New Jersey Federal Creosote

Site Description:

The Federal Creosote Site occupies approximately 53 acres in a highly developed residential/commercial area in the Bourough of Manville in Somerset County, New Jersey.  The Site was operated as a wood treatment facility from approximately 1910 to the mid 1950s.  The original wood treatment facility occupied approximately 53 acres.  Operations focused on treatment of railroad ties with coal tar creosote.  In the early 1960’s, approximately 15 acres of the Site were developed as a shopping mall for commercial and retail use.  In the early to mid-1960, approximately 35 acres of the site were developed for 137 single-family homes.  This area is currently known as the Claremont Development.

The Site is bordered to the west by a variety of commercial uses including the Rustic Mall, which occupies 17 acres of the historical wood-treating property.  To the north, on the opposite side of the Lehigh Railroad tracks is the former Johns-Manville property.  The Johns-Manville property is currently being redeveloped into a variety of commercial and retail uses, including automobile transshipment, warehousing, and large retail stores.  To the south, on the opposite side of the Reading Railroad tracks, the area is primarily residential.  The Claremont development is serviced with public water and sewer.  There are no open streams or drainage ways (other than storm sewers) within the residential development.  The Millstone River is located approximately ¼ mile south of the Site and the Raritan River is located approximately ½ mile north of the Site.

This site is being addressed through Federal and State actions.