OCTOBER 2, 2019 • WWW.THEOBSERVER.COM • VOL. CXXXII, NO. 21
WATER WAR
COVERING: BELLEVILLE • BLOOMFIELD • EAST NEWARK • HARRISON • KEARNY • LYNDHURST • NORTH ARLINGTON • NUTLEY
Belleville’s Mayor demands free H2O filters for township’s residents from state & feds Photo by Teddy J. Lopez
By Kevin Canessa kc@theobserver.com
W
hile Belleville Mayor Michael Melham and the Township Council ponder whether to accept help from Essex County to fund replacement of its lead-based water lines, the mayor is calling on the federal and state governments to fund water filters for all residents. The township announced just last week that water levels in its schools were deemed safe. And, it has also previously announced residential water is safe to drink — for now. But this all comes on the heels of an announcement that one Belleville resident has tested positive for elevated lead levels. Clara Maass Medical Center is providing free lead tests for all Belleville residents, free of charge. Last week, Melham, other officials including Township Manager Anthony Iacono, hosted a press event in the parking lot of State Fair on Main Street. At the event, the mayor unveiled a billboard that faces Route 21 south and that invites residents to
See
WATER, 23
Sacco thrilled with court’s decision to keep Keegan Landfill closed
S
tate Sen. Nicholas Sacco, whose Senate Resolution encouraging the cap and closure of the Keegan Landfill will move forward in committee in the State Senate, says he’s very happy with a court’s decision Monday to keep the dump closed for good. “This is a great victory for Mayor (Al) Santos and the Town of Kearny,” Sacco said in a phone call with The Observer Monday afternoon. “Now that
the landfill is closed, it should be capped. I hope the NJSEA now sees the wisdom of capping the landfill as soon as possible.” Judge Jeff Jablonski handed down his ruling early Monday afternoon, Sept. 30. “Because the plaintiff has proven
clearly and convincingly that the condition at the landfill represents a clear and immediate danger and because the NJSEA’s substantively untested remedial efforts are temporary at best, and the success of those efforts are speculative, the SACCO proper exercise of discretion requires that the preliminary injunc-
tion be made final,” Jablonski wrote in his decision. Santos, meanwhile, says we’re not quite at the finish line. An impermeable cap is still needed. He says the NJSEA or NJDEP could order the cap be installed. He also suggests residents attend the Oct. 17 NJSEA meeting to demand the cap. See www.theobserver.com on Wednesday, Oct. 2, for a more extensive story. — Kevin Canessa
T
HIGHLIGHTS
With his bike, Mario lends support for Keegan closure
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