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GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS 040603

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Jun 2, 2004, 11:25:59 PM6/2/04

040603

GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
{*} POWER PLANTS #1 SOURCE OF AIR POLLUTION IN NORTH AMERICA
{*} SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY AWASH IN WATER, DEP SAYS
{*} WELL LAW MULLED BY LAMBERTVILLE
{*} PLANS FOR MOTORSPORTS COMPLEX IN SOUTH JERSEY
{*} BATTLE OVER ORGANIC STANDARDS CONTINUES
{*} CHEMICALS AFFECT CHILDRENS' BRAINS
{*} FREED PET FISH THREATEN NATIVE SPECIES
{*} CLIFTON PLANNERS SEEK MORE TIME ON QUARRY PLAN
{*} LAKEWOOD CHANGING FROM SUBURB TO CITY
{*} NJFUTURE FACTS - JUNE 1, 2004 EDITION
{*} A NEW LEAF FOR THE CITIES
{*} THE CICADAS ARE COMING
{*} TOUR DE SOL - VEGGINATOR FRIES THE COMPETITION
{*} VERSION 2.0 OF NJ'S LANDSCAPE PROJECT AVAILABLE
{*} GROUP LAUNCHES WATERFRONT EFFORT WITH BOOK AND NY EVENTS
{*} ORADELL'S FINAL VOTE FOR HIGHPOWER LIGHTING - JUN 7
{*} SIERRA CLUB LOANTAKA GROUP MEETING - JUN 9

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POWER PLANTS #1 SOURCE OF AIR POLLUTION IN NORTH AMERICA

Date: 2 Jun 2004
From: "Jeffrey Brown" {glj...@verizon.net}

ELECTRIC POWER PLANTS #1 SOURCE OF TOXIC
AIR POLLUTION IN NORTH AMERICA

2 June 2004

Montreal - Electric power plants are the number one toxic air
polluter in North America, accounting for almost half of all
industrial air emissions in 2001, says a new report by the Commission
for Environmental Cooperation (CEC).

The findings are part of Taking Stock 2001, the trinational
organization's annual report on chemical pollution from industrial
facilities. The report compares data submitted to the Canadian and
United States federal governments by 21,254 facilities, which monitor
their releases of toxic chemicals, including carcinogens and
neurotoxicants to the air, land and water.

According to the data, 46 of the top 50 air polluters in North
America were power plants. The sector generated 45 percent of the
755,502 tonnes of toxic air releases in 2001, with hydrochloric and
sulfuric acids being the chemicals most commonly released from the
burning of coal and oil. Power plants also accounted for 64 percent
(43,384 kg) of all mercury air emissions, mainly from coal combustion.

Overall in North America, air releases decreased by 18 percent from
1998 to 2001. However, air releases, including smokestack emissions,
continued to account for almost two-thirds of the chemicals released
by companies on-site. For electric power plants, the decrease in toxic
air releases was half the rate of other sectors over the same time
period.

"We're still pumping more chemicals into the air than all other
methods of release combined. We've shown that it's possible to reduce
pollution, but cleaner air requires industry, government and the
public to work together for cleaner fuels, conservation and more
renewable energy," says William Kennedy, executive director of the
CEC.

Taking Stock's analysis of the 204 chemicals common to both the
Canadian and US reporting systems revealed that 1.4 million tonnes of
chemicals were released into the environment in North America in 2001.
Another 1.5 million tonnes were transferred to recycling, energy
recovery and treatment facilities.

In the United States, three coal-fired power plants reported the
largest toxic air releases in 2001: CP&L Roxboro Steam Electric Plant
in Semora, North Carolina, Reliant Energy's Keystone Power Plant in
Shelocta, Pennsylvania, and Georgia Power Bowen Steam Electric
Generating Plant in Cartersville, Georgia. These three plants each
reported more than 7,400 tonnes of toxic air releases and were
responsible for over seven percent of the total toxic air releases in
the US. Reliant also recorded the largest on-site air emissions of
mercury (819 kg) of any power plant in Taking Stock.

In Canada, a single facility is responsible for eight percent of all
toxic air emissions: Ontario Power Generation's Nanticoke Generation
Station. The coal power plant was also responsible for the second
largest on-site air releases of mercury (226 kg) by a Canadian
electrical facility, following Alberta's TransAlta Corporation's
Sundance Thermal Generating Plant at 270 kg.

Taking Stock 2001 is the eighth report of the series to compare
industrial pollution sources in North America. The report is intended
to help identify opportunities for pollution reduction, and is based
upon the pollution inventories of the United States and Canada. Mexico
does not yet require reporting, but is expected to announce a
mandatory and publicly accessible pollutant release and transfer
registry (PRTR) in the near future.

Do you have a question about a particular facility, industrial
sector, province or state? The Taking Stock Online web site
{www.cec.org/takingstock} allows users to customize reports by
chemical, facility, sector or geographic region.

- - -

For more information, please contact:

Spencer Tripp
Commission for Environmental Cooperation
Tel: (514) 350-4331

Francois Lavallace
Environment Canada
Tel: (819) 994-4073

C. Maricruz Rodriguez Gallegos
Semarnat
Tel: + (52) 55 5624 3470

John Dombrowski
Environmental Protection Agency
Tel: (202) 566-0742

Commission for Environmental Cooperation
393, rue St-Jacques Ouest, Bureau 200
Montreal (Quebec) Canada H2Y 1N9
Tel: (514) 350-4300; Fax: (514) 350-4314
Email: in...@ccemtl.org
Web site: http://www.cec.org

# # #

Jeffrey Brown
Executive Director
Global Learning, Inc.
400 Union Avenue
Brielle, NJ 08730-1820
Tel. 732-528-0016
FAX 732-528-1027
Email: glj...@verizon.net

Global Learning web site:
http://www.globallearningnj.org

New Jersey Sustainable Schools Network:
http://www.globallearningnj.org/SSN.htm

Libraries Build Sustainable Communities:
http://www.ala.org/sustainablecommunities

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SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY AWASH IN WATER, DEP SAYS

Date: 040602
From: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/

By Thomas Barlas, Staff Writer, (609) 272-7201
Press of Atlantic City, May 31, 2004

Go ahead - water the lawn, wash the car and hose down the young ones
if they overheat.

Southern New Jersey goes into summer with a water supply that has
recovered from the droughts of 2001 and 2002, according to state
officials.

While providing no specific statistics, state officials say
monitoring wells throughout the region for both deep and shallow
aquifers show water levels running mostly above average. An aquifer is
an underground sandy region that retains water, and aquifers are the
region's primary water sources.

Southern New Jersey reservoirs, which play less of a water-supply
role than they do in the northern half of the state, are also filled,
they said.

As of May 26, official drought indicators used by the state
Department of Environmental Protection, or DEP, for precipitation,
stream flow, reservoir condition and ground water are all rated near
or above normal for the Coastal South Drought Region. That region
includes all of Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties as well as
parts of Ocean, Burlington, Gloucester, Camden and Salem counties.

The region's "declared drought status" earned a normal rating - the
best rating available - for the 62nd consecutive week.

"They way things look now, we're in pretty good shape for the
summer," said Steve Doughty, a policy analyst with the DEP's Water
Supply Administration.

The water-supply news is also followed by a an obligatory "but" - as
in, but what eventually happens this summer all depends on the
weather, especially if the state is hit with an extended dry spell.

State climatologist David Robinson said, "no one wants to make that
call" when it comes to weather.

So while no drought regulations are imminent, New Jersey officials
continue urging residents to use water wisely and conserve as much as
possible.

"The educator in me hopes we've learned some lessons as we've gone
through those drought periods," said Robinson, a professor at Rutgers
University. "I hope people have learned how to manage their water.

"We can slide into trouble pretty quickly."

New Jersey suffered through extremely dry summers in 2001 and 2002,
prompting the state to impose water-use restrictions on everything
from irrigation to operating ornamental fountains.

The state also temporarily halted construction in the Pinelands
growth-designated Atlantic County municipalities of Egg Harbor,
Galloway and Hamilton townships, where out-of-control development
threatened to further stress water supplies.

The state is still considering short- and long-term water use
regulations for the region as it continues to grow and steadily sucks
more water from the aquifers.

