Acting New Jersey Governor Codey announces plan to speed cleanup along Delaware River

TRENTON, NJ (04/26/05) -- Acting Governor Richard J. Codey announced a new plan last Friday to speed the cleanup of 10 major contaminated sites along the Delaware River. The plan includes a no-tolerance policy and tough enforcement for delays by companies responsible for cleaning contaminated sites.

"Historically we have approached contaminated sites as individual cases, instead of identifying specific regions of New Jersey that need to be protected," Codey said. "But a regional approach will create better results for the environment. It will let us focus on the sites that will have the greatest impact on a region’s well being.

"Our plan for the Delaware River will focus on zero tolerance for delays," the Acting Governor continued. "We are saying 'Time’s up' for cleanups that are behind schedule."

The initiative, launched by Codey and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, represents a new region-based approach to clean up contaminated sites. The 10 sites targeted in this initiative will have the greatest immediate impact on improving the quality of the Delaware River. The sites border the river in Camden, Gloucester and Salem counties.

Under this initiative:

• If companies fail to live up to their cleanup agreements, the DEP will terminate those agreements, issue possible fines, and issue specific cleanup directives.

• If companies still refuse to cooperate and the DEP has to take over cleanup duties with public funds, the state will pursue those companies for triple the amount that is spent in state funds.

• The DEP will penalize companies that do cleanup work that turns out to be unacceptable.

• For sites where the responsible parties are cooperating, the DEP will make sure the work gets done as quickly as possible.

• In cases where the companies responsible have gone bankrupt, the DEP will work to quickly clean those sites using state brownfields and other cleanup funds.