NJ Site Remediation Work Continues under Governor’s Executive Order
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact businesses, Governor Murphy has recognized the importance of environmental work as an essential function within the State of New Jersey. The Governor’s April 8th Executive Order (No. 122) authorizes essential businesses to stay open including any construction work required to:
- physically secure the site of the project
- abate any hazards that would exist on the site if the construction were to remain in its current condition
- remediate a site
- otherwise ensure that the site and any buildings therein are appropriately protected and safe
The NJDEP has also issued guidance clarifying that field activities and reporting related to New Jersey’s Site Remediation Reform Act (SRRA) may continue, since these regulations mandate the protection of public health, safety, and the environment be held as the highest priority. First Environment is continuing to perform work, including critical field work, under SRRA and other laws in order to comply with regulatory-driven schedules to which our clients are held; these schedules remain unchanged with the exception that the NJDEP has indicated it will grant extensions of mandatory timeframes if delays result from failure to obtain access to properties not owned by the person responsible for remediation.
Specifically, we are implementing the following protocols to address the requirements stipulated in EO 122:
- Field staff commute to project sites individually in separate vehicles
- Non-essential visitors are prohibited from entering worksites
- Worksite meetings are limited to groups of less than ten people
- Individuals are required to maintain six feet or more distance between them whenever possible
- Work times and lunch breaks are staggered where practicable to enable operations to continue safely while using the least number of individuals possible at the site
- The number of individuals with concurrent access to common areas is restricted
- Individuals on-site are required to wear cloth face coverings or similar respiratory protection, provided by the company
- Sharing of equipment is limited to the extent practicable
- Sanitation materials including hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes are provided by the company and must be used to frequently sanitize high-touch areas
If you have questions about a particular site or your responsibilities under SRRA, please contact us at [email protected].
Additional resources:
