NEW JERSEY SUES THREE COMPANIES FOR DISCHARGING AND DELAYING CLEANUP OF HIGHLY TOXIC DIOXIN IN THE LOWER PASSAIC RIVER

Directs Companies to Fund Cleanup Plan for Most
Concentrated Areas of Dioxin Contamination in the River

(05/134) TRENTON -- Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell and Attorney General Peter C. Harvey today announced that New Jersey filed suit against Occidental Chemical Corporation, Maxus Energy Corporation and Tierra Solutions, Inc. for the intentional discharge of dioxin - an extremely dangerous, cancer-causing chemical - and other contaminants into the Passaic River.

New Jersey also directed the three companies to pay the state $2.3 million to develop a plan to dredge contaminated sediments in a six-mile stretch of the Lower Passaic River, the first step in reducing dioxin contamination levels. The six-mile stretch is located in Essex County in the municipality of Newark, and in Hudson County in the municipalities of Harrison, East Newark, and Kearny.