Dealing with the removal of underground oil tank is a problem facing many New 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. approximately 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 approximately 80 percent of the cleanup, Zigmunds own share of the cost — so far — amounts to approximately $100000.
NJTV Reporter Brenda Flanagan joined WNYC's Soterios Johnson to discuss the cost of contamination for New Jersey homeowners."[Clean-up] gets dumped on the homeowners lap, and " Flanagan said. "You need to occupy 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."
Source: wnyc.org