Prepared for USA TODAY reporter Alison Young 7/27/2012 OVERVIEW In response to USA TODAY's inquiry about former lead smelting operations, the DEP's Responsible Party Investigation Unit (RPIU) launched an investigation to verify locations of 31 potential lead smelting facilities that were identified as part of a research project conducted by George Mason University and published in the American Journal of Public Health in 2001. The unit reviewed industrial directories to verify and/or obtain specific addresses of the former facilities. Sanborn Maps were also reviewed to further pinpoint a physical location for the facilities. The locations identified were compared to current tax records/tax maps to confirm addresses. The DEP's NJEMS database was then searched to determine if any of these locations are currently, or were previously, subject to DEP investigations. Most of the sites are located in areas dominated today by industrial and/or commercial land uses. RPIU identified six sites with potential receptor issues (Detailed Site Summaries are at bottom of this document): o Two of these - Caswell Strauss & Co. in Edison and M.C. Canfield in Newark - have been referred to EPA for removal action. o o o Testing of a portion of the Wolf Jacques site in Clifton was within DEP soil standards; DEP is planning follow-up tests at another portion of the property. Testing at the Frema Smelting site in Newark was within DEP soil standards. A fifth site, the former Jackson Metal site on Jackson Avenue in Hoboken, is zoned residential. The site is protected with engineering controls that the DEP has determined are protective of public health. The sixth site, Metals Disintegrating in Verona, is mostly commercial, with various parking lots and buildings. It also has a day care center on it. The play yard at the day care center is protected by a DEP-approved cap. o In addition, utilizing a Licensed Site Remediation Professional, the Responsible Party for a seventh site, U.S. Metals site in Carteret that was the subject of preliminary soil sampling by USA TODAY, is currently developing plans to gain access to sample off-site properties. EPA Site Assessment Status As requested by the EPA, the DEP's Site Assessment Section recently completed Pre-CERCLIS Screening Assessments (PSAs) on 20 sites and is nearing completion of a Site Reassessment for one additional site, Eagle Picher in Newark, where remedial actions have been undertaken in the past. A PSA evaluates the site for possible placement into the CERCLIS inventory and the need for a Preliminary Assessment (PA) to be completed. It includes a review of a site's operational history, potential impacts to public health and the environment and, if available, a summary of contaminants detected at the site. The PSAs are being reviewed by EPA. The conclusions of the PSAs are consistent with what was found as a result of the RPIU investigation initiated by USA TODAY's inquiry. In addition, three of the 20 PSAs require further assessment under CERCLA. DEP will complete Preliminary Assessments for the Canfield site in Newark, the Metals Disintegrating site in Verona, and the Metals Disintegrating Site in Townley. Of the 10 remaining sites not on the EPA list for PSAs, Caswell Strauss has been referred to EPA for remediation, the Jackson Metals Jackson Avenue site has engineering controls and a deed notice, U.S. Metals is being investigated by the responsible party, and testing at Wolf Jacques indicates soil lead levels within DEP standards for a portion of the property (DEP plans additional testing on other parts of the property.) Of the six remaining sites, most appear to be in heavily industrialized and/or paved areas (such as the site of a sewage treatment plant and areas of the New Jersey Turnpike.) The DEP is also working to verify whether smelting operations ever actually occurred at the Jackson Metal site on 5th Street in Hoboken as identified in the George Mason University study. SITE SUMMARIES The following is a synopsis of the six sites identified by DEP's Responsible Party Investigation Unit as having potential receptor issues: Wolf, Jacques & Co. Address: 350 Lexington Ave., Clifton Area is residential. Actions: Three surficial soil samples were collected in October 2011 at three existing residential properties within the former Wolf, Jacques and Co. site. The results of metals analyses revealed that lead was present in all samples at varying concentrations ranging from 50 to 147 parts per million, none of which exceeded DEP's Soil Remediation Standard of 400 ppm. All property owners were notified in writing of the analytical results. Supplemental soil sampling and analyses will be performed at a few additional properties that did not