TOMS RIVER, NJ – Senator Jim Holzapfel, Assemblyman Greg McGuckin, and Assemblyman John Catalano have voiced their steadfast opposition to the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) settlement with BASF, the current owners of the Ciba-Geigy superfund site in Toms River.
The settlement, announced earlier this week, centers around a notorious source of local stress, health concerns, and environmental degradation. Toxic waste from the site contaminated groundwater, leading to a cluster of cancer cases among children.
Toms River Councilman Dan Rodrick, who is running for mayor in November said he wants to see the entire site returned back to nature in the form of a wildlife management area.
Senator Holzapfel expressed outrage at the $500,000 fine levied against the company, stating that it doesn’t begin to address the damage and fear caused by decades of pollution. He emphasized the need for justice, compensation, and more substantial measures to remediate the area.
BASF Corp, which acquired the property over a dozen years ago, has agreed to preserve 1,000 acres of land to protect groundwater resources and implement nine restoration projects on 375 acres of preserved land. Additionally, they will pay $500,000 to assist with state oversight of the plan.
Assemblymen McGuckin and Catalano also criticized the settlement, arguing that it fails to address the full scope of the problem. They vowed to continue standing with the residents of Toms River and support Save Barnegat Bay, a nonprofit organization that has hired a legal team specializing in natural resource cases. The matter is likely to head to court.
The legislators and Save Barnegat Bay and Toms River Township remain united in their belief that the settlement is inadequate and crafted without consideration for local officials or families affected by the contamination.