Funding for New Jersey Brownfields to Go Green

Funding for New Jersey Brownfields to Go Green

Feb, 2008  - A once-thriving industrial 
port along the Delaware River in Gloucester City is about to be changed 
from a blighted area into an environmentally sustainable development, the 
state of New Jersey announced today. 
An area of old landfills in Bellmawr, a former center of fertilizer 
production in Carteret, and an area that was once the focal point for 
smelting and paint production in Perth Amboy, are all going to get similar 
upgrades, as will a former hub of the metals processing industry in Jersey 
City. 
"The critical first step in spurring redevelopment of old industrial areas 
is removing the threat of contamination," said Department of Environmental 
Protection Commissioner Lisa Jackson. 
Jackson's agency will coordinate the cleanup and revitalization of dozens 
of blighted properties encompassing nearly 500 acres through its 
Brownfield Development Area program, 
"The DEP's Brownfield Development Area program provides the resources 
municipalities need to clear this hurdle and transform deteriorating 
factories and abandoned rail yards into catalysts for economic growth and 
healthier communities through urban renewal," Jackson said. 
"The redevelopment ideas local officials have been discussing for these 
sites demonstrate a great deal of progressive thinking and commitment to 
the state's Smart Growth objectives," she said. 
"They include a variety of plans for mass transit access, mixed-income 
housing, green building design, and enhancement of open space." 

Gloucester City's Southport is the site of a 19th century ship yard that 
included petroleum refining and titanium processing operations. Today it 
is a bleak and isolated collection of mostly abandoned buildings along a 
120-acre swath of the Delaware River. The city plans to transform this 
area into a model waterfront community with residential, commercial and 
retail properties looking across the river toward the Philadelphia 
skyline. 
The Brownfield Development Area for Bellmawr encompasses 70 acres of 
former municipal landfills along Big Timber Creek that were never properly 
closed under state requirements. The municipality envisions for this area 
a large commercial project that will include a hotel and conference 
center, marina, and boat ramp as well as a greenway along the creek. 
The 105 acre Chrome Waterfront Development Area along the Arthur Kill in 
Carteret once was an industrial center that included American Agricultural 
Chemical Co., a fertilizer manufacturer that ceased operations in 1978. 
Borough officials want to revitalize this area as a transit village with 
high-density residential, commercial, office, and retail uses that will 
complement a marina and Staten Island ferry terminal. 
Located along the Arthur Kill in Perth Amboy, the 177 acre redevelopment 
area known as North of Outerbridge Crossing was once the site of an ore 
refining operation run by American Smelting and Refining Co. and a paint 
and pigment plant operated by National Lead. 
The Perth Amboy Redevelopment Agency has developed plans for a massive 
warehouse and office complex, known as the iPort 440 International Trade 
and Logistics Center that envision construction of buildings with 
eco-friendly designs. Redevelopment plans also call for restoration of 
open space and development of sports and entertainment venues. 
Revitalization of Jersey City's Grand Jersey Redevelopment Area, bounded 
by Grand Avenue, Jersey Avenue, and the New Jersey Turnpike extension, has 
languished due to contamination of a 20 acre core area that was the site 
of a variety of metals processing and reclamation industries. 
The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency plans to redevelop this area, which 
has views of the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyline, with housing for 
people of varying incomes, retail and office space, access to light rail, 
and open space links to Liberty State Park and the Hudson River walkway. 
Municipalities that have been designated as Brownfield Development Areas 
are eligible for up to $5 million each year from the DEP's Hazardous 
Discharge Site Remediation Fund for site investigation and remediation. 
The DEP also assigns a case manager to help communities obtain financial 
assistance and to coordinate revitalization efforts with other state 
agencies. 
This process brings together all stakeholders to participate in cleanup 
and revitalization efforts, including owners of contaminated properties, 
potentially responsible parties, developers, community groups, technical 
experts, and residents. 
The DEP now is accepting applications from municipalities interested in 
being included in the 2008 round of Brownfield Development Area 
designations. 
Applications must be submitted by a steering committee representing the 
community and must include the boundaries of the proposed Brownfield 
Development Area, a clear identification of the sites to be addressed, and 
a description of current activities within the area. The deadline for 
applications is March 31. For information, go to: 
http://www.nj.gov/dep/srp/brownfields/bda/ 

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