GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS 981216
Phil Reynolds
GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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<*> USCOA CHALLENGED ON DEEPENING THE DELAWARE
<*> EPA CLEANUP OF RADIOACTIVE DIRT IN GLOUCESTER CITY
<*> AUDUBON RELEASES REPORT FOR ESA'S 25TH ANNIVERSARY
<*> LAND & WATER CONSERVATION FUND SUMMIT - NY - JAN 20
<*> CONSERVATION GROUPS AMASS ACREAGE
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USCOA CHALLENGED ON DEEPENING THE DELAWARE
Date: 981216
From: http://ens.lycos.com/e-wire/december/dec159801.html
Tri-State Environmental Groups Join Forces To Stop Deepening of
Delaware River's Channel `Dump the Delaware Deepening' Defends Against
the Army Corps of Engineers
WASHINGTON CROSSING, Pa., Dec. 15 -/E-Wire/-- Several Delaware, New
Jersey and Pennsylvania organizations with missions to preserve the
environment and protect public health have joined forces to stop the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from going forward with plans to deepen
the shipping channel in the Delaware River and Bay. The groups have
united behind the "Dump the Delaware Deepening Alliance," a special
initiative of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network.
Among those participating in pilot meetings of the "Dump the Delaware
Deepening Alliance" include: American Littoral Society; Civic League
for New Castle County; Delaware Nature Society; Delaware Riverkeeper
Network; Delaware Wild Lands, Inc.; Delaware River and Bay Shoreline
Council; Fox Point Association; New Jersey and Delaware Audubon
Societies; New Jersey Environmental Society; Oldsman Creek Watershed
Association; Raccoon Creek Watershed Association; Ray Profit
Foundation; Salem County Watershed Task Force; Sierra Club of
Delaware; and others.
"The Army Corps of Engineers has ignored the individual voices of
groups protesting this ill-advised project. Together, with one strong
voice, we will be heard," said Maya van Rossum, the Delaware
Riverkeeper. "The Delaware Riverkeeper Network has been working since
1998 to protect and restore the Delaware River, its tributaries and
habitats. The Corps' deepening proposal would have devastating impacts
on water quality in the Delaware River, threaten sensitive aquatic
species, and impact the communities which live along and rely upon the
river. The projected economic benefits of the project are speculative
at best, and cannot justify the devastating environmental impact."
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has proposed deepening the existing
channel from its current depth of 40 feet to a new depth of 45 feet.
While proponents of the project, including the Delaware River Port
Authority, assert the tri-state region will benefit economically, the
Corps of Engineers' own documents conclude that the channel deepening
project will not result in any increase in shipping tonnage.
Independent analyses show the project is likely to have a negative
benefit-cost ratio.
"The Corps' plan is wrong in every aspect," said van Rossum. "First,
deepening the channel will bring to the surface pollutants and toxins
long buried in the riverbed. Blasting will occur perilously close to
the South Jersey aquifer -- within five feet of the water supply for
hundreds of thousands of South Jersey residents. And deepening has the
potential to greatly harm fish, plant and bird life in the river and
bay."
According to the ecologist of Delaware Wild Lands, Inc., Peter
Martin, the groups are united in opposition to the channel deepening
project for other reasons too. "The Army Corps of Engineers projects
the oil companies will be the chief beneficiaries of a deepened
channel -- receiving 80 percent of the projected benefits. Yet some
oil companies will contribute nothing to the costs of the deepening,
and in fact, have stated they have no intention to spend the hundreds
of thousands of dollars necessary to deepen their private channels and
berths, or re-engineer their docks to take advantage of the deepening.
"The real cost of the project is much higher than the Corps' $300
million estimate, which is based on figures more than 10 years old.
The promise of more jobs for the region is an empty one; any new jobs
would be temporary, and likely go to out-of-the-area contractors. And
finally, it is a myth that the deepened channel will bring larger
ships. Even at 45 feet, the channel would be too shallow, as newer,
larger ships require a channel at least 55 feet deep," said Martin.
"Dump the Delaware Deepening Alliance" intends to conduct an active
and aggressive public information and education campaign to focus the
attention of our elected officials on the mounting public opposition
to the deepening project. New groups align themselves with the
Alliance each week. Anyone opposed to the misguided plan to deepen the
Delaware's shipping channel is welcome to join this project by calling
1-800-8DELAWARE," said van Rossum.
"The channel deepening project is bad for the environment, does not
address long-term economic development, and does nothing to expand
business or create permanent jobs in this region," she said.
The Delaware Riverkeeper Network is a non-profit membership
organization whose mission is to protect and restore the Delaware
River, its tributaries and habitats. With more than 6,500 members, the
Riverkeeper organization works throughout the entire Delaware River
watershed, including portions of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
and Delaware.
