Governor Pledges Support Amid Keyport Health Worries

Is a story in Monmouth County becoming another "Toms River" like scenario here in New Jersey? Toms River became nationally known years ago because of serious concerns over a childhood cancer cluster tied to pollution and contaminated groundwater.

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I remember talking with Actor and Activist Alec Baldwin and interviewing him about groundwater contamination and cancer cluster issues here in New Jersey about 28 years ago, in 1998, when he was making a visit to the Toms River area to discuss the issue.

Families around town started noticing way too many kids getting sick with cancer, and over time, investigators began looking closely at chemical contamination tied to spots like the old Ciba-Geigy property and Reich Farm.

It turned into one of New Jersey’s biggest environmental controversies, with lawsuits, cleanups, and years of questions from residents who simply wanted to know if their drinking water played a role.

Honestly, I've been hearing about contamination concerns in this part of New Jersey since I was a kid growing up in Ocean County. Decades later, here we are again, and this time, the fears are centered in Keyport, in Monmouth County.

According to a new article from NJ.com, there is "a long list of unanswered questions about whether the cancer cases could be linked to the improperly sealed Aeromarine landfill and why the site hasn’t been properly cleaned up despite years of scientifically documented evidence."

What Is Governor Mikie Sherrill Saying About Health Concerns in the Keyport Area?

In the NJ.com story, Governor Mikie Sherrill said, "We are working very hard to look into what’s going on in Keyport, to do all the testing and the examination and investigation. And we’ll get to the bottom of it, and then we will put out a transparent report so that people know what to expect and how to be safe.”

The report added, "Scientists said more testing and analysis is needed to determine what, if any, links the poisons could have to the dozens of cancer cases that were detailed in the NJ.com special report earlier this month."

We will keep you up to date with more in future reports. Let's hope residents get the answers they need.