funding we included in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the announcement of this plan to finally move forward with projects that will help remediate these toxic sites, including right here in NJ-11, will be instrumental to improving the health and safety of our community as a whole. It is just one of the many examples of how this infrastructure law is bringing funding directly back to NJ-11 to address real needs facing New Jersey and our families, making our communities stronger for generations to come. I want to thank EPA Regional Administrator Garcia and NJ DEP Commissioner LaTourette for joining me in NJ-11 today and for their steadfast commitment to remediating these Superfund Sites.”

“We are witnessing a once-in-a-generation investment that gives EPA the resources to clean up legacy pollution that has gone unaddressed for far too long, particularly in underserved and overburdened communities,” said EPA Region 2 Administrator Garcia. “The funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will go directly toward shovel-ready sites such as Unimatic, giving back a healthy and vibrant environment to the Fairfield community.”

“DEP welcomes the notable increase of federal funds to jumpstart cleanups at seven New Jersey Superfund sites, including the Unimatic PCB site in Fairfield,” said Commissioner LaTourette. “New Jersey’s strong partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will ensure that the bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides funding to protect public health and restore our natural resources, making our communities safer and returning these seven properties to productive use whether for open space or commercial activity.”

New Jersey has more Superfund sites than any other state in the nation, with 10 residing in NJ-11. These sites, caused by hazardous waste dumps, represent significant health threats and challenges for local communities. The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides significant funding to clean up these legacy pollution sites and remediate harms to the environment and public health.

Today, it was announced that the EPA will use funding from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to move forward a series of projects that have been awaiting funding, including at the Unimatic Manufacturing Corporation site. There, it will demolish the interior building on site and remove approximately 26,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and replace it with clean soil. During the cleanup, the EPA will monitor the air to protect residents from any hazardous particles resulting from the cleanup. This follows extensive work done by NJDEP to remove approximately 5,000 tons of contaminated soil to reduce some of the risk associated with the site.

Of particular note, for these projects, the state’s usual 10 percent cost share requirement has been waived.