The remediation process would simultaneously attack the waterway’s problems from multiple angles — cleaning up contaminants in the water and in the mud while preventing additional pollution by eliminating its sources.
And while many of the creek’s industrial neighbors have already begun work on cleaning up their acts — many others have not. Empire Transit Mix, a Brooklyn concrete company, settled a $300,000 suit in 2006 after it was caught dumping waste water into the creek. If the creek is approved for Superfund status, the federal government could pursue companies like Empire and Exxon Mobil and force them to fund the clean-up process.
Companies aren’t the only ones who may pay. The city’s inadequate sewer system has contributed to pollution at the creek for decades — and New Yorkers may end up footing the bill if the agency determines that new infrastructure is needed.
Even after the sources of pollution are all identified and stopped, the site could need more than a decade of dredging before it is ready to embark on a road to true recovery.
A 60-day public comment period will begin in the wake of the Superfund nomination.
U.S. Rep Anthony Weiner (D-Queens and Brooklyn), who requested the nomination, said the site would undergo immediate stabilization efforts to stop threats to the community — including erecting security fences and repairing hazardous waste storage facilities.
“I am pleased to see that while the oil companies lag in their cleanup responsibilities and put the health and safety of Newtown Creek’s residents at further risk, the EPA has decided to take action and hold these companies responsible for their negligence,” Weiner said. “Newtown Creek is the single most polluted waterway in New York City, a legacy left by more than a century of heavy industrial activity.”
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