BASF, the owners of the former Ciba Geigy chemical plant site located in Toms River, has reached a proposed settlement on fund allocation. At the recent public forum sponsored by Save Barnegat Bay, Executive Director Britta Forsberg, opened the meeting with some sobering statistics: EPA reports indicate that 60% of the water underground in the Ciba Geigy vicinity remains contaminated. BASF plans to preserve the approximately 1,000 acres of the site and implement ecological restoration. The public would then have access to the site for both educational and recreational purposes.
Mayor Hill, who is vehemently opposed to this proposed settlement, believes that the property should be deeded to Toms River in compensation for the damage done by the former chemical company. The Mayor also feels strongly that Toms River residents should be invited to participate in settlement discussions.
Ciba Geigy, formerly known as the Toms River Chemical Company, was opened in 1952. They proceeded to place pipes under the ground of the municipality that led straight to the ocean on the eastern end of town. Sadly, chemical dumping from the site poisoned the surrounding groundwater in the area. Consequentially, Toms River beachgoers and residents suffered many health ailments and some even lost their lives due to their proximity to the contaminated water.
