Formatted Title
15 Years of Evolving Remediation Leads to Successful Redevelopment and Restoration of a Complex Former Chemical Manufacturing Site
Background/Objectives
The Former Nuodex Site is a 185-acre site on the Raritan River in Woodbridge, New Jersey. The site has a long history of industrial use, including clay mining in the 1800s and early 1900s, followed by chemical manufacturing under several owners until the mid-1980s. Approximately 50 acres of the site was used for previous site operations; the remainder was undeveloped (including three ponds and over 80 acres of jurisdictional wetlands) but highly impacted by a variety anthropogenic activities including historic releases, filling, and disposal of impacted dredge spoils. Years of investigation led to the identification of over 40 areas of concern (AOCs) covering essentially the entire site including multiple areas of DNAPL, radiologically impacted soils, impacted sediments, two landfills, lead slag, and pesticides in soil. After multiple attempts at a redevelopment-led remediation, a remedial approach was developed that has led to the successful remediation, redevelopment, and restoration of the site.
Approach/Activities
The remediation, restoration, and redevelopment of the site had intense interest from outside stakeholders. The local municipality wanted to maximize redevelopment while also incorporating public access to restored green space and the riverfront for passive recreation. High profile environmental advocates were petitioning to maximize the amount of wetlands mitigation and ecological restoration at the site and the selected approach needed to comply with a variety of often competing state and federal requirements. By meeting with and understanding the priorities of stakeholders and taking a holistic approach to the site, a remedial approach was developed and put in place that achieved the remedial objectives, allowed for redevelopment, and balanced the priorities of the various stakeholders. Under the selected remedial approach, most of the AOCs were consolidated and addressed through a hydraulic barrier wall and groundwater extraction/treatment remedy which hydraulicly contains approximately 70 acres of DNAPL impacted areas. In addition to the site’s primary hydraulic containment remedy, additional AOC-specific remedial actions were planned, including excavations, pond dredging, surface capping with a variety of engineer controls, a separate barrier wall containment area, and monitored natural attenuation. Multiple additional AOCs and other unexpected conditions were identified during the remediation that required adaptive management and coordination with multiple regulatory agencies and other parties. The planned restoration of the site included approximately 40 acres suitable for re-development, the creation or ecological enhancement of over 100 acres of wetlands, open water, and uplands across the site, and over 3 miles of walking trails, boardwalks and a roadway for the public to access the site and river.
Results/Lessons Learned
After significant pre-design investigation, the remedial approach was initiated in 2012 and the site is awaiting final approval for closure. Redevelopment at the site has included the sale of 27.5 acres for the construction of a 725-MW gas-fired power plant which has been in operation since 2016 and the sale of 7.5 acres for development of a truck parking facility which was constructed in 2016. Construction related to the remediation and restoration of the remainder of site was completed in 2023. The site is currently awaiting final approval with various regulatory agencies.
Development of a holistic remedial approach and understanding and balancing the priorities of various stakeholders, have been the key to successful restoration and revitalization of this site.