MAYOR ANDRE SAYEGH, CONGRESSMAN BILL PASCRELL, & EPA 

ANNOUNCE ATP FENCE SITE REHABILITATION PROJECT.

The City of Paterson together with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will rehabilitate and install new fencing at the former Allied Textile Printers (ATP) site. The ATP site is 6.75 acres of historically significant industrial ruins within the boundaries of the Great Falls National Historical Park and is currently considered a brownfield site due its many industrial uses and the presence of asbestos-containing building materials brought in over more than 150 years of active use. The EPA has conducted studies of above-ground contaminants and hazardous materials at the ATP site which have been performed under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) program. The goal of the CERCLA program is to assist in the removal of substances that pose a risk to public health.

The City of Paterson and the EPA have been working toward the immediate objective of securing the ATP site from public access. ATP fencing will not only prevent the public from getting close to public health hazards but it will also abate the possibility of vandalism, especially graffiti, as well as vagrants in the area who have used this area for drugs or other illegal activities.  This project is the first of several upcoming phases to achieve the overall cleanup, rehabilitation and reuse of this significant historic site, where Paterson’s first industries and mills were established beginning in 1793.

The project will include the replacement of fencing around the ATP site, replacement of existing swing gates located on Van Houten Street, installation of fencing around a portion of the river, as well as the cutting and removal of vegetation for work completion.

“We are grateful to the EPA for funding the work that will allow us to further ensure the safety of our residents,” said Mayor Andre Sayegh. “The ATP sight is a blighted area covered in graffiti and illegal activity a solid fence will improve the quality of life for residents of the area as well as visitors to the Paterson Historic Great Falls.”

“EPA stands with the City of Paterson in close cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s State Historic Preservation Office, and the U.S. National Park Service, in addressing contamination at this historic site,” said EPA Regional Administrator Pete Lopez. “EPA is taking measures to restrict access to the site in order to prevent people from potentially coming into direct contact with the asbestos and lead contamination and to mitigate the chances of fire, which could spread the contamination to the surrounding area. EPA’s work will be done hand in hand with Paterson to ensure that there are no adverse effects on historic properties.”

“This federal support for Paterson is an important step toward promoting public safety and improving the Paterson Great Falls National Park,” said Rep. Pascrell, who wrote the law establishing the Great Falls as a national park in 2009. “We want to deter folks from dwelling in the ruins for their safety and to preserve these historical assets around the Falls for generations to come. I commend our mayor, Andre Sayegh, for his leadership and perseverance on this front. This is tremendous news for Paterson and can help improve the quality of life for neighbors to the site.”

The site work is expected to begin in mid-November with the project concluding in January 2021.

Funding for the project has been provided through the EPA, CERCLA Program. Contracting and execution of the work provided by EPA and the archaeological oversight of the work conducted by the City of Paterson.

Construction of the Quarry Lawn and River Walk Project is slated to begin in Spring 2021.

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