Chrome Waterfront BDA, Carteret, New Jersey

On behalf of the Borough, Excel prepared and obtained designation for a Brownfield Development Area (BDA) for the Chrome Waterfront Redevelopment Area based on an application submitted in March 2007.  The BDA includes several waterfront Brownfield properties owned by the Borough along the Arthur Kill, including a cove that contains contaminated sediments that is impeding the Borough’s ability to complete a public park, marina and recreational area.

One of the key redevelopment goals of the Chrome Waterfront Redevelopment Plan and BDA is to develop a portion of Carteret’s Waterfront Park into a Marina (the “Marina”) to serve Carteret residents and further provide waterfront access to the public.  The marina will serve as the recreational centerpiece for the park.

Based on a review of available information and additional sampling of the cove sediments conducted under the BDA designation indicates concentrations of arsenic (the RA driver) and other metals that greatly exceed the most stringent clean-up criteria (the “MSCC”) promulgated by the NJDEP.  The reported arsenic concentrations in the cove sediments are attributed to historic lumber treatment operations on the subject property.  The location of the cove was identified and used as a “timber basin” or “log pond”.  The log pond is a manmade feature, created to treat/preserve the lumber prior to transport upland to the lumber mill.

Based on the findings of the sediment sampling program conducted during RI activities within the log pond, arsenic and other heavy metals were reported throughout the sediment column down to the depth at which the stratigraphy changes from an unconsolidated black-dark brown silty/clayey material to a lighter brown denser sandy matrix.  Arsenic concentrations diminish below this stratigraphic contact.  The depth at which the change in stratigraphy occurs and the corresponding change in arsenic concentrations occur is the proposed target dredging depth to remediate the impacted cove sediments.

The subject property consist of several zones or distinct areas including an upland Historic Fill zone, transitional Wetland/Mudflat zone, Intertidal/Subtidal Zone and Arthur Kill Channel. The RAW for the subject property was divided into several components including a Historic Fill Cap, Bioengineering/Slope Stabilization, Wetland/Mudflat Enhancement and Cove Dredging with a sediment-stabilizing Bulkhead.

Excel has assisted the Borough with obtaining approximately $5 million to initiate RA and is in the process of obtaining supplemental funding for 2012 to continue the RA work at this prime waterfront property.