However, the water-supply situation for the region appears fine for
this summer, thanks in part to two wet winters and one soggy summer.

According to Robinson, precipitation levels for the past 12 months
are running above average, with 8.3 inches in Atlantic County, 7.4
inches in Cape May County, 10.2 inches in Cumberland County and 2.6
inches in Ocean County.

The bulk of that excess came during the last seven months of 2003, as
precipitation levels for the first five months of 2004 are at best
average - despite the impression that 2004 is wet year.

"This has not been a banner year for precipitation, but there's
nothing of concern at this point," Robinson said.

That includes Hamilton, Egg Harbor and Galloway townships.

A study of monitoring-well averages since 1959 shows current well
levels "above the average," said Eugene Petit, chief engineer with the
Atlantic County Utilities Authority.

"We're doing very well," he said. "Mother Nature works. The
hydrologic cycle works."

The next step is to get state residents to further conserve water,
according to officials throughout the sate.

Water use - especially indoor water use - is better now than it was
20 to 30 years ago, Robinson said.

But outdoor water use - primarily lawn watering - still needs to be
addressed, he said.

* * *

To email Thomas Barlas at The Press: TBa...@pressofac.com

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WELL LAW MULLED BY LAMBERTVILLE

Date: 040602
From: http://www.zwire.com/

THE ORDINANCE IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT
HOMEOWNERS' WELLS FROM NEW SUBDIVISIONS

By Linda Seida , Beacon Staff Writer, 06/02/2004

Lambertville - A proposed ordinance designed to protect homeowners'
wells from new subdivisions has received further consideration from
the City Council as officials agreed to spell out requirements that
must be met by developers who appear before the Planning Board and the
Zoning Board of Adjustment.

Such an ordinance is needed, Planning Board Chairman Timothy Korzun
said, because now there are "no standards other than the general
standards of land use law."

Without a well ordinance in place, governing bodies such as the
Planning Board have to encourage developers' compliance in notifying
neighbors of their intent to dig new wells in the area.

"Until now, they didn't have to do it," Mr. Korzun said.

Vincent Uhl, a hydrogeologist and a member of the Environmental
Commission, said the proposed ordinance would apply to subdivisions of
between two and five units. It would have three main objectives, he
said.

First, the proposed ordinance would make sure applicants who appear
before the boards have enough water to carry out their plans. Second,
the ordinance would require testing to determine water quality and, if
necessary, outline whatever treatment would be required. Third,
developers would be required to determine the potential impact on
nearby wells.

Monitoring should be required for all wells less than 100 feet deep
and within 200 feet of the subdivision, and an inventory of wells
within those parameters should be required, Mr. Uhl said during a City
Council meeting May 24.

"It's a big issue in New Jersey: water quantity and quality," said
Councilwoman Cynthia Ege.

In Lambertville, not all areas are served by wells, but some are. The
protection of wells is particularly important in areas such as Cottage
Hill and the area behind the Lambertville-New Hope Ambulance and
Rescue Squad, according to Mr. Korzun.

The ordinance was scheduled for discussion again this week and could
be introduced then.

Quarry Street resident John Hencheck, who is not served by public
water, spoke against the proposed ordinance.

"Keep politics out of the water," he urged. "One of the main issues
here is it completely loses sight of the regulations in place in the
Department of Environmental Protection."

Mr. Korzun countered, "Nothing in this ordinance trumps anything done
by the DEP."

Mr. Korzun added, "I agree politics should not be an issue. At least
from a Planning Board perspective, we didn't think it was."

The proposed ordinance is necessary now, according to Mr. Korzun and
Mayor David Del Vecchio, because recent subdivisions have highlighted
the need for one.

"The Planning Board is getting enough feedback saying, 'Can't you do
something about this?' So this is a way to begin looking at it," Mayor
Del Vecchio said.

* * *

(c)PACKETONLINE

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PLANS FOR MOTORSPORTS COMPLEX IN SOUTH JERSEY

Date: 040602
From: http://www.nj.com/newsflash/jersey

DEVELOPERS UNVEIL PLANS FOR MOTORSPORTS COMPLEX IN S. JERSEY

Associated Press, 6/2/04

Millville - Cumberland County officials Tuesday endorsed a $100
million project that would bring a motorsports park and conference
center to an area near Millville Airport.

The complex will feature a 4.1-mile road course, three hotels,
restaurants, a college preparatory motorsports academy and other
amenities, developers Harvey Siegel and Lee Brahin said at a news
conference.

Siegel is owner of Virginia International Raceway Motor-sport Country
Club and Resort and Raceplex Industrial Park in Danville, Va.

The first phase of the project is expected to begin next spring or
summer and take about nine to 12 months to complete, Brahin said. The
whole project is expected to take five years to complete and take up
about 700 acres near the airport.

"This project fits Cumberland County and the region well," said Sen.
Nicholas Asselta, R-Cumberland, who began working on six years ago to
bring a motorsports facility to the area. "The economic impact will be
felt in the shore and as far as Camden County. I congratulate the
mayor and governing body for their commitment to stick with something
that will be so special for the area."

Other officials spoke of the effect the park would have on
Millville's downtown and airport.

"We spent 10 or more years trying to revitalize the downtown. Without
something like the motorsports park to bring in tourism, it could
dwindle," said Millville City Commissioner Joe Derella.

The Millville Airport and the park might benefit each other,
according to Donald Rainear, deputy director of the Delaware River and
Bay Authority, which operates the Millville Airport.

"It will attract affluent people who have planes or will charter
planes," Rainear said. "There will be more economic development at the
airport."

The project is expected to generate about $1 million a year for the
city after it is completed.

* * *

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BATTLE OVER ORGANIC STANDARDS CONTINUES

Date: 2 Jun 2004
From: "Peter Montague" {Pe...@rachel.org}

By Corie Brown, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer, June 2, 2004

A federal battle is brewing over the definition of organic food,
pitting the stalwarts in the industry, who insist that consumer
confidence rests on organic purity, against government officials
advocating compromise. For a $13-billion organic food industry
experiencing explosive growth, the stakes are high.

Neither side is ready to give much ground.

Last week, Round 1 in the battle ended in a black eye for the United
States Department of Agriculture. Under pressure from Congress and a
cohesive organic food industry, USDA Secretary Ann M. Veneman
rescinded four directives recently issued by her staff that would have
allowed certain exceptions to the current organic food standards,
established in 2002.

The idea was to clarify some gray areas in the regulations.
Specifically, the directives would have added pesticides of
questionable toxicity to the list of approved treatments for organic
crops, allowed the treatment of organic dairy cows with antibiotics
and permitted the use of fish meal, which may contain mercury,
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or both, as food for organic dairy
cows. Most troubling to the organic food industry, the USDA
sidestepped federally mandated reviews.

The USDA staff is not dropping the matter there.

Barbara Robinson, deputy administrator of the Agricultural Marketing
Service and the author of the directives, manages the National Organic
Program.

At the end of April, Robinson published the directives, intending,
she says, to clarify the regulations. "We had been asked many
questions about what was enforceable and thought the best way to
answer those questions was by posting these clarifications on our
website," she says.

She published the directives on the eve of the biannual meeting in
Chicago of the National Organic Standards Board, a legislatively
mandated body of private citizens who review what substances can, and
cannot, be allowed in food labeled organic.

Presented with the directives as a fait accompli, the board saw red.
"As I learned more about the directives, I became increasingly
concerned that the USDA was radically rewriting the standards without
outside comment," says Rebecca Goldburg, senior scientist at
Environmental Defense and a member of the board.

"All of the directives relaxed the standards, allowing things that
would never be considered organic," Goldburg says, noting that
allowing milk from dairy cows that have been treated with antibiotics
to be labeled organic was particularly problematic. "They were making
the standards much less stringent, devaluing the standards to make
them easier to meet."

After the Chicago meeting, the watchdog group Consumers Union sounded
the alarm, issuing press releases and rallying members to fight the
directives. Much of the rest of the organic food industry quickly
joined the chorus of protest.

"If you work with the [organic] industry, you realize there is an
almost constant conversation that happens through emails," Robinson
says. "A lot of groups were writing letters, urging their members to
contact the department. They are passionate, and when they get united
about a particular issue, they are pretty vocal."

