9 Projects For Ciba Site In Toms River; Learn More At Info Session

TOMS RIVER, NJ — An information session on the ecological restoration projects planned for the former Ciba-Geigy site is set for Tuesday, what the company says the first step of community engagement on the projects.

The session, which will be held online and will be led by BASF, was announced in December by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The announcement from the NJDEP said the session is set for 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 9. You can register online for the session: BASF – Virtual Information Session 1/9/2024 6pm – 7:30pm. The registration form asks for your name, hometown, email address and asks you to submit questions to be answered during the presentation.

" The purpose of our info session is to present the 9 restoration project proposals as conceptual designs," said Molly Birman, senior manager of external communications for BASF. "This is step one in our community engagement efforts. There will be a live texting capability for those who want to ask questions or comment during our info session."

The projects proposed for the site can be viewed in the settlement announcement, here: Ciba-Geigy Settlement Reached: See Plans For Toms River Superfund Site

Birman said all questions submitted before the session and any submitted afterward will be answered. A dedicated email address, TomsRiverNRD@basf.com, has been set up for people to submit any questions as they finalize the designs.

BASF is planning an in-person poster session for Feb. 28, where people will be able to meet with their team to discuss the projects in more detail, Birman said.

The nine projects are part of the settlement of the natural resources restoration settlement finalized by NJDEP and BASF in August 2023, in spite of protests from Toms River officials, residents and environmental groups led by Save Barnegat Bay over a lack of community input.

NJDEP first announced the proposed settlement on Dec. 5, 2022, and gave the community just 30 days, until early January, to read it and respond. That comment period later was extended after resounding criticisms in the community, though comments from Shawn LaTourette, the DEP commissioner, left officials and residents with the belief that nothing of substance would change in spite of their complaints.

LaTourette, in an interview with Patch, said the natural resources settlement was not about punishing the company for the actions of the past owners; BASF purchased the site long after it was declared a federal Superfund site by the EPA. Read more: Proposed Ciba Settlement 'Not About Punishment': DEP Commissioner

Toms River residents and officials believe not nearly enough was done to compensate the community for the damages done to residents' health and lives, while BASF continued to make considerable amounts of money on the property. A solar field has been established on the most contaminated part of the site, and a portion of the site, about 250 acres, remains in the chemical company's hands.

LaTourette and NJDEP staffers promised Toms River officials and residents they would be able to provide input on what the projects should look like, but the information session does not appear to provide an opportunity to comment during or after the session.

Save Barnegat Bay and Toms River Township in October filed an appeal of the settlement, asking New Jersey's Appellate Court to overturn it and calling it "a sweetheart deal" that violates the New Jersey Constitution along with the Spill Compensation and Control Act, along with Toms River zoning ordinances. Read more: Ciba-Geigy Settlement Violates NJ, Local Laws, Appeal Says

The full text of the NJDEP announcement reads as follows:

"BASF is inviting community members and stakeholder groups to learn more about the nine ecological restoration projects planned for the property through an upcoming virtual information session.

Register to join on January 9, 2024, from 6 – 7:30 p.m. to learn more about how BASF will preserve and restore more than 1,000 acres of land. Your input and feedback plays an important role in the long-term success of these projects.

If you are interested in attending, please Register here: BASF – Virtual Information Session 1/9/2024 6pm – 7:30pm"

Note: This article has been updated with comment from BASF.