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GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS 030108

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Garden State EnviroNet

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Jan 8, 2003, 12:07:21 AM1/8/03

030108

GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
{*} MCGREEVEY HOSTS FIRST ANNUAL TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE
{*} EDITORIAL - BROWNFIELD RESTORATIONS
{*} FIX GEMS, DON'T FLUSH IT
{*} FDA WARY OF SHELLFISH BEDS IN NJ
{*} PROTECTION MAY END FOR SOME WATERWAYS
{*} WATER IS BECOMING A DANGEROUS DRUG
{*} CURTIS WRIGHT FINED FOR HAZ WASTE DUMPING
{*} NJPIRG TAKE ACTION FOR A CLEANER GOVERNMENT
{*} INTERIOR EASES CURBS ON FEDERAL RIGHTS OF WAY
{*} GROUPS SUE EPA OVER OFF-ROAD VEHICLES
{*} SCIENCE AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING INSTRUCTOR
{*} ECOLOGICAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS - DEADLINE JAN 15
{*} GRANTS MAY BE AVAILABLE FOR BAY ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS
{*} NJEF'S 17TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE - MAR 29

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The Garden State EnviroNet (GSE) gratefully acknowledges volunteers
Gerald Cullins, Bambi Dingman, Jeff Hook and Paul Neuman for their
contributions to today's issue. GSE is seeking an additional volunteer
to assist with the EnviroNews 3-4 hours/week. If interested, please
send an email message to mai...@gsenet.org.

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MCGREEVEY HOSTS FIRST ANNUAL TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE

Date: 030107
From: http://www.state.nj.us/

SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER CREATING BLUE RIBBON TRANSPORTATION PANEL

January 07, 2003

New Brunswick - Governor James E. McGreevey today signed an Executive
Order, creating a Blue Ribbon Transportation Commission to study and
develop recommendations on the pressing transportation issues
confronting New Jersey over the next ten years.

"From economic growth to clean air to improving our quality of life
by reducing traffic and congestion, transportation decisions affect
the lives of every New Jersey citizen every day," McGreevey said at
New Jersey's First Annual Transportation Conference.

The Executive Order also directs the New Jersey Department of
Transportation and other state transportation agencies to implement
expedited project completion schedules and to place a priority on
projects that relieve congestion and improve highway safety.

"Traffic and congestion costs the New Jersey economy over $7 billion
each year and families and commuters will lose 261 million hours to
congestion," McGreevey said.

The conference, presented by the New Jersey Department of
Transportation in conjunction with New Jersey Alliance for Action, was
conducted to raise awareness of the issues confronting New Jersey in
regard to the funding the State's transportation system.

The State Transportation Trust Fund is the primary funding source for
transportation improvements within New Jersey. The State also receives
a significant amount of funding each year from the Federal
Transportation Enhancement Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). Both
programs are subject to renewal next year.

"The new Blue Ribbon Commission will make recommendations for funding
and help establish priorities to guide the State as we begin the
effort to renew the Transportation Trust Fund," the Governor said.

The Commission will consist of seven public members appointed by the
Governor. The DOT Commissioner will serve as an ex officio member and
will chair of the panel. The public members will include
representatives of the business, labor and environmental communities,
as well as individuals with expertise in New Jersey transportation
issues.

"The challenge for the next year is clear," McGreevey said. "We must
plan carefully and set forth a transportation strategy that will guide
us for the next decade.

"To succeed, we must work with every stakeholder - business and
labor, Republicans and Democrats - under the common goal of providing
New Jersey with a transportation policy that can lead us into the next
decade," he said.

