Issued: Aug 1, 2022 (12:34pm EDT)

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EPA Proposes Plan to Continue to Clean Up Soil and Groundwater at the Cinnaminson Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site in New Jersey

Contact: Stephen McBay, (212) 637-3672, McBay.Stephen@epa.gov

NEW YORK (August 1, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a plan to address the industrial property containing soil and groundwater contamination, which is also a source of chemical vapors entering residential homes or commercial structures in nearby communities in the Townships of Cinnaminson and Delran in Burlington County, N.J.

"This proposed cleanup plan builds off previous actions and is an important step in fully addressing groundwater contamination at the Cinnaminson site," said EPA Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. "EPA will also continue to investigate and address instances of vapors entering residential homes or commercial structures."

EPA's proposed plan calls for removing contaminated soil and replacing it with clean backfill. Groundwater would be addressed using a cleanup technique called in-situ chemical treatment, where chemicals are injected into the area with the highest amount of contamination to break down and decrease the contamination over time. The contamination in the soil and groundwater is causing harmful vapors to enter some homes through a process called vapor intrusion. EPA will continue to investigate vapor intrusion and address it where it is found by installing specialized vapor systems, similar to radon systems, in homes. EPA is also monitoring the groundwater in the long term to ensure the cleanup is working as intended. Residents don't drink the contaminated groundwater but get their drinking water from private and municipal water companies.

The Cinnaminson Groundwater Contamination Superfund site is located in the Townships of Cinnaminson and Delran in Burlington County, N.J. The site covers approximately 400 acres and includes residential properties, light to heavy industrial properties and historical landfill properties. During an investigation as part of a closure plan for the landfills by the state in the early 1980s, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection discovered soil and groundwater contaminants, including trichloroethene (TCE), cis-1, 2-dichloroethene (cis-1, 2-DCE), benzene and arsenic.

EPA placed the site on the Superfund National Priorities List in 1986. Due to the nature and complexity of the contamination at the Cinnaminson Groundwater Contamination Superfund site, the investigations and cleanup of the site have been conducted in four phases, otherwise known as Operable Units. This proposed cleanup plan focuses on Operable Unit 3, which addresses the industrial property located on the northwestern part of the site containing soil and groundwater contamination and is the source of vapor intrusion in nearby residential developments.

The proposed plan's 30-day public comment period will occur from August 1, 2022, to August 31, 2022. In addition, EPA will host a virtual public meeting on August 10, 2022, at 6 p.m. 

To register for the public meeting, visit https://USEPACinnaminson.eventbrite.com. To learn more about the public meeting, contact Natalie Loney at Loney.Natalie@epa.gov or (212)637-3639.

Written comments on EPA's proposed plan may be mailed or emailed to Alida Karas, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway – 19th Floor, New York, NY 10007, Email: Karas.Alida@epa.gov.

Visit the Cinnaminson Groundwater Contamination Site profile page for additional background and to view the proposed plan. 

Follow EPA Region 2 on Twitter and Facebook page. For more information about EPA Region 2, visit our website.

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