Soon, Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.), author of the 1990 legislation
that gave rise to the organic food standards, jumped into the fray,
with several other members of the Senate threatening to lock arms
beside him.

On May 26, less than a month after they were posted, Veneman
rescinded the directives.

Still, Robinson insists that the directives, and the compromises they
represent, are the right way to go. She plans to continue to pursue
them. This time, however, she is starting with a presentation to the
organic standards board.

"I believe we have it right," Robinson says. "But when you get that
type of reaction, you have to wonder if there isn't a communication
problem."

Says Goldburg, "It's terrific they are getting public comment this
time. It will be interesting to see if they go forward in the face of
the criticism I suspect they will hear."

The second round promises to be as public, and as contentious, as
this recent clash.

CURRENT STANDARDS

Sen. Patrick J. Leahy detailed his concerns in a draft letter to USDA
Secretary Ann M. Veneman that was circulating in Congress before she
rescinded the new directives. Certain areas of the Organic Foods
Production Act of 1990 and the resulting USDA regulations issued in
2002 would have been violated by the department's directives,
according to that letter.

The following regulations remain in force:

- The only synthetic pesticides allowed in organic production are
those products specifically reviewed by the National Organic
Standards Board, deemed suitable for organic production and added
to the USDA list as permitted substances.

- Fish meal is not allowed in the production of organic livestock.

- The producer of an organic livestock operation must not sell, label
or represent as organic any animal or edible product derived from
any animal treated with antibiotics, with limited exceptions.

* * *

# # #

Rachel's Environment & Health News
Environmental Research Foundation
POB 160
New Brunswick NJ 08903-0160
T: 732-828-9995
F: 732-791-4603
E: e...@rachel.org
W: http://www.rachel.org

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CHEMICALS AFFECT CHILDRENS' BRAINS

Date: 2 Jun 2004
From: "Peter Montague" {Pe...@rachel.org}

BBC News, June 2, 2004

Man-made chemicals are affecting the development of children's
brains, a report has suggested.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) warns substances in everyday goods such
as TVs, computers and car seats can affect children's memory and IQ.

WWF reviewed the latest research into the effects of chemicals on
children's development.

The organisation has called for more information about the potential
effects of chemicals.

The WWF said even a minor impact on intelligence levels could affect
a child's life.

It cited research showing the loss of one IQ point can be associated
with a reduction in lifetime earnings of over 2%,

Its report, Compromising our Children, also warned EU research had
found chemicals in products could also alter a child's visual
recognition, movement skills.

POWER STATIONS

There are an estimated 70,000 man-made chemicals currently on the
market.

US researchers have estimated that up to 10% of all neurobehavioural
disorders are caused by toxic exposures.

The WWF says that, in addition to dangerous levels of Deca brominated
diphenyl ether (Deca-BDE) flame retardants in everyday objects,
contaminates, known as PolyChlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) also pose a
risk.

These chemicals leech from old industrial transformers, and some
building materials.

Prenatal exposure to PCBs has been linked to less masculine play in
boys - but more masculine play in girls.

Dioxins emitted by power station and some factories and open burning
of some plastic wastes are another threat.

The European Commission has said the occurrence of developmental and
learning disabilities as a "significant public health problem".

But the WWF believes that most chemicals on the market do not carry
sufficient safety information - particularly about their ability to
cause developmental problems.

'FUTURE UNDER THREAT'

Gwynne Lyons, WWF toxics adviser, said: "In effect we are all living
in a global chemical experiment of which we don't know the outcome.

"Our children are our future - and our future is under threat.

"It seems unbelievable that although science has shown that chemicals
are affecting children's mental abilities and their ability to make
sense of their world, we are still missing vital safety data on most
chemicals in use today."

* * *

BBC MMIV

# # #

Rachel's Environment & Health News
Environmental Research Foundation
POB 160
New Brunswick NJ 08903-0160
T: 732-828-9995
F: 732-791-4603
E: e...@rachel.org
W: http://www.rachel.org

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FREED PET FISH THREATEN NATIVE SPECIES

Date: 040602
From: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/

By John Pickrell, National Geographic News, June 1, 2004

The aquarium fish industry is worth hundreds of millions of dollars a
year worldwide and is growing rapidly. Much of this money flows into
developing countries where the majority of popular tropical marine
species-such as the emperor angelfish (Pomancanthus imperator), or the
percula clownfish (Amphiprion percula)-are found.

Various organizations, including the United Nations, have promoted
regulated harvesting of ornamental fish for export, as a method of
sustainably managing marine ecosystems and bringing wealth to some of
the world's poorer regions.

However, some experts now argue that though the aquarium industry
could help preserve ecosystems in developing nations, the same
industry poses a growing threat to wildlife elsewhere, if aquarium
fish are later released into the wild.

The escape of marine species from the aquarium industry is only
beginning to be recognized as an important problem in countries such
as Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.

Earlier this year, a survey revealed that 16 species of non-native
tropical fish have been found at 32 locations along the southeast
coast of Florida-all most likely introduced when hobbyists freed
aquarium fish into the ocean.

ENVIRONMENTAL COST

"There has been a large push to encourage development of the aquarium
and ornamental [aquatic species] trade, viewed as a green industry, a
possible solution to saving wild populations, and a means to increase
the revenues of developing countries," said Dianna Padilla,
conservation biologist at the State University of New York in Stony
Brook.

"However, to date the environmental cost of escapees has not been
figured into that equation," said Padilla, co-author of another report
exposing the problem in a recent issue of the science journal
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.

Introduced species of fish can harm ecosystems in a number of ways.
They can compete with native species for resources, potentially
driving them toward extinction and can also alter habitats in ways
that are damaging to native fish. Catfish, for example, disrupt
vegetation and alter shorelines, making them uninhabitable for other
fish, Padilla said.

Immigrant fish can also carry exotic diseases or can be aggressive
predators that threaten native populations directly. China's
carnivorous northern snakehead fish (Channa argus), which grows up to
three feet (one meter) in length, has preyed upon native fish and
amphibians in a number of U.S. states, including Maryland and now
Virginia, where its discovery has caused much alarm in recent weeks.
The aquarium industry is already recognized as a source of freshwater
invasive species such as the snakehead.

Some species, such as the lionfish (Pterois volitans) now found off
the southeastern coast of the U.S., have poisonous spines and even
pose a threat to people.

"Releasing non-native reef fish is like playing Russian roulette with
tropical marine ecosystems," said marine biologist Brice Semmens of
the University of Washington in Seattle. Semmens is lead researcher
behind the recent survey, which detailed 16 non-native tropical
species found off the coast of Florida.

Plants can pose a significant threat too. The fast-spreading seaweed
Caulerpa taxifolia-dubbed killer algae-is a popular aquarium species.
Since the 1980s it has rapidly invaded much of the Mediterranean
coastline and also cost many millions of dollars in eradication
efforts in California waters.

BEYOND BALLAST

Despite the potential threat to ecosystems, the aquarium industry has
received little attention from authorities and experts as an important
source of invasive marine species. Most attention to date has focused
on ballast water from the shipping industry as the main source.

Ballast water is carried in a ship's hold for increased stability. A
ship may take on ballast water (and the fish in it) in one region and
later eject that water into a different region.

Legislation in place in the U.S. to protect against invasive aquatic
species was created as a direct response to the invasion of the zebra
mussel into the Great Lakes, Padilla said.

"This invasion brought the problem of aquatic invasives to the
forefront, and because it was the result of ballast water and
shipping, that has been the focus of attention," she said.

The survey led by the University of Washington's Semmens-published in
a January issue of the science journal Marine Ecology Progress Series-
adds to the evidence that introduced marine species are coming from
the aquarium industry.

His team found no correlation between the origins of non-native
marine fish spotted off the coast of Florida since 1999 and shipping
routes to the region. Instead they found that commonly observed
species-such as the emperor angelfish, the yellow tang (Zebrasoma
flavescens) and the orbicular batfish (Platax orbicularis)-are all
very popular with marine aquarium hobbyists.

