New Jersey Rehabilitates Brownfields Along Delaware River

PALMYRA, New Jersey, May 18, 2004 (ENS) - New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley Campbell Friday presented a $684,767 grant to the Borough of Palmyra to spur brownfield redevelopment at 40 land parcels along Route 73 to assist the borough in its plans to reuse the contaminated land.

The grant, the largest that the borough has ever received, is part of $45.8 million set aside by the state last month for brownfield redevelopment grants and loans through the Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund (HDSRF) program. The measure also provides an ongoing, stable source of up to $20 million a year for future brownfield site investments without creating new taxes.

Palmyra Mayor John Gural said without these funds it would not be possible to return the 190 acre brownfields site to productive use. "This grant represents a critical step in Palmyra's efforts to redevelop this area, which serves as a major gateway from Pennsylvania into our community, Burlington County and the State of New Jersey," he said.

Adjacent to the 350 acre Palmyra Cove Nature Park along the Delaware River, the Palmyra Brownfield Development Area represents more than 15 percent of the borough's total land area.

Former and current uses of the properties include deposition of dredge spoils, a private landfill, a private airport, a sand and gravel mining operation, a munitions test area for the Philadelphia based Frankford arsenal, gasoline service stations, used car dealerships, car repair shops and five residential units.

Palmyra will use the grant to conduct soil and ground water testing at properties in the Brownfield Development Area.

The borough is discussing a mixed use for the Brownfield Development Area that may include commercial, retail and recreational with a planned greenway along Route 73 and a greenbelt buffer along the boundary with the Palmyra Cove Nature Park and the Pennsauken Creek.

DEP's Brownfield Development Area program works with selected communities impacted by multiple brownfield sites to coordinate remediation and reuse plans. Under this designation, all brownfield sites within a development area are assigned a single case manager, who coordinates with partnering state agencies to direct targeted technical and financial assistance to stimulate reuse. The plans are developed under the direction of a local steering committee with support from DEP.

Another effort for New Jersey brownfields is the creation of the Cleanup Star program, which will let qualified environmental consultants oversee the cleanup of less contaminated sites. The program will speed up the process and free up DEP to take on more brownfield sites.

The first 200 Cleanup Star applicants were "graduated" in February, Campbell said. Due to the demand, DEP has scheduled another enrollment period this month.

Across New Jersey, there are an estimated 10,000 brownfield sites - abandoned or underused industrial areas. Every acre of brownfields redevelopment spares up to 4.5 acres of open space from future development.