TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - The Environmental Protection Agency has secured a $165 million agreement with Occidental Chemical to start the cleanup of one of the nation’s most seriously contaminated bodies of water.
The deal announced Wednesday covers the lower 8 miles of New Jersey’s Passaic River, where the sediment contains dioxin, PCBs, heavy metals, pesticides and other contaminants.
Occidental is one of more than 100 parties identified as potentially responsible for contaminating that part of the river with dioxin, PCBs, heavy metals, pesticides and other contaminants.
The settlement calls for the company to perform engineering and design work needed to begin the cleanup. The EPA will pursue additional agreements with others.
The EPA in March announced a plan for removing 3.5 million cubic yards of toxic sediment from the lower portion of the river.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.