"Although there has been anecdotal information about aquarium release
as an important [source of] aquatic invasion, unfortunately there has
been little scientific evidence for most species," commented the State
University of New York's Padilla. More studies like this will help
fill in those gaps and draw attention to the problem, she said.

And that problem is already large. A third of the aquatic species on
the World Conservation Union's list of top hundred worst invaders are
aquarium species or pond plants.

STEMMING THE FLOW

The first step in helping to slow the spread of plants and animals
from the aquarium trade is educating people about risks and problems
associated with the introduction of unwanted species, Padilla said.

The next step might be to develop a certification system to make it
clear which species are at low risk of invading.

The public can play a significant role in preventing the invasion of
exotic species by not dumping their aquariums into natural waters in
the first place, added Padilla's co-author, environmental scientist
Susan Williams of the University of California Davis. "If they don't
want their setup, they can return the contents to some pet stores,
[can go] to the local department of fish and game or natural
resources, or humanely kill the organisms by freezing them," Williams
said.

The aquarium industry can assist by labeling products with cautions
about the risks of releasing aquarium species. "These measures might
be sufficient to make regulation of the industry unnecessary," she
said.

* * *

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CLIFTON PLANNERS SEEK MORE TIME ON QUARRY PLAN

Date: 040531
From: http://www.northjersey.com/

By Maya Kremen, Herald News, May 28, 2004

The Planning Board will attempt to extend a court-ordered deadline
set for it to render a decision about a 128-unit development in an
abandoned rock quarry bordering West Paterson and Clifton.

On Wednesday, the board directed their lawyer, Albert C. Buglione ,
to draft a letter to state Superior Court Judge Burrell I. Humphreys ,
who gave the board a June 4 deadline in January. The board turned down
developer Garret Pointe Associates' application in late 2002, but
Humphreys reversed the decision and ordered the board to continue
hearing testimony.

As the June 4 deadline approaches, all sides agree that there is
still too much testimony left to hear for a decision to be reached by
that time.

During the past four meetings, the board has heard testimony from
engineers called by West Paterson and Clifton residents and the city
of Clifton, all of whom oppose the development.

Meetings, during which lawyers for each side pepper experts with
questions and make numerous objections, typically stretch until 10:30
p.m. The developer has not finished cross-examining the objectors'
experts, and a slate of experts for the developer has yet to be heard.

On Wednesday, the fourth time the board has heard testimony since
January, both sides' frustration over the long process was palpable.
Garret Pointe recently introduced a new version of their plan based on
a 2002 letter containing suggestions from West Paterson's engineer.

Responding to the new plan, Elisa Leib, a lawyer for the city of
Clifton, asked Clifton's engineer to talk about problems with
drainage, emergency response capability and lack of green space.

Bruce Pitman, the developer's lawyer, objected, saying that her
questions did not deal directly with the changes to the plan.

"They're just trying to take advantage of the delay from one hearing
to another," he said. "This only underscores what Judge Humphreys said
about delay, delay, delay."

"The applicant waits two years to respond to your letter, and he
wants to talk about delay," Leib shot back.

The flare-up was part of the back-and-forth that has been going on
since Garret Pointe first proposed the project in 2001. The opposing
side's engineers have pointed out systemic problems with the
development, such as lack of a sufficient drainage system, and narrow
streets that cannot accommodate emergency vehicles. Pitman has cross-
examined them, attempting to show that they are trying to hold up the
building process with minor concerns.

Wednesday's meeting ended as a James Segreto, a lawyer for West
Paterson and Clifton residents, tried to help an engineer prove that
the plan violated zoning laws because it contained buildings with five
stories, not four-and-a-half stories.

Pitman objected, asking Segreto if he was reverting to "guerrilla
warfare."

The date for the next meeting has yet to be determined, but the board
will send out its request for an extension by Friday.

* * *

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

LAKEWOOD CHANGING FROM SUBURB TO CITY

Date: 040525
From: http://www.app.com/

By Jason Method, Asbury Park Press Staff Writer, 5/25/04

Peter Pezowicz thought he had found his slice of paradise three years
ago.

The ranch home he bought was nestled in a tranquil part of southern
Lakewood surrounded by few homes and 100 acres of majestic trees.

Six months later, his paradise began to get paved over.

Lakewood officials rezoned Pezowicz's neighborhood, doubling the
number of houses that could ultimately be built around him. Since
2001, about 1,000 housing units have been constructed or have been
approved by township officials for his neighborhood.

Now the 46-year-old insurance underwriter can hear the sounds of
drills and saws from his Chestnut Street home. To make matters worse,
it now takes him longer to drive around the area because of the
growing traffic congestion.

"It's going full guns with the development, with total disregard for
what's going to happen to the area," Pezowicz said. "The traffic is
getting heavier and heavier, and you can see all the undeveloped land
they're working on now."

As the population booms, and more houses are built, Lakewood is fast
changing from a suburban community into a tightly packed city.

The pressure for more housing has pitted longtime residents who want
to limit the construction by developers and the township officials who
clear the way for more building.

The pressure also has hurt the public schools.

A sudden increase of nearly 1,300 students eligible for publicly
funded busing left the Board of Education short of money in January,
cured only by a $480,000 state and municipal bail-out package.

The problems are compounded by the township's lack of a clear plan
for future development.

Township planning officials say they don't tally housing construction
and can't say how many approvals for new homes and apartments have
been granted over the past several years. In an effort to help
Lakewood officials plan for growth, township zoning officer Edward
Mack this year began issuing bi-monthly reports to the school district
that total the number of new bedrooms approved.

The Township Committee has yet to adopt half of the ordinances
proposed in the 1999 master plan, which would have laid out a road map
for the township's future.

Pezowicz and others say unbridled growth in the 25-square-mile
township means unbearable traffic, a scarcity of parking places,
higher property taxes and dense neighborhoods. They complain that
Lakewood officials have been unwilling or unable to map out an
adequate plan.

"If we're building a Brooklyn, then let's build more parks and public
parking spaces," said Ludmilla Duh, 55, of First Avenue, who has lived
in the township for 30 years. "Let's not cram people in with no place
to go."

Township officials and developers say they must respond to the
burgeoning population as Orthodox Jewish residents from Brooklyn and
Latino immigrants continue to arrive en masse.

Lakewood's population grew by 15,304 to 60,352 between 1990 and 2000,
the largest jump in the state. Township officials estimate that by
now, with the construction of new houses and the continued arrival of
undocumented immigrants, the population may top 75,000.

Although there are no skyscrapers in Lakewood - current ordinances
limit residential building heights to 35 feet - one lawyer who
represents many developers in the township said the time may have
arrived to rethink the height limit on apartments.

"If it's necessary to build mid-rises for a segment of the population
that needs to rent, whatever segment, why not?" said Raymond F. Shea
Jr., a Jackson-based lawyer who represents many developers before the
township planning and zoning boards. "Becoming a suburb is great for
the people on top, but for the young people, they have special needs."
Growing fast

To accommodate the growth, the township Planning Board has granted
permission for development on 1,168 building lots since 2001. But the
records don't note exactly how many housing units would be built on
those parcels.

A review of records shows that builders generally get their way
before the township zoning board, which determines if local building
regulations can be altered.

Roughly eight applications are approved for every one that is denied,
the Asbury Park Press found.

The zoning board issued 212 approvals from 2000 through 2003 while
denying 25 applications over that same four-year period. Approvals
authorize a variety of activities, from construction of a high fence
to high-density housing.

Thomas G. Kenyon, president of Watchung-based New Jersey Planning
Officials, said that under state law, it's largely up to
municipalities like Lakewood to determine their development patterns.

"Because this is a home-rule state, (approvals) vary greatly from
town to town," Kenyon said. "There is a huge latitude on how a
township writes its zoning laws."

In one case in November, the Lakewood zoning board granted permission
to a developer to raze a 100-year-old house on the New Jersey Registry
of Historic Places without any discussion of the house's significance.

The house, known as Lynx Hall, is constructed like a castle with
turrets and battlements. Jasper Lynch, a local real estate investor
who had been a member of Lakewood's high society in the Victorian era,
built the house.

Keeping tabs on the housing growth in the township doesn't seem to be
anybody's job, at least in the planning or zoning offices.

