In part two of this incredible investigation, RTK helps News 12 New Jersey uncover contaminants in some NJ soil post-Superstorm Sandy.

If you think you may have contaminated soil from Superstorm Sandy flooding, feel free to contact us at (800) 392-6468 to discuss, or click here.

Hurricane Sandy, often referred to as “Superstorm Sandy,” was one of the most destructive and expensive natural disasters in U.S. history. While it was technically a Category 1 hurricane at its peak, it transitioned into a massive post-tropical cyclone just before landfall, which allowed its “wind field” to grow to nearly 1,000 miles in diameter.

When did it happen?

Hurricane Sandy made landfall near Atlantic City, New Jersey, on the evening of October 29, 2012. The most intense impacts in the New York metropolitan area occurred between October 28 and October 30, 2012, fueled by a “perfect storm” of factors: the storm’s massive size, a sharp westward turn into the coast, and a landfall that coincided with a high spring tide and a full moon.

What parts of New York were affected?

While the entire state felt the impact, the coastal regions were devastated by a record-breaking 14-foot storm surge.

• Lower Manhattan: The Financial District and Battery Park were submerged, with water pouring into the subway system and the 14th Street Con Ed substation, causing a massive “blackout” below 34th Street.

• Staten Island: The Eastern and Southern shores (such as Oakwood Beach and Midland Beach) faced the brunt of the surge, resulting in the highest number of storm-related fatalities in the city.

• Queens: The Rockaway Peninsula was severely flooded and suffered a massive fire in Breezy Point that destroyed over 100 homes.

• Brooklyn: Neighborhoods like Coney Island, Red Hook, and Gowanus saw water reach several blocks inland.

• Long Island: Nassau and Suffolk counties experienced catastrophic damage to oceanfront homes, with Fire Island and the South Shore beaches permanently reshaped by erosion.

Environmental Impact: Water and Soil Contamination

Sandy didn’t just bring water; it brought a “toxic soup” of pollutants that lingered long after the floodwaters receded.

1. Water Contamination (The “11 Billion Gallon” Problem)

The most significant water quality crisis was the failure of the region’s wastewater infrastructure.

• Sewage Overflows: Record storm surges swamped low-lying sewage treatment plants (like the Bay Park facility on Long Island). An estimated 11 billion gallons of untreated or partially treated sewage flowed into New York and New Jersey’s waterways, including the Hudson River and Jamaica Bay.

• Chemical and Oil Spills: Flooding hit industrial zones and “Superfund” sites (like Newtown Creek and the Gowanus Canal). This caused petroleum, heavy metals, and industrial solvents to be pulled from the sediment and distributed into the surrounding water.

• Saltwater Intrusion: The surge pushed seawater miles inland, contaminating freshwater aquifers and coastal ponds, which disrupted local ecosystems for years.

2. Soil Contamination

Once the water evaporated, it left behind a layer of hazardous residue in parks, gardens, and residential yards.

• Heavy Metal Deposits: Sediments from the bottom of polluted canals were washed into neighborhood streets and onto private properties. Testing later found elevated levels of lead, arsenic, and hydrocarbons in the “gloop” left behind in flooded basements and yards.

• Soil Salinization: The extreme salt content of the seawater was “poison” to local vegetation. Urban farms (like Red Hook Labs) and thousands of trees across NYC died because the soil became too salty to support plant life.

• Petroleum Runoff: Leaking underground storage tanks (USTs) in residential basements and damaged industrial tanks (like the 336,000-gallon diesel spill at the Motiva refinery) saturated the soil with fuel oil, requiring extensive remediation.