Did the Army Pollute Wampum Lake?

It's no secret that is contaminated. Just like the sign at the lake reads, the fish that swim there should not be on your dinner plate. The question for residents is just who is responsible for contaminants in the lake adjacent to Route 35.

Some believe that the lake, which is fed by two streams that run through Fort Monmouth, was polluted by the Army's work there. The Army disagrees and concedes no responsibilty for the lake, which is outside fort property.

One Eatontown resident, Brian Charnick, believes that with proper explanation, residents here will see that the Army is not the culprit. To that end, Charnick took the lead and drew up an application for a grant from the  to bring in a scientist to explain environmental data that the Army gathered about the area. Charnick is a member of the which is made up of citizens and Army officials, with the purpose of keeping residents in the loop about environmental clean-up at the fort that closed in September.

The grant, called a Technical Assistance for Public Participation (TAPP), is something the DOD awards to RABs after an installation closes. According to grant material, "TAPP allows community members to obtain objective, independent scientific and engineering support concerning the restoration process."  TAPP grants in the amount of up to $25,000 per year are awarded by the DOD, according to the brochure, who hires a contractor to meet with the board to assist them in "participating more fully in the cleanup process affecting DOD installations."

The grant does not pay for any new study of the site, but only for a contractor to review and explain to the public what data has already been gathered.

The department allows RABs to suggest contractors to do the work but maintains the final say. In his draft of the application, which the RAB approved at its quarterly meeting in Oceanport on Thursday, Charnick suggested Stephen Souza of Princeton Hydro, who he says is a "foremost expert in lake pollution."

Charnick said that the Army maintains that it did not pollute the lake, something he believes, but added that there are questions about the Army's data. "Residents that live at the lake don't believe it," he told Patch. "The purpose (of appyling for the TAPP) is to have an objective, respected third party review the data and explain to the general public that based on the regulations and the samples, the Army is not responsible."