Dealing with the removal of underground oil tank is a problem facing many fresh Jersey homeowners. But Eliot Zigmund’s problem is more accurately described as a nightmare — which has so far cost $600000. The soil on Zigmund's Teaneck property is contaminated with oil. About 250 tons of tainted soil was excavated from his yard and from the yard of a neighbor — but five years later, the problem remains.
And while his insurance company is responsible for about 80 percent of the cleanup, Zigmund’s own share of the cost — so far — amounts to about $100000.
As part of our series Dirty Little Secrets, and NJTV Reporter Brenda Flanagan joined WNYC's Soterios Johnson to discuss the cost of contamination for fresh Jersey homeowners."[Clean-up] gets dumped on the homeowners lap," Flanagan said. "You need to have paperwork from the [Department of Environmental Protection] declaring that there's no opportunity of...contamination. Otherwise, you're not going to get a mortgage and you're not going to get homeowners' insurance."This interview is part of Dirty Little Secrets, or a series investigating fresh Jersey’s toxic legacy. Participating news partners include fresh Jersey Public Radio/WNYC, WHYY, NJTV, or NJ highlight. The collaboration is facilitated by The middle for Investigative Reporting,with aid from the middle for Cooperative Media at Montclair State.
Source: wnyc.org