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County Officials Seek To Remedy Mystery Odor
Something stinks for some residents of Ocean and Monmouth counties.
In response to phone calls to their office of alarmed constituents, Senator Leonard T. Connors Jr., Senator-elect Christopher J. Connors and Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf wrote the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) last week inquiring as to the status of the department's investigation into the source of an odor permeating through the two counties.
The 9th District delegation's letter was an official follow-up communication to a conference call with a DEP official. In the letter, the 9th District lawmakers made the following comments:
"This is to confirm our telephone conference call regarding the strange odor reported by residents of Ocean County. Concerned residents from Ocean Township to Toms River have contacted our
Mystery Odor
9th Legislative District to report the odor and inquire as to its origin," the letter stated.
It has been reported that the chemical odor stems from the neighboring Velero Refinery in Plainsboro.
"According to a report in today's edition of the Asbury Park Press (January 4), the odor is possibly emanating from a refinery in Gloucester County, as the result of a discharge from a non-toxic additive," the letter stated. "It is our care and understanding that the DEP is actually investigating to ascertain the precise source of the odor, which includes activating the resource of the emergency response office, as well as other departmental resources."
The 9th District legislators want to get to the bottom of the odor before it becomes a lingering, ongoing problem for the entire community.
"Our office would appreciate updates on the DEP's investigation, and most importantly, to be informed as to whether a determination is made if there is any health risk associated with the odor/fumes," the legislators wrote. "Certainly our office will apprise you of any additional information which is provided to us by residents."
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