THE JERSEY CITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY JR TRANSPORTATION CLEANUP GRANT APPLICATION US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

N AGENCY NOVEMBER 14, 2008 THRESHOLD CRITERIA 1. Applicant Eligibility: a. Eligible Entity: The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA) was created by legislation of the Local Government. It is a quasi-governmental entity that operates as an agent of the Local Government and, as such, is an eligible applicant. Please see Attachment A. b. Site Ownership: The JCRA is the sole owner of the subject property. Ownership was obtained via eminent domain. The Declaration of Taking, effectuating ownership, was filed by State Superior Court on August 8, 2008. Please see Attachment B for proof of site ownership. 2. Letter from the State or Tribal Authority: A letter of support for this application was requested from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), and was received on October 29, 2008. Please see Attachment C. 3. Site Eligibility and Property Ownership Eligibility: a. Basic Site Information: The site is known as the JR Transportation site. It is located at 1000 Garfield Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey 07304. The current owner of the site is the JCRA, the grant applicant. b. Status and History of Contamination at the Site: The operational history of the site is a long one involving commercial utilization. Former operators of the property include the Peter Henderson and Company and successors that appeared to use the property as a seed storehouse from prior to 1896 to at least 1953. By 1983, the property was operated by JR Transportation, Co. and / or A&A Charter Service for storage, maintenance, and operation of a bus transportation company. The former Morris Canal forms part of the boundary of the site. The canal was decommissioned in 1924 and backfilled with contaminated material. The site is contaminated by hazardous substances, specifically polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), lead and very high levels hexavalent chromium (in excess of 10,000 ppm). The sources of contamination are likely associated with contaminated fill material imported and emplaced on the site for purposes of raising site elevations. Historic fill material was found to be present throughout the site at depths ranging from four to 12 feet below ground surface and appears to extend into and beyond the groundwater table. In addition, chromium impacted soils are present at depths of at least six feet below ground surface on the eastern portion of the site, in the area of the former Morris Canal bed. Shallow groundwater was encountered at depths ranging from four to 9.4 feet below grade. Groundwater samples collected from temporary well points installed at the site do not indicate the presence of groundwater contamination.

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c. Sites Ineligible for Funding: The site is not listed, nor is it proposed for listing, on the National Priorities List. The site is not subject to Federal unilateral administrative orders, court orders, administrative orders on consent, or judicial consent decrees issued to or entered into by parties under CERCLA. The site is not subject to the jurisdiction, custody, or control of the US government. d. Sites Requiring a Property-Specific Determination: property-specific determination. This site does not require a

e. Environmental Assessment Required for Cleanup Proposals: A Phase I / Preliminary Assessment report was completed in October 2007 for the site in accordance with ASTM Standard Practice E1527-05 and in accordance with the NJDEP Technical Requirements for Site Remediation (N.J.A.C. 7:26E). A Site Investigation (SI) was conducted at the site. The results of which are presented in the draft SI report dated October 2008. The SI was conducted in accordance the NJDEP Technical Requirements for Site Remediation (N.J.A.C. 7:26E). As such, it meets the criteria for conducting an ASTM E1903-97 equivalent Phase II investigation. f. CERCLA 107 Liability: The JCRA is not potentially liable for contamination at the site under CERCLA Section 107 as they have not operated the site or were in any way involved with the treatment or disposal of hazardous substances or petroleum products at the site. Furthermore, the site was acquired via eminent domain thus providing the JCRA with a liability protection afforded to local governments that involuntarily acquire property. It should be noted that the former owner, Louis F. Roccio, C. Elliott & et als, continues to operate at the site without the authorization of the JCRA. The JCRA is currently taking steps to have them vacate the property. g. Enforcement Actions: There are no known ongoing or anticipated environmental enforcement actions related to the targeted site. h. Information on Liability and Defenses/Protections: i) Information on the Property Acquisition: The site was acquired in August 2008 via eminent domain. The JCRA is sole owner of the property (fee simple). The prior owner was Louis F. Roccio, C. Elliott & et als. The JCRA has no known familial, contractual, corporate or financial relationships or affiliations with the prior owners and/or operators of the site. ii) Timing and/or Contribution Toward Hazardous Substances Disposal: All known disposal of hazardous substances at the site occurred before the JCRA acquired the property. The JCRA did not cause or contribute to the release of hazardous substances at the site. The JCRA has not, at any time, arranged for the disposal of hazardous substances at the site or transported hazardous substances to the site. iii) Pre-Purchase Inquiry: Prior to acquiring the site via eminent domain, the JCRA had contracted with Langan Engineering & Environmental Services to conduct a Phase I / Preliminary Assessment. The results of the investigation were incorporated into a
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report completed in October 2007 for the site in accordance with ASTM Standard Practice E1527-05 and in accordance with the NJDEP Technical Requirements for Site Remediation (N.J.A.C. 7:26E). Langan Engineering & Environmental Services personnel responsible for reports meet the ASTM and EPA criteria for an Environmental Professional. iv) Post-Acquisition Uses: Since acquiring the property in August 2008, the JCRA has never operated any activities at the site, nor have they authorized the previous owners to continue site operations as a bus maintenance, storage and operations facility. The JCRA is in the process of exercising their legal authority to have the previous site owners removed from the premises. There is no contractual or other relationship between JCRA, the current property owner, and any previous property owners and/or operators. v) Continuing Obligations: The JCRA is committed to complying with all land-use restrictions and institutional controls required at the site, as well as to assisting and cooperating with those performing the cleanup and providing access to the property. In addition, the JCRA will comply with all information requests and administrative subpoenas that have or may be issued in connection with the property; and will provide all legally required notices. i. Petroleum Sites: This site is not contaminated with petroleum products and, as such, this section is not applicable. 4. Cleanup Authority and Oversight Structure: a. The subject site is part of a larger redevelopment project: Berry Lane Park. The JCRA applied for admission to the NJDEP Voluntary Cleanup Program in May 2008 for those proposed Berry Lane park parcels owned by the City of Jersey City. The Memorandum of Agreement which provides the oversight authority of the NJDEP for the project is being expanded to include the subject site. As such, the site cleanup will conform to the State requirements and will be conducted under State oversight until a No Further Action Letter is issued for the site ensuring that the cleanup will be protective of human health and the environment. b. Access to the neighboring properties is not anticipated to be an issue as the immediately adjacent parcels are either owned by the City of Jersey City or the JCRA and are part of the larger overall Berry Lane Park redevelopment project. Should contamination associated with the targeted site be found to have migrated beyond the proposed Berry Lane Park boundaries, the NJDEP serving as the lead regulatory agency will not require the JCRA to delineate and address off site contamination as the JCRA is not viewed as a Responsible Party due to the fact that the targeted site was acquired via eminent domain. 5. Cost Share: a. A total remediation budget for the targeted site has been developed. The $715,500 budget for soil remediation at the targeted site includes $28,000 for preparation of a Remedial Action Work Plan; $27,000 for preparation of the remediation bid specifications; $655,000 for soil source (aka historic fill and chromium contaminated
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soil) remediation; and $5,500 for preparation and filing of the deed notice. These activities will be funded through a combination of this EPA grant application and State Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund monies. Thus, of the estimated $715,500 required for the remediation of the targeted site, $515,500 in State funds have already been identified. This leaves a critical gap of approximately $200,000 which will be filled through the EPA cleanup grant. The grant will leverage significantly more than the required 20% match. Additional budget detail is found in the ranking criteria. b. A hardship waiver for the cost share is not being requested. 6. Community Notification: The JCRA provided opportunity for the community to learn of its intent to apply for this cleanup grant and solicited public comments for incorporation into the grant application. The JCRA prepared and distributed a project fact sheet to assist with communication about the grant application and solicit public comments. An ad was placed in the predominant area newspaper, The Jersey Journal, on October 10, 2008. A copy of the legal notice is included in Attachment D. In addition, the public notice and fact sheet were also placed on the JCRAs website (http://www.thejcra.org/index.php?p=news&nid=93). The grant application information was presented at a normally scheduled Berry Lane Park community meeting on October 14, 2008 where more than 20 residents and other stakeholders discussed the progress being made with the design work for the Berry Lane Park. A line item regarding the EPA grant application was also added to the meetings agenda posted on another website dedicated to the overall larger redevelopment project: the Berry Lane Project Website (http://www.dresdnerrobin.com/berrylanepark/community.html). As the posting on the Berry Lane Project Website directly targets the residents engaged with the project, the meeting announcement was posted in both English and Spanish. A summary of the public notice, the meeting proceedings (no comments on the applications were received during the community meeting or before the submission of the grant application) and the sign-in sheets are also included in Attachment D. In order to further solicit public comments, the grant application has also been posted on the JCRAs website. RANKING CRITERIA No significant recreational amenity currently services the economically distressed and exceptionally densely populated Morris Canal Redevelopment Area. In an effort to make the communitys desires for quality recreational and open space opportunities a reality, the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA) is spearheading a major undertaking to transform a myriad of contaminated brownfields sites, both privately and publicly owned, from neighborhood blight to over 17 acres of premier parkland that even in the planning stages has become a source of neighborhood pride in the Morris Canal neighborhood. The JCRA, acting as the redevelopment arm of the municipality, is partnered with the City of Jersey City to create Berry Lane Park. One of nine privately held sites being consolidated for the project, the JR Transportation site, was recently acquired by the JCRA. A piece of the redevelopment puzzle, this site is contaminated and is in need of financial assistance by way of an EPA cleanup grant. 1. Community Need: a. Health, Welfare, and Environment
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i) The City of Jersey City encompasses a land mass of 212,670 acres. Based on the brownfields inventory conducted as part of Jersey Citys 1997 EPA Brownfields Demonstration Pilot grant and other data collected by the JCRA, more than one-third of the acreage in the City has been identified as a potential or known brownfield site. Sites range in size from very small, 25 by 100 feet lots, to very large, in excess of over 200 acres. The majority of brownfield sites are located within one of the 70 individual redevelopment areas in the City, proximate to many residential areas. Over 86 brownfield sites have been identified in the Morris Canal Redevelopment Area alone. The brownfield sites are a remnant of the Citys once thriving and extensive manufacturing and shipping port center. The Hudson River and the Morris Canal, built to connect the New York metropolitan area with the northern Delaware River on the western side of the state, was a marvel not just for its size but for the way boats were cranked up inclined planes to scale the northern heights of New Jersey. Once part of the great transportation infrastructure that was used during the Citys manufacturing heyday, extensive rail yards near the port areas and the former Morris Canal, proximate to the site targeted by this grant, now lay fallow with contamination. Manufacturing facilities have all but disappeared, leaving large scale brownfield sites in their wake. As parts of Jersey City have experienced tremendous amounts of redevelopment, those sites which remain are passed over by developers due to the extensive contamination which is present and a perception that there is little by way of economic viability for privately funded redevelopment projects in the poorer neighborhoods. Virtually every single redevelopment initiative that is undertaken by the JCRA has a brownfield component which needs to be addressed. The majority of the catalogued sites are characterized as contaminated by historic fill, fill material which was contaminated prior to its placement at the site, and contains elevated levels of metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In addition, the City of Jersey City has an extensive inventory of chromium-contaminated sites due to a past common practice of three chromate ore processing facilities generating waste containing exceptionally high levels of hexavalent chromium and providing the industrial waste product as free fill to raise elevations throughout the City. It is this material that was used to fill in several areas of the Morris Canal. PAHs and metals are found throughout the soils and/or groundwater in Jersey City at concentrations which exceed human health risk-based standards from these brownfield sites.
ii) The City of Jersey City, the county seat of Hudson County, encompasses 21.1 square

miles and fronts the west bank of the Hudson River across from New York City. According to the 2007 American Community Survey, Jersey City represents nearly 40% of the Countys population and is the second biggest city in New Jersey after Newark. Jersey City is an area of almost unbelievable population density. New Jersey is known for its dense populationthe U.S. average is just under 80 people per square mile, and New Jerseys average is approximately 1,134 people per square mile. According to the 2000 Census, Jersey Citys population density is almost unfathomable at over 17,000 people per square mile. Stated another way, Jersey Citys population density is over 200 times that found overall in the US.

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To compensate for the quality of life deficits resulting from high population densities, creating additional quality open space for the City of Jersey Citys cramped residents is of the utmost importance. A state formula used to calculate the proper apportionment of open space in New Jersey communities, indicates that Jersey City should contain 356 acres of land dedicated to open space and recreational purposes. According to the Citys 2007 Recreation and Open Space Master Plan, the City currently hosts 145 acres, thus establishing a need for an additional 211 acres of open space lands. This extreme lack of open space available to residents of this neighborhood puts them at a greater risk for obesity and a host of related health concerns such as diabetes, heart disease, etc. Jersey City is home to many sensitive populations, including children, senior citizens over 65, and minorities. According to the 2000 Census, Jersey City includes minority populations more than twice the national and state averages, and the targeted area surrounding the proposed Berry Lane Park in the Morris Canal Redevelopment Area, Census Tract #46, includes a minority population of nearly 100%. Jersey City also contains a large population of households with individuals under 18, while the majority of multigenerational familiesincluding nearly 70% in the targeted areainclude grandparents who are responsible for their grandchildren. In addition, many area residents have not received a high school level education. In the targeted area, more than 43% of residents have not graduated from high school (compared to the national average of nearly 20%). Health and Welfare of Sensitive Populations1 US Minority Population2 Language other than English Population Lacking High School Level Education Housing Burdened (Paying >30% Gross Income for Rent) Vacancy Rate Families w/Related Children <5 Below Poverty Households With Individuals <18 % of Multigenerational Families With Grandparents Responsible for Children <18 Persons Per Square Mile 24.9% 17.9% 19.6% 36.8% 9.0% 17.0% 36.5% New Jersey 27.5% 25.5% 17.9% 37.5% 7.4% 10.9% 37.1% Hudson County 42.0% 56.1% 29.5% 36.6% 4.2% 20.1% 33.9% Jersey City 66.0% 50.0% 27.4% 36.9% 5.4% 25.6% 36.4% Targeted Census Tract #46 99.1% 49.9% 43.6% 48.7% 12.2% 29.9% 54.8%

42.0% 79.6

31.6% 1,134.4
6

32.4% 13,042.9

35.7% 17,146.8

66.7% Not Available

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Data from 2000 Census unless otherwise indicated. Data represents respondents identifying themselves as a race other than White.

According to the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services Center for Health Statistics in 2004, the most recent year for which statistics are available, Jersey City had the second highest number of infant deaths of any city in New Jersey. That same year, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services Center for Health Statistics reported that Jersey City had the third highest number of deaths in the state caused by homicide. b. Financial Need i) Certain neighborhoods, to include the Morris Canal Redevelopment Area targeted by this cleanup grant application, within Jersey City are plagued with low income levels, high unemployment rates, and disheartening poverty levels. According to the 2000 Census, the Census Tract where the JR Transportation site is located includes an unemployment rate more than twice the national average as well as per capita and median household incomes that are nearly half the national averages. The City of Jersey City is also plagued with alarming poverty rates, as the poverty rates for individuals and families in Jersey City are typically twice the national averages. Children are particularly impoverished in Jersey City. Nearly 30% of the families with children under five are below the poverty line in the targeted neighborhood, and if there is no husband present, nearly 50% of families with children under 18 sadly live in poverty. Financial Need Demographic Information1 US Unemployment Rate Per Capita Income Median Household Income Minority Population2 Families Below Poverty Families w/Related Children <5 Below Poverty Families w/Female Householder, No Husband Present Related Children <18 Below Poverty Individuals Below Poverty
1 2

New Jersey 5.8% $27,006 $55,146 27.5% 6.3% 10.9%

Hudson County 8.7% $21,154 $40,293 42.0% 13.3% 20.1%

Jersey City 10.0% $19,410 $37,862 66.0% 16.4% 25.6%

Targeted Census Tract #46 14.3% $12,419 $24,122 99.1% 24.3% 29.9%

5.8% $21,587 $41,994 24.9% 9.2% 17.0%

34.3% 12.4%

27.4% 8.5%

36.5% 15.5%

40.2% 18.6%

49.1% 26.5%

Data from 2000 Census unless otherwise indicated. Data represents respondents identifying themselves as a race other than White.

As typified by the targeted Census Tract, the area with the highest minority populations also has a significant concentration of brownfields (over 86 catalogued to date) and
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suffers from dismal poverty rates. As a result, the area most in need of brownfields funding is least able to generate private investment to address the problem. It is in such economically depressed Jersey City neighborhoods, such as the Morris Canal Redevelopment Area, where the presence of brownfields has stymied revitalization efforts and where the EPA cleanup grant funds will be targeted. Without redevelopment projects driven by the public sector, private sector investment in improved housing stock, new employment opportunities, and other projects that could revitalize the community is usually seen as a bad investment and is unlikely to occur. ii) Many factors make obtaining EPA cleanup funds imperative to the establishment of Berry Lane Park. As the targeted redevelopment for the project is to be a publicly owned and operated recreational and open space development, there is no mechanism for directly generating a revenue stream from the end use which would allow the municipality to access loans and other available funding state programs that require a repayment mechanism. Other funding mechanisms are being accessed; however, the sheer size of this major parkland development project warrants pursuit of EPA cleanup grant funds. Given the magnitude of the undertaking, JCRA must cobble together a patchwork of local, state and federal funding sources to effectuate cleanup before project development can occur. While both the City of Jersey City and the JCRA have received EPA brownfields grants in the past, this funding was awarded for assessment activities. As such, it cannot be used as the much-needed remediation funding source. While the State allots limited funding to the municipality for assessment and remediation activities in areas such as the Morris Canal Redevelopment Area, Jersey Citys needs for this funding throughout the entire city ensure that the full amount of the State grant funds is expended every year as the demand for the funding typically exceeds the available funding by over a million dollars per year. In addition, the State grant only provides for portion of the total cost for remediation for recreational and open space projects, ensuring that additional funding must be secured for the project. It is anticipated that the majority of HDSRF remediation funding available to the municipality will be used for cleanup activities at the City owned parcels in the calendar year in which the remediation is conducted. As State funds are not anticipated to be available to cover the entire cost of the remediation at this site, the EPA grant funds are essential. Much of the larger Berry Lane Park project is comprised of land purchased with State funds by the City of Jersey City years ago. Although environmental investigation work is underway or completed and cleanup is targeted on those parcels long held by the City of Jersey City, the manner in which this half of the proposed parkland was acquired by the City does not meet the All Appropriate Inquiry standard and thus limits use of EPA cleanup funds to those parcels that the JCRA has acquired via eminent domain. For the Berry Lane Park project, the State remediation funding will be used to cover the multimillion dollar remediation costs associated with those sites already owned by the City
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of Jersey City and only a small portion of the State funding will be used to meet the EPA grant match requirement for the site targeted by this grant application. 2. Project Description and Feasibility of Success: a. Project Description i) The City of Jersey City, New Jersey is a bustling urban center directly across the river from Manhattan, New York City. Much has been done in the last several years to bring prosperity to Jersey City residents. Yet many in Jersey City still live in pockets of endemic poverty, struggle with high unemployment and live in substandard housing. To compound these issues, Jersey City has a population density that is over 200 times that which is the average for the entire US. In the areas of the City where the socioeconomically disadvantaged residents are clustered there is also an inordinate frequency of brownfield sites and a commensurate dearth of open space. It is these residents who could benefit the most from the transformation of brownfield sites to open space amenities. In one of the poorest neighborhoods of the City, plans are underway to create Berry Lane Park. One of the most ambitious open space projects to be undertaken in the Citys history, Berry Lane Park will transform approximately 17.25 acres of former rail yards, junk yards, auto repair shops, steel manufacturing facilities and warehouses into both an active and passive recreational centerpiece where those who live among concrete and brick can come to play soccer or baseball, cool off at the spray park on a hot summers day, chase butterflies on Butterfly Hill, or enjoy a leisurely stroll under a tree-canopied promenade. The proposed parkland can be divided into two segments: the 8.45 acres which has been owned by the City of Jersey City for several years and nine remaining sites comprising almost nine acres which the JCRA has acquired, or will acquire by the end of the first quarter 2009. One of these nine sites is the JR Transportation site. This cleanup grant focuses on transforming the 1.07-acre JR Transportation site, recently acquired by the JCRA for purposes of creating parkland, from neighborhood eyesore to part of the larger Berry Lane Park. Operating as a bus storage, maintenance, and operations facility for several decades, this site has organic and inorganic contamination. Site Investigation activities recently completed indicated the presence of PAHs, lead and high levels of hexavalent chromium contamination in soil. The community vision for this park will be realized as heavy industry and inappropriate dirty land uses wedged into a densely populated residential neighborhood will be recreated as a source of neighborhood pride. ii) Soil remediation activities will be necessary at the targeted site so as to allow the park to be safe for park goers and the environment. The remediation activities anticipated to be undertaken at the site entail addressing the soil contamination to receive a No Further Action Letter from the NJDEP. Given the extensive amount of contaminated historic fill and chromium impacted soil material and the fact that they extend into the water table, removal of all contaminated historic fill material is cost prohibitative and unlikely to occur. While chromium-impacted soil will be removed in its entirety, the NJDEP allows for a presumptive remedy to address historic fill. After excavating six feet of chromium impacted soil in the eastern portion of the site,
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approximately two feet of clean fill will be imported to the site for emplacement as a cap over the contaminated fill material remaining at depth. This engineering control will be coupled with an institutional control: a deed notice attached to the deed of the property in perpetuity. In order to ensure the integrity of the engineering controls are maintained, the NJDEP requires annual inspections and biannual certifications to be filed with the NJDEP. In addition, every five years a state regulatory inspector visits the property to verify the protectiveness of the cap. As the developed park will be owned and operated by the municipality, the risk for engineering control violations is reduced, if not altogether eliminated. b. Budget for EPA Funding and Leveraging Other Resources i) The following provides a narrative description for the tasks to be completed for the EPA grant funded cleanup activities. Task 1: Programmatic and Outreach Expenses: The JCRA will fulfill all EPA grant programmatic requirements with existing in-house staff. Dedicated brownfields staff will perform activities necessary for implementation and management of the grant, to include community outreach, as in-kind contributions. This outreach also includes fulfilling NJDEP Community Notification requirements whereby all sensitive populations surrounding the site such as schools or daycares are identified and mapped, signage is posted at the site indicating that cleanup activities are in progress, and a contact name and number for the activity is provided. Outputs associated with this task are generation of quarterly reports, MBE/WBE reporting forms, Financial Status Reports, and fulfillment of NJDEP community notification requirements. Task 2: Soil Remediation: Historic fill material, imported fill material that was contaminated and placed on site to raise site elevations, was found to be present throughout the site at depths ranging from four to 12 feet below ground surface. As it is cost prohibitive to excavate and remove all historic fill material at the site, the NJDEP allows for a presumptive remedy for addressing historic fill contamination. With parks and other such non-residential property, the NJDEP will allow for placement of a two-foot cap on the property to eliminate harmful exposure pathways and the filing of a deed notice on the property. Therefore, 1.5 feet of clean soil and 0.5 feet of topsoil will be imported and emplaced to serve as the cap for the site. The chromium impacted soils in the vicinity of the former Morris Canal bed extend to at least six feet below grade and will be excavated, properly disposed of off site and the excavation area backfilled. This task involves: the removal and disposal of an estimated 1,800 tons of likely hazardous levels of chromium-impacted soil; emplacement of a soil cap and the necessary site restoration; and the fulfillment of the regulatory reporting requirements. The total budget for this task is $715,500. However, the total amount allocated to the EPA grant budget for this task is $200,000. The EPA grant will provide a portion of this funding, while the JCRAs match and the gap funding to complete Task 2 will come from State Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund monies. This includes contracting with a qualified environmental engineering firm to provide On-Scene Coordinator services and to prepare all requisite
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regulatory documents and reports associated with the soil source removal and cap emplacement. The JCRA will also contract with a qualified, experienced remediation contractor to provide contaminated soil removal and proper disposal activities. All contracting will be conducted in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local procurement requirements. A complete breakdown of the total task costs is provided below. Listed below are the assumptions and associated costs allocated to the EPA grant funded portion for the project. On-Scene Coordinator activities include all time for preparation of EPA required clean up documents (Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives and the Brownfields Cleanup Decision Memo documents); preparation of the Remedial Action Workplan; field oversight, management and coordination of contaminated soils excavation and disposal. Preparation of regulatory reports includes all activities necessary to submit a technically complete, final report which will meet the requirements of the state voluntary cleanup program. Remediation contractor assumptions include: contaminated soil will be directly loaded from the excavation and taken to a disposal facility (no on-site storage of soil stockpiles) and soil to be disposed will be contaminated will be classified as hazardous waste. Outputs associated with this task include preparation of Remedial Action Workplan and Analysis of Brownfields Cleanup Alternatives and the Brownfields Cleanup Decision Memo documents; number of tons of contaminated soil excavated and disposed; number of tons of clean fill material emplaced; and number of acres remediated. The overall budget for Task 2 of the cleanup is as follows:
Activity Remedial Action Work Plan (lump sum) Preparation of Remedial Action Bid Specs (lump sum) Soil Source Removal/ Cap Emplacement - Field Oversight and Reporting (lump Sum) - Soil Excavation and Disposal (1,800 tons @$250/ton) - Backfill Emplacement, Grading, and Compaction (7,000 tons @ $25/ton) Preparation of Deed Notice/Filing TASK 2 TOTAL COST Amount Funded by EPA Grant Amount Provided as Grant Match Additional Leveraged Funds to Complete the Project Cost $28,000 $27,000 $30,000 $450,000 $175,000 $5,500 $715,500 $200,000 $40,000 $475,500

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Budget for Cleanup Grant Funds

Task 1 Programmatic & Outreach Personnel Fringe Travel Equipment Supplies Contractual Other Grant Total Cost Share In Kind In Kind

Task 2 Soil Remediation

Total

$200,000 $200,000 $40,000

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $200,000 $200,000 $40,000

In - Kind

ii) The EPA cleanup grant funding is an integral component of completing the remediation for the targeted site and thus ensuring that the larger redevelopment project, the creation of Berry Lane Park, occurs. In the event that additional funding sources are needed to complete the cleanup, the JCRA will access additional state Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund (HDSRF) monies. This funding source will be used to meet the required EPA cleanup grant match of $40,000 as well as the balance of the total estimated $715,500 remediation funding for the targeted parcel. Other funding sources have been and will be brought to bear to ensure the successful redevelopment of the larger Berry Lane Park project. To date, nearly $2.5 million in city capital funding, $4.4 million in Hudson County Open Space funding and $1 million State Green Acres Programs funding has been secured for the project. Such grants have fully funded all acquisitions associated with the project. By the end of the first quarter of 2009 it is anticipated that all necessary acquisitions will be completed. Environmental investigation work has been funded primarily by several funding sources: $28,500 in capital funds from the municipality and $72,860 (application pending award) in State HDSRF grants are funding the environmental assessment work on those parcels owned by the City of Jersey City. EPA assessment grant funds are being used to fund environmental investigations associated with those privately held parcels being or having been acquired by the JCRA. In fact, the Preliminary Assessment and Site Investigation associated with the targeted site were conducted using EPA assessment grant funding from the City of Jersey Citys 2006 EPA hazardous substances assessment grant. In parallel with the acquisitions and environmental investigations, the park design work is in the final stages of being completed. Once completed, over $814,000 in capital funds, allocated over the course of several consecutive municipal budget years, will have been expended to fund the community-driven design of Berry Lane Park.
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EPA Cleanup Grant Proposal JR Transportation Site

Park project remediation sources being accessed are the State HDSRF grant monies that will cover a portion of the costs for remediation. It is anticipated that the majority of HDSRF allocated in the calendar year in which the project remediation efforts occur will be used on those parcels owned by the City of Jersey City. At this point, the park development costs have not been established. This cost estimate will be forthcoming upon completion of the park design work. The JCRA and the City of Jersey City will be applying for State Green Acres and Hudson County Open Space funding for park development funds. Additional funding is expected to come from HUD CDBG monies as the City of Jersey City is a HUD entitlement community, and city capital funds. c. Programmatic Capability i) The JCRA has received two EPA Brownfields Grants. In the last round of EPA Brownfields Grant awards, the JCRA was awarded two assessment grants: $200,000 for hazardous substance and $200,000 for petroleum. As the cooperative agreements for these grants were just executed at the end of September 2008, the JCRA has all $400,000 remaining for the grants. JCRA has prepared and submitted work plans for these grants and is currently working on a Statement of Qualifications solicitation to establish a pool of contractors to perform assessment work funded by their EPA grants. Given the timing of the cleanup grant application deadline and the receipt of JCRAs cooperative agreements for the assessment grants, there is little to report by way of accomplishments and grant requirement compliance. However, it should be noted that the JCRA entered into an interlocal agreement in January 2007 with the City of Jersey City to be the entity that manages the Citys brownfields program. Prior to entering into the interlocal agreement, the City of Jersey City had experienced great difficulty in accessing and using their two EPA assessment grants. Both grants, a 1997 Assessment Demonstration Pilot Grant and a 2006 hazardous substance assessment grant, still had the full $200,000 balance unencumbered and had not had any site-specific assessment work approved and completed. Since turning the management responsibilities of the grant over to the JCRA, not only has there been activity on the grants to include completion of 13 Preliminary Assessments and seven Site Investigations, but also for the first time in over a decade, grant funds are being expended and drawn down upon. Also a significant accomplishment with the Citys recalcitrant EPA grants, the reporting requirements (quarterly reports, MBE/WBE reports, Financial Status Reports) been brought up to compliance. Both the 1997 and the 2006 grants are anticipated to be completely expended within the current federal fiscal year. JCRA staff has managed over 25 brownfield sites through the state regulatory Voluntary Cleanup Program process, and posses the in house capacity to oversee the environmental assessment and remediation effort. These staff members not only provide the in house contractor management of environmental engineering firms, they also perform the administrative functions associated with pursuing, receiving and using the State Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Funding funds. To expand their capacity to address these sites and increase the number of brownfield sites being addressed at any given time, the JCRA has contracted with an experienced environmental management firm to provide assistance with the increase in workload for
13

Jersey City Redevelopment Plan

EPA Cleanup Grant Proposal JR Transportation Site

the quarterly reporting, preparation of requests for proposals to identify and select an environmental engineering firm to perform assessments and other such programmatic functions. The JCRA has never received any adverse audit findings or been required to comply with high risk terms and conditions. ii) The JCRA has received an EPA Brownfields Grant and, as such, this section is not applicable. 3. Community Engagement and Partnerships: a. Plan for involving the affected community: The JCRA does not need to develop a plan for engaging the affected community once the grant is awardedit has been engaging the community for years with regard to the proposed Berry Lane Park and will continue to do so as this park is truly a community-driven redevelopment project. JCRAs history with the targeted community began with the redevelopment efforts associated with the Morris Canal Redevelopment Plan. The Morris Canal Redevelopment Area Development Coalition was formed in 1999, in response to the formation of the Morris Canal Redevelopment Area. The purpose of this group of local residents and other stakeholders was to serve as a voice for residents desires for revitalization initiatives in their community as well as provide an organized body to communicate environmental risks and concerns associated with the brownfields in Morris Canal. Over the years, the group has evolved into a 501 (c) 3 non-profit that is involved in environmental investigations, remediation decisions, and reuse considerations. Going well beyond the state requirements for establishing a redevelopment area, the Morris Canal Redevelopment Plan, covering the area where the targeted site lies, contains language which requires the JCRA or other municipal agencies to notify the community group at least 14 days prior to commencement of any publicly led activity relating to site investigation or remediation. In addition, the redevelopment and reuse plans for Berry Lane Park have been the byproduct of residents and other community stakeholders working through design charrettes with the architects and planners contracted to put the communitys ideas to paper and shape them into realistic design components for the future park layout. These Berry Lane Park community workshops will continue to be held and will serve as a clearing house for information regarding the remediation efforts and subsequent construction of the park. The Berry Lane Park project website, http://www.dresdnerrobin.com/berrylanepark/index.html, contains a section specifically devoted to the community where residents can go to obtain notices, in both English and Spanish, for the latest Berry Lane Park community workshop, see results of the workshops and learn more about the proposed park activities. The JCRA will also ensure compliance with new public notification requirements put into effect by New Jersey. As a condition of participating in the State Voluntary Cleanup Program, all sites are required to identify any sensitive populations around the site (such as daycare centers, schools, or playgrounds), to provide notification regarding the cleanup to all sensitive populations, and owners and tenants within 200 feet of the
14

Jersey City Redevelopment Plan

EPA Cleanup Grant Proposal JR Transportation Site

site through letters or by posting a sign at the site. In addition, a designated contact person will be available to answer any questions citizens or reporters may have regarding activities and progress at the site. In this way, public notification is ensured. b. Efforts and/or plans to develop partnerships: The success and sustainability of the JCRAs redevelopment efforts throughout the City speak to the strength of its relationships with various stakeholders. The JCRA would not be successful in such a massive undertaking as the development of Berry Lane Park were it not for the ability to establish and foster a wide swath of the partnerships. The JCRA has an excellent relationship with the NJDEP to provide oversight of environmental investigations and cleanups and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for development related funding. Hudson County also is one of the JCRAs partners providing open space acquisition assistance. Under this grant, these relationships will be continued and strengthened as the Berry Lane Park project moves from idea to ribbon cutting. The JCRA will work with the NJDEP and the local health department as appropriate to ensure that the selected site remedy will address any contamination, in a manner appropriate to the planned site reuse in order to be protective of human health and the environment by eliminating any exposure pathways. The targeted site will be remediated to standards set by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protections Voluntary Cleanup Program as appropriate for recreational reuse in a densely populated area. Once remediation efforts have been deemed to be completed by the State, a Letter of No Further Action will be issued. c. Description and role of key community-based organizations: The JCRA has developed strong partnerships with a number of community-based organizations. The following will play a key role in the successful development and implementation of the EPA Cleanup Grant: Morris Canal Redevelopment Area Coalition, June Jones, 201-303-7886 The Morris Canal Redevelopment Area Coalition and Community Development Corporation (MCRAC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to addressing brownfield sites in the Morris Canal area. The MCRAC has been active in the JCRAs EPA-funded brownfields program since 1997, including acting as the hosting community organization for stakeholder meetings. The MCRAC will assist with educational outreach about the Berry Lane Park project and continue to provide feedback to the Agency to ensure this project is successfully completed. Team Walker, Jerry Walker, 201-433-1888 Team Walker was formed in 1996 as a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide academic and recreational opportunities to disadvantaged youth. As a major youth advocacy organization in Jersey City, Team Walker has participated in public meetings regarding the park and has provided input as to its design. Team Walker will serve as an outreach outlet to engage the public and local schools in the site cleanup and redevelopment process as well used the finished park to expand the programmatic recreational opportunities to disadvantaged youth.
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Jersey City Redevelopment Plan

EPA Cleanup Grant Proposal JR Transportation Site

Ideal Supply Company, Don Strittmatter, 201-432-1011 Ideal Supply Company Ideal Supply Company is a commercial distribution business that will border Berry Lane Park. Due to their proximity to the future park, they have participated in the projects planning process and fully support its construction. As a neighbor to the project, they will continue to promote this project to local residents and businesses. Hudson County Economic Development Commission, Elizabeth Spinelli, 201-222-1900 The Hudson County Economic Development Corporation (HCEDC) operates an award-winning Brownfields Program that is partially funded by the EPA Brownfields Program. HCEDC will continue to assist the JCRA by providing guidance needed (financial and otherwise). Likewise, it is expected that the parks development will lead to the establishment of new businesses in the area. When that time comes, HCEDC will also provide technical and financial support to help create new businesses. New Jersey City University, Dr. William Montgomery, 201-200-3367 New Jersey City University (NJCU) is a major university located within Jersey City. The NJCU Department of Geoscience and Geography has assisted the JCRA in inventorying brownfields within the Morris Canal Redevelopment Area, including sites within Berry Lane. This inventory is not merely being used to track the sites but is also a major risk communication tool for the neighborhood. NJCU will continue to provide the JCRA with technical assistance and risk communication assistance in Morris Canal, including the development of webbased GIS that will catalogue environmental contamination and assist with risk communication to residents in the affected neighborhoods, to include Berry Lane Park project area.

Support letters for community-based organizations are included in Attachment E. These letters describe the overall mission of each organization as well as the specific role the organization will play in helping to carry out EPA-funded activities. 4. Project Benefits: a. Welfare and/or Public Health: In additional to the obvious health benefits created by the removal of contaminated soils in a largely residential area, the development of this project will have real, substantial, and lasting positive impacts on the neighborhood. Once used as a non-conforming warehouse and storage area, this site generated truck traffic, noise pollution, contaminated runoff, and air pollution. Transforming it into an open space amenity will create a welcome respite in this densely developed neighborhood. It will provide urban wildlife habitat and an expanded groundwater recharge area, as well as recreational opportunities to thousands of nearby residents. The opportunity for fresh air and exercise, currently unavailable to this community, has been shown to reduce the rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other related health problems. In addition, the pride of place this development will give, and is already giving, to this neighborhood has immeasurable benefits. Further, by cleaning up neighborhood junk yards, large vehicle storage, and other non-conforming dirty land uses, this development will serve as a catalyst for change in the neighborhood. It is
16

Jersey City Redevelopment Plan

EPA Cleanup Grant Proposal JR Transportation Site

expected to result in improved residential property values and new housing opportunities as developers will view this neighborhood as a more desirable place to live. To ensure that no adverse environmental impact occurs during actual cleanup activities, air monitoring will be conducted, dust suppression measures will be implemented and sediment erosion controls will be put in place as needed to prevent errant migration of contaminated soils from the site during excavation of the historic fill material. b. Economic Benefits and/or Greenspace: i) The direct benefits to be derived from redevelopment of the targeted site will be predominantly for greenspace. As such, this criterion is not applicable. ii) The non-economic benefits associated with the larger redevelopment project are tremendous and far reaching for the not only the Morris Canal Redevelopment area, but the entire City of Jersey City as well. Construction of the 17.25-acre park will result in an overall increase of almost 12% in usable open space for the residents of the City. The park will contain both active and passive recreational elements to serve the needs of those interested in organized team sports, those wanting to take in a performance at the amphitheater, those wanting to take their toddlers to a safe tot lot for play, as well as those looking for a reflective spot to spend a leisurely afternoon surrounded by trees and other vegetation not normally found in their urban neighborhood. Once the site is remediated and redeveloped as part of Berry Lane Park, it will be entered into the Citys Recreation and Open Space Inventory (ROSI). Inclusion on the ROSI ensures that this greenspace is protected and preserved in perpetuity. Under State law, a site on the ROSI cannot be developed for any purpose other than recreation or open space without special dispensation from the State and compensation in the form of alternative green space created elsewhere in the area. This is a difficult process requiring the approval of a State House Commission, and is rarely given. c. Environmental Benefits from Infrastructure Reuse/Sustainable Reuse: The larger redevelopment project for the Berry Lane Park will provide for an array of additional environmental benefits beyond those achieved with the remediation of contaminated soil. Seasonal and diurnal variations of the suns pathways across the proposed park space were tracked and evaluated. The pathways are being taken into consideration for the orientation of programmed recreational fields. Such planning was designed to capitalize on the solar capacity for providing natural lighting for the sports fields and other components of the park so as to result in a reduction of electrical lighting used and commensurate carbon emissions. Site design elements are taking into consideration existing features at the site with the intention of incorporating them in the sites redevelopment. Where feasible given remediation constraints, mature deciduous trees were mapped and will remain and not be removed in dedicated open space segments of the parkland. Existing industrial concrete silos will become focal points for Berry Lane Park. These silos, remnants of
17

Jersey City Redevelopment Plan

EPA Cleanup Grant Proposal JR Transportation Site

the former railroad yard usage, will be outfitted with various spraying mechanisms and will serve as a spray park for those looking to cool off during the warmer months of the year. The park design is being engineered to reduce, if not eliminate, storm water runoff. Existing concrete structures and paved areas will be replaced by vegetated fields. Pathways for pedestrian use will be created with porous zones and the addition of varied topography to channel water to low open areas will thus allowing for maximum drainage and minimized runoff. The Butterfly Hill to be created at the heart of the park is viewed as a signature feature of the proposed park. This hill will be planted with colorful flowers and hearty grasses designed to attract wildlife and butterflies. In this manner, additional urban wildlife habitat will be created where none currently exists. d. Plan for Tracking and Measuring Progress: The JCRA will be responsible for overseeing the preparation of the quarterly reports and other required reporting such as MBE-WBE forms and Financial Status Reports within the 30 days after the close of the respective reporting periods. In addition, property profile information for the targeted site, already in EPAs ACRES system, will be updated regularly to provide current information on the progress at the targeted site. The JCRA will report on the Outputs of the project through the quarterly reports and site profile updates. As previously discussed, the outputs associated with this project are number of quarterly reports, MBE/WBE reporting forms, Financial Status Reports, fulfillment of NJDEP community notification requirements, a Remedial Action Workplan approved by the NJDEP, an Analysis of Brownfields Clean up Alternatives and the Brownfields Cleanup Decision Memo documents, the number of tons of contaminated soil excavated and disposed, and the number of tons of clean fill material emplaced. These Outputs will lead to specific Outcomes, which will include the number of additional sites associated with the larger redevelopment project of the park that are remediated, the amount of funding leveraged, the number of acres of greenspace created, the number of acres remediated, and number of temporary and permanent jobs created, if applicable. In addition, the JCRA will report on the Outputs of the project; specifically when each step in the cleanup process has been completed. Other Outputs to be tracked and reported will include removal of contaminants, redevelopment of the site targeted by the grant and relocation of existing City businesses to areas more appropriate for industrial and heavy commercial utilization. The JCRA will maintain close contact with their EPA regional Project Officer to ensure any potential problems or successes are underscored and communicated with EPA in an expeditious time frame and not just when the quarterly reports are due.

18

Jersey City Redevelopment Agency Attachment A: Applicant Eligibility Documentation

Jersey City Redevelopment Agency Attachment B: Proof of Ownership

Jersey City Redevelopment Agency Attachment C: Letter from New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

~u Df Nt'UJ J}t'ruy
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECfJON
JON

S.

CORZINE

LISA

P.

JACKSON

Governor

Commissioner

October 29, 2008 The Honorable Stephen L. Johnson, Administrator US Environmental Protection Agency 401 M Street SW Washington, DC 20460

Dear Administrator Johnson: RE: Jersey City USEPA Brownfield Cleanup Grant Applications
Berry Lane Park

On behalf of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, it is my pleasure to endorse the Jersey City applications to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for three Brownfields Cleanup Grants to remediate environmental impacts associated with discharges of hazardous substances and/or petroleum products at the Berry Lane Park site. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection acknowledges that Jersey City plans to conduct cleanup activities at Berry Lane Park. Jersey City has developed an aggressive redevelopment strategy to identify, assess, clean up and reuse abandoned brownfield sites that lie within their planned redevelopment areas. The site identified in the grant applications represents a priority brownfield redevelopment opportunity for Jersey City. Please accept this letter of support for the Jersey City Cleanup Grant Applications. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I may be of further assistance. I may be telephoned at (609) 292-1251, or e mailed at Ken.Kloo@dep.state.nj.us.

C:

Sandra Newhall, Brownfields Redevelopment Solutions, Inc.

New Jersey Is An Equal Opportunity Employer

Printed on Recycled Paper and Recyclable

Jersey City Redevelopment Agency Attachment D: Community Notification Information

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Public Notice:
JERSEY CITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY PUBLIC NOTICE US EPA Berry Lane Park Cleanup Grant Applications The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA) is applying for US EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant funding to clean up sites within the future Berry Lane Park. A community meeting is being held to discuss the grant proposals and to solicit public comments on the proposals and the proposed use of funds. The final design for Berry Lane Park will also be discussed at the meeting. The meeting will be held on Tuesday. October 14, 2008 at 7:00 PM at Monumental Baptist Church, 121 Lafayette Street, Jersey City, New Jersey 07304. Copies of the grant proposals will be available for review and comment on the JCRA's website at www.thejcra.org. For more information about the proposals or the meeting, contact Benjamin Delisle. Jersey City Redevelopment Agency Director of Development at (201) 547-5604: ROBERT P. ANTONICELLO Executive Director 10/10/08$79.83
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The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency - News

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< Go Back Date: 10/09/2008 Project: Berry Lane Park

USEPA Grant Application

Public Notice US EPA Berry Lane Park Cleanup Grant Applications The Jersey City Redevelopment Agency (JCRA) is applying for US EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant funding to clean up sites within the future Berry Lane Park. A community meeting is being held to discuss the grant proposals and to solicit public comments on the proposals and the proposed use of funds. The final design for Berry Lane Park will also be discussed at the meeting. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 7:00 PM at Monumental Baptist Church, 121 Lafayette Street, Jersey City, New Jersey 07304. Copies of the grant proposals will be available for review and comment on the JCRA's website at www.thejcra.org. For more information about the proposals or the meeting, contact Benjamin Delisle, Jersey City Redevelopment Agency Director of Development at (201) 547-5604.

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Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy

and the

City Council
Council President: Mariano Vega, Jr. Councilman-at-Large: Peter Brennan Councilwoman-at-Large: Willie Flood Ward A: Michael Sottolano Ward B: Mary Spinello Ward C: Steve Lipski Ward D: William Gaughan Ward E: Steven Fulop Ward F: Viola Richardson

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

at the final community workshop for

Berry Lane Park

Monumental Baptist Church
121 Lafayette Street, Jersey City, NJ 07304

7:00pm - 9:00pm

Help review plans for the park

- Children welcome! - Light Refreshments A project of the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency
3 0 M o n t g o m e r y S t r e e t , S u i t e 9 0 0 , J e r s e y C i t y, N J 0 7 3 0 2

El Alcalde Jerramiah T. Healy

Y el

Consejal de la Cuidad
Council President: Mariano Vega, Jr. Councilman-at-Large: Peter Brennan Councilwoman-at-Large: Willie Flood Ward A: Michael Sottolano Ward B: Mary Spinello Ward C: Steve Lipski Ward D: William Gaughan Ward E: Steven Fulop Ward F: Viola Richardson

Martes, 14 de Octubre del 2008

En su ultimo proyecto hacia la comunidad

Berry Lane Park

Monumental Baptist Church
121 Lafayette Street, Jersey City, NJ 07304

7:00pm - 9:00pm

Ayudenos a revisar los planes para el parque

- Ninos son bienvenidos! - Refrescos disponibles Un proyecto de la Agencia de Reurbanizacion de Jer sey C it y
3 0 M o n t g o m e r y S t r e e t , S u i t e 9 0 0 , J e r s e y C i t y, N J 0 7 3 0 2

ROGERS MARVEL

A R C H I T E C T S , PLLC

BERRY LANE PARK COMMUNITY WORKSHOP PROCESS The proposed process for community participation utilizes a three-tiered workshop model that allows the community to become engaged in establishing the goals and objectives for the park as well as in reviewing alternative strategies for organizing those goals and objectives on the site. WORKSHOP NO. 3: DESIGN REVIEW The focus for workshop no.3 is to present to the community the proposed design of the park in a targeted fashion to illicit feedback. WORKSHOP STRUCTURE Exhibition the workshop will consist of (6) stations, each exhibiting specific aspects of the design, that will allow for an informal review yet targeting specific and focused comments. Welcome Reception (15 minutes) Food, mingle, review past workshop material and exhibits Presentation (20 minutes) The presentation will give the project team an opportunity to review project development to date, briefly explain the proposed design and how the project will move forward. Presentation outline includes: Introductions (JCRA) Today's Agenda (DR, RMA) Review of Workshop 1 & 2 and what the project team heard Discussion of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Cleanup Grants Brief explanation of exhibits and process Workshop Activities (DR, RMA) Review of proposed design How Community Input will be used (DR, RMA) Ways to Stay Involved (JCRA) Exhibition Activity (60 minutes) Participants will have the opportunity to view all of the (6) exhibits and will be allowed to visit each station at his or her order of interest and time. Each station will have a large format board exhibiting specific aspects, or features, at which participants may review, ask questions, make recommendations and record comments. A facilitator(s) will be present at each station to discuss the various aspects of the design and aid with recorded comments. Participants will have the opportunity to record their comments by writing on a large notepad at each station. Facilitators too will record comments made by community members. *Kids Table: The kids table will have paper, markers, images and other art supplies. Kids may be asked to make a collage or drawing about their favorite outdoor activity

1 4 5 H U D S O N S T R E E T T H I R D F L O O R N E W Y O R K , N E W Y O R K 1 0 0 1 3 212 941-6718 212 941-7573 FAX

www.rogersmarvel.com

JERSEY CITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY US ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY CLEANUP GRANT APPLICATIONS BERRY LANE PARK PUBLIC MEETING MONUMENTAL BAPTIST CHURCH, 121-127 LAFAYETTE STREET TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2008 7:00-9:00PM MEETING MINUTES
Hosted By: Jersey City Redevelopment Agency City of Jersey City Department of Planning Rogers Marvel Architects Dresdner Robin

Minutes Mayor Jeremiah Healy spoke on the importance of the project for the community and the city. Councilwomen Viola Richardson led the participants in a prayer and then reiterated the importance of the project. Benjamin Delisle of the JCRA gave a brief summary of the project, informing the attendees that some of the land has been purchased, environmental investigations on the remaining parcels to be acquired have been started, and that JCRA would be seeking EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grants for three of the Berry Lane Park sites. This funding would amount to $200,000 per site and be used to clean up soil. No comments were received regarding these grant applications, and all attendees were generally supportive of seeking additional cleanup funding. Aaron Young of Rogers Marvel Architects thanked the participants for attending. Aaron gave a PowerPoint presentation of project, going over the prior two community workshops and how we arrived at the current design. Aaron then described the interactive portion of the workshop where people would visit the stations representing the different aspects of the park and comment on them, and ask questions to the project facilitators. At this point, attendees were encouraged to walk around to the stations and comment on the design elements of the park. The meeting adjourned at 9:00pm.

Jersey City Redevelopment Agency Attachment E: Letters from Community Based Organizations

JERRY WALKER
CEO/PRESIDENT

November 3, 2008

Administrator Stephen L. Johnson U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Ariel Rios Building 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20460 Dear Administrator Johnson: Team Walker was formed in 1996 as a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide academic and recreational opportunities to disadvantaged youth. We seek to uplift and create positive alternatives for the youth of Jersey City through programs which enlighten the participants with the importance of solid academics, teamwork, and sportsmanship. This is accomplished through after school academic and athletic programs that help impoverished youth find positive solutions to obstacles. I am writing to support the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency's application for a U.S. EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant to clean up the site that will become part of the future Berry Lane Park. We recognize the importance of cleaning up this formerly industrial area to ensure its safety as a future recreational area. As a major youth advocacy organization in Jersey City, we have participated in public meetings regarding the park and have provided input as to its design. With the U.S. EPA funding, Team Walker could serve as an outreach outlet to educate the public regarding the important of and progress in the development Berry Lane Park. The Berry Lane Park project is paramount for the youth of Jersey City, as it will represent the first new park constructed in the city in many years. The Brownfields Cleanup Grant is therefore an important tool needed for the creation of Berry Lane Park and could have a strong positive impact on local residents and children in particular. I therefore strongly support this grant application. Sincerely,

Jerry Walker President

316 Communipaw Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey 07304 Phone 201-433-1888 Fax 201-433-4334

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