75-Foot-High NJ Trash Heap Targeted By Authorities

VERNON, NJ — A giant trash dump in Vernon Township might finally be removed after years of complaints from residents and local officials, following an order filed in Superior Court by New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal.

"State law is crystal clear: No one has a right to operate an unlicensed solid waste dump, and especially not in a residential area. So today, we’re going after an operator to stop building his 75-foot-high pile of soil and solid waste and start removal of contaminants—immediately," Grewal said.

The Order To Show Cause alleges that Joseph Wallace has been using his Vernon property as an illegal dumping site. The order asks the court to ban any further dumping at the site, test for contaminants, and allow the Department of Environmental Protections to access the site.

"Today’s Order to Show Cause and the Notices of Violation issued on Wednesday are the culmination of several months of proactive investigation and the discovery of some contaminated soil at this site," said DEP Commissioner McCabe. "This legal action is intended to stop the accumulation of unpermitted solid waste at this site and to protect the environment in response to the concerns of Vernon residents."

Previous DEP testing of the soil found levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and lead above residential standards, leading the DEP to classify the property as an "unlicensed solid waste facility."

Wallace previously pleaded guilty to six counts of illegal dumping in New York, but defended his practices to NJ Advance Media, saying the materials in the pile posed no hazard to others.

NJDEP issues two notices of violation against Wallace this week: one for operating an unlicensed solid waste facility, and a second for not allowed NJDEP officials on his property.

NJDEP officials were reportedly near the pile on Friday, warning dump truck drivers not to leave any more waste at the site.

Neighbors told NJ Advance Media the dumping has been relentless over the past ten years, and the waste mountain slowly grew yo seven stories high. Many expressed concern runoff from the pile could be contaminating their well water and causing health problems.

The Attorney General's action comes a week after New Jersey Advance Media published a lengthy investigation into the property. You can read that report here.