NJ DEP Confirms Schedler Berm Removal Was NOT Mandated—Village Chose Full Removal Due to Contamination, But What About Route 17 Safety?
The Schedler Berm Controversy: Mandate, Contamination, or Field Expansion?
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the ongoing project to remove the large earthen berm at the Schedler property in Ridgewood, NJ, has been framed by the Village as a necessary action. For months, the public was told that the removal of the structure—which would allow for a larger athletic field—was a direct DEP requirement.
However, recent communication with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) reveals a critical distinction: The removal itself was a Village of Ridgewood choice, not a state mandate. This clarification re-opens debate on the project’s true priorities, especially concerning a critical public safety component.
Myth Busted: The DEP Did Not Mandate Full Removal
The Village’s claim from August 2024—”Berm removal is a DEP requirement”—has been contradicted by the state agency itself.
According to a clarifying statement from the Bureau of Solid Waste Compliance & Enforcement’s (BSWC&E), their role was to ensure imported fill material did not meet the definition of solid waste (NJAC 7:26-1.6).
Here’s what the NJDEP actually told the public:
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Contamination Confirmed: Several soil samples chemically triggered the definition of solid waste, even though the berm looked visually clean.
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The Village’s Choice: The Village of Ridgewood, as the responsible party, was given two options:
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Conduct additional, expensive sampling to delineate and remove only the contaminated pockets.
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Forgo the expense and uncertainty and remove the entire berm.
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The NJDEP explicitly stated: “It is my understanding that the Village chose the latter.” This means the extensive, costly, and controversial excavation was a voluntary decision by the Village, not a government order. Furthermore, the public has yet to see the alleged cost comparison justifying the full removal over delineation.
🚧 The Forgotten Public Safety Risk: Protection from Route 17
Beyond the contamination issue, the berm’s original purpose presents a massive safety concern that must be addressed before permanent removal.
In 2015, the berm was constructed specifically for public safety based on a Ridgewood Police Department recommendation. It was a massive structure—approximately 6 1/2 feet tall and 17 feet wide—designed to mitigate vehicles barreling off of high-speed Route 17.
Former Mayor Ramon Hache reaffirmed this purpose in May 2025, stating the berm was built for protection, not to deliberately block field expansion.
The critical question for Ridgewood residents: If the berm is fully removed, what safety measures will be implemented to prevent errant vehicles from Route 17 from endangering the children, seniors, and athletes Mayor Vagianos intends to serve? Have the police weighed in on the removal of their recommended safety barrier?
🌳 The Long Battle for Schedler Park
The Schedler property has a long history of environmental and development conflicts:
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2017 Victory: The Village Council rescinded Resolution #15-257, saving the park from clear-cutting and preserving its historic significance and wildlife habitat—a huge win for neighborhood advocates.
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Current Push: Despite the history, Mayor Paul Vagianos stated in a November 2023 letter that the primary objective is to build a park with a full-sized playing field and other amenities to address the shortage of fields, claiming previous administrations failed to deliver.
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Environmental Neglect: Critics point out that thousands of dollars of shrubbery planted on the berm died by early 2023 due to neglect, high winds, and poor air quality, suggesting that environmental stewardship has been lacking.
With the DEP confirming the berm removal was a choice, not a mandate, the public debate must now pivot to: Is the need for an athletic field so urgent that it outweighs the original, police-mandated safety buffer against a major highway?
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This council lies. That’s all they know how to do. Really sad for the village of Ridgewood that Mayor Vagianos, Deputy Mayor Perron, and councilors Weitz, Winograd and Mortimer as well as Village Manager Kazmark are all part of the Mayor’s puppet show, are actively engaged in ruining the character of our village. Just watch.
A ballfield by the highway is something you’d see in Secaucus or Clifton….
Number , the Ridgewood Police Department has no authority of offering the safety of a berm on State Highway, Route 17 northbound. What experience and authorization does the police department have on what and what cannot stop a vehicle at that rate his speed is anyone in the department authorize on this scientific information.
Number two, what about the health and well-being of village employees that worked at that location. We’re talking about contaminated materials that could’ve gotten into fair blood and airways. We know the village has set aside a large amount of funds to pay for the removal of this contamination, what about setting aside funds for Towing we have employees that get sick, how come none of the employees have been properly contacted, notified by the town, by the health department, by the State DEB, no phone calls, no emails, no meetings, they are responsible for everyone’s self. Every time this subject comes up, they try to hide it. They should be ashamed of themselves. The shows everyone that they don’t give a damn about anyone. They never did they never will. But in the end, there’s the responsible. Like it or not. All we can say is do not trust any top officials from the village. They’re all sleeping in the same bed. If you think that all this dirty decisions, they make our bankrupting the town, way to that law suites come
Number three, how much is it going to cost to replace that soil perm, or put up offense, or a wall, or are they coming up with something else whichever it is going to cause big money. How about that?
they are doubling down on it – downs tree company’s tree workers are currently working there to move trees and they are not aware of the contamination / not wearing any masks.
And the person in charge of all this is still employed by the village. How can this be. There are rumor he may be retiring, leaving in the spring. Don’t know how true that is, he should be let out immediately as we speak. And who’s supposedly taking over for him. I’m sure it’s someone from the outside handpicked.
Not field envy.
It’s development envy.
Build out every inch, kill every tree, and turn this town into Fort Lee.
How about do not cater to the baseball group, they are the toxic mommies & daddies of Ridgewood. They demand, blackmail and pay off town coaches and leagues to get their ways. Enough is enough, this must stop. Their offspring are some of the worst of the worst in Ridgewood, nasty, mean and bad athletes but seem to get ahead by mommy & daddy crying at town meetings and making threats to Maroon’s etc. less not forget what they did this year, the dirty survey to fire a long time coach here in town all so tweedle dee and tweedle dumb could get on the elite team.
We stop officials are so full of shit. It’s amazing how people don’t scream and yell and call channel 12 news, this is what happens when a good majority of residents don’t give a shit. They don’t get involved. Well now it’s gonna cost big time tax money to fix this mess. And of course the village is gonna try to put it towards Insurance, that’s an insurance scam. Maybe they should put up a concrete wall for safety and sound, because that dirt pile looks like shit. What are you down in the Meadowlands? Give me a break. And whose cousin or relative is going to remove the soil. I’m sure that’s gonna be another inside job. We hear that the environmental lawyers for the employees are just typing away page of the page. The village should quit while they’re ahead, don’t even go to court, just get the checkbook ready oh yes.