GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS 010420A
Phil Reynolds
GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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** Section A - Part 1 of 2 **
010420A
<*> ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE DATA ONLINE FOR EVERY US COMMUNITY
<*> DIFRANCESCO PROPOSES ENHANCEMENTS TO FARMLAND PRESERVATION
<*> EPA SELECTS ESSEX FOR $1M BROWNFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT
<*> PEQUANNOCK RIVER COALITION: WEST MILFORD CELL TOWER
<*> TOUCHING TREATED WOOD MAY POSE RISK
010420B
<*> SIERRA CLUB LINES UP AGAINST MONKS' PROJECT
<*> EPA ANNOUNCES $3.8M TO MAKE ABANDONED PROPERTIES THRIVE
<*> STUDY: NEED FOR HIGHER FLOWS IN THE UPPER DELAWARE
<*> WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AREA 3 MEETING - APR 24
<*> THREATENED AND ENDANGERED PINELANDS SPECIES - MAY 3
<*> NATIVE GRASSES SEMINAR IN FLEMINGTON NJ - MAY 12
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ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE DATA ONLINE FOR EVERY US COMMUNITY
Date: 18 Apr 2001
From: Ashley...@environmentaldefense.org
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE DATA NOW ONLINE FOR EVERY U.S. COMMUNITY
Environmental Defense Website Allows Neighborhoods To Be Compared
April 18, 2001
New York - Different degrees of environmental burden felt by
different racial/ethnic and income groups are now documented and
available for every community in the U.S., Environmental Defense
announced today. The information is available free on the group's
http://www.Scorecard.org website, which lets users type in their zip
codes to get the local facts.
"This access to comparative data in a single place is an important
breakthrough for the environmental justice movement," said Gerald
Torres, a law professor at the University of Texas and former U.S.
Justice Department official. "For the public at large, it will make it
possible to see differentials in environmental burdens in our society,
not just where those problems are already obvious but place by place
throughout the country." Torres is co-author, with Professor Lani
Guinier, of a forthcoming book on race and politics from the Harvard
University Press.
"Environmental justice is important, sensitive, and hard to measure,"
said Environmental Defense senior attorney David Roe. "We are putting
the best measurement data we can find out into public view, so people
can see a local picture no matter where they live." The new service,
launched today in English and Spanish, represents the first time
local-level environmental data have been systematically analyzed
across the country to show the differences experienced by several
different demographic groups (such as people of color, low-income
families, etc.).
"These are first-cut data only," Roe cautioned. "The best numbers
available today are very far from being perfect measures of the
environmental burdens that different people experience - and of course
numbers can't tell the whole environmental justice story. But
systematic data on the 'where' and 'how much' of unequal environmental
conditions, even if imperfect, will help focus attention and set
priorities in this critical area of public policy."
The analysis now on http://www.Scorecard.org offers statistics on how
four environmental burdens are experienced by seven different
demographic groups, in every U.S. county. The four measurements are:
local releases of toxic chemicals (as reported under the Toxics
Release Inventory); local cancer risks from hazardous air pollutants
(estimated from detailed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency exposure
data); proximity to Superfund sites; and proximity to stationary
sources of criteria air pollutants.
- - -
Environmental Defense, a leading national nonprofit organization
based in New York, represents more than 300,000 members. Since 1967 we
have linked science, economics, and law to create innovative,
equitable, and cost-effective solutions to the most urgent
environmental problems.
* * *
Contact:
David Roe 510 658-8008
Allison Cobb 212 505-2100
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DIFRANCESCO PROPOSES ENHANCEMENTS TO FARMLAND PRESERVATION
Date: 010420
From: http://www.state.nj.us/governor/
ACTING GOVERNOR DIFRANCESCO PROPOSES ENHANCEMENTS TO FARMLAND
PRESERVATION PROGRAM WANTS TO MAKE A `GOOD PROGRAM EVEN BETTER'
April 20, 2001
Acting Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco announced today that he would
initiate statutory and regulatory changes to strengthen the state's
Farmland Preservation Program, based on recommendations of the Office
of the Inspector General. The Inspector General determined that the
farmland preservation program is well run, contains substantial checks
and balances, and deserves the strong public support it has received
to date.
"The changes are designed to make a good program even better," said
acting Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco. "The members of the county and
state agriculture boards deserve our thanks for all the time they
volunteer to administer a program that has been such a success."
