Eagle Recycling and North Bergen have reached a settlement following a court case in the Hudson County Superior court over the fire that occurred last month.
A resolution was passed at a very short North Bergen Commissioners’ Meeting Tuesday night acknowledging the acceptance of a settlement in the amount of $222,781.
According to town spokesman Phil Swibinski, the town sought money because of alleged safety violations at the facility. Swibinski equated the settlement to a fine.
The scheduled 11 a.m. meeting, which commenced 25 minutes behind schedule, lasted three minutes as Mayor Nicholas Sacco and the Commissioners voted on 10 separate resolutions. The most prominent matter was the conclusion of the Eagle Recycling lawsuit.
Eagle Recycling, at 4711 Dell Ave., bought the North Bergen facility in an auction in 2004. Since then, the company has had its share of fines and violations.
Last April, the company was fined $500,000 after pleading guilty for allegedly conspiring to violate the Clean Water Act and to defraud the United States, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York and the U.S. Justice Department’s Environment and the Natural Resource Division.
The U.S. attorney had alleged that the company dumped 8,100 tones pulverized construction and demolition debris on a farmer’s property in Frankfort, N.Y. The company had then allegedly tried to conceal the dumping by fabricating a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation permit.
On Feb. 16, Eagle Recycling was found in violation because it had “excess storage” inside their facility after a structure fire, according to a previous story in the Reporter.
There were also two fires at the facility on July 25, 2010 and Dec. 15, 2010, as well as other fires that North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue responded to.
Also, after OSHA conducted an inspection at the site in May 2009 and July 2010, it was found that Eagle Recycling had allegedly failed to correct numerous violations, including the need for power machines, exposing workers to hazards, not enough exit signs, and failure to provide respirators to employees with medical evaluations, according to a previous story in the Reporter. They also were cited for having a hole in the floor. The alleged infractions resulted in a $71,600 fine.
“It’s a property that’s had some problems over the years,” said Swibinski last month. “It’s a matter that we’re taking very seriously.”
School in Braddock Park?
Mayor Sacco and the commissioners also passed a resolution establishing a timeline for the temporary placement of school trailers for the education of public school pre-k students within a portion of North Hudson James J. Braddock Park. The placement will last at most for the remainder of the school year.
The resolution also calls for plans to establish a new site of the trailers. By Jan. 31, 2013, the design for a new site must be established.
According to the resolution, the park must be restored by Sep. 1, 2013.
Other affairs
Mayor Sacco and the Commissioners also passed a resolution acknowledging the award of an emergency contract to Gotthold Paving, LLC in the amount of $24,950. The company had been contracted after it was discovered that a storm sewer at 87th Street and Second Avenue had collapsed and was causing flooding in the area.
The commissioners also passed a resolution awarding an emergency contract to Reliable Tree Service, Inc. in the amount of $31,500. The company had been contracted to assist in removal services for the snowstorm on Oct. 29, 2011. The company worked for a total of nine days.
Stephen LaMarca may be reached at slamarca@hudsonreporter.com.