{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://menendez.house.gov/media/press-releases/menendez-mciver-pou-push-for-accelerated-cleanup-of-diamond-alkali-superfund-site-demand-polluter-accountability", "Menendez, McIver, Pou Push for Accelerated Cleanup of Diamond Alkali Superfund Site, Demand Polluter Accountability", "2025-11-20", "2025", "2025-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Robert Menendez", "M001226", "menendez.house.gov", "menendez", "https://menendez.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Representatives Rob Menendez (NJ-08), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), and Nellie Pou (NJ-09) called on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (\u201cEPA\u201d) Administrator Lee Zeldin and U.S. Department of Justice (\u201cDOJ\u201d) Attorney General Pam Bondi to immediately accelerate the cleanup of the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site, a toxic polluted area along the Passaic River. The letter comes amid a continued push to protect the health and well-being of communities living near the Superfund site.\n\n\u201cFamilies in Newark and across our neighboring communities have endured the toxic legacy of industrial pollution for generations,\u201d said Congressman Rob Menendez (NJ-08). \u201cIt is unacceptable that, over forty years after this area was designated as a Superfund site, residents are still waiting for justice. The EPA and the DOJ must act immediately to accelerate the next phase of cleanup and hold polluters accountable. Our community has shouldered this environmental burden for far too long \u2013 and protecting public health and safety must remain our highest priority.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe EPA must fulfill its duty to make environmental justice real\u2014every American deserves to breathe clean air, drink clean water, and live a healthy life,\u201d said Congresswoman LaMonica McIver (NJ-10). \u201cInaction on the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site is a stark reminder of the environmental challenges our communities face and the urgent need for cleanup and restoration. I\u2019m committed to advocating for continued investment in environmental justice, so every neighborhood can thrive.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe need more aggressive action to restore our beloved Passaic River, one of our region\u2019s most precious natural resources,\u201d said Congresswoman Nellie Pou (NJ-09). \u201cInstead of being a source of beauty and recreation, the river has for too long been a threat to people\u2019s health and our environment. The most complex superfund site in the nation, the lower Passaic River must be decontaminated and restored, and those that left that pollution must be held to account. It is time.\u201d\n\nThe Diamond Alkali Superfund Site was added to the National Priorities List in 1984, but cleanup remains incomplete and has experienced delays in recent years. Despite decades of efforts, the Passaic River continues to suffer from the impact of industrial waste, including carcinogenic dioxins discharged during the Vietnam War-era production of Agent Orange. The site poses ongoing risks to public health and the environment.\n\nThe lawmakers are urging federal agencies to move forward with construction of onshore processing facilities to advance full river remediation and continue to hold responsible parties accountable for their obligations to complete the cleanup.\n\nThe letter comes as part of Congressman Rob Menendez\u2019s ongoing efforts to advance environmental justice and ensure that working-class communities across the region are no longer burdened by pollution.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://menendez.house.gov/media/press-releases/menendez-mciver-pou-push-for-accelerated-cleanup-of-diamond-alkali-superfund-site-demand-polluter-accountability"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6021779738366604, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}