- - -

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 43

WHEREAS, a vital transportation system in New Jersey is essential for
the health and well being of our communities, our working families,
and our economy; and

WHEREAS, New Jersey is already the most densely populated state in the
country and its population is expected to grow by 1 million people by
the year 2020; and

WHEREAS, New Jersey's highway and bridge system is overburdened and in
need of repair; and

WHEREAS, New Jersey's public transportation system is over capacity
and suffering from ten years of deferred maintenance; and

WHEREAS, the aging transportation infrastructure in New Jersey poses a
significant and ongoing safety and security concern; and

WHEREAS, New Jersey drivers waste 261 million hours sitting in
traffic, costing each New Jersey driver nearly $1,300 per year,
negatively impacting our quality of life and losing valuable time that
could be better spent with our families; and

WHEREAS, improving the transportation system to meet the needs of the
21st century is an important goal of this Administration, especially
as it relates to reducing congestion, enhancing safety, and improving
the quality of life for all working families in New Jersey; and

WHEREAS, the needs of New Jersey's transportation system outweigh the
resources available; and

WHEREAS, in this time of limited resources it is important to identify
and prioritize transportation needs and allocate available resources
by incorporating the principles of "Fix it First" and "Smart Growth";
and

WHEREAS, a "Fix it First" strategy will focus our efforts on improving
aging bridges and rehabilitating highways, rail and aviation systems
first, instead of pursuing an expansion policy; and

WHEREAS, smart growth principles will focus and direct transportation
investments into the redevelopment of our older urban and suburban
areas, protect existing open space, conserve natural resources,
increase transportation options and transit availability, reduce
automobile traffic and dependency, stabilize property taxes, and
provide affordable housing; and

WHEREAS, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century is a vital
funding mechanism for the Department of Transportation to address the
transportation system needs in New Jersey; and

WHEREAS, the United States Congress is scheduled to reauthorize the
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century in 2003; and

WHEREAS, the Transportation Trust Fund was created in July 1984 to
provide a stable and predictable funding source for state and local
transportation capital improvements in New Jersey; and

WHEREAS, of the 36,000 miles of roadway in New Jersey, 32,000 miles
are controlled by county and municipal governments whose
responsibility it is to maintain the quality of this local
infrastructure; and,

WHEREAS, the Local Aid programs funded through the Transportation
Trust Fund were created to provide counties and municipalities the
tools and resources needed to maintain and operate these local
roadways, which account for nearly 90% of New Jersey's roadways; and

WHEREAS, the Transportation Trust Fund must be renewed by July of
2004; and

WHEREAS, the current and future transportation needs of New Jersey are
greater than the resources provided by the Transportation Trust Fund
and the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JAMES E. MCGREEVEY, Governor of the State of New
Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution
and by the statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT:

1. There is hereby established a Blue Ribbon Transportation Commission
("Commission") to examine and make recommendations on the pressing
transportation issues facing New Jersey over the next ten years. The
Commission shall also identify the means necessary to address these
pressing transportation issues and recommendations for their
consideration during the upcoming renewal of the Transportation Trust
Fund. The Commission shall issue a final report containing its
findings and recommendations, including any recommendations for
legislation that it deems appropriate, within one year after the
Commission organizes.

2. The Commission shall consist of seven (7) public members appointed
by the Governor, and the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of
Transportation (DOT), ex officio. The Commissioner of DOT shall serve
as Chair of the Commission. The public members shall include
representatives of the business, labor and environmental communities,
as well as individuals with expertise in New Jersey transportation
issues. The Commission shall organize as soon as may be practicable
after the appointment of its members. The members shall appoint a
secretary, who need not be a member of the Commission.

3. The Commission shall meet at the call of the chairperson. The
Commission shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail
itself of the services of the employees of any State department,
board, bureau, commission or agency, as it may require and as may be
available for its purposes, and to employ stenographic and clerical
assistance and incur traveling and other miscellaneous expenses as may
be necessary in order to perform its duties, within the limits of
funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for its purposes.
4. DOT shall work closely with the New Jersey congressional delegation
and with other similarly situated states to establish funding
priorities and develop a strategy to maximize the State's share of
federal resources. This strategy shall consider proposals to provide
DOT with the flexibility to ensure the expedited and efficient
completion of transportation infrastructure improvements.