The acting Governor proposed enhancements to the program that provide
for even higher ethical standards for members of county agriculture
development boards, state-sponsored appraisals of farmland
preservation purchases and increased penalties for violation of the
Local Government Ethics Law and the State Conflicts of Interest Law.
"I am pleased that the report from the Office of the Inspector
General recognizes the Farmland Preservation Program as a national
model," said DiFrancesco. "The recommendations, designed to fine tune
and improve this program, are especially important as we continue to
work toward achieving New Jersey's goal of preserving a million acres
of open space and farmland."
To date, 527 farms and 75,000 acres of farmland have been preserved
under the Farmland Preservation Program.
"The Inspector General's recommendations are intended to enhance the
public's confidence in the Farmland Preservation Program," he added,
noting that these steps will strengthen the safeguards already in
place to ensure continued public support of this very important
program.
"I am pleased that the acting governor and his cabinet have taken the
report seriously and that he has already committed to making necessary
changes to the Farmland Preservation Program," said Attorney General
John Farmer.
DiFrancesco outlined three regulatory revisions as well as statutory
changes that will be included in an administration bill he is sending
to the Legislature.
Specifically, the acting Governor will recommend that the State
Agriculture Development Committee (SADC) amend its regulation to:
- Require anyone who has a familial or business relationship with a
CADB member to apply to the SADC to eliminate any appearance of
impropriety. CADB members already are subject to higher ethical
standards than required under the Local Government Ethics Law,
including the requirement that they resign before they or an
immediate family member apply to the program.
- Prohibit CADB members from applying to the county program for a
period of a year after leaving the board.
- Permit the SADC to place a right of first refusal in deeds of
easements in order to allow the state to purchase preserved land at
its agricultural value, rather than the land's value as part of an
estate home.
In addition to the regulation changes, acting Governor DiFrancesco
said he would ask the Legislature to consider a measure that will:
- Amend the Local Government Ethics Law and its state counterpart,
the State Conflicts of Interest Law, to increase existing civil
penalties for violations that currently range from $100 to $500, to
a proposed range of $500 to $10,000.
- Require CADBs to make land appraisals available as soon as the
landowner agrees to sell the easement to the county, regardless of
whether or not the county utilizes state funding. The SADC already
requires this more open public process.
- Amend the Agriculture Retention and Development Act so that the
SADC hires all appraisers used by the CADBs, municipalities and
nonprofit organizations.
* * *
Contact: Rae Hutton 609-777-2600
Office of the Governor
PO Box 004
Trenton, NJ 08625
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EPA SELECTS ESSEX FOR $1M BROWNFIELDS REDEVELOPMENT
Date: 20 Apr 2001
From: Delly...@epamail.epa.gov
EPA SELECTS ESSEX COUNTY FOR $1 MILLION LOAN FUND FOR BROWNFIELDS
REDEVELOPMENT
April 20, 2001
New York, N.Y. - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today
selected Essex County for a $1 million Brownfields Cleanup Revolving
Loan Fund Pilot grant. The Revolving Loan Fund provides capital
funding to municipalities to create loan funds to clean up brownfield
sites. EPA Administrator Christie Whitman made the announcement at the
White House today. EPA supports communities across the country through
its Brownfields Economic Redevelopment Initiative - a national effort
to renew industrial and commercial properties where expansion or
redevelopment is complicated by real or perceived environmental
contamination. EPA has now awarded Essex County a total of $1,200,000
in Brownfields redevelopment funds.
This revolving loan fund will be used to generate financing for at
least two separate projects that include the economic redevelopment of
a 200-acre site in Irvington and the cleanup of three old industrial
sites on the county's inventory of brownfield sites.
Including Essex County, there are 20 municipalities participating in
the national Brownfields Economic Redevelopment program in New Jersey.
These pilots are Camden, Newark, Perth Amboy, Jersey City, Elizabeth,
Atlantic City, Long Branch, Paterson, Trenton, Somerset, Union,
Hudson, Middlesex and Morris Counties, Orange, Phillipsburg,
Gloucester City, Pennsauken Township and the Hackensack Meadowlands
For more information about the award to Essex County see attached EPA
Headquarters press release.
