ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Morris County) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing an updated cleanup plan for groundwater contamination at the Radiation Technology Inc. Superfund site, citing new studies that show remaining contaminants are breaking down naturally and are not threatening nearby homes or Lake Denmark.
According to the EPA, contamination from historic rocket-engine testing remains deep within fractured bedrock and is not migrating into drinking water sources or surface waters. The proposed plan would rely on long-term groundwater monitoring to ensure contaminant levels continue to decline and that the site remains protective of human health and the environment.
“Years of study show that the contamination is trapped deep in the rock and isn’t reaching drinking water or Lake Denmark,” said EPA Regional Administrator Michael Martucci. “There’s no current exposure to people or wildlife and the groundwater is naturally getting cleaner over time. EPA will monitor the groundwater and keep a close watch on its improvement, so Rockaway Township stays protected.”
The proposal builds on decades of remediation work completed between 1994 and 2021. During that period, the EPA removed contaminated soil and buried waste, demolished unsafe structures, and eliminated hazardous materials including asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and lead-based paint. Those actions addressed the most significant risks and eliminated direct exposure pathways, leaving groundwater as the primary remaining concern.
Because of the site’s complex geology, cleanup efforts have been conducted in phases. The EPA initially selected a groundwater pump-and-treat system in 1994, but later studies determined that fractured bedrock conditions prevent that method from effectively reaching the remaining contamination. The updated plan modifies the original remedy by identifying three small areas where contaminants are embedded deep in fractured rock and cannot be accessed by engineered treatment systems. In those locations, the EPA proposes recognizing that active treatment is not feasible.
Under the revised approach, the agency would continue long-term groundwater monitoring across the entire site to confirm that contamination continues to diminish and that conditions remain protective.
The EPA is accepting public comments on the proposed cleanup plan for 45 days, from Dec. 22, 2025, through Feb. 5, 2026. Residents are encouraged to review the proposal and submit feedback.
Comments may be sent to Brian Quinn, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10007, or by email at Quinn.Brian@epa.gov.
The EPA will also host a virtual public meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, to present an overview of the proposal and answer community questions. Registration information is available online.
