45 Herrid * lantern 12 Pectrober '84 " : ij ^

No Williams Dump Study Until Spring ? — l , * . . • • •

(From Page 1) issues while legal counsel was being arranged for the Williamses. As of Monday, a new hearing date has not been set. Middle Township Solicitor Bruce Gorman has said that the municipality questions whether it should have to pay to relocate the families as the county contends. County, DEP and EPA officials have generally declined direct comment on the suits or» have not returned calls about them. According UvTasher, Wheaton does not accept responsibility for the more than 200 drums of toxic chemicals dumped on the Williams property between 1978-79. But, since the DEP named the company in April as a "potentially responsible party" in the case, Wheaton seeks what it regards as its right to conduct a Remedial • Investigation/Feasibility Study (RIFS) of the contaminated tract for its eventual cleanup. V- . WHEATON. ITS ATTORNEY ARGUES, can complete the RIFS in a few months compared to the six-18 months projected for a DEP ftudy. Originally but only tentatively slated for late 1987, the RIFS was rescheduled in June for September, then postponed .until this month. The county reported both those dates as "speed-ups" brought about by its ban on construction within a mile of the dump site. { Although/ the EPA handed the DEP $540, 646 in September to begin the RIFS, Tasher notK in the Wheaton suit that the DEP "does got expect work of the RIFS to commence* until spring 1985 at the Refused "copies of the EPA-DEP Cooperative Agreement about the RIFS, Wheaton obtained them through the Freedom of Information Act on Oct. 9. Tasher wrote in the company's suit. That agreement requires that a willing "responsible party" pay for a RIFS rather than spend government money to do it. Tasher wants federal Judge Stanley S. Brotman to rescind EPA's designation of the DEP as "lead agency" for coor dinating the RIFS. Whea ton's offer to conduct the study was improperly refused, Tasher argues. FUTHERMORE. HE maintains, "the (DEP) work plan for the RIFS ... contains no provisions for relocating Mr. Williams and his family. In fact, the cooperative agreement expressly provides that no provisions are made for the relocation of any individual ...- "The (DEP) work plan for the RIFS ... contains no provision for removal of the surface debris and contamination which presently exists on the site," Tasher added. "In fact, the agreement states that the parties do not anticipate the need for any off-site storage, destruction, treatment or disposition 6f any harardous substances in conjunction with the RIFS. "Unless the* Williams property is secured and unless measures are taken to guarantee that Williams will not allow additional dumping to occur, there is a substantial danger," the lawyer continued, "that additional dumping will occur^t the property. Such additional dumping will make it impossible to conduct a scientifically reliable RIFS and will threaten serious environmental harm due to the possibility that hazardous substances will be disposed of on the property. "UNLESS THE EXISTING surface contamination and debris are removed, any present attempt to conduct a RIFS is likely to be frustrated or rendered incomplete since new contamination could be introduced into the groundwater at any time," Tasher observed. "As a party designated by NJDEP as potentially responsible for cleanup costs at the Williams property," he stressed, - " ... Wheaton is concerned that any action to remedy any environmental problems be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws, and conducted in a manner that eliminates all harms from which Wheaton might be held responsible, in a timely, efficient and cost-effective manner." Tasher also seeks release of any information purportedly linking the company to the chemicals drums originally found at the Williams site. "The NJDEP files that Wheaton has reviewed contain no information indicating that any material generated by Wheaton was disposed of at the Williams property," Tasher reported "IN CONTRAST," HE ADDED, "the NJDEP's files contain evidence indicating - that there are seveal other parties poten- ■ tially responsible under state and federal

