Project Overview
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New York District is managing the Middlesex Sampling Plant site as part of the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). Under this program, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers identifies, investigates, and cleans up sites throughout the United States that were part of the nation’s early atomic energy and weapons programs.
The 9.6-acre facility was primarily used to sample and test uranium ores (pitchblende) for the nation’s atomic energy program. After testing, these ores were shipped to other sites for processing. From the 1940s until 1967, the site handled uranium, thorium, and beryllium ores. In 1967, the facility was decontaminated according to the standards of that time.
However, stormwater runoff carried contaminated waste to nearby properties. In some instances, contaminated soil from the site was used as fill material in the surrounding area. In the early to mid-1980s, contaminated materials from these properties and the Middlesex Municipal Landfill were excavated. This waste, totaling over 68,000 cubic yards, was stored on-site in a constructed pile until its disposal in the late 1990s. Later, between 2006 and 2008, USACE demolished the remaining buildings and remediated the soil, which involved excavating and disposing of an additional 60,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil and debris.
Project Status
Soil remediation on the site is complete, and no further soil work is required there. In 2020, USACE also completed a soil removal action at nearby 305 Bound Brook after the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) discovered radiological contamination. To ensure all contamination is found, USACE has initiated additional gamma surveys in the area to identify any other affected properties outside of the original 1980s survey area.
For groundwater, USACE has completed a remedial investigation, a technical memorandum, a feasibility study, and a proposed plan. This work culminated in a Record of Decision signed in September 2021.
Path Forward
Results from the area-wide gamma survey are guiding the follow-up, ground-based investigations that began in 2024 and will continue through 2025.
In 2024, USACE completed a pilot study to determine the best options for groundwater treatment. The results are now being used to develop the remedial design for the contaminated groundwater. The planned remedy includes in-situ (in-place) treatment of shallow groundwater on-site and monitored natural attenuation.
For Additional Information
Kathleen Cuzzolino, Project Manager
Phone: (917) 533-8022
Kathleen.Cuzzolino@usace.army.mil