Dupont Site Fact Sheets

SITE DESCRIPTION

Acreage: 37

The site is a vacant, privately-owned parcel with a system of roads and fire hydrants in place within a heavy industry and trucking area. The site, now fenced and unused, is located just south of exit 15 E off the New Jersey Turnpike.

SITE HISTORY

The site produced phenols, cresols, cresylic acid blends, and specialty phenolic-based compounds derived from distillation of coal tar. In 1961, synthetic cresylic acids were manufactured from methanol and phenol. In 1983, due to declining market conditions and an unsuccessful attempt to sell the plant, the plant ceased operation and all buildings on the property were dismantled. The site is owned by E.I. Dupont de Nemours & Company (Dupont) which continues to pay taxes on the property. A voluntary Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) has been entered into between DuPont and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to address potential environmental concerns at the site.

ZONING RESTRICTIONS

Enterprise Community/Empowerment Zone (ECEZ): No

New Jersey State Enterprise Zone: Yes

Other: Yes

The Site is located in the Newark Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ).

Industrial zoning

PROPERTY ACCESS/TRANSPORTATION

General Information:

The property is extremely well located, with access to road, rail, air and sea transport.

Highway: Yes

The site is located just south of exit 15 E of the New Jersey Turnpike, three bloocks east of Routes 1 & 9.

Rail: Yes

Airport: Yes

Waterway: Yes

UTILITIES

General Information:

Storm Sewer: Yes

Sanitation Sewer: Yes

Water: Yes

Electricity: Yes

Gas: Yes

Telecommunications: Yes

SURROUNDING AREA/NEIGHBORHOOD

The site is located in the port industrial area, east of the mixed-use portion of the Ironbound neighborhood. The area is almost exclusively devoted to manufacturing, trucking and heavy industrial uses.

ADJACENT PROPERTY USES

General Information:

Adjacent properties include junkyards, trucking companies, manufacturing and other industrial facilities, as well as a significant amount of vacant (brownfields) land.

North:

Roanoke Avenue

South:

Newark-New York Branch Central Railroad

East:

Passaic River Extension Railroad

West:

Avenue P

ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

General Information:

On January 9, 1998, DuPont's Director of NJ Remediation, A. Dwight Bedsole, wrote to NJDEP to announce the firm will be entering Dupont's Doremus Avenue site into the State's Voluntary Cleanup program and pursuing a Memorandum of Agreement to return the 37-acre form coal tar manufacturing facility into productive use. This announcement represents a dramatic change in policy for the unutilized property. Bedsole credits recent New Jersey statutory and regulatory changes which, should have a significant impact on the pace and cost of remediation, and the inclusion of the site in the Newark Brownfields Initiative for this new direction in policy. In early 1988, representatives of DuPont met with the NJDEP and the City of Newark to present the firm's vision for the site.

Phase I: No

Phase II: No

Risk Assessment/Other: No

No Further Remedial Action Planned (NFRAP): No

Site Contaminants and Concentrations - Soil: Yes

Little soil data is available from the site. Five samples collected and analyzed for PCBs were all found to have non-detect levels of PCBs. Twelve soil samples at four locations were sampled for total phenolics and total organic carbon. Test pits have revealed that product contamination (specifically tar) exists throughout the site. In addition, seven former lagoons located on the site are suspected to be sources of contamination.

Site Contaminants and Concentrations - Groundwater: Yes

According to the NJDEP, there is regional groundwater contamination in this part of Newark, and the groundwater is not used as a source of drinking water. Contaminants identified in the groundwater include both light non-aqueous phase liquids and dense non-aqueous phase liquids (LNAPL and DNAPL). Any off-site contribution from the DuPont site has not been delineated at this time. Shallow (in the fill material) groundwater constituents to be address include PAHs, benzene, arsenic, methylene chloride, toluene, napthalene, and total phenolics. Groundwater constituents to be addressed in the lower water bearing zone are similar.

Site Contaminants and Concentrations - Surface Water:

No information provided.

Site Contaminants and Concentrations - Air:

No information provided.

Exposure Pathways: Yes

The site is not near residential developments or foot traffic, and is fenced off from nearby roads. In addition, a firm has been retained to provide security and care taking services.

Underground Tanks:

Undetermined

Aboveground Tanks/Drums/Barrels: No

Waste Volumes:

Undetermined

Permits:

Undetermined

Site Investigation Methods: Yes

A 1992 site plan was filed with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). NJDEP has not provided oversight for any work done at the site.

Remediation Activities: Yes

The site may be eligible for a Hazardous Waste Remediation Grant from NJDEP. EPA has accepted a proposal to cap the site. No NJDEP-monitored actions to date.

Innovative Technologies: No

FUTURE PLANS FOR SITE

Future Plans: Yes

On January 9, 1998, DuPont wrote to NJDEP to announce that the firm will be entering this site into the State's voluntary cleanup program and will pursuing a Memorandum of Agreement to return the site into productive use.

EPA ACTIVITIES AT SITE

EPA Activities: No

STATE ACTIVITIES AT SITE

State Activities: Yes

DuPont has entered into a voluntary environmental program under an MOA in April, 1998. DuPont submitted a preliminary assessment in April, which was approved by NJDEP in September of 1998. DuPont is currently developing the Remedial Investigation work plan.

NON-EPA AND NON-STATE ACTIVITIES AT SITE

Non-EPA and Non-State Activities: No

GROUPS INVOLVED IN SITE REDEVELOPMENT

General Information:

The Newark Brownfields Initiative is a cooperative effort linking the Newark Economic Development Corporation (NEDC), Newark City Agencies, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and the NJ Economic Development Authority with private businesses and community groups. The introductory General Information section of the Newark Fact Sheet provides more information.

Universities: Yes

See General Information - Newark.

Local Affiliations: Yes

See General Information - Newark.

Community: Yes

See General Information - Newark.

Other: Yes

See General Information - Newark

ECONOMIC INFORMATION

General Information:

Real Estate Taxes:

The site is privately owned and pays real estate taxes (class 4B)

Special Assessments:

The assessed value of land/improvements/net is $753,400/$4,700/$758,100.

Financing Incentives:

Grants and loans are available for municipal programs and for businesses and individuals through the NJ Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund.

Enterprise Community/Empowerment Zone (ECEZ): No

Funding Activities - EPA Assistance:

None.

Funding Activities - Other:

None.

ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF REDEVELOPMENT

Newark's economic gain upon the redevelopment of this site could conceivably be large because the site is one of the most valuable industrial properties in Newark. The site is extremely well located, right next to a NJ Turnpike exit, and could provide a substantial number of jobs for Newark residents, as well as a large ratable for the City.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF REDEVELOPMENT

Remediation of soil, groundwater and surface water contamination.

COMMUNITY IMPACTS OF REDEVELOPMENT

The community would benefit from the jobs created by redevelopment of this site.

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