EPA Proposes Next Step for Chemsol Superfund Groundwater

Federal environmental officials have proposed the next stage of remediation at the Chemsol, Inc. Superfund site in Piscataway, New Jersey. The plan targets contaminated groundwater that migrated beyond the former solvent recovery and waste reprocessing facility before current cleanup controls were in place.

Rather than installing a new active treatment system, the proposal would rely on monitored natural processes, institutional controls and long-term groundwater monitoring. EPA says the approach is intended to reduce contamination over time while preventing people from being exposed to groundwater linked to the site.

The Chemsol property has been the subject of decades of cleanup work, including removal of contaminated soil and sediment and treatment of groundwater beneath the former facility. Nearby homes and businesses are connected to public water, which EPA says is sampled under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

EPA will accept written public comments from August 13 through September 11, 2026, and will hold a virtual public meeting on August 26, 2026 at 6 p.m. Comments may be sent to Remedial Project Manager David Montoya.

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What the Chemsol Proposal Does — and What It Leaves Open

Why EPA is relying on monitored natural processes

The proposal signals that EPA considers the off-site contamination suitable for natural attenuation — processes such as biodegradation, dispersion or dilution — rather than requiring a new engineered treatment system. The agency has not specified the contaminants involved, their concentrations or the expected cleanup timeframe. The practical consequence is likely a more passive, longer-term remedy that depends on monitoring to verify that groundwater conditions are actually improving.

What this means for Piscataway

The main near-term safeguard is exposure prevention rather than source elimination. Institutional controls are designed to limit how people can come into contact with affected groundwater, while monitoring tracks whether contamination is declining as expected. Because nearby homes and businesses are on a municipal water supply that is tested separately, the proposal describes the off-site groundwater plume rather than tap water as the immediate exposure concern. The remaining questions are how long monitoring will be required and what EPA would do if natural processes do not reduce contamination sufficiently.

How Piscataway Residents Can Participate Before September 11

Piscataway residents, businesses and other interested parties can influence the proposed remedy during the public comment period.

  • Submit written comments by September 11, 2026 to David Montoya, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. EPA, 290 Broadway, New York, NY 10007, or by email to [email protected].
  • Register for the virtual public meeting on August 26, 2026 at 6 p.m. to hear EPA explain the proposal and answer questions.
  • Review the proposed plan and supporting site documents on the Chemsol Superfund site profile page before submitting comments.