law for the costs of cleanup at the property including Williams: (another man who pleading guilty to dumping there, former Sea 'Isle City businessman Frank C.) Block; (the property's owner, Gerald) Davis ; A&B Drum Co. ; Atlantic City Electric Co. . (the fprmer) KAE Co. (of Court House); the City of Sea Isle City and others." . The Herald and Lantern contacted county, DEP and EPA officials to try and find dut who the "others" might be. The only official responding was Clay C. Sutton, environmental program administrator with the county Health Department. , "We don't have that information, I can tell you that," he said. "We don't have any copies of that. We don't know much more than what was in the newspaper." He referred other questions on the suits to county Health Officer Louis J. La manna who did not returr.calls. WILLIAM fiffRKER. GENERAL manager of a Wheaton subsidiary. Pollution Abatement Consultants and Services, accompanied Tasher on an Aug. 10 inspection of the Williams property/according to Harker's affidavit, filed as part of Whea ton's suit. Harker stated that they found a truck body filled with hundreds of bags of fertilizer from a Bridgeton firm, a drum from a Philadelphia chemical company, a cooling tower from a Kansas City outfit and plenty of other potentially harmful debris — paint thinner, antifreeze etc. | "Despite its firmly expressed position, that the state has an obligation to vigorously pursue all potentially responsible dar- - ties to recover all costs associated wit* the study and cleanup of disposal sins," Tasher wrote in the Wheaton suit, N(he NJDEP has made no effort to ascertain whether any of those additional parties are willing to assume any or all of the costs of cleanup at the Williams property. "Instead," added the former assistant state attorney general for environmental affairs, "NJDEP has insisted that Wheaton alone is responsible for all such costs, without providing Wheaton with any evidence of Whea ton's responsibility. "SINCE 1980. (THEODORE) Williams has permitted or acquiesced in substantial additional dumping at the Williams property. Although the NJDEP's' files state that the surface of the property was clean in 1980," Tasher continued, "the property is now littered with numerous drums containing substances which presently are unknown to (Wheaton); abandoned vehicles, torn bags of fertilizer; tires; Ham shells, and virtually every other form of refuse. • "This dumping has damaged some of the monitoring wells placed on the property (to keep track of groundwater contamination) and has rendered some'^f them inaccessible," the Wheaton lawyer complained. Readying For Santa

COURT HOUSE - This community will be host to an important visitor Friday night. Members of the younger set (undo- 105) are invited to visit Santa 7 to 9 p.m. and are urged to bring their Christmas lists.

MADE BY HAND(S) — Old fashioned quilt fashioned by 24 members of 8Umk tUrber-Avaka Unit of Burdett* Tomlia Memorial Hospital Auxiliary is displayed by Mrs. Jaae Ford, ckirpersoo. Quilt Is being raffled off, with drawing slated for Christmas luncheon meeting Thursday. Dec. 11, at Whitebrier Inn, Aavaloa. For information, call 485-4571.

Wildwood Honor | Rolls NORTH WILDWOOD - • Two seniors and a sophomore have been named to the First Honor Roll at Wildwood Catholic High School for the current marking period. Vlhey are Robert lannooe and Jennifer Roe, both seniors, and Carole McGeehan, sophomore Named for second honors were: SENIORS: J*roe» AuK J«ron Barnes. Karen Bell. KrUUne Brooks. Abas Crafts. Jerry D'An tonio. Mary Dkaa.- Caadice DeCsmiUo. Mirtmrl DtMaroo. Dawn FarUnd. Constance Gigltetti. Psinas Her. Anton Marcolanco Carl Namiotka. KaUy Phillips Mktete Rapp. James ReynoMi. iUdbo Mcasi) Schmxi John Slderfcvage. Matthew Tomlm. Therms Ikktaky. Mane Wbeke JUNIORS: Body Keough. Micfceie Brsyski, Nicolas Snkoutas SOPHOMORES: Marie BUotU. Sucey Carter. Kathrya Cnrano: Laura DKftnraant. Carolyn Dwyer. Jofanathan MeCurdy. Bryan Schmid. Jacqueline Steady FRESHMEN: James Bsumaun Jennifer Dever, Chrwtme Gawd. Nancy Hapm. Robert Hcroechek. Klmberlyi McGowac. Shannon Qumo. Use Vefel

