COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN for the LOWER PASSAIC RIVER JULY 2017 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN for the LOWER PASSAIC RIVER JULY 2017 Prepared by: LOUIS BERGER 412 MOUNT KEMBLE AVENUE MORRISTOWN, NJ 07962-1946 +1.973.407.1000 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ........... .IV COMMUNITY FEEDBACK ......... 20 INTRODUCTION ................ .2 3.1 Highlights of Community Involvement to Date .................20 OVERVIEW 4 3.2 Timeline of Major Community 1.1 Purpose of the Community Involvement Activities ................21 Involvement Plan ....................4 3.3 Overview of 2016 Community 1.2 Scope of the Community Interview Process ...................22 Involvement Plan ....................5 3.4 Key Community Concerns . .22 1.3 Agency Partnerships and 3.4.1 Superfund Cleanup Activity Concerns 22 Legal Authorities.....................6 3.4.2 Redevelopment and River Access Concerns 23 PROJECT BACKGROUND......... 8 3.4.3 Health and Quality of Life Concerns 23 3.4.4 Outreach Concerns and Suggestions 23 2.1 History of Contamination ..............8 2.2 Description of Project Area.............10 2.3 Project Activities.....................12 COMMUNITY PROFILE ........... 24 2.4 The Cleanup Plan for the Lower 8.3 Miles 14 4.1 Land Use Characteristics and 2.5 Next Steps .........................15 Infrastructure .......................24 4.1.1 Redevelopment 25 2.6 Remedial Design (RD) and Remedial Action (RA) .................16 4.1.2 Transportation Infrastructure 25 2.7 Long-term Monitoring and Maintenance ..18 4.1.3 Drinking Water, Sewers and Power 25 4.1.4 Flood Control 26 2.8 Local Workforce Participation During Construction ......19 4.1.5 Recreation 26 4.2 Population and Demographics..........26 4.2.1 Population 27 4.2.2 Age 27 4.2.3 Household Income 27 4.2.4 Race and Ethnicity 28 4.2.5 Immigrant and Minority Population and Linguistic Trends 28 4.2.6 Environmental Justice 29 4.2.7 Education 29 IV COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN FOR THE LOWER PASSAIC RIVER COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT 5.2.14 Public Meetings and ACTION PLAN.................. 30 Public Information Sessions 38 5.2.15 Public Notices 38 5.1 Communication Goals ................31 5.2.16 Public Service Announcements (PSAs) 39 Goal 1: Be Appropriate 31 5.2.17 Project Site Visits/Tours 39 Goal 2: Be Understandable 31 5.2.18 Project Roadmap 39 Goal 3: Be Responsive 31 5.2.19 Project Websites 40 Goal 4: Be Accurate 31 5.2.20 School/Educational Outreach 40 5.2 Community Involvement Tools 5.2.21 Social Media 40 and Outreach .......................32 5.2.22 Superfund Jobs Training Initiative 5.2.1 Community Advisory Group (CAG) 34 (Super JTI) 41 5.2.2 Community Events 34 5.2.23 Surveys/Focus Groups 41 5.2.3 Coordination with Local Government 5.2.24 Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) 41 and Other Agencies 34 5.2.25 Technical Assistance Services for 5.2.4 Door-to-Door Notifications 35 Communities (TASC) Program 42 5.2.5 Email 35 5.2.26 Toll-free Hotline 42 5.2.6 Fact Sheets 35 5.3 Evaluation of Outreach ...............43 5.2.7 Field Notifications 36 5.2.8 Information Repositories 36 5.2.9 Maps and Visual Aids 36 5.2.10 Media Notification/Media Events 37 5.2.11 Newsletters 37 5.2.12 Public Comment Period 37 5.2.13 Public Input 38 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN FOR THE LOWER PASSAIC RIVER V LIST OF TABLES APPENDICES Table 1 Agency Missions 6 Appendix 1 Abbreviations and Acronyms A-2 Table 2 Relevant Federal Legal Authorities 7 Appendix 2 Glossary A-4 Table 3 Contaminants of Concern 9 Appendix 3 Partner Agency Contacts A-10 Table 4 Diamond Alkali Superfund Appendix 4 Community Advisory Group A-12 Site Project Activities 12 Appendix 5 Elected Officials: Federal A-14 Table 5 Steps in the Superfund Process 15 Appendix 6 Elected Officials: State A-16 Table 6 Timeline of Remedial Design for Appendix 7 Elected Officials: Local A-18 Lower 8.3 Miles of Lower Passaic River 16 Appendix 8 Cooperating Parties A-20 Table 7 Major Community Involvement Activities 21 Appendix 9 Regional Authorities Contacts A-22 Table 8 Demographic Summary Statistics 28 Appendix 10 Stakeholder Groups A-24 Table 9 Keys Tools 32 Appendix 11 Potential Meeting Locations A-28 Appendix 12 Information Repositories A-30 Appendix 13 Media List A-32 Appendix 14 Seasonal Events and Activities A-34 LIST OF FIGURES Appendix 15 Fish and Shellfish Advisories A-36 Appendix 16 Community Interview Questions Figure 1 Project Location Map 2 (2005, 2016) and Interview Summary (2014) A-42 Figure 2 The Lower 8.3 Mile Cleanup Area 11 Appendix 17 Example Fact Sheets A-52 Figure 3 Examples of Caps 14 Appendix 18 Legal Authorities A-58 Figure 4 Race in the Eight Municipalities 27 Appendix 19 Works Consulted A-62 VI COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN FOR THE LOWER PASSAIC RIVER Newark, NJ nighttime skyline on the Passaic River COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN