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EPA Proposes to Improve Ground Water Treatment at Howell Township Site (Bog Creek Farm)

Release Date: 8/29/2005
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For Release: Monday, August 29, 2005

(#05097) NEW YORK -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to change its plan to clean up contaminated ground water at the Bog Creek Farm Superfund site in Howell Township, New Jersey. The Agency is seeking public comment on the new plan, which will address the contaminants that still remain in the ground water. EPA continues to remove contaminated soil from the site and expects the soil to be cleaned up and restored by May 2006.

"By removing the source of contamination and enhancing the ground water treatment system, we will be able to speed up the cleanup at this site," said Acting Regional Administrator Kathleen C. Callahan. "Improvements and advancements in technology help us to meet cleanup objectives quicker and protect people and nearby surface waters, such as the Squankum Brook."

The new ground water treatment plan calls for strategically placed wells to optimize extraction of contaminated ground water and the addition of a variety of enhanced treatment methods. The improved system will cost about $8.2 million and is expected to operate for about 30 years. It will take approximately two years to design and install the system.

In the early 1970's, chemical waste from a paint manufacturing operation at Bog Creek Farm was disposed of at the site. The site was added to EPA's National Priorities List in 1983. EPA investigated and found two primary waste disposal areas. The site owner removed waste from the site and the Agency treated the contaminated soil and sediment. EPA also installed a slurry wall to protect the North Branch of Squankum Brook from contaminated ground water and installed a system to pump out and treat the ground water. During 10 years of operation, the system has treated approximately one million gallons of water per month. Testing and evaluation of the current system has shown, however, that there are still unacceptable concentrations of volatile organic compounds in the ground water and that it may take too long to clean up the site. Therefore, EPA decided it needed to enhance the system.

EPA will hold a public meeting on August 31 at 7:00 p.m. at the Howell Township Municipal Building Council Chambers at 251 Preventorium Road to discuss the new system and the progress of soil removal work. EPA will take written and oral comments at the meeting and throughout the public comment period, which ends September 13, 2005. Copies of site-related documents and the proposed cleanup plan are available for public review at the Howell Library, 318 Old Tavern Road, phone 732-938-2300, at the Howell Township Clerk's Office, Municipal Building, phone 732-938-4500 extension 2150 and at EPA's New York City office. Written comments can be submitted to Edward Finnerty, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10007-1866 or via e-mail at finnerty.ed@epa.gov. For more information about this site, please visit the EPA Web site at:
https://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/bog_creek_proposal2005.htm.