Four decades after the Passaic River earned Superfund status for severe chemical contamination, the cleanup faces legal delays, corporate pushback, and looming federal budget cuts that could halt progress.
Anna Mattson reports for Inside Climate News.
In short:
- The lower Passaic River contains hazardous levels of dioxin and other carcinogens, affecting drinking water for more than two million people in northern New Jersey.
- Occidental Chemical Corporation has been deemed responsible for about 98% of the cleanup costs but has resisted paying for major components, slowing U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-led efforts.
- Local advocates and volunteers continue small-scale restoration work while federal Superfund funding faces a proposed $254 million cut in the Trump administration’s 2026 budget.
Key quote:
“Oxy’s responsibility is somewhere near 98 percent. So they are in for the bulk of the cost. They have put up the most resistance to certain aspects just because they don’t necessarily feel like they should have to pay that much.”
— Michele Langa, staff attorney at NY/NJ Baykeeper and co-chair of the Passaic River Community Advisory Group
Why this matters:
Contamination from industrial chemicals such as dioxin poses long-term risks to both human health and ecosystems. Persistent pollutants can accumulate in fish, wildlife, and people, increasing the risk of cancer and other diseases over decades. The Passaic River’s pollution also threatens biodiversity, erodes public trust in water safety, and limits recreational and economic uses of the waterway. When cleanup projects are delayed or underfunded, toxic chemicals can spread further through floods or sediment movement, making remediation more costly and complex. Communities that rely on the river for drinking water face heightened exposure, and vulnerable populations often bear the brunt of the health impacts.
Learn more: Chemical industry pushes to hide disaster risks from the public
