Kearny High Teens Volunteer To Clean Up The Passaic River

KEARNY, NJ — Much has been said about how polluted the Passaic River is.

But these local Kearny teens are undeterred and they use the Passaic every spring for their crew team practice.

The teens practices out of the Kearny High School Boathouse, situated on the Passaic River; you can see their boathouse when you drive on Rt. 21 south into Newark. For years now, the Kearny High School crew team has rowed on the Passaic, which is actually very flat and calm — perfect for a sport like crew.

On April 10, the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission held a volunteer clean-up on the grounds surrounding the boat house.

Each year, dozens of Kearny students, teachers and parents turn out for this cleanup. The cleanup has been taking place since 2009.

Since its creation in 1998, the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission's award-winning River Restoration Program has been charged with preserving and protecting over 100 miles of area waterways. The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission has removed over 14,000 tons of debris from Newark Bay, the Passaic River and its tributaries. The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission has also sponsored nearly 1,300 individual cleanups along the Passaic and Hackensack rivers.

“With the high school crew season underway, the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission knows that this portion of the Passaic River will be in full use, and we are proud to help make the course fit for use,” said PVSC Executive Director Greg Tramontozzi. “Besides alleviating blockages and the aesthetic, ecological and public health and safety impacts, such cleanups also dramatically improve recreational uses of these waterways.”