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Earlier this month, a group of environmental professionals sat down to address a problem that has plagued New Jersey for years. It was a long time coming, but when the Licensed Site Remediation Professionals Association had their first meeting on December 1st, they turned the State’s focus to a job that touches everything from environmental health to property taxes.

This focus began where it often does-with legislation. On May 7th, Governor Jon Corzine signed into law the Site Remediation Reform Act, designed to overhaul the way New Jersey investigates and decontaminates Brownfield land. These parcels have been polluted through buried chemical sources like oil tanks or nearby factory runoff. The only hope of saving them and turning them into profitable sites is for the state to assist in the clean-up. In many states, this assistance has often come in the way of tax incentives but New Jersey’s DEP has been so overextended with site work, Governor Corzine and NJ legislators stepped in.

The LSRPA’s founding addresses a lack of communication between government and the many private agencies that have been doing this work for years. Companies who specialize in residential and commercial oil tank removal, offer remediation as another step in their clean up process. Replacing old, contaminated ground with fresh soil and getting lands tested is part of a job well done. Many are unaware of the step taken by professional agencies, which involves removing contaminated soil with the oversight of a state-appointed geologist, taking it to a decontamination facility and removing impurities.

Among other entities created from Corzine’s new legislation is the Site Remediation Committee of the New Jersey Water Environment Association. This committee is charged with creating networking opportunities between agencies and the state, creating seminars to share ideas and generally being a liaison between site remediation professionals and the many projects New Jersey faces. Their first event was held on November 17th, with assistance from the LSRPA. The event, entitled “Working as a Licensed Remediation Professional,” focused on the job and what it means for New Jersey.

LSRPA and the many remediation professionals throughout New Jersey hope that their efforts will help the state and private land owners understand that help is available. These professionals understand that a site is useless until it can be cleaned and cleared for building. They can help expedite the remediation process and get New Jersey back to building.