Township officials - including the Planning Board administrator and
zoning officer - say they do not tally how many housing units have
been constructed in recent years. They said they don't keep count of
how many more are planned, or even what the effects of more homes will
be on local traffic conditions.

Mack said a planned computerized system in the zoning office will
allow them, later this year, to better track current and future
construction. Planning board planner Nicholas Graviano said officials
are hoping to do a better job anticipating growth as they gear up to
start working on a new master plan in the coming months.

The best estimate of new housing comes from property tax records. The
number of residential properties increased from 13,800 in 1995 to
17,477 this year, a 27 percent increase. A residential property may
contain between one and four housing units.

Pezowicz said he can't understand why officials aren't closely
tracking all the construction.

"How can you be a zoning board or a planning board and not have a
(township) map of development?" Pezowicz asked. "How do you slice off
pieces of town but not see the whole big picture? You have to be
responsible and see what's going on in the whole community."

Planning Board chairman Stanley F. Banas said the planning and zoning
boards cannot just decide to stop or slow development. The boards are
legally obligated to consider each application, he said.

The board cannot, for example, reject a development plan because a
development has been approved for a nearby property and traffic may
become a burden. Each property owner, and developer, has a right to
have their proposal considered on its own merits, he said.

As a result, traffic has clearly become a problem because so many new
developments have been approved.

Cars and trucks back up quickly on Route 9 in the center of Lakewood
as drivers stop to turn left into the Clifton Avenue business area.

Often, there are no available parking spaces for blocks, and
motorists cruise through municipal parking lots in the afternoon
waiting for a parked car to exit.

Meanwhile, contractors' trucks are ubiquitous, with town houses under
construction in virtually every section of Lakewood.

Much of the new development is being driven by the increasing
popularity of the Beth Medrash Govoha rabbinical college, according to
Orthodox community leaders and township officials.

Rabbi Moshe Zev Weisberg, a leader in the Orthodox community, said
the college, with an enrollment of 4,000, is adding about 300 new
students a semester. In an Orthodox Jewish culture that prizes
marriage and children, about 80 percent of those students will marry
within three years after beginning their studies, he said.

At that point, they must leave the college's dormitories off Private
Way and elsewhere to find a place to live on their own.

Weisberg said Beth Medrash officials have been surprised by the
school's growth.

Traditionally, rabbinical colleges, also called yeshivas, have
accepted all serious students. But in recent years, Beth Medrash has
instituted an application review process.

Weisberg said Beth Medrash leaders and town officials anticipated the
housing crunch for years but did not act to deal with it.

"There was no forward thinking, or planning, on the part of the
government and also on the part of our community," Weisberg said.
Granting approvals

Traffic in the township may be a mess because approvals can be
granted even if the local roads cannot handle additional cars or more
houses are already planned for an area.

At times, approvals are granted for proposed developments over
residents' protests or despite the fact the projects do not meet the
township's codes regulating the size of building lots. Some examples:
# The Planning Board unanimously approved an 89-unit town-house
development off Route 9, near Cushman Street, in April 2003 over the
objections of local residents who pointed out that township officials
had recently approved 429 town houses and single-family houses in the
immediate area.

Because Route 9 near the development is congested, the plans and
final approval forbid the residents from turning left when leaving the
subdivision. Instead, they must turn right and then make a U-turn at
another intersection.

The zoning board in June allowed a developer to divide a 12-acre
tract in lots as small as one-tenth of the 1-acre size called for by
the zoning code. The decision paved the way for a 68-house development
on Sterling Place. Last month, the board gave permission for an
additional six town houses, for a total of 74, after the developer
bought more land.

Town rules also called for recreation space covering a little more
than half an acre, but the developer was allowed to build two small
tot lots totaling one-tenth that size - less than the area of one
building lot.

The developer told the board that families could use their own yards
for recreation, according to meeting minutes.

Leonidas G. Bratsano, 49, an electronics repairman, said the
developer, Charles Silberberg, designed the development to surround
Bratsano's property on Sterling Place.

Bratsano said he had treasured his four-bedroom yellow house, with a
bar and entertainment center in the basement and decks attached to the
rear of the house. But Silberberg was going to put in an access road
on the adjacent property.

Bratsano attended the zoning board meeting to complain about the
housing density and traffic, but he could not persuade the board to
make major changes.

"The zoning board doesn't care about individual people," Bratsano
said. "The township is allowing building and building; it's getting
overcrowded. They're funneling more and more (traffic) onto Route 9.
They should accommodate the traffic first, and then build."

After the development was approved, Bratsano and his wife, Rita, sold
their house to the developer for $235,000 and moved to a new house in
a rural area outside Coatesville, Pa. They had lived in Lakewood for
14 years. # The zoning board allowed Somerset Development to double
the housing density of a 6-acre parcel on Massachusetts Avenue in July
2003. Although zoning rules would have allowed the developer to build
six single-family houses, the developer asked to build 13 and was
granted permission to build 12 houses.

Because the township had allowed high-density senior citizen housing
in the area, it made sense to continue the high-density housing
pattern, the developer's planner, Brian Flannery of Toms River, told
the board at the July 2003 meeting.

Helen Fertitta of Ivy Hill Road, who spoke against the plan at the
meeting, said she could not understand why the board allowed the
developer to build more homes than already allowed.

"What is the hardship there?" Fertitta asked. "You don't make (lots
of) money on everything you own. If they give the zoning there, what's
to stop someone else from coming in and getting the same deal?" Ask
for the moon

Mayor Raymond G. Coles said developers have pressured the town boards
to get their developments passed.

"I'm not a fan of the guys who come in asking for the moon, knowing
full well they'll settle for 'X' amount more than the zoning calls
for," Coles said.

"Just because you wanted something, or you paid a lot for a piece of
property, doesn't mean you're entitled to make as much money as you
thought," Coles said. "We're trying to stop some of the crazy stuff
that's been going on. Some of these developments have created a lot of
traffic problems for neighbors."

On the other hand, the township is not going to stay the same, said
Coles, who has been on the Township Committee for two years.

"People who moved here don't want things to change," he said. "That's
not realistic."

The zoning board's job is to interpret zoning rules and decide if
proposed developments can proceed even if they don't meet all the
requirements. A half-acre property can't comply with rules demanding
one house per acre, for instance, but the board may allow it.

In other cases, such as the Massachusetts Avenue development,
builders may argue that the benefits of a proposed development
outweigh the detriments. The board must decide that allowing the
development to proceed does not hurt the zoning plan.

The Planning Board's job is to decide on proposed developments that
largely meet zoning rules.

Fertitta, of Ivy Hill Road, echoing the sentiments of other
residents, said she wants new housing construction to stop - or to at
least slow down.

"Maybe until we can handle what we have, they should cease building
houses," Fertitta said.

Planning Board chairman Banas said the board can't halt already
approved developments.

Landowners have a right to sell their land, and developers have a
right to build on it, regardless of other construction, he said. For
example, a proposed development on one property can't be stopped just
because another development was approved across the road six months
ago, he said.

Banas agreed with the board critics who said Lakewood is on its way
to becoming urban. He said his job was to help manage that growth.

"We're a city now," Banas said. "It's inevitable. It's a dynamic
world we live in. We can't just sit back and say, 'I remember what it
was.' We don't have cows in the pastur, either."

Zoning board Chairman Michael Sernotti did not return several
telephone calls for comment.

Zoning board member John Patrick Jr., a former Lakewood schools
superintendent who died April 22, said in an earlier interview that he
believed the board had been much tougher on developers in recent
years, as compared to the mid-to-late 1990s. But the developers
continue to get permission from the board to bend the rules, he said.

"The builders come in with a proposal they know is outlandish,"
Patrick said. "The board may knock them down, but they're still
getting more units than the zone would permit."

The increased housing density has led to severe traffic problems, he
added.

"If you go into town with the intention of crossing Route 9 in the
morning, you may have to wait for the light to change 10 times," he
said. "The (parked) cars on both sides of the streets are lined up
bumper-to-bumper. The standard of life, the quality of living, is
harmed."

Developer Aharon Rottenberg, a member of the Orthodox Jewish
community, said that if township officials don't like the traffic
conditions, then they should fix it.

