Mahwah August 1, 2012 THE VILLADOM TIMES IV • Page 5 State DEP plans major cleanup of truck stop by Frank J. McMahon The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has advised that a major cleanup of the International Motor Plaza truck stop on Route 17 South in Mahwah is set to begin in September. Larry Ragonese, an NJDEP spokesman, advised Villadom TIMES last week that an environmental consulting firm has been hired, initial permits have been issued by the NJDEP, and a detailed plan has been prepared. That plan, he said, will include the excavation and removal of all the gasoline and diesel tanks on the site in three phases during which each gasoline delivery island will be addressed separately. Ragonese said the truck stop will remain open during the estimated six month project because there is no immediate threat to the Ramapo River or the township’s water supply system. When the tanks are removed, he said, the soil will be tested and any soil that may contain contaminated fluids will be treated by a “pump and treat system” located on the site in case any groundwater or storm water comes in contact with the soil. The tanks will be cleaned inside and checked for any leaks and the older tanks that were put into the ground before the current regulations were enacted will be replaced. According to the spokesman, the cost of the cleanup is being paid by the truck stop’s owners. He noted that recent publicity about the truck stop and the approval of a $335,000 grant to Joseph Minuto, one of the site’s owners, to pay for the cleanup of the property, caused the NJDEP to retest all the wells in Mahwah. “All the wells tested beautifully and the water quality is terrific,” Ragonese reported. He added that the NJDEP has had a monitoring system in place on the site for over a decade and any leaks that may occur on the site are being picked up by that monitoring system. As a result, he said, nothing is leaving the site or causing a problem for the Ramapo River. He added that testing has been done on all the tanks at the site and, other than some minor needs to replace some valves or sensors, nothing was found (continued on page 14) Green Gators prevail The Mahwah Green Gators hockey team beat the yellow team in playoffs and went on to win the championship game against the red team in the Pee Wee division of Mahwah Street Hockey.