Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Privatizing the Cleanup of Hazardous Sites: How the New Jersey Approach Transforms the Field

When New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine signed into law the Site Remediation Reform Act on May 6, he set in motion the long-awaited reform of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's site remediation program. This new law transforms how New Jersey manages the cleanup of its contaminated sites by authorizing the NJDEP to accept certifications of "licensed site remediation professionals," or "LSRPs," that a contaminated site has been adequately investigated and cleaned. Previously, NJDEP was directly responsible for the cleanup of contaminated sites.

New Jersey joins Connecticut and Massachusetts in allowing private outside contractors to supervise the remediation of contaminated sites. Other states are expected to look at the NJ law as a model for similar programs.

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