"The town is getting all this tax revenue; they should widen some
streets," Rottenberg said. "That's what taxes are for."Replacing one
with four

Decisions to ease zoning rules in the past have set a precedent for
developers to follow.

A case in point: Developers asked town officials in February to tear
down an abandoned single-family house on First Street and replace it
with two two-family town houses.

The builder's lawyer, Abraham Penzer, told the zoning board that the
town houses would fit nicely into a neighborhood already filled with
apartment complexes, including several that did not meet state rules
for parking.

He asked the board to grant special permission for the buildings - 25
feet wide - to be built on the undersized lot. Since the zoning board
had previously approved the surrounding apartments, Penzer argued, the
board should find the new proposal an improvement to the neighborhood.

Zoning board member James D'Andrea asked, without expecting a reply,
if the house would be wide enough to handle furniture.

Board member Patrick took issue with Penzer's statement that the
board's previous decisions to allow high-density apartments was a
basis for approval now.

"I have a problem with the argument that starts first by showing how
atrocious the neighborhood is and how overcrowded it is," he said.

"Reading the newspaper regarding the transportation problems and the
overcrowding of the schools, I think we should interpret the (zoning)
code exactly as it is," Patrick said. "If you can (legally) build two
units, then come in and get a permit for two units."

Senior citizens and residents who do not belong to the Orthodox
community, who were in the audience that night, offered resounding
applause to the comment.

Penzer told the board it should be consistent with prior decisions.

"The job of the zoning board is to adjust," he said. "This is what
fits in the area."

Penzer's arguments didn't wash with Ludmilla Duh, a zoning board
critic who lives across the street from the proposed two-family town
houses.

In an interview at her home, Duh pointed to the cars lined up along
the curb. Parking is so tight, she said, that some visitors park
illegally in her driveway. Duh said she's even filed trespassing
charges against one driver.

Duh, a retired floral shop owner, said high-density housing has hurt
the quality of life in the neighborhood.

Garbage is lined up in the street on collection days, she said,
because the township's maintenance workers can't get through the
parked cars to retrieve the cans.

Duh pointed to dozens of dirty outdoor toys piled outside apartment
complexes. The families have no place for their children to play and
no place to store plastic automobiles and other large toys, so the
front yard of apartment complexes becomes a de facto playground, she
said.

Duh offered those same observations to the zoning board on the night
the two-family town houses were proposed.

"Good housing is more than cramming people together," Duh told the
board. "We need housing, but we need good housing - housing for
children to grow in."

The First Street proposal eventually was defeated by a 4-to-3 vote, a
rare rejection by the board. Two board members were absent that
evening.

Nonetheless, the discussion underscored the issues in town.

Peter Pezowicz, the insurance underwriter living on Chestnut Street,
who has started attending zoning board meetings, said he's become part
of the ongoing confrontation between Orthodox Jewish developers and
non-Orthodox residents who oppose the new construction.

"If you say anything, you're labeled as prejudiced, but that's not
what I am," Pezowicz said. "I'm just asking about the development and
the zoning. One day we'll have 250,000 people in this community, and
there will be all these issues, but it'll be too late."

Some Orthodox community members also are concerned that
overdevelopment will hurt Lakewood.

Frumi Garfunkel, 28, a speech therapist in the Lakewood public
schools, said she and her husband left Brooklyn because of the high
cost of living and bought a $170,000 four-bedroom town house four
years ago on Park Avenue. Now, more town houses are being built across
the street at a cost of $410,000 each.

"It is going to become another Brooklyn," Garfunkel said, "and it
won't be affordable for my children."

* * *

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

NJFUTURE FACTS - JUNE 1, 2004 EDITION

Date: 1 Jun 2004
From: "New Jersey Future" {njfu...@njfuture.org}

NJ Future Facts
June 1, 2004 Edition

SPRAWL CONTINUES APACE

** New Jersey's loss of undeveloped land continued apace in the latter
half of the 1990s, according to a Rutgers University study just
released.

** The Garden State lost 90,000 acres of farmland and forest to
subdivisions, office parks and cleared lots between 1995 and 2000,
matching the pace of development in the previous decade, according to
the study. The pace of development quickened in forested areas,
including the Highlands.

** Density matters in how we handle growth. If everyone in New Jersey
lived at the density of Guttenberg, Union City, or West New York, New
Jersey's three most densely populated municipalities, the state's
entire population as of the 2000 Census would fit on a little more
than 100,000 acres, or less than 3 percent of the state's total land
area.

** In fact, at these densities the entire population of the United
States would fit within New Jersey's borders, leaving the rest of the
nation as untamed wilderness.

(Source: "Measuring Land Use Change in New Jersey: Land Use Update to
2000," by the Grant F. Walton Center for Remote Sensing and Spatial
Analysis at Rutgers University,
http://deathstar.rutgers.edu/projects/lc;and the U.S. Census)

- - -

DENSITY MATTERS

"Where" we grow gets the lion's share of attention in New Jersey, but
"how" we grow is equally important to conserving land and a high
quality of life.

In the past 50 years, New Jersey's development patterns have drifted
away from the "ends" of the density range: the compact towns and rural
landscapes that made our state special and, most importantly, could
accommodate large and growing numbers of population without excessive
sacrifice of open land.

Instead, we have adopted a "middle" pattern of suburban sprawl that
is erasing New Jersey's character along with its resources and open
lands. And this middle density is costing us: it costs more in land
because homes and workplaces take up more space than in compact
development; it costs more in money, because the per-capita costs of
providing roads, sewers and services like police and fire increase as
people spread out; and it costs more in time, because it inhibits
options like public transit, walking and biking that reduce commutes
and traffic congestion.

The answer is not in the middle, but at the ends. New Jerseyans
benefit from and deserve a choice of vital urban centers and rural
communities; in short, a rich mix of densities that sprawling
development threatens to erase. We simply can't afford the middle
ground of sprawl any longer.

* * *

Editor's Note: Watch for New Jersey Future's upcoming research report
on what density is costing New Jersey, "Race to the Middle" at
http://www.njfuture.org

Future Facts Contacts: Tim Evans, NJF Research Director,
time...@njfuture.org and Sue Burrows, NJF Assistant Executive
Director,
sbur...@njfuture.org

New Jersey Future's "Future Facts" is published twice monthly.
Comments and questions can be directed to Sue Burrows, NJF Assistant
Executive Director, sbur...@njfuture.org. New Jersey Future is the
state's oldest and largest smart growth group and a nonprofit,
nonpartisan organization. Visit our website at
http://www.njfuture.org.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

A NEW LEAF FOR THE CITIES

Date: 040531
From: http://www.nj.com/opinion/ledger/editorials/

Star-Ledger Editorial, May 29, 2004

The sun beats down, humidity makes clothing damp, clothes feel a
half-size too small. A breeze? No way. A Jersey heat wave is miserable
from Lake Hopatcong to the Shore. But for real heat, the kind that
reaches out and grabs you by the throat, no place is worse than our
cities.

The concrete, asphalt, cars, buses and buildings team with the
weather to sap the spirit and drain the body. The wonder isn't that
kids open fire hydrants for relief but that they manage the energy to
do so.

Long before air conditioning became something more than an attraction
for a few movie theaters and an occasional swank restaurant, our
cities had a natural way to take the worst edge off the debilitating
summer heat. Trees.

Too many of them have been lost and not replaced. So the state
government is helping with Cool Cities, a $5 million initiative by the
Board of Public Utilities and the Department of Environmental
Protection to plant trees in urban areas big and small.

The idea is the same as it was 100 years ago. Concrete and dark roofs
- the bones of a city - suck up the sun's heat during the day and then
emit it all night. Neighborhoods with lots of trees can be as much as
10 degrees cooler on hot days.

The shade keeps the sidewalks and street from absorbing the heat. The
trees emit water vapor, which helps cool the air. The leaves filter
some of the air pollution, an incalculable benefit in an age of
epidemic asthma. They give off oxygen. And they look pretty.

Cool Cities is hoping to plant 7,000 trees by the end of the year and
100,000 over the next five years. The next task will be to help them
thrive amid city pollution, dog waste, litter and dried-out soil.
Young trees, like children, need nurturing.

