Raritan Bay beaches closed

EPA finds high levels of lead at Raritan Bay sites

A standoff is brewing between local fisherman, environmental groups and state and federal agencies after three beach sites along the Raritan Bay in Old Bridge and Sayreville were closed by the state. Earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency found toxic levels of lead, arsenic, copper and other metals in the sand, sea walls and water. Further testing found high levels of lead in sea life like mussels and bait fish near the Laurence Harbor sea wall in Old Bridge. Environmentalists point the finger at National Lead, which operated a 400-acre industrial facility in Sayreville from 1935 to 1982. The company agreed with towns to deposit what is now known to be toxic slag to help support the shoreline. (Two environmental watchdog groups, the Edison Wetlands Association and NY/NJ Baykeeper, have filed letters of intent to sue National Lead, as well as local and state organizations, in federal court for the pollution of the Raritan Bay, although the lawsuit is not related to the slag sites in Old Bridge and Sayreville.) In April, the EPA formally recommended the site as a Superfund site -- a federal designation for the most polluted areas in the country — but local fisherman are frustrated, saying the closures are overkill and will affect local businesses. (Video by Nyier Abdou/The Star-Ledger)

Source: nj.com