* * *
Rich Cahill, (212) 637-3666
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Region 2
New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
290 Broadway - New York, New York 10007-1866
http://www.epa.gov/region2
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PEQUANNOCK RIVER COALITION: WEST MILFORD CELL TOWER
Date: 19 Apr 2001
From: Ross Kushner {ross.k...@alltel.com}
Below are our comments and info on recent actions by the West Milford
council on the proposed Charlottesburg cell tower.
Please take action immediately. Time is running out.
Thanks,
Ross Kushner, Pequannock River Coalition
* * *
April 19, 2001
To the Editor;
In local government there are times when the rule of law applies and
times when the will of the people prevails. For certain Councilmen in
the township of West Milford, however, neither of these seems to carry
much weight.
The NJDOT is now considering an application by Sprint/PCS to erect a
cell tower at their Charlottesburg rest area, a site where West
Milford Township ordinances specifically prohibit such towers.
Although DOT properties are not governed by town ordinances the DOT
does grants veto privileges to any town opposing towers on their land.
For several months at a series of meetings and hearings the public
has voiced overwhelming opposition to this tower. Objections were
raised by many groups including the Highlands Coalition, the West
Milford Environmental Commission, West Milford 2000 and Citizens for
Planning Responsibly. It should be noted that no one spoke in favor of
the tower. My own organization has stated concerns, not only for
destruction of a scenic vista but also for dangers to local and
migrating birds that utilize this site - essentially the "Pequannock
Water Gap" - as a major travel corridor.
To his great credit West Milford Councilman Bob Szuszkowski
introduced a resolution opposing the tower. At a 4/18 meeting the
resolution was supported by Councilman Bob Moshman. Mayor Maria Harkey
excused herself from this vote due to a conflict of interest for
reasons we assume are valid. This left the fate of the tower in the
hands of Councilmen Dick Nobis and Philip Weisbecker. And these
gentlemen chose to abstain.
We were quick to point out that in this case an abstention was a
tacit approval of the tower. And if they ignored their own town
ordinances as well as the voice of the public we were left to wonder
what motives do drive them. Any suggestions?
For now we recommend that concerned individuals who care about
wildlife and scenic vistas take immediate action. If you are a
Sprint/PCS customer consider switching to another carrier and letting
Sprint know why. All citizens should contact Edward Van Hessen of the
DOT at edward.v...@dot.state.nj.us, or Mr. Weisbecker and Mr.
Nobis via the West Milford Township Manager at
man...@westmilford.org. Tell them exactly how you feel and someday
your children - or your children's children - will thank you for it.
Sincerely,
Ross Kushner, President
* * *
Pequannock River Coalition
P.O. Box 392
Newfoundland NJ 07435
973-628-5773
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TOUCHING TREATED WOOD MAY POSE RISK
Date: 010420
From: "Dennis W. Schvejda" {dsch...@igc.org}
NORMAL CONTACT WITH THE WOOD USED FOR PLAYGROUNDS CAN GIVE KIDS
UNACCEPTABLE DOSES OF ARSENIC, AN EXPERT HIRED BY THE STATE SAYS.
By Julie Hauserman, St. Petersburg Times, April 18, 2001
Tallahassee - A scientific expert hired by the state is sounding an
alarm about pressure-treated wood, saying that children could get
enough arsenic on their hands from touching treated wood playgrounds
and decks to pose a health risk.
The expert, University of Florida researcher Steve Roberts, says the
state should encourage playgrounds to switch to other materials, or
choose wood that's treated with an arsenic-free preservative.
"Despite the fact that the risks can vary, . . . we should be
concerned about unrestricted contact with CCA wood," Roberts wrote in
a draft report commissioned by the Florida Department of Environmental
Protection.
Normal contact with the wood can give children arsenic doses "high
enough to be unacceptable from a health protection standpoint,"
Roberts wrote.
"As we look at the data, some of the data suggests there's not a
problem, and some of the data suggests there is," Roberts said in an
interview Tuesday. "Until we have a better handle on this, it would
make sense to reduce exposure."
Most pressure-treated lumber is infused with chromated copper
arsenate, or CCA, a pesticide that contains arsenic.
Roberts also suggests coating existing treated wood with a sealant,
even though it's debatable whether that keeps arsenic from leaching
out. The state of California requires that all public treated-wood
playgrounds be sealed, and Minnesota is trying to pass a similar law.
