Today marks the end of corporate profits over communities says @SenatorMenendez #CleanPassaic pic.twitter.com/Ju8qhk7Aa4

— NY/NJ Baykeeper (@NYNJBaykeeper) March 4, 2016

After years of investigating safety issues involved with removing Agent Orange and other contaminants from the Newark Bay and lower Passaic River, the EPA has created a comprehensive plan to remove what is logistically feasible and cap the rest at the bottom of the waterway.

The plan includes:

• 3.5 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment will be removed, bank- to-bank, by dredging the river bottom from Newark Bay to the Belleville/ Newark border.
• This will result in the permanent removal from the river of approximately 13 pounds of highly toxic and persistent dioxin (2,3,7,8- TCDD), 24,000 pounds of mercury, 6,600 pounds of PCBs, and 1,300 pounds of DDT (a pesticide).

Here are highlights of the plan:

View the entire record of decision for the lower eight miles of the Passaic River.