State Halts Work on Development After Asbestos is Discovered

The state Department of Environmental Protection has ordered work stopped on a residential development at the site of a former landfill at 275 Port au Peck Avenue in Oceanport after asbestos was discovered there, the borough engineer reported Thursday night.

The DEP needs to do what is called a remedial investigation to find out how much asbestos is there and to decide what can be done about it, Borough Engineer Bill White told the Borough Council during the workshop portion of its meeting.

"The DEP is going to determine the parameters," he said.

The Mazza family has received preliminary approval to build a 12-lot subdivision on the now-vacant property that included a landfill that was closed many years ago, White said. But work came to a halt at the end of last month when asbestos shingles were found.

"We don't know when it happened, but it was before 1969 (that the shingles were left)," White said.

The asbestos is not "friable," that is, in the air. So it does not seem to pose a threat to residents, White said.

Borough Clerk Kimberly A. Jungfer said the county Health Department contacted the borough about what happened and that county and state health officials will also be involved.

Whatever needs to be done at the property would be paid for by the property owner, White said.

In other business, the council authorized White to go ahead with a review of property records to find out the exact boundaries between Oceanport and Eatontown.

Mayor Michael J. Mahon had asked White to investigate the boundaries because of the scheduled closing of Fort Monmouth this September. It is believed some of the boundaries run through existing buildings on the property. Officials may decide on new boundaries after the closing, but in the meantime it would be good to know what the current boundaries are, Mahon said.

Finding out what the boundaries are is no easy task, White said. The boundaries were set around 1920, which is about when Oceanport was created by splitting off a portion of what had been Eatontown Township, he said. That portion became Oceanport and Eatontown became a borough.

White's company, Maser Consulting, Red Bank, will be paid $1,800 for the review.