Roberts' findings could set up a new battleground between state
regulators and the wood-treatment industry, which says pressure-
treated lumber is safe.
The findings also could affect dozens of wooden playgrounds around
the state - in parks, day care centers and schools.
"Clearly," said DEP Secretary David Struhs, "this is going to force a
lot of people to re-evaluate how we manage the risk. The scientific
work that's being done here has raised questions all over the state -
and the country."
"As we go forward, we're not going to use any more of this wood on
state parks. Eventually, it will all be replaced. We have to figure
out what we're going to do with the wood that's already out there."
Roberts' study for the DEP didn't address the risk posed when
children play in soil near playgrounds with treated wood. Instead, he
was paid by the state to review other studies that estimate how much
arsenic kids might be exposed to when they touch the wood.
He reviewed studies by government agencies in California, Connecticut
and Washington, D.C., and found that kids can pick up significant
levels of arsenic by touching the wood.
Long-term exposure to arsenic can cause cancer. But Roberts looked at
the risk for other health problems that arsenic can cause, including
rashes, skin lesions, neurological problems and an increased risk of
cardiovascular disease. Roberts says he has heard no reports of
children suffering these effects, but says his calculations show the
risk is there.
As part of a special report published last month, the St. Petersburg
Times commissioned independent tests of playground soil near five
wooden playgrounds in the Tampa Bay area. The tests revealed arsenic
in every case, at levels higher than the state allows when polluters
have to clean up contaminated neighborhoods.
Some playgrounds around the state were shut down after tests detected
arsenic in the soil. Some have reopened, even though there's no
official "safe" cutoff for arsenic in playground soils. In most cases,
the decision on whether to close a park has been a judgment call by
local officials.
And local officials face a quandary over what to do. At Al Lopez Park
in Tampa, for example, officials closed the wooden playground after
the Times' test showed arsenic in the soil. The city commissioned its
own tests, and found arsenic at higher levels than the Times test did.
Parks director Ross Ferlita decided to reopen it, saying, "We feel
there's no immediate danger at all."
Now, Ferlita said, news that kids might face a health risk from
touching the wood adds even more uncertainty.
"We want to do what's right," Ferlita said. "The frustration is not
having any one agency that represents everybody that's saying: Yes,
there's a problem."
In New Port Richey, where tests found arsenic in playground soil at
Sims Park, parks director Rob Consalvo opted not to close the
playground. The city's consultants said the risk from the arsenic in
the soil was low.
But no one considered arsenic exposure that may be coming when kids
touch the wood.
"Obviously, if it's harmful that children put their hands on it,
that's a problem. But somebody give us something in writing.
Everything we get is controversial, and nothing is scientific enough."
In the Volusia County town of DeLand, park superintendent Larry
Nordman told the Daytona Beach News Journal: "I think it's probably
one of those things that you'd have to lay on it naked for 100 years
before your exposure is too great."
In fact, no studies confirm that.
In Brooksville, officials decided to keep Tom Varn Park open, even
though arsenic has leaked from the wood into the soil. The city posted
a notice saying the wood in the playgrounds and picnic tables was
treated with "a chemical preservative that should not be ingested."
"Although we follow the manufacturer's recommendation of regularly
resealing the lumber, the preservative may accumulate on railings and
other surfaces, as well as in the ground under the equipment. As a
precaution, unwrapped food should not be stored in direct contact with
this pressure treated wood or on the ground. Please wash your hands
before eating," the notice advises.
Discovery Playground in Tarpon Springs remains closed, as does a
playground at the Long Center in Clearwater.
One state lawmaker, Republican Rep. Larry Crow of Palm Harbor, says
he wants to settle the issue by banning CCA wood completely in
playgrounds.
"It was originally thought that lead paint was not a problem," Crow
said. "I think, ultimately, the issue will come down to this: If our
children are being exposed to an increased health risk because of
arsenic, it will not be tolerated, and we're going to do something
about it. I mean, if a child cannot be protected on a playground,
where can he be?"
* * *
(c) Copyright 2001 St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.
# # #
Dennis W. Schvejda, Conservation Chair
New Jersey Chapter Sierra Club
Web: http://www.sierraactivist.org
Join our Action Network & receive alerts:
http://www.actionnetwork.org/add.tcl?domain=SierraClubNJ
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