Norcross Indictment Exposes Abuse Of DEP Toxic Site Cleanup Standards
Developer Sought Local Rezoning To Reduce Cleanup Costs
Piñata Part 3
We’ve long criticized flaws in NJ DEP’s toxic site cleanup program for, among many other things, allowing developers and local governments to weaken cleanup requirements by zoning land from residential to commercial or industrial uses.
Cleanup standards are far weaker for industrial sites and as a result, cleanup costs are reduced and a lot of toxic contamination is left on site to continue to poison the environment and community.
Often times, the media ignores this abuse ,or when it is reported, downplays the significance, or makes the issue ambiguous or a he said/she said kind of routine dispute.
One of the most notorious examples of this kind of rezoning – cleanup standards abuse occurred at the Ford toxic site in Ringwood.
So, while I was not surprised to read it, the Attorney General’s indictment of George Norcross et al makes that abuse very clear (see above text). Official documents vindicate our criticism.
Perhaps this aspect of the indictment could prompt more media coverage of this abuse, deter local governments from engaging in it, and pressure the Legislature to close these loopholes in NJ cleanup laws.