Mayor & Council Meet Tues. Oct. 1, 2024 Toxic Sludge & More

The Harrison Mayor & Council will meet at the Harrison Town Hall on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, with a 6:15 p.m. start time. As residents' interest in local governance grows, many hope the meeting will be held in the more spacious Mayor & Council Chambers on the 2nd floor, rather than the smaller Mayor’s Conference Room on the 3rd floor. The agenda for the meeting has been published and is available for public review.

In recent months, more Harrison residents have attended these meetings to raise concerns, offer suggestions for community improvements, and criticize town policies. They have also attended to thank the Mayor & Council for improvements that impacted the town's Quality of Life. This increased civic engagement has led to tangible changes in the community, especially regarding quality-of-life issues. One of the most pressing topics on residents' minds is the proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plan to construct a Toxic dioxide-laden sludge Plant in Harrison on PSE&G-owned property, which is now part of a residential zone.

Toxic Sludge Across The Street From Residential Community

At an EPA meeting on August 25, 2024, held in Harrison, residents voiced strong opposition to the proposal. Concerns centered on the location of the proposed plant, as it is near new luxury apartments and a growing residential community. Mayor James Fife, during an earlier Harrison Redevelopment Meeting on August 29, 2022, stated that the EPA planned to use PSE&G’s property for dredging operations for up to 10 years. Although Mayor Fife initially attempted to downplay the plan, claiming there was no such project, his remarks from that 2022 meeting resurfaced and confirmed the truth: the EPA had long considered using the site for dredging toxic sludge from the Passaic River.

The James Doran / Team Fife 2022 Letter & Flyer

The controversy only deepened when a letter and flyer were sent to Harrison residents two years ago, ahead of the mayoral election. The flyer, signed by Councilman James Doran on behalf of the Mayor Fife Team, accused then-councilman and mayoral candidate Anselmo Millan and attorney John M. Pinho of lying about the EPA’s plan for a sludge plant. As it turns out, the accusations were false. The false statements made by Doran and Fife misled the public, with the latest EPA statements Mayor Fife's own words from 2022 now standing as evidence that the EPA plan was known and that the denials, defamatory statements, and statements such as “I can say with 100% surety that there are NO plans to ‘Dredge’ or place any toxic waste anywhere in Harrison.  They [then Councilman Millan and John M. Pinho] are trying to scare the people with lies and made-up stories at election time!  The people have had enough of their lies and scare tactics.  I am sure the Fife Team will again expose them for the lies they tell". 

Read and let the statements made in writing by Councilman / Harrison Public Schools Director James Doran sink in. Doran knew he was lying and accused then Councilman Millan and John M. Pinho of lying. At the last meeting of the Mayor & Council held on September 27, 2024,  Doran asked for time to speak and confronted John M. Pinho stating that Pinho had been coming month after month and lying about EPA's plans. Clearly misstating The Truth again. It is outrageous conduct. It's out of a popular comedy, Seinfeld.  The best writers could not come up with this plot twist.

Mayor Fife Support Toxic Sludge In Harrison

During the August 25, 2024, EPA Community meeting, when asked about his stance on the EPA's toxic sludge plant, Mayor Fife stated he would listen to residents' concerns at future Mayor & Council meetings. However, moments later he reiterated his support for the EPA’s plan, causing further unrest among the residents. In a recent article by NJ Spotlight News, Mayor Fife once again expressed his backing of the EPA’s initiative to bring toxic dioxin sludge into Harrison. This sludge, which contains NAPL (Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid), an oily, cancer-causing substance, has raised alarms. The PSE&G property, cleaned at a reported cost of $367 to $400 million, is now under consideration for this hazardous use.

It’s NOT A Done Deal

Though Mayor Fife and others in town leadership support the project, it is NOT a done deal. The EPA can still be persuaded to relocate the plant to South Kearny, an industrial area better suited for such an operation. This would prevent the placement of a toxic facility in a residential community where families live, work, and play. It would further EPA’s Mission Statement “to protect human health” and not violate the Mission Statement.

As democracy thrives on public participation, the October 1, 2024 meeting is a critical opportunity for Harrison residents to make their voices heard. The future of the town—especially in light of the proposed toxic sludge plant—hangs in the balance, and the participation of the community will play a vital role in shaping its outcome. Whether the Mayor & Council should be supporting such a plan, which could bring long-term environmental and health risks to Harrison, is a question residents must push their elected officials to address.

It’s Your Harrison, It’s Up To Us To Make It Better.

This meeting provides a crucial platform for public discourse and a chance for residents to influence the direction of Harrison’s future. Now, more than ever, it's essential for the community to stand united in defense of their environment and quality of life.

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