Making Lemons into Lemonade-SC Joins Congressman Pallone at Woodbridge Brownfrield Park

The New Jersey Sierra Club is joining Congressman Pallone at the Woodbrige Waterfront Park today at 11 am to speak up about the importance of brownfield revitalization. We are calling for the reauthorization and full funding of the EPA’s brownfields grant program. The House is going to be voting on reauthorizing the program this week. Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, released the following statement:

“We are calling on Congress to preserve funding for brownfield revitalization through the EPA’s Brownfields Grant Program. They must reauthorize the program with Congressman Pallone’s bill. This program is important for improving the environment, health, safety, and economy of communities. We are taking abandoned, underused sites, and turning them into productive ones. We are taking lemons and making lemonade. This program is critical for not only urban areas but underutilized sites to improve the environment, provide recreational opportunities and promote jobs opportunities.

“Today we’re at the Woodbridge Waterfront Park. This remediation project includes restoration of the natural wetland habitat. The site was contaminated and unused for many years until it was designated as a brownfield. After remediation, this brownfield will go from toxic nightmare to a recreation area with direct public access to the Raritan River from Woodbridge. This includes walking trails, birding opportunities, education enhancements, and restoration of the important wetland habitat.

“The Trump Administration has been attacking the EPA and slashing their budget every chance they get. Trump’s most recent proposal would cut the EPA by $2.6 billion or 31.4 percent, including losing 3,800 jobs. Nationally, state grants would be cut in half, meaning NJ could see this much less. This also included major cuts for cleaning up Superfund Sites, up to a third. New Jersey has 118 sites, more than any other state. We need federal funding to clean up our contaminated sites and re-mediate brownfields to improve communities, create jobs, and improve public health and the environment.”