The Friedman Property is a three-acre vacant lot in Upper Freehold Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Drums and liquids were dumped there in the late 1950s and 1960s, raising concerns about groundwater contamination. The surrounding rural area includes scattered residences, commercial facilities, and trailer parks that rely on local groundwater for drinking water. The site sits within two miles of three other Superfund sites.
A remedial investigation found no significant contamination at the site and no evidence that anything had migrated off-site. Based on those findings, EPA selected "no further action" as the remedy in April 1985 and deleted the site from the National Priorities List (NPL) in March 1986. The NPL is the federal list of the most serious hazardous waste sites in the country, so deletion means cleanup goals were met. Operation and maintenance work for the site's one operable unit ran from September 1982 through July 1993 to make sure the remedy held up over time.
Annual groundwater monitoring by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection from 1986 to 1993 confirmed that significant contamination no longer existed. An environmental restriction was recorded on the property deed to prohibit excavation without prior state approval. A five-year review completed in August 1998 confirmed that no further reviews were necessary. By June 2006, the site achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status, meaning all cleanup goals were met for current and reasonably expected future land uses.
Human exposure is under control, with no unacceptable pathways for people to come into contact with contamination. Groundwater migration is stabilized, with no unacceptable discharge to surface water. EPA continues monitoring the affected groundwater to confirm it stays within the original contamination area. Physical construction of the cleanup is complete across the entire site.
Community members or property owners with questions can contact the EPA's Community Involvement Coordinator or Remedial Project Manager directly.