SOURCE Delaware Riverkeeper Network
CONTACT: Maya van Rossum of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network,
215-369-1188, Peter Martin of the Delaware Wild Lands, 302-934-8310/
or Richard Steady, Manager, Regulatory Affairs, Maritrans, Inc. Mr.
Steady can be reached for comment at 215-492-5429
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EPA CLEANUP OF RADIOACTIVE DIRT IN GLOUCESTER CITY
Date: 16 Dec 1998
From: KAREN DELLY {DELLY...@epamail.epa.gov}
EPA STARTS CLEANUP OF LOW-LEVEL RADIOACTIVE DIRT AT PUBLIC PARK IN
GLOUCESTER CITY, NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK, N.Y. Starting this week and over the next two weeks, the
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will remove soil
tainted with thorium and uranium from a section of a Gloucester City
public park as a precautionary measure. The waste, which could be a
potential health hazard to people who come in contact with it over
long periods of time, may have been deposited in the park for use as
fill. It was left by the Welsbach Company which processed an ore
containing thorium for use in manufacturing gas lamp mantles in
Gloucester City from the late 1890s to the early 1940s. The excavated
soil will be temporarily stored in sealed containers at a city-owned
vacant lot where public access has been restricted until EPA can ship
it to an off-site disposal facility within about six weeks. Once
excavation work is completed, EPA will refill the area with clean soil
and replant it. The Agency will spend close to $1 million to complete
this action at the Wellsbach/General Gas Mantle Contamination federal
Superfund site.
"While health experts believe the risk from the radioactive waste is
relatively low, we prefer to eliminate the risk and get the material
out of there," EPA Regional Administrator Jeanne M. Fox explained. "We
will continue to work closely with Mayor Sandi Love's office, which is
providing local support during the course of this action," she added.
Last April, EPA found the contamination in a roughly 65 by 85-foot
section of the park southwest of the tennis courts, near the jogging
track along the Conrail right-of-way and adjacent to the Memorial
Little League Field. The Agency discovered the material during its
investigation of six areas identified by the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection as likely locations where radioactive waste
may have been disposed of in connection with the federal Superfund
site. EPA is planning to hold a public meeting in Gloucester City
early next year to discuss the results of its investigation of the
site.
BACKGROUND
The extraction process used by Welsbach removed only a portion of the
thorium from the ore, leaving behind some thorium in the waste
material. Radioactive elements such as thorium are unstable and can
only become stable by releasing energy. Thorium releases energy in the
form of alpha particles, beta particles or gamma radiation. The
radioactive decay also forms radon gas. Radon gas is odorless,
colorless and tasteless and can be harmful if people are exposed to it
over many years. Gamma radiation may pose health problems to people
who come in contact with the wastes over long periods of time.
(#98171) Wednesday, December 16, 1998
Rich Cahill (212) 637-3666
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AUDUBON RELEASES REPORT FOR ESA'S 25TH ANNIVERSARY
Date: 16 Dec 1998
From: Mary MINETTE {mmin...@AUDUBON.ORG}
ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT - 25 YEARS OLD
ARK TO THE FUTURE WORKING BUT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT SAYS NEW REPORT
December 16, 1998
Washington, DC---National Audubon Society today released Ark to the
Future: 25 Years of the Endangered Species Act praising the successes
of the Act and outlining needed changes as the 25th Anniversary of the
Endangered Species Act approaches on December 28.
"The Endangered Species Act is one of the most significant
environmental laws passed in the United States," said Daniel P. Beard,
Senior Vice President for Public Policy. "The ESA is literally an Ark
for many species to survive into the next century, including the Bald
Eagle and the California Condor."
Though the ESA was created 25 years ago, Congress has not
reauthorized the Act for more than 5 years. Ark to the Future
demonstrates that the Act has made a real difference in saving
species. Yet, ESA has been consistently under funded and has been
subjected to attacks by so-called property rights advocates.
"As well as the ESA has worked, improvements such providing private
landowners with incentives to protect species are essential to ensure
the ESA is the Ark to the Future," said Beard. "Reauthorizing the ESA
would be a perfect anniversary gift from the Congress."
The report recommends the following improvements to the Endangered
Species Act. Species should not be permitted to decline to the brink
of extinction, a point when conservation and recovery measures may be
both difficult and costly, or worse unsuccessful.
Reauthorization of the Act must include new, more proactive tools to
promote the recovery of species on federal lands.
Requirements for Habitat Conservation Plans must be strengthened to
ensure that they are consistent with the recovery of listed species.
Amendments to the Act should encourage municipalities and state
agencies to engage in large regional planning efforts to conserve the
endangered ecosystems that are home to listed species. Such efforts
are a more efficient use of scarce resources and offer a better means
of dealing with species decline across an entire landscape than do
piecemeal plans with small, individual landowners.
The ESA should be amended to provide more incentives to landowners
that manage their land to protect and conserve listed and declining
species.
With over a million members and supporters in 518 chapters throughout
the Americas, the mission of the National Audubon Society is to
conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other
wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the
earth's biological diversity.
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LAND & WATER CONSERVATION FUND SUMMIT - NY - JAN 20
Date: 16 Dec 1998
From: Tom Gilbert {tgil...@igc.org}
FOR OUR CHILDREN: RESTORING THE LAND & WATER CONSERVATION FUND
SUMMIT MEETING
Swyer Theatre at the Egg
Empire State Plaza
Albany, New York
January 20th, 1999
9 AM - 3:30 PM
The Land and Water Conservation Fund:
In 1964, Congress created the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
to protect lands of oustanding natural, recreational and historic
value, and to provide matching grants to state and local government to
support aquisition and development of park and recreation projects.
Since that time, LWCF has helped to protect nearly 7 million acres of
land and more than 37,000 state and local projects. Despite the
growing demand for open space protection and outdoor recreation, in
recent years Congress has diverted most of the fund to other uses, and
provided little or no money to state and local governments.
About the Summit:
On January 20th, open space, park and recreation advocates from
throughout New York and neighboring states will gather in Albany to
learn about the legacy of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and how
they can help to restore full funding to protect America’s most
special places. Attendees will have an opportunity to hone their
skills in communicating with elected officials, working with the
media, and building support for local land protection and park
development efforts. Participants and speakers will include:
U.S. Rep. Sherwood L. Boehlert (invited)
Theodore Roosevelt IV, State Park Commissioner for NYC
Alexander E. Treadwell, NYS Secretary of State
Bernadette Castro, Commissioner NYS Parks
John P. Cahill, Commissioner NYSDEC
Henry Diamond
Bob Stanton, Director, National Parks Service (invited)
Jane Danowitz, Americans for Our Heritage and Recreation
Hal Hiemstra, TEA – 21 Enhancements
David Miller, National Audubon Society NYS
Carol Ash, Nature Conservancy
Mark F. Rockefeller, Chair, Taconic Park Commmission
And others
This event is being hosted by the Empire State Task Force for Land
and Water Conservation Funding with financial support from the
following organizations:
Americans for Our Heritage and Recreation, Appalachian Mountain Club,
Canal Corporation, Laurance S. Rockefeller Fund, National Audubon
Society NYS, Nature Conservancy, NYS Conference of Mayors and
Municipal Officials, NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, NYS
Dept. of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation, NYS Dept. of
State, Open Space Institute, Park and Conservation Society, Recreation
and Park Society, Scenic Hudson, Trust for Public Land and others.
How to Register:
Space is limited and will be provided in the order registrations are
received. Please return the attached form by Jan. 6, 1999. The
registration fee is $20 per person to cover the cost of lunch and
refreshments. (Please make checks payable to the Natural Heritage
Trust/ LWCF.) For more information, contact Albert Caccese, NYS Parks,
at 518-474-0402 or Tom Gilbert, AMC/ AHR, at 609-818-1776.
(clip and send form below)
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___Yes, I want to attend For Our Children: Restoring the Land and
Water Conservation Fund.
___Sorry, I am unable to attend, but please let me know how I can help
to restore the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Name _________________________________________________________________
Organization _________________________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________________________
City/State/Zip _______________________________________________________
Tel/Fax/Email ________________________________________________________
Lunch Sandwich Preference (please circle):
Turkey Italian Vegetarian
Please mail to:
Empire State Task Force
c/o NYS Parks Dept.
Empire State Plaza
Agency Bldg. #1, 13th Floor
Albany, NY 12238
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Accommodations:
The following hotels have agreed to provide a special lodging rate on
Jan. 19th. Please reserve by Jan. 2nd and mention that you are with
the LWCF Summit group.
WINGATE INN ($68) 518-869-9100 (near airport)
DESMOND INN ($99) 518-869-8100 (near airport)
OMNI HOTEL ($129) 518-462-6611 (in town, 3 block from E.S.P.)
(Parking is available in the Empire State Plaza and surrounding areas)
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CONSERVATION GROUPS AMASS ACREAGE
Date: 981216
From: http://www.infobeat.com/stories/cgi/story.cgi?id=2557596878-964
By Larry Gerber, Associated Press Writer
YUCAIPA, Calif. (AP) _ From expanses of cactus in California to bird
sanctuaries in Illinois and tiny flower gardens in Pennsylvania, a new
breed of landowner is amassing acreage, with nary a bulldozer or
architect in sight.
The idea is to prevent pavement and preserve open space, and it's all
built on trust. Actually, lots of trusts.
Land trusts and conservancies in the United States _ now 1,213 of
them actively buying land and brokering "conservation easements" from
private owners _ have preserved 5 million acres, more than twice the
amount of just 10 years ago, according to the Washington-based Land
Trust Alliance. If the holdings were merged, they would exceed the
square mileage of New Jersey.
And that doesn't include an additional 10 million acres preserved by
the "nationals," organizations that have long specialized in wildlife
or farmland protection.
"You've got to celebrate," said Martha Nudel, spokeswoman for the
Land Trust Alliance. "I think the common thread is wanting to save the
historical, the natural, the cultural resources of the community, and
common to those endeavors is land. It's the single resource that, once
developed, you can't bring back."
The largest public-private conservation deal in U.S. history was
announced last week _ the purchase of more than 296,000 acres
scattered across the forested northern tier of New York state, Vermont
and New Hampshire.
The Conservation Fund, based in Arlington, Va., will pay the Champion
International paper company $76.2 million, besting at least 10 other
bidders, including developers, foreign investors, timber funds and
Wall Street investment partnerships.
One-third of the land, encompassing vital river corridors, will be
sold to the state and federal governments for permanent preserves. The
rest will be sold to private owners with deed restrictions allowing
recreational access and only environmentally sensitive logging.
Across the country, the largest land preservation deal in California
history was initiated this month by the Wildlands Conservancy, based
in the foothills 80 miles east of Los Angeles.
Supported mostly by wealthy, anonymous donors, the conservancy
offered $52 million for 430,000 acres parceled out
checkerboard-fashion in and around Joshua Tree National Park and the
Mojave National Preserve.
Catellus Development Corp., a descendant of the Southern Pacific
Railroad, owns most of the land and recently posted it for sale and
development. The conservation deal is still in preliminary stages and
needs federal approval as well as $36 million in "leveraged" money
from the national Land and Water Conservation Fund.
If it goes through, the conservancy would donate 742 square miles to
the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
Inhabited mostly by coyotes, hawks, eagles and the endangered desert
tortoise, the parcels are land that people haven't wanted until now,
said Dave McIlnay, branch chief of lands for the BLM in California.
"That's why in those areas we still have good quality wilderness," he
said.
The Wildlands Conservancy is hoping to break its own record. About
two years ago, the group put together California's largest privately
owned nature sanctuary, the 87,000-acre Wind Wolves Preserve 80 miles
north of Los Angeles.
But little deals are often as crucial as big deals, Nudel said.
Tom Hutchinson of Godfrey, Ill., a little town across the Mississippi
River from St. Louis, last June gave 42 acres to local conservancies,
who turned them over to the birds. Hutchinson's donation was linked to
an existing nature preserve to create a 388-acre sanctuary in one of
the Midwest's prime roosting areas for bald eagles.
Some trusts create habitat for people rather than animals. The
Neighborhood Gardens Association in Philadelphia owns 20 communal
flower and vegetable gardens and holds long-term leases on two others
on inner-city vacant lots. Total acreage: 8.
Rather than watch trash pile up where businesses or row houses are
demolished, residents band together to grow food or flowers, said
Claire Power, executive director of the 12-year-old association.
The group doesn't try to create gardens, she said. It waits for
gardeners to get organized and ask for help. The gardeners must sign
agreements to keep the lots under cultivation and cleaned up in the
winter months. Many gardeners donate their crops to the poor, Power
said, and communal gardening creates a sense of neighborhood where
it's often in short supply.
City people "want the same quality of life as the guy in the suburbs
who's got a quarter-acre," Power said. "Row homes do not provide green
space."
In California, Wildlands Conservancy executive director David Myers
envisions a network of preserves that will allow wildlife to roam
hundreds of miles among national parks and existing preserves in
California.
In the end, though, people will be big winners, too, he said. The
Wildlands Conservancy now buses about 30,000 city school children to
its nature preserves each year.
"They get up here and they don't have a vocabulary for what they
see," Myers told a visitor at his headquarters. "They see a stream and
ask you if they can play in the gutter."
People seek solitude for inspiration, and if California's biggest
land deal works, Myers said: "Hopefully we'll get a little more bang
for our buck than just saving the desert tortoise. Hopefully we'll get
some poets and philosophers and writers out of it, too. Not to
diminish the desert tortoise, of course."
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Back issues of the Garden State EnviroNews are available at
http://www.gsenet.org/library/11gsn/11gsn.htm
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