News Digests, The existing school has 85 more student than its S7S-pupil capacity Hobson's Choice CAPE MAY — Resort employes have received 7 parent average pay increases for the past eight years. This month, City Manager Fred Coldren offered 44 nonunion workers a choice of 5 percent raises in 1985 and '86 or retention of an existing benefit — city payment of post-, retirement insurance premiums for those who retire after 25 years' service. Council approved that benefit while Coldren was vacationing in April. fjOts of Contention SEA ISLE CITY — To balance the 1985 budget, resort commissioners want to sell 23 city-owned shore! root lots between 22nd and 26th streets for $55,000 each. But John Weingart, acting director of the state Division of Co6tal Resources, has warned Mayor Dominic C. Raffa that bousing construction on the 5, 500-squa refoot, lots poses a hazard to the new home owners and burden for taxpayers paying

the freight for shore protection. Construe tion in the narrow, flood-prone Whale Beach area, Weingard said, could threaten shore protection money for the city. $cary Figures VILLAS - "The (1985) budget looks scary," says Lower Township Manager James R. Stump. "It looks like a hell of a tax increase." Earlier this year, he projected as much as an 18-centhike in taxes for every $100 of assessed property value Councirfrill informally look over his proposed budget this week. He'll for mally present it at council'* Monday meeting. Back to Layoffs ? ' VILLAS - Lower Township Manager James R. Stump maintains that he did have the authority to layoff three Public Works employes last month because they were temporary workers not covered by Civil Service. He said the township will not fight Teamsters' officials who insist that contract concessions by Public Works union men. to get the layoffs rescinded, were improper "If they don t want to do it," Stump said of the cooces sions, "then we'll go back to the layoffs

Lou> Overhead VILLAS — Bill Nichols. Owner of Harbor Furniture, Burleigh, complains thdt a North Carolina outfit was selling fur niture from Lower Township Hall's park ing lot Thursday. Township Manager James R Stump said the sellers only stopped by the hall to see if they needed a license. But Nichols" driver and others J confirmed the sellers delivered furniture / from the lot throughout the day and didn't limit their sales to retailers as Stump was told Nichols regards the reputed incident as bad for local business. Computer Voters COURT HOUSE - The names and ad dresses of 58,000 registered voters are to be computerized by the County Board of Elections at a cost of $29,000 The measure was approved Thursday by Freeholders who authorized the appropriation Speaking in favor of it was County GOP chairman Philip A. Mataluc a, of Burleigh, who is also the county treasurer. "Both parties. Democrats and { Republicans, will be pleased with this." (Page 48 Please) /v "•

Surprised Voll OKs Van

(From Page 1) ward Hansen about meeting in closed session with the township committee It seems the committee didn't know the van even existed, and was surprised to . learn about it. "IT NEVER OCCURRED TO us," said Chief Hansen, a 27-year veteran of the force "The van is a moral builder for the men. They did it on their, own time. Nobody asked the township for any money. And the van still has dealer's tags on it." Hansen was supposed to meet with the township committee last Wednesday, but that never came about, so Hansen got another memo to meet Thursday. The chief was reluctant to discuss the squabble, saying, "I'd like to resolve the whole thing. But you can say this: Sgt. Dramis has spent more uncompensated hours trying to keep our cars running. He's done a hell of a job, and now they're mad at him over the van." THE DEPARTMENT has 21 care and a motorcycle, but "they're not all good care," Hansen said. "Wehave six regular care that can be depended on day -in and day-out. We're trying to get six more new

ones for the coming year. For every new car we get, we can get rid of two old ones." Finally, after two postponements, the police chief and the township committee . did meet privately last Thursday. "We did a lot of hootin' and bollerin' but we didn't accomplish very much," said Hansen, who added that he had offered to give the van back to the dealer it was purchased from. That, however, won't be necessary, said Mayor Voll on Friday, after tempers had cooled. The van will be kep< for special events, but insured. "WHAT THE MEN DID was commen dable, " he said, but one of our concerns was the vehicle not being properly insured I'm the director of public safety, and I didn't know anything about it,' the mayor said. "There was a question of liability ." "That, plus it's a 16-year-old vehicle, and it appears in a parade, painted with a * police logo on it, and dealer's tags on it. It was embarrassing." the mayor said "Here I am, trying to get nev vehicles for an outdated fleet, and they uring this old thing in without telling anybody. I didn't know anything about it until I saw it in the parade. "