ROSELAND - Black smoke filled the skies after an explosion at the Smitty's Supply facility a year ago, displacing people living within one mile of the site for over 24 hours, but some say the impact of the explosion would go on to linger for months and months.

"It's a nightmare that's still going on 365 days later," Pastor and founder of Powerhouse Praise and Worship Center, Marvin Vernon, said.

Pastor Vernon has been a voice for the community during a time where there have been many uncertainties. He says since the explosion, the people of Roseland have lost a lot.

"People lose their livestock, people lose pets, people cannot garden, their mental aspect of it has been affected," Pastor Vernon said.

For some, the explosion left a lasting impact on their bottom line. Roseland resident Paul Rhymes has his own grass cutting business.

He says before the explosion he would cut between 10 and 12 yards a week; now he only cuts between one and four yards a week.

"The atmosphere, and what's going on around here, you still can smell stuff," Rhymes said.

Many residents still question the long-term effects they may be up against in the future, considering the chemicals released in the air when Smitty's Supply went up in flames.

"We're concerned about the air quality, and we know possibly what could be in the soil; those are some of the concerns of all the chemicals that was released," Roseland Mayor Pro-tem Carollannia Johnson said.

And the effort to get more attention on what the Roseland community is still going through will continue.

"We're not going to sit here until we die. We are going to make a concerted effort to keep it alive, and I think that's what the proponents want us to do, is just sit back and business as usual, but the devil is a lie," Pastor Vernon said.

Pastor Vernon says he would like to see federal officials' feet on the ground in Roseland, assessing the chemicals and creating some sort of continuity plan for the future.