Carteret, NJ – Mayor Dan Reiman has announced that the NJ Economic Development Authority (NJ EDA) has approved a $4.9 million grant from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) HDSRF Program for Brownfield remediation of the former IT Williams cove at Waterfront Park.
The Carteret Waterfront Redevelopment Area initially received Brownfield Development Area (BDA) designation by NJDEP in 2006. BDA designation qualifies the area for up to $5 million in annual environmental investigation and remediation funding.
The funding has allowed the Borough to continue with plans to redevelop the former industrial sites along the Arthur Kill Waterway. BDA program provides grants to public entities for cleanup costs of Brownfield designated sites. The combination of BDA funding provides for 100% of the cost for environmental investigation and 75% of the remedial action work to be performed in order for the Waterfront area to be beneficially redeveloped.
“Waterfront Park is an ever-evolving success story,” Mayor Reiman commented, “in which more than 20 acres of former Brownfields have been redeveloped and put to use in ways that directly benefit our residents and help redefine our quality of life standards in Carteret. A major part of our vision for the Waterfront’s future is to tie it into the greater region through the provision of accommodations for commercial and recreational boaters, and ultimately as a transportation hub for commuters heading to or from Manhattan via ferry.”
BDA funding will assist with the remediation and dredging that will pave way for the construction of the Carteret Municipal Marina. The municipal marina will include nearly 200 slips for recreational boaters.
As part of the marina project, the Borough will remove 130,000 cubic yards of contaminated material from the area that will be used for the marina basin. All contaminated sediment from the marina basin will be removed and will then be deposed of at the Middlesex County Landfill.
“We are proud to be associated with a project that has the dual benefits of providing active recreational opportunities for Carteret residents as well as cleaning up the environment,” said Mayor Reiman. “This will be the largest remediation project on public property in the history of the Borough.”
A NYC ferry service has also been announced as being among future development plans at the Carteret Waterfront. A private ferry transportation company conducted test runs this summer to gather information on the water route and todetermine commuter travel times to and from Manhattan for the future Borough ferry service.
The Waterfront Park has been expanded in recent years to include an exercise trail, recreational and fitness amenities, and a sensory garden. There is currently ongoing construction at the park that will soon bring new restrooms and a concession stand connected to the mini golf as part of the improvements.
This brings the total BDA grants for this project to $10.3 million with a maximum allowance of $11 million based on the remediation cost estimate of $14.6 million.
Mayor Reiman said, “The Borough will submit a supplemental grant application for $1 million in January 2016 to bring the remediation project to the full funding allowed under the 75% State BDA match.”
