Today, Representatives Rob Menendez (NJ-08), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), and Nellie Pou (NJ-09) called on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) Administrator Lee Zeldin and U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) Attorney General Pam Bondi to immediately accelerate the cleanup of the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site, a toxic polluted area along the Passaic River. The letter comes amid a continued push to protect the health and well-being of communities living near the Superfund site.
“Families in Newark and across our neighboring communities have endured the toxic legacy of industrial pollution for generations,” said Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08). “It is unacceptable that, over forty years after this area was designated as a Superfund site, residents are still waiting for justice. The EPA and the DOJ must act immediately to accelerate the next phase of cleanup and hold polluters accountable. Our community has shouldered this environmental burden for far too long – and protecting public health and safety must remain our highest priority.”
“The EPA must fulfill its duty to make environmental justice real—every American deserves to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live a healthy life,” said Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (NJ-10). “Inaction on the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site is a stark reminder of the environmental challenges our communities face and the urgent need for cleanup and restoration. I’m committed to advocating for continued investment in environmental justice, so every neighborhood can thrive.”
“We need more aggressive action to restore our beloved Passaic River, one of our region’s most precious natural resources,” said Congresswoman Nellie Pou (NJ-09). “Instead of being a source of beauty and recreation, the river has for too long been a threat to people’s health and our environment. The most complex superfund site in the nation, the lower Passaic River must be decontaminated and restored, and those that left that pollution must be held to account. It is time.”
The Diamond Alkali Superfund Site was added to the National Priorities List in 1984, but cleanup remains incomplete and has experienced delays in recent years. Despite decades of efforts, the Passaic River continues to suffer from the impact of industrial waste, including carcinogenic dioxins discharged during the Vietnam War-era production of Agent Orange. The site poses ongoing risks to public health and the environment.
The lawmakers are urging federal agencies to move forward with construction of onshore processing facilities to advance full river remediation and continue to hold responsible parties accountable for their obligations to complete the cleanup.
The letter comes as part of Congressman Rob Menendez’s ongoing efforts to advance environmental justice and ensure that working-class communities across the region are no longer burdened by pollution.
For full text of the letter, click here.???