5. DOT, New Jersey Transit (NJT), the New Jersey Turnpike Authority
(NJTA), the New Jersey Parkway Authority (NJPA) and the South Jersey
Transportation Authority (SJTA) shall implement:

a. An expedited project delivery pipeline initiative, that will
shave 1 to 4 years off the time to deliver a typical project,
reduce project cost and increase the total number of projects that
can be advanced in a year. This initiative will replace the "one-
size-fits-all" schedule historically used by State agencies,
whether projects are minor or major in nature. This improved
project delivery process will accelerate the amount of work
contracted by State agencies, create jobs and ensure that State
agencies spend the maximum possible on transportation improvements;
and

b. A highway safety initiative designed to reduce accidents on our
highways through improved infrastructure, driver education, and
traffic safety compliance enforcement; and

c. A statewide rail plan designed to increase the efficiency of
freight movement and thereby reduce the number of trucks on our
highways; and

d. An improved access permit process that will expedite regulatory
review and incorporate the principles of Smart Growth, when
allowing access to New Jersey highways. This new process will
curtail sprawl by directing development in growth areas, such as
urban and older suburban corridors, and prevent it in
environmentally sensitive and overdeveloped areas; and

e. An information and signage program that will convey clear,
concise, consistent, and "smart" information to the motoring
public. This initiative will consist of a Pilot Program to identify
the resources necessary for Statewide implementation. DOT, NJT,
NJTA, NJHA and SJTA will immediately begin to take steps to
implement this Pilot Program and report to the Governor's Office on
its progress in sixty days. The Pilot Program will fix confusing
directional signs and implement technology to provide real-time
traffic information. The Pilot Program will also reduce red tape by
transferring traffic engineering decision-making from the State to
local governments and by expediting transportation improvements on
local roads; and

f. An expanded Park & Ride initiative, with a goal of achieving
over 20,000 new parking spaces within the next five years at mass
transit facilities and transportation centers, along with a public
awareness campaign that will provide user-friendly information to
the public.

6. DOT, NJT, NJTA, NJHA and SJTA, in conjunction with the Smart Growth
Policy Council, shall develop plans that are consistent with New
Jersey's smart growth policies and that promote and encourage the use
of public transportation.

7. DOT, NJT, NJTA, NJHA and SJTA shall include in their capital
investment strategy a process that will expedite projects determined
to advance the principles of "Fix It First" and "Smart Growth." These
projects shall receive priority treatment. Such projects shall
include, but not be limited to, preserving and rehabilitating bridges
and roadways, increasing capacity for all modes of public
transportation, eliminating bottlenecks, preserving and rehabilitating
airports, improving rail freight services, improving ferry services,
enhancing safety, and making our communities more livable.

8. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Delaware River
Bay Authority, the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission and the
Delaware River Port Authority shall consider incorporating, on a
priority basis, policies consistent with "Smart Growth" and "Fix It
First" principles, with respect to New Jersey projects. In addition,
these bi-state authorities shall consider the following measures:

a. implementing an expedited project delivery pipeline initiative
to reduce project costs and increase the number of projects that
can be advanced in a year;

b. coordinating their efforts, where appropriate, with the
development of a Statewide rail plan;

c. implementing highway safety initiatives;

d. improving their access permits process to allow expedited
regulatory review, while incorporating smart growth principles;

e. implementing information and signage programs to convey accurate
and appropriate information to the motoring public; and

f. supporting and contributing to the expanded Park and Ride
initiative.

9. This Order shall take effect immediately.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal this day of in the Year of Our Lord, Two
Thousand and Three, and of the Independence of the United States, the
Two Hundred and Twenty-Seventh.

James E. McGreevey Governor

Attest: Paul A. Levinsohn Chief Counsel to the Governor

* * *

Contact: Micah Rasmussen 609-777-2600

State of New Jersey Governor's Office
PO Box 004
Trenton, NJ 08625

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EDITORIAL - BROWNFIELD RESTORATIONS

Date: 030107
From: http://www.app.com/

Asbury Park Press Editorial, 1/07/03

New Jersey's roster of Superfund sites is widely known to be the
nation's largest. Cleanup efforts at many of them will take years. But
New Jersey also has 12,600 other sites, many of them in urban areas,
that have been contaminated to varying degrees by defunct industries.
If these properties ever are to be redeveloped, state officials will
have to help by offering incentives.

The McGreevey administration is taking steps in right direction, with
a number of reforms designed to speed up the redevelopment of so-
called "brownfields" in New Jersey's cities. The rule changes proposed
late last year would cut red tape by speeding permit approvals,
clarifying liability issues and making it easier for some of these
former industrial sites to be transformed into parks.