participate in the October 2011 testing. DEP is initiating legal actions to gain access for sampling at the Botany Estates condominium complex that was built atop the former site location. DEP also determined that a school near the site had been capped and received a No Further Action determination. Caswell, Strauss & Co. Oak Tree Road, Edison Area is residential. Actions: DEP took 12 samples on eight residential properties and 5 samples on 1 commercial property in October and November 2011 within the former Caswell, Strauss and Co. site. Results show levels ranging from 37.9 ppm to 3,320 ppm of lead in soil on residential properties and 326 to 14,300 ppm of lead in soil on the commercial property. The results revealed lead was present in all of the samples and three locations had concentrations exceeding NJDEP's Soil Remediation Standard. All property owners were notified in writing of the analytical results. EPA Referral: DEP referred the site to EPA for removal action in November 2011. EPA collected supplemental delineation samples in February 2012. USEPA's sampling confirmed DEP's previous results and identified a fourth location where lead was present at 10,100 ppm. EPA also completed sampling in May 2012 that indicated presence of lead above cleanup standards at seven additional residential properties. Additional delineation sampling was conducted in June 2012 on neighboring commercial properties. M.C. Canfield, Sons Co. 93 Wilsey St., Newark (now the area of Cornerstone Lane and Marrow Street) Area is residential. Recent Actions: NJDEP conducted soil sampling at 9 locations in March 2012. Preliminary review of the metals analyses indicate presence of lead ranging from 753 ppm to 4,860 ppm, all above DEP's soil remediation standard. EPA Referral: DEP referred this site to EPA in May 2012. Frema Smelting & Refining Co. 192 Murray St., Newark Area is residential Actions: Soil sampling was performed on November 30, 2011 at two residential properties and a right-of-way. The results of metals analyses indicated the presence of lead in all samples. The samples ranged from 4 to 387 ppm, all below the NJDEP's soil remediation standard. The DEP has determined that additional sampling is not required. Jackson Metal Co. 501 Jackson St. Hoboken Zoned for residential use Actions: The site is protected by an engineering control and has received a No Further Action determination from the DEP under the case name of Fifth Street Condos. The DEP determined the engineering control is protective. Metals Disintegrating Co. 271 Grove Road, Verona The site is commercial and also houses a child care facility. The site is mostly developed with buildings and parking areas. The play yard at the child care facility has a DEP-approved capping system. Actions: An Industrial Site Recovery Act (ISRA) investigation was completed at the site in November 1988. A Preliminary Assessment was submitted for the child care facility in 2009 and has been reviewed and approved by the Child Care Unit. The Preliminary Assessment noted historical uses of the site and activities/remediation that took place. The play yard is capped by geotextile fabric, gravel and a mixed surface of artificial grass, rubber matting or concrete. This cap has been approved by DEP. As a precaution, the DEP is preparing to conduct additional sampling of the area around the child care facility. DEP is discussing access with the property owner. One Additional Site is being investigated by the Responsible Party: U.S. Metals Refining Co. / Amax Realty Development Site 400 Middlesex Ave, Carteret Although site is zoned industrial, there are nearby residential properties needing evaluation as identified by preliminary testing by USA TODAY. Actions: Amax is required to address two remaining on-site soil areas, ground water contamination, and any surface water impacts or other ecological concerns. In addition, on December 23, 2011 the DEP issued a letter requiring Amax to conduct off-site investigation to characterize off-site conditions and delineate the contamination. On January 13, 2012 Amax submitted the required schedule to implement the off-site sampling. On March 30, 2012 Amax notified the DEP that the Licensed Site Remediation Professional of record for the site is Michael McNally of ELM, Inc. Mr. McNally is reviewing the plan for sampling and Amax's law firm (Gallagher & Kennedy) is proceeding with preparation of off-site property access. Amax has compiled a list of off-site properties, tax lots and blocks and property owner names. According to the LSRP, the plan is to be finalized with Amax, with offsite property owners contacted in August about site access for sampling. Sampling is to be conducted during fall of this year. -30-