Cities short on cash will need backup from people in the
neighborhoods, even if it is just making a call to ask public works
for a water truck or some other tree sustenance during the worst weeks
of summer. With that help, trees planted now will be providing
benefits for generations to come.

* * *

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

THE CICADAS ARE COMING

Date: 28 May 2004
From: "Carol Banhart" {ca...@njconservation.org}

THE STATE WE'RE IN
By Michele S. Byers, Executive Director
New Jersey Conservation Foundation
May 26, 2004 - Volume XXXIV, No. 21

You may not have heard, but our state is now at the crossroads of an
invasion. It's both a phenomenon and a fear-inspiring natural feat.
It's the invasion of 17-year cicadas, also known as "Brood X." The
harmless bugs do not sting or bite - they emerge to mate, lay eggs,
and die. The frenzied mating spree will last through June, leaving
behind crunchy shells and a bit of history as well.

It sounds like the plot of a science fiction movie:

Billions of bugs grow relentlessly for years underground. Children
play: families picnic: all the while oblivious to the festering horde
beneath their feet. Then, suddenly, they all burst forth at once,
covering trees, houses, cars - anything that stands in the way of
their massive invasion.

Actually this is just one of nature's weirdest mysteries - the
emergence of one of largest of the 17-year cicada broods - and it's
happening across much of the East Coast and Midwest right now,
including this State We're In!

Cicadas are flying insects about the size of a shrimp. They are well
known for their size, vast numbers and the shrill chorus males cicadas
use to impress the ladies. They live most of their lives underground
as cicada nymphs. But once every 13 or 17 years, depending on the
brood, they emerge for about one month to transform into adults,
reproduce and die.

While the insects may send some New Jerseyans running for cover or
car washes, I urge you to enjoy this amazing natural spectacle while
it lasts. It is only a matter of weeks. Once the cicadas mate, the
females seek out immature trees in which to cut open branches and lay
their eggs. Soon after, the adults die, having fulfilled their earthly
duties. After a few weeks, the hatchlings burrow deep back into the
earth.

New Jersey is one of only 15 states to host the cicadas this spring,
and it's the only state in the greater New York metropolitan area
where the bugs can be found. Would this fact alone want to make people
flock to the Garden State to see the beastly bugs? Perhaps not, but
consider this: in their 17-year lifespan, the cicadas are among the
oldest living insects.

As far as we know, safety in sheer numbers is the survival strategy
of the cicada. Many fall victim to natural and man-made elements, but
by emerging in droves, the creatures' survival is assured. Other
species higher in the food chain may also depend on the cicada banquet
for their own existence. Birds, snakes and mammals gorge on the
abundant insects, then lay back, loosen their belts and say "I can't
believe I ate that much!"

This year provides scientists with an opportunity to study these
amazing creatures. Perhaps through monitoring their life cycles and
population shifts, changes in the environment may be found as well. Is
it possible that these 1 1/2 -inch long insects could teach us more
about ourselves? Wouldn't it make sense to make sure their lands are
protected and that they too will have a home to return to in 2021?

In another 17 years, the cicadas will be back, but will their homes
still be here? Will we welcome these time-encapsulated creatures again
and will they have the habitat to continue their existence?

You can learn a LOT more about cicadas at the University of
Michigan's periodic cicada website at:

http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/fauna/michigan_cicadas/Periodical/In
dex.html

the site even includes sound samples of the various cicada choruses!

If you want to join the cicada fan club, check out Cicada Mania at
http://www.cicadamania.org; you can even buy your own `New Jersey
Brood X' t-shirts and coffee mugs there!

I hope you'll contact me at 1-888-LAND-SAVE or
in...@njconservation.org, or visit NJCF's website at
http://www.njconservation.org, for more information about conserving
New Jersey's precious land and natural resources.

* * *

Carol K. Banhart
Senior Coordinator Development & Outreach
New Jersey Conservation Foundation
170 Longview Road, Far Hills, New Jersey 07931
908-234-1224
Fax: 908-234-1189
email: ca...@njconservation.org

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TOUR DE SOL - VEGGINATOR FRIES THE COMPETITION

Date: 040602
From: http://www.nj.com/news/times/mercer/

By Andrew Kitchenman, Times Staff Writer, May 27, 2004

Trenton - The Vegginator lapped the field of alternative-fuel cars,
bringing Trenton Central High School the highest score of any car in
this year's Tour de Sol, the five-day festival and competition for
vehicles friendly to the environment.

The school team's car is a modified 1985 Volkswagen Golf that burns
bio-diesel, a fuel largely made of recycled vegetable oil from the
school kitchen's fryers. The oil gave the car its nickname, the
Vegginator.

While a bamboo bicycle designed by PET Inc. had a higher overall
score, Trenton Central High School had the highest among all cars and
the second-highest overall.

Nineteen teams, including seven colleges and seven high schools,
contended.

"We're pretty proud of that, because colleges and universities
competed," said David Cipolloni, teacher leader of the school's
applied engineering and science academy.

The annual contest ranks reliability, range, acceleration, fuel
efficiency and emissions, among other measures. Each category is
scored separately and added together for the vehicles' overall rank.

While the same car finished much lower in last year's Tour de Sol, it
was refurbished this year, with a new removable gas tank and other
features that helped it in the competition, according to Cipolloni.

Christian Cambara, 17, a student, said the used vegetable oil is less
expensive and burns cleaner than petroleum. Also, the fryer oil makes
"a lovely smell," he said.

Cipolloni said the used oil cost 20 cents per gallon, after lye and
methanol are added to it. He bought a Golf for himself and uses bio-
diesel in it as well.

"Now that the fuel prices are going up here, people are taking a look
at it," he said.

Danny DeLeon, 17, said he wasn't too surprised by the strong finish,
which he attributed to several factors.

"I guess it was just great work on the car, a great driver and
teamwork - that's what it took, teamwork," DeLeon said.

The team worked on the vehicle all school year, Cipolloni said.

Cipolloni listed the Vegginator team's starting lineup as seniors
Evelyn DeLeon, Vanessa LaSanta and Patrick Alvarado; juniors Justino
Cortez, Detlev Yanez, Jamie Jupiter, Christian Cambara, Guillermo
Diaz, Taron Moses, Jaime Rodas and Agustin Cuevas, and sophomores
Danny DeLeon and Lisette Cuevas.

* * *

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VERSION 2.0 OF NJ'S LANDSCAPE PROJECT AVAILABLE

Date: 02 Jun 2004
From: "FWLISTS FWLISTS" {FWL...@dep.state.nj.us}

Version 2.0 of New Jersey's Landscape Project that identifies
critical habitats throughout the state is now available. Habitat
mapping and data can be obtained:

- Online via download:
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/ensp/landscape/download.htm

- Online via i-MapNJ: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/gis/depsplash.htm#

- On Compact Disc by request to the Division of Fish and Wildlife's
Endangered and Nongame Species Program

An expanded effort is being made to provide technical training to
potential users of the Landscape Project in counties throughout the
state. Mercer County College will host training on Friday, July 16
from 10 AM to 12 PM. For information regarding scheduling and
registration, please consult
http://www.njfishandwildlife.com/ensphome.htm or email
patrick...@dep.state.nj.us.

* * *

New Jersey's Landscape Project
Department of Environmental Protection
Division of Fish and Wildlife
Endangered and Nongame Species Program
PO Box 400
Trenton, NJ 08625-0400
Phone: (609) 292-9400
Fax: (609) 984-1414

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GROUP LAUNCHES WATERFRONT EFFORT WITH BOOK AND NY EVENTS

Date: 2 Jun 2004
From: "Going Coastal, Inc." {going.co...@verizon.net}

NEW GROUP 'GOING COASTAL' CALLS UPON NEW YORKERS TO
PRESERVE, IMPROVE WATERFRONT

Brooklyn - The mission of Going Coastal, Inc. is not only to let New
Yorkers know about the many ways to enjoy the waterfront, but also how
to can get involved to preserve and improve it.

Group publishes guide to waterfront history, recreation, stewardship
Their first project was to research and create a guide to make the
waterfront more accessible. Going Coastal, Inc. tapped the New York
community of maritime historians, aquatic sports enthusiasts, marine
educators and activists who have contributed to the city's waterfront
renaissance to add their voices to the guidebook. The resulting
publication is a 314-page book Going Coastal New York City.

