United States Environmental Protection Agency
Region II
POLLUTION REPORT

Subject: 

see Previous POLREPS

Pumps are up and running. There has been very little recovery since remob after the winter shutdown.  The oil has a very high sediment content and moves very slow, even when being pushed by the ground water.  We have not had a spooge since last sping.  The heavy rains of late had little or no visible effect on the flow of the oil.  Recovery since the spring restart is less than 8 gal/wk.

The wetlands appear fully recovered.  There are still the invasive "purple loosestrife" plants in the wetland but their numbers are low and appear to be stable.  A large number of the beetles survived the winter and egg sacks are found throughout the plants.  This indicates that a population of the controlling beetle has established, and will hopefully will continue to survive.

The Brooklyn Botanical Gardens has come out and did their final plant repopulation study and a formal report is forth coming. The Ecostrategies Group will provide a final ecosystem report on the evolution of the wetland from spill to demobilization.

The environmental/ecology departments of William Patterson University and Rutgers University have both used the site for graduate level visits and have shown an interest in contiuing to do so.  They have agreed to infomally monitor the wetland for as long as the wetland fits their needs.  They have agreed to keep me informed of any developments on the site.  The site also is now "state" listed as a habitat for an endanger species of turtle.  This means there will be occasional visits from NJSF&W.

The pumps will remain active until the week of September 12.  At which time demobilization will start.  We hope to have the site demobilized by September 23 at the latest.  All funding will be stopped as of September 30.

Demobilization, final reports and closeout.