Somerset County gas station among sites named in new environmental enforcement actions
TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette on Thursday announced five new environmental enforcement actions in communities considered overburdened under the state’s Environmental Justice Law, along with the settlement of two previous lawsuits.
The latest lawsuits target three gas stations in South Jersey, one in North Jersey, and one in Central Jersey that officials say failed to meet environmental cleanup obligations outlined in prior administrative orders. The two settled cases involve Sigma Realty, Inc. in Ewing and Martin Service Center Corporation (MSCC) in Union City.
“Gasoline contamination of our soil and groundwater has unfortunately become a ubiquitous issue for property owners across New Jersey, affecting rural communities, suburbs, and cities,” said Attorney General Platkin. “My team is proud to work with DEP Commissioner LaTourette and his staff on these important cases affecting overburdened neighborhoods, and we are thrilled that we have been able to protect the public’s health and care for the environment through these and other cases.”
Commissioner LaTourette said the DEP remains focused on holding polluters accountable, particularly in communities historically impacted by environmental harm.
“The DEP remains committed to ensuring that those who have created an environmental injustice in overburdened neighborhoods, posing risks to human and animal health, are held accountable,” LaTourette said. “Low-income and minority communities have long borne the brunt of these injustices, which is why my DEP colleagues and I thank Attorney General Platkin and his team for their partnership to remedy these wrongs.”
Since 2018, the Office of the Attorney General and DEP have filed 80 civil environmental enforcement actions in overburdened communities under the Murphy Administration. More than three dozen have been resolved through settlements or favorable court judgments, resulting in over $31 million in penalties and damages for the state.
Somerset County Case: McFarland & Sons, Bridgewater Township
In Somerset County, DEP filed suit against McFarland & Sons, which operates a property at 555 West Union Avenue in Bridgewater. Officials said gasoline contamination was first detected in groundwater monitoring wells at the site in 1993.
After years of incomplete remediation efforts, DEP entered an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) with the company in 2008 requiring cleanup under state law. The agency alleges that McFarland & Sons has failed to comply and that the DEP continues to incur costs related to the site.
The lawsuit seeks to compel compliance with the ACO, recover cleanup costs, and enforce civil penalties totaling $91,200 for earlier violations of the Underground Storage of Hazardous Substances Act.
Settled Cases
In the settled cases, Sigma Realty agreed to pay a $117,500 civil penalty to resolve a 2022 DEP lawsuit over contamination at a former Ewing gas station. In Union City, MSCC and its owners agreed to remove underground storage tanks, remediate gasoline contamination, and pay $125,000 in penalties.
New Lawsuits
Other lawsuits were filed against Maybach Assets LLC in Newark, ARFA Enterprises in Sewell, Johnny’s Atlantic in Fairfield Township, and US Gas in Vineland City, addressing long-standing contamination issues and missed cleanup deadlines.
Officials said these cases are part of the state’s broader effort to enforce cleanup of petroleum contamination that poses risks to drinking water, soil, and public health.
“Through these enforcement actions, we are ensuring that polluters are held responsible for cleaning up the harm they caused,” Platkin said. “This work helps protect New Jersey’s environment and the people who live in these communities.”
