New Jersey's Hackensack River Considered as a Superfund Site

The Hackensack River in New Jersey, suffering the ill effects of a century of industrial impacts, is badly in need of environmental remediation. The U.S. EPA announced this week that it will study the river as a potential Superfund site.

2 minute read

February 12, 2015, 1:00 PM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


"In an acknowledgment that the Hackensack River remains seriously polluted with a century of industrial waste, the federal government will consider adding the river to the federal Superfund list, a program reserved for the country’s most contaminated sites," reports James O'Neill.

Environmental protection groups like the Hackensack Riverkeeper have made strides in cleaning the river and its watershed, but the damage remains, to a certain extent, intractable. Bill Sheehan, executive director of the Hackensack Riverkeeper, is quoted in the article: "It wasn’t easy to convince me to take this route, especially since we’ve been the chief cheerleader for the river and done everything we could to celebrate the river and get people more involved in it….But the sediment is still horribly contaminated, and if we’re really going to give the river back to the people it belongs to, we need to get the sediment cleaned up."

As for what the assistance of the U.S. EPA warrants the site: "Superfund status for the 17-mile stretch of the river would prompt a multiyear investigation into both the extent of contamination and which companies would be responsible for cleanup costs, followed by more study to determine the best cleanup plan, which could include dredging and capping contaminated sediment."

New Jersey is the nation's capital of Superfund sites, with 114 in total. According to O'Neill, there are six Superfund sites in the Hackensack River's watershed, an ecosystem known as the Meadowlands.  

Wednesday, February 11, 2015 in The Record

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

US and Texas flags flying in front of Texas state capitol dome in Austin, Texas.

Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness

A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.

47 seconds ago - The Texas Tribune

Person in yellow safety suit and white helmet kneels to examine water samples outdoors on a lake shore.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure

If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

1 hour ago - Inside Climate News

Close-up of white panel at top of school bus with "100% electric" black text.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation

California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

April 30 - California Air Resources Board