新泽西州与赫拉克勒斯达成450万美元和解：吉布斯镇化工废料场污染案落槌
特伦顿——新泽西州总检察长办公室宣布，已与赫拉克勒斯公司（Hercules LLC）就格洛斯特县一处前化工废料场的环境损害诉讼达成450万美元和解。根据10月5日公布的和解令，赫拉克勒斯将付款和解这起州政府2007年代表环境保护厅提起的诉讼，涉及其位于格林威治镇吉布斯镇片区约350英亩的场地，以及莫里斯县和米德尔塞克斯县的三处场地。
作为和解的一部分，赫拉克勒斯还将永久保留吉布斯镇场地内110多英亩土地，用于流域保护与地下水补给；另有约535英亩土地将在新泽西州北部的两处场地获得类似保护。和解令同时写明，赫拉克勒斯不承认州政府指控中的任何过错或责任。
据州政府介绍，和解金用于补偿危险物质与污染物排放对新泽西州造成的环境损害。赫拉克勒斯1952年从杜邦公司手中购得吉布斯镇场地，此前杜邦曾将其用作铅碎片与焦油的倾倒场。赫拉克勒斯曾利用这处临特拉华河的场地处置化学品与弹药生产产生的化工废料，场地内的建筑已在2010年综合体关闭后拆除。2020年，赫拉克勒斯已同意支付超过1,130万美元，用于该场地的环境清理费用。
州政府表示，赫拉克勒斯此前已在州政府指导下，对场地内的焦油废料进行整合封盖以减少长期暴露，并同意持续监测该场地、限制处置区附近地下水的使用。
信息来源：新泽西州总检察长办公室、《信使邮报》（10月6日报道）
New Jersey Reaches $4.5 Million Settlement with Hercules over Gloucester County Chemical Waste Site
TRENTON — The New Jersey Attorney General's Office announced a $4.5 million settlement with Hercules LLC over environmental damage at a former chemical waste site in Gloucester County. Under the consent order announced Oct. 5, Hercules will pay to settle a lawsuit the state filed in 2007 on behalf of the Department of Environmental Protection, covering an approximately 350-acre site in the Gibbstown section of Greenwich Township as well as three sites in Morris and Middlesex counties.
As part of the deal, Hercules will permanently preserve more than 110 acres at the Gibbstown site for watershed protection and aquifer recharge, with approximately 535 acres receiving similar protection at two of the North Jersey sites. The consent order states Hercules does not admit fault or liability for any of the state's allegations.
The settlement is intended to compensate New Jersey for environmental harm allegedly caused by hazardous-substance and contaminant discharges, according to the state. Hercules acquired the Gibbstown site in 1952 from DuPont, which had used it as a dump site for lead fragments and tar. Hercules used the Delaware River site near North Market Street to dispose of chemical waste from chemicals and munitions production; structures on the property were demolished after the complex closed in 2010. In 2020, Hercules agreed to pay more than $11.3 million for environmental cleanup costs at the site.
The state said Hercules has previously worked under its direction to consolidate and cap tar waste at the site to reduce long-term exposure, and has agreed to monitor the site and restrict groundwater use near the disposal area.
Sources: New Jersey Attorney General's Office; Courier Post (Oct. 6 report)
图片来源：图：新泽西州议会大厦金色圆顶（特伦顿）。公有领域，来源：Wikimedia Commons
