Bog Creek Farm

Overview

Bog Creek Farm is a 4-acre former farm in Howell Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Between 1973 and 1974, organic solvents and paint residues were dumped on the property. The site was added to the National Priorities List in September 1983. Cleanup has progressed through multiple phases and is now in a long-term operation and maintenance stage managed by the state.

The dumping contaminated soil, sediment, surface water, and groundwater. Contaminants include volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene, toluene, trichloroethene, and tetrachloroethene, along with heavy metals like lead, mercury, chromium, and copper. Chlorinated solvents, phthalates, and other industrial chemicals are also present. Contamination spread to the North Branch of Squankum Brook, though levels dropped significantly with distance from the site. Groundwater is the sole drinking water source for residents nearby, and about 900 people live within 1 mile of the site.

Cleanup began in 1984 with waste removal from disposal pits. Contaminated soil was excavated and incinerated between 1989 and 1991, and the cleaned area was capped and reseeded. Additional contaminated soil, totaling 18,000 tons, was removed by November 2006. EPA constructed a slurry wall and installed a groundwater treatment system that ran for ten years, followed by an automated treatment facility completed in July 2010. Long-term groundwater extraction and treatment began in 2011 and continues today. Groundwater is sampled quarterly, and surface water and sediment are sampled semi-annually. The site is divided into two operable units: one for soil excavation and incineration, and one for groundwater treatment.

EPA has determined that human exposure to contamination is under control and that no unacceptable exposure pathways exist at the site. Groundwater migration has been stabilized, with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. All physical cleanup construction is complete, and all cleanup goals for current and anticipated future land uses have been met. In September 2021, responsibility for operation and maintenance transferred to the state of New Jersey. The most recent five-year review was completed in December 2021, and the next is estimated between December 2026 and February 2027. A 181-acre wetland parcel adjoining the site was donated to Howell Township, which developed part of it as a park with athletic fields.

Community members can review the Sixth Five-Year Review Report at two local repositories: the Township Clerk's Office at 251 Preventorium Road and the Howell Library at 318 Old Tavern Road, both in Howell Township. Additional documents are available at the Region 2 Record Center and at the EPA Superfund Records Center at 290 Broadway, 18th floor, New York, New York.