Under the McGreevey plan, some developers would be allowed to begin
construction, even though groundwater contamination at a site has not
be remedied. Instead, when groundwater contamination is pervasive at a
particular site, the developer would be allowed to pay into a cleanup
fund, to be used for long-term efforts to solve the problem.

A panel of senior state environmental officials would be set up to
hear appeals from brownfields redevelopers of regulatory decisions
that slow the cleanup efforts. Developers would be protected against
suits involving pollution for which they are not responsible.

Meanwhile, the Assembly is moving forward on bills that would provide
tax incentives and reimbursements to developers who restore
brownfields. These are the kinds of steps that are needed to make sure
contaminated, abandoned properties in urban areas are put back into
productive use.

* * *

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FIX GEMS, DON'T FLUSH IT

Date: 07 Jan 2003
From: Jane Nogaki {jano...@eticomm.net}

LEGISLATORS, ENVIROS TELL EPA AT PUBLIC SESSION:
DON'T FLUSH GEMS RADIOACTIVE DISCHARGE

January 7, 2003

A bi-partisan cadre of local and state elected officials will join
with environmentalists, concerned citizens, sewer workers and realtors
to press the US EPA to ban the flow of radioactive discharge from GEMS
Superfund Site in Gloucester Township into Holly Run Stream or through
the CCMUA sewer lines.

US Representative Rob Andrews (D -3), Sen. John Adler (D-6), Sen.
John Matheussen.(R-4) Assemblyman George Geist (R-4), and Assemblyman
Robert J. Smith(D-4) are advocating a safer alternative, onsite
treatment and re-injection of cleansed groundwater.

The US Environmental Protection Agency is holding an "availability
session" from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. to "informally discuss issues related
to the GEMS Superfund site." They are expected to announce soon a
decision on where the 200,000 gallon per day radioactive waste
discharge will go, and appear to be leaning towards discharge to the
CCMUA.

- - -

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY!

When: Thursday, January 9, 2003 7 p.m.

Where: Gloucester Township Municipal Building
1261 Chews Landing Road, Chews Landing, Gloucester Twp.
856-228-4000 ext. 236

DIRECTIONS: 295S, Exit 28 (Rt. 168-Black Horse Pike), Left onto 168.
Go approximately 5 miles (pass Philly Diner and WaWa) Make a left at
the fork (across from Salon 201) onto Chews Landing Rd. The Gloucester
Twp. Police and Municipal Building is on the left, about one mile down
the road.

* * *

Jane Nogaki
NJ Environmental Federation
223 Park Ave
Marlton NJ 08053
856-767-1110
856-768-6662 fax
jano...@eticomm.net

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FDA WARY OF SHELLFISH BEDS IN NJ

Date: 030107
From: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/

By Jack Kaskey, Staff Writer, (609) 272-7213
Press of Atlantic City, January 7, 2003

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is threatening to shut down New
Jersey's shellfish industry because the state does not have enough
marine-enforcement officers to ensure pollution-tainted oysters and
clams are not sold to the public.

About 23 percent of New Jersey's coastal waters are closed to
shellfish harvests year round or during warm-weather months because of
pollution concerns, and the state Department of Environmental
Protection is supposed to enforce the closed areas with a prescribed
number of patrols.

But the DEP's Division of Fish and Wildlife has so few marine-
enforcement officers that 63 percent of condemned shellfish waters are
not getting the minimum level of patrols, according to the FDA's most
recent evaluation of New Jersey shellfish program.

"The deficiency in the patrol element has the potential to jeopardize
the entire shellfish program for the state of New Jersey," wrote Susan
M. Setterberg, the FDA's central region director, in a letter
accompanying the annual report.

"Lacking an effective patrol program, New Jersey cannot provide the
necessary assurances that shellfish, processed by New Jersey dealers,
is safe for human consumption," the report says. "Continued failure to
meet minimum mandatory (federal) patrol frequencies could result in
the removal of all certified shippers from the FDA's Interstate
Certified Shellfish Shippers List. This action could have serious
economic ramifications for the New Jersey economