ARTICLE · 04 NOVEMBER 2022

How Will Lower Hackensack River Superfund Designation Impact New Jersey Businesses?

Scarinci Hollenbeck LLC

Explore more from Scarinci Hollenbeck LLC

The Hackensack Riverkeepers, a non-profit organization, first petitioned the EPA to consider assigning the Hackensack River Superfund status in February 2015.

United StatesEnvironment

Daniel T. McKillop

On September 7, 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it is adding the Lower Hackensack River in Bergen and Hudson counties to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL).?The "Superfund" designation is reserved for sites with the most severe environmental contamination. With the addition of the Lower Hackensack River, New Jersey now has a nation-leading 115 Superfund sites.

Designating the Hackensack River as a Superfund site will prompt additional testing to determine the extent of the contamination, as well as the parts of the river most in need of remedial cleanup. The EPA will also begin the process of identifying entities who may be liable for the presence of hazardous substances at?the site.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

Related Articles

California SB 253: CARB Sets Nov. 10, 2026, Deadline For Scope 1 And Scope 2 Emissions Reports

United StatesEnvironment

Greenberg Traurig

Essential Projects Under Proposition 45

United StatesEnvironment

Denver’s Waste No More Rules Hit Struggling Restaurants

United StatesEnvironment

Harris Sliwoski

EPA And Army Corps Propose Narrower Definitions Affecting WOTUS Jurisdiction

United StatesEnvironment

Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP

CFTC Scrutiny Of Carbon Markets Has Implications For Carbon Credit Registries

United StatesEnvironment

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Environment
- Environmental Law
- Waste Management

Related Comparative Guides

Comparative Guide

Environmental, Social and Governance

Comparative Guide

Environment

See more popular content from

Environment

Texas Governor Abbott Directs TCEQ To Freeze All Data Center Permits In A Whole-of-Government Action

Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to immediately halt all environmental permits for data center projects, expanding a statewide regulatory freeze that now encompasses power, water, and environmental approvals. This directive establishes strict operational mandates requiring data centers to fully fund infrastructure costs, report all resource consumption...

United StatesEnvironment

Foley & Lardner LLP

Governor Abbott Orders TCEQ To Pause All Permit Issuance For Data Center Projects

Governor Abbott has ordered Texas environmental regulators to halt all data center permit issuance until grid operators complete a comprehensive audit in mid-December 2026. The sweeping directive affects not only grid-connected facilities but also fully islanded data centers relying on behind-the-meter generation, creating uncertainty for developers and their contractual obligations.

United StatesEnvironment

Texas Pauses All Environmental Permitting For Data Centers

On September 21, 2026, Texas Governor Greg Abbott directed the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to halt issuance of permits to data centers until the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) completes an audit of impacts on the Texas electric grid and water resources.

United StatesEnvironment

Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.

Texas Governor Directs A Halt On Data Center Permitting With State Agency Audits

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed state agencies to halt all data center permits until comprehensive audits assess the projects' impacts on electric infrastructure, residential ratepayers, and water resources. The directive requires data centers to fully fund necessary electric infrastructure and comply with enhanced reporting requirements, while the governor signals potential legislative action to codify new protections and phase out certain tax incentives.

United StatesEnvironment

Greenberg Traurig

Governor Signs Seven Data Center Bills Addressing Energy And Noise Reporting, Water Use, Labor Standards, Electricity Rates, And CEQA Review

California has enacted seven unprecedented bills targeting data center development, imposing sweeping new requirements for energy reporting, water consumption assessments, labor standards, and electricity rate structures. These laws fundamentally reshape the regulatory landscape for data centers, requiring detailed disclosures at multiple project stages while prohibiting categorical CEQA exemptions and establishing new interconnection rules that shift infrastructure costs directly to developers.

United StatesEnvironment

Cox, Castle & Nicholson

PFAS Litigation Update: Edgewell Sued For Failing To Warn Of PFOA In Its Menstrual Liners

On September 30, Edgewell Personal Care Brands LLC was hit with a lawsuit in California superior court concerning its Carefree brand of menstrual liners.

United StatesEnvironment

ArentFox Schiff

District Court Enjoins EPA From Reclassifying California’s Clean Air Act Waivers

A federal district court has preliminarily enjoined the EPA from reclassifying California's Clean Air Act preemption waiver orders as "rules" subject to the Congressional Review Act. The court found that EPA's reclassification likely violated the Administrative Procedure Act and exceeded the agency's authority, though the order does not prevent Congress from proceeding with pending disapproval resolutions.

United StatesEnvironment

Arnold & Porter

California Links Data Center Permitting And Licensing To New Water Use Disclosure And Drought Planning Obligations

California has enacted comprehensive legislation requiring data center developers to disclose water usage and demonstrate supply adequacy before obtaining permits. These new laws impose water supply assessments, efficiency reporting, and drought contingency planning obligations that fundamentally reshape the regulatory landscape for data center development in the state.

United StatesEnvironment

Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP

New EU PFHxA Limits Take Effect Amid Expanding PFAS Rules For Apparel And Textiles

Beginning October 10, 2026, the European Union will restrict certain concentrations of PFHxA and related substances in clothing and footwear, marking a significant expansion of PFAS regulations affecting the apparel and textile industry. Companies face a complex patchwork of requirements as France, Denmark, and multiple U.S. states implement their own PFAS restrictions with varying scopes, thresholds, and compliance approaches. Navigating these divergent regulations requires careful supply chain evaluation

European UnionEnvironment

Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.

Federal Court Holds New York’s Climate Superfund Law Preempted By CAA

A federal court has struck down New York's Climate Change Superfund Act, which sought to recover $75 billion from fossil fuel companies based on historical emissions. The ruling found the Act preempted by the Clean Air Act, marking the first judicial decision on state climate superfund legislation and establishing that EPA's rescission of the endangerment finding does not alter preemption analysis.

United StatesEnvironment