Higgins Farm

Overview

Higgins Farm is a 75-acre cattle farm in Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey. It was added to the EPA's National Priorities List in March 1989 after contaminated groundwater was discovered in nearby residential wells in 1985. The contamination traces back to waste disposal activities by a former property owner starting in the late 1950s, plus municipal sludge and penicillin wastes used as fertilizers in the 1960s. The site is divided into operable units, each targeting a specific cleanup problem.

Twenty-three contaminants of concern have been identified at the site. Groundwater contains chlorinated solvents including trichloroethene, tetrachloroethane, dichloroethanes, benzene, chloroform, vinyl chloride, and xylene. Solid waste contains metals such as arsenic, beryllium, lead, and mercury, along with phthalates and chlorinated dioxins and furans.

EPA's cleanup covered several fronts. The agency extended municipal water to 26 affected homes and closed contaminated residential wells. Groundwater extraction wells were installed around the site perimeter, and an on-site treatment plant was built to handle contaminated water. In 1992, EPA excavated 94 drums along with contaminated soils and sent them to an approved disposal facility. A 2025 Explanation of Significant Differences added anaerobic bioremediation as an in-situ method for the groundwater remedy. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions and a Classified Exception Area designation by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, limit land use to prevent exposure to remaining contamination. A private company has managed operation and maintenance of the treatment system since 2006.

One source notes that a newly identified exposure pathway raises questions about whether human exposure to contaminated groundwater is fully controlled, and that EPA is conducting additional sampling to determine the extent of contamination migration. Another source states that groundwater migration is under control and the site is ready for anticipated uses. Both claims are reported as stated in the source material. Construction of the cleanup is complete, and the site achieved sitewide ready-for-anticipated-reuse status in July 2025. The most recent five-year review was completed in May 2023, with the next review estimated between May and July 2028.

Community members can view site records at the Franklin Township Public Library in Somerset, New Jersey, or at the EPA Records Center for Region 2 in New York City. EPA also involves the community through meetings, public notices, and updated fact sheets. For direct questions, contact Community Involvement Coordinator Shereen Kandil or Remedial Project Manager Mazeeda Khan.