N.J. To Make Cars Rise From The Water

New Jersey State Police plan to pull submerged vehicles out of the Hackensack River next month in an effort to reduce pollution and prosecute owners of abandoned vehicles.

Members of the Hackensack Riverkeeper organization have been working with state police to locate the submerged cars and trucks.

Environmentalists say dozens have been shoved into the lower Hackensack over the years, polluting the river with gasoline, oil and antifreeze.

"As [the cars and trucks] deteriorate they add even more pollution to the river," said Bill Sheehan, head of the Hackensack Riverkeeper organization, told NorthJersey.com.

"It makes a good statement to the community that we're working with the state police to get these cars out of here. It also shows that we're not going to tolerate this."

State police scanned the river bottom with sonar devices this week to pinpoint their exact location. Divers and underwater robots will be employed to secure the vehicles and attach air bags to lift them to the surface so they can be pulled to shore and hauled off.