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Wednesday, December 4, 2024

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Final Remedial Investigation Report [May 2022] The Remedial Investigation Report (RI) for the NBSA characterizes the distribution of contaminants in sediment, surface water, and biota, their fate and transport, and the risks they pose to human and ecological receptors. Document links are available here.

Conceptual Site Model Report for Newark Bay Study Area: The Conceptual Site Model (CSM) for the Newark Bay Study Area (NBSA) has been revised and updated to incorporate the findings of Phase III of the Remedial Investigation program. The CSM describes the current understanding of the NBSA, including the inter-relationship between contaminant sources, contaminated media, and human and ecological receptors in this complex and dynamic estuary.

Project News....


Fish and Shellfish Advisories
Alerto de Cangrejos de Tenazas Azules en la Region de la Bahia de Newark

There are fish and shellfish consumption advisories in place for the Newark Bay region. Most importantly, everyone should be aware that eating blue claw crabs from this area may cause cancer and harm brain development in unborn and young children. People found catching crabs in this area can be fined by the state of New Jersey. For additional information on the Newark Bay area advisories, please call toll free 1-866-DEP-KNOW, or visit www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/njmainfish.htm.

Exposure to low levels of some contaminants in the environment may have long lasting health effects on people. Mercury, PCBs and dioxins are among the major contaminants found in some New Jersey fish in portions of the state. These contaminants can be especially harmful to women of childbearing age, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Children are also at risk of developmental and neurological problems if exposed to these chemicals.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and Department of Health and Senior Services (NJDHSS) provide advice on consuming those species of fish in which high levels of dioxin, PCBs and mercury have been found.

Two sources for information pertaining to fish consumption can be found at the following links: NJDEP Fish Consumption Advisories and digfsh26-35.pdf (state.nj.us).
Why we are here...
Newark Bay is part of the New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuary, which is in the center of one of the most urbanized and industrialized parts of the nation. Newark Bay itself is approximately six miles long and one mile wide and is located at the confluence of the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers between the shores of Newark and Elizabeth to the west, Jersey City and Bayonne to the east, and Staten Island to the south. Newark Bay is linked to both the Upper and Lower New York Bay by the Kill Van Kull and the Arthur Kill, respectively. Port Newark, one of the nation's largest ports for containerized cargo, is located on the western shore of Newark Bay and is used to transfer goods from cargo vessels to rail and truck lines serving the area. The industrialization and urbanization of the Newark Bay area resulted in habitat loss, sediment contamination, degraded water quality, and the need for the area to be under fish and shellfish consumption bans and advisories.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency signed an agreement with Occidental Chemical Corporation in 2004 to perform a Newark Bay Study under the authorities of the Superfund program. This study assesses the nature and extent of contamination in the Newark Bay area and will develop cleanup plans to address those problems, as necessary. The Newark Bay study area includes Newark Bay and portions of the Hackensack River, the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull.

For information regarding the Passaic River, please visit www.OurPassaic.org