The group's co-founder, Barbara LaRocco notes, "New York City is the
most heavily populated coastal region of the country. All city
residents live within five miles of the shore. For decades, people
were disconnected from the waterfront. Today, the City's waterfront is
dynamic. Projects like Hudson River Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park open
large new spaces to the public and water-borne transportation is on
the rise. Nonprofits have been an important part of waterfront
revitalization in the city."

The book has already begun to generate an enthusiastic response.
"Going Coastal New York City is the primer on the aquatic Big Apple,"
said John Waldman, Senior Scientist with the Hudson River Foundation
and author of Heartbeats in the Muck. And Phillip Lopate, author of
Waterfront:A Journey Around Manhattan called the book "An ultra-useful
guide that brings together all the information necessary to enjoy the
waterfront, in a compact, well-organized form."

Zhennya Slootskin, cofounder of Going Coastal, Inc. explains,
"Hopefully, people will enjoy the book, but more importantly, it will
be a catalyst for them to get involved in protecting and preserving
the coastal environment." All sales of the guidebook support Going
Coastal's public benefit programs and community outreach.

Going Coastal, Inc. will host a series of special free, public events
to celebrate the waterfront and launch Going Coastal New York City and
offers opportunities for participants to learn about waterfront
resources and activities in the five boroughs. "Going Coastal Queens"
will take place Sunday, June 13 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Bayside
Historical Society, which is the former Officer's Club of the Army
Corps of Engineers in Fort Totten. The event will feature scuba
divers, surfers, kayakers, dragon boat racers, anglers, marine
educators, maritime historians and conservation organizations
representing the abundance of water-based recreational, cultural,
historical and inspirational resources in the borough of Queens.

Going Coastal also plans to develop community programs such as a
city-wide fishing-line recycling project and surf camp for city youth.

Luminaries and waterfront experts who introduce topics in the book,
include:

- William Kornblum, author of At Sea in the City

- Sparkman & Stephens Yacht Designs, designers of a record 6 winning
America's Cup yachts

- Marcia Reiss, historian and author of Brooklyn Now and Then and New
York Architecture in Detail

- Ann Buttenwieser, president of Neptune Society and author of New
York Waterbound

- Richard Stepler, director of publications at South Street Seaport
Museum

- Paul Sieswerda, curator of the NY Aquarium and author of Sharks

- Brian Cudahy, transportation historian and author of How We Got to
Coney Island

- Jim Crowley, author of Lighthouses of New York

- Marcia Fowle, president of Audubon Society NY Chapter and author of
The NYC Audubon Society Guide to Finding Birds in the Metropolitan
Area

- Norman Brouwer, curator of ships at South Street Seaport Museum and
author of International Register of Historic Ships

- John Waldman, senior scientist of the Hudson River Foundation and
author of Heartbeats in the Muck

- Diana Dizerega Wall, archeologist and co-author of Unearthing
Gotham

- Peggy Kochanoff, author of Beachcombing the Atlantic Coast

- Theodore Scull of the World Ship Society Port of NY Chapter and
author of Staten Island Ferry

- Cy Adler, founder of Shorewalkers and author of Walking Manhattan's
Rim: The Great Saunter

- Prof. Lloyd Ultan, Bronx County Historian and author of numerous
books about The Bronx

- "Wildman" Steve Brill, noted wild food expert and author of The
Wild Vegetarian Cookbook

- Don Riepe, photographer and Jamaica Bay Guardian

- Dave "The Bridgeman" Frieder, photographer

- David Sharps, president of the Waterfront Museum

- Louie Schriener of North East Aquanauts

- .and many others.

HOW TO GET THE GUIDE

Going Coastal New York City (ISBN: 0-9729803-0-x Distributor: Ingram)
by Barbara La Rocco, with maps by Zhennya Slootskin and illustrations
by Pat Scanlon and Peggy Kochanoff, is available for sale April 2004
for $21.95 from nonprofit publisher, Going Coastal, Inc. online at
http://www.goingcoastal.org or at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and many
local booksellers.

ABOUT GOING COASTAL

Going Coastal, Inc. takes an entrepreneurial approach that employs
business strategies to build and sustain the organization. As a
community-based volunteer organization, they rely on strategic
partnerships and collaboration with like-minded organizations,
businesses and individuals to achieve their objectives. Going Coastal,
Inc. is committed to developing programs that promote greater access,
public enjoyment and wise use of coastal resources for the benefit of
present and future residents.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The book is an impressive collaborative effort made possible through
fiscal sponsorship of the New York Chapter of the American Littoral
Society, support from Furthermore: a program of the J.M. Kaplan Fund
and the Fund for the City of New York, and assistance from a volunteer
of The McGraw Hill Writers to the Rescue Program. The organization's
website is created with help from NPower, an organization that assists
nonprofits with their technology needs.

* * *

Barbara LaRocco
Going Coastal, Inc.
Phone: (718) 243-9056
Email: in...@goingcoastal.org

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ORADELL'S FINAL VOTE FOR HIGHPOWER LIGHTING - JUN 7

Date: 2 Jun 2004
From: MommieE...@aol.com

This is just a reminder that the FINAL VOTE on the nearly dozen 80
foot tall high-power lights in the wetlands of Oradell will be held on
Monday 6/7 at 7pm in Oradell Borough Hall. These last few days are
crucial for people to contact the Mayor and Council of Oradell and
encourage them to respect the environment, respect the wetlands and do
not install towering lights of 80 and 70 feet that will be a perpetual
daylight disaster to the many species of flora and fauna in that 24.2
acres of Wetland Watershed. New Jersey does NOT need more light
pollution and less areas of natural beauty. Please relay that message
to the councilmembers and mayor.

There are several ways to still address your concerns to the
governing body of Oradell, that will have the future of the Wetlands
in their hands on the 7th.

You may Snail Mail Mayor Fred Lamonica and Councilmembers:

Oradell Borough Hall
355 Kinderkamack Avenue
Oradell NJ 07649

You may leave a message with your views for the Mayor and Council
with the Town Clerk, Ivanna Maleck at: (201) 261-8200

If you can, please come and show your support for the life of these
wetlands on Monday at Borough Hall.

Respectfully,
Zach and Emily Martin
EEM...@aol.com

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SIERRA CLUB LOANTAKA GROUP MEETING - JUN 9

Date: 01 Jun 2004
From: Wynn Johanson {joha...@comcast.net}

NJ'S ENDANGERED/THREATENED PLANTS, ANIMALS, BIRDS

Sierra Club Loantaka Group Meeting

When: Wednesday, June 9, 2004, From 7:30 - 9pm

Where: Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center
247 Southern Boulevard
Chatham, NJ

Speaker: Center Staff Member

ADMISSION: FREE AND THE PUBLIC IS CORDIALLY INVITED TO ATTEND

The Sierra Club goes to the Great Swamp Outdoor Education Center
where a staff member will discuss the endangered and threatened
plants, animals and birds of New Jersey and opportunities provided by
the Center for individuals, families, and groups.

For more information, email us at Loan...@NJSierra.org , call
908-277-3499 or visit our website at http://Loantaka.NJSierra.org.

* * *

Wynn Johanson
Publicity Chair
Sierra Club Loantaka Group
908-464-0442

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Many thanks to our Volunteers:
Tricia Aspinwall, Michele Cooklin, Jerry Cullins, Peter
Montague, Paul Neuman, Scott Olson, Mary Paist, Penny
Pollock-Barnes, Phil Reynolds, Pat Rolston, and to all
you folks out there who contribute in so many ways.
If you have a couple hours a week, and would like to
help out, please email us at: mai...@gsenet.org

George-Therese Dickenson - Editor - dick...@gsenet.org
Ivan Kossak - Executive Director - kos...@gsenet.org

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Back issues of the Garden State EnviroNews are available at
http://www.gsenet.org/library/11gsn/11gsn.php

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Garden State EnviroNet, Inc.
19 Boonton Ave, Boonton NJ 07005
Tel: 973-394-1313 - Fax: 973-394-9513
mai...@gsenet.org - http://www.gsenet.org/

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