FOR THE LOWER PASSAIC RIVER 1 INTRODUCTION In March 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency In March 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized a cleanup plan for the lower 8.3 miles of (EPA) finalized a cleanup plan the Passaic River. This project is part of a comprehensive for the lower 8.3 miles of the strategy to clean up the 17-mile stretch of the Lower Passaic River. This project is part of a comprehensive strategy to Passaic River, from Dundee Dam to Newark Bay. clean up the 17-mile stretch of the Lower Passaic River, from Dundee Dam to Newark Bay. The Lower Passaic River and Newark Bay are part of the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site. Under Superfund law and EPA policy and practice, people whose lives are impacted by hazardous waste sites have a voice in the cleanup process. The agency is committed to involving the public and providing opportunities for participation so that people have a say in what happens in their communities. This Community Involvement Plan (CIP) is the latest effort in the ongoing public outreach about the Passaic River cleanup. The first CIP for the 17-mile Lower Passaic Restoration Project and Newark Bay Study was released in 2006 and addressed outreach for the entire project area. As the project enters the design and construction phase for the lower 8.3-mile cleanup, the agency recognizes the need for a more targeted CIP. Although the plan’s Figure 1: Project Location Map 2 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN FOR THE LOWER PASSAIC RIVER INTRODUCTION recommendations may apply for interviews with residents, elected Acronyms are spelled out upon future cleanup of other portions officials, agency representatives first reference, and a full list is of the river and Newark Bay, this and other stakeholders in the provided in Appendix 1. The document is focused on outreach Lower Passaic River communities, Appendices are designed to for the lower 8.3 miles of the combined with feedback received serve as a resource guide for Passaic River, which extends during the multi-year site both the EPA and the community. from Newark Bay to the border investigation process and during Specific sections include EPA between the City of Newark and the public comment period on the and other agency contacts, local Belleville Township. EPA’s proposed cleanup plan. government contacts, where to find additional documents, As the EPA works on the details The CIP serves as a roadmap for a glossary of terms, and other of the design and implementation the EPA in providing opportunities relevant project background of the cleanup, the agency is for public information and input information. A Works Consulted committed to involving the public during the cleanup of the Passaic is listed in Appendix 19, as and keeping the community River. The CIP is an evolving individual citations are not informed about cleanup activities document and will be updated included in this CIP. Please note and how these activities may or revised as needed to ensure that bolded terms appear in impact them. In keeping with that opportunities for public Appendix 2 - Glossary. that commitment, this CIP has participation continue throughout been developed to facilitate the cleanup process. two-way dialogue between the This CIP contains the following communities affected by the sections: Passaic River cleanup and the EPA to encourage community 1. Overview involvement in site activities. 2. Project Background Specifically, the CIP provides an 3. Community Feedback overview of the outreach tools and 4. Community Profile techniques that the EPA uses to 5. Community Involvement share information and to inform Action Plan and involve the public during Sections may be read the cleanup process. It is based independently of each other. on several rounds of community Newark, NJ skyline on the Passaic River COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT PLAN FOR THE LOWER PASSAIC RIVER 3 OVERVIEW The EPA collaborated with a broad cross-section of stakeholders to The following section describes the purpose and scope gather their input on designing of the Community Involvement Plan (CIP) as well as a successful community involvement and outreach applicable legal authorities. program. This plan is based on the following information: will periodically review, select, • Community interviews 1.1 (2005, 2014, and 2016) with and prioritize which tools and Purpose of the local residents, officials, Community activities to implement, based representatives from Involvement Plan on input from stakeholders and environmental and community in consideration of a number organizations and other This CIP is the foundation for of project management and interested parties. See the EPA’s Superfund Community community factors. Appendix 16. Involvement Program for the Historical information and records Lower Passaic River, from Dundee The plan’s purpose is to outline pertaining to community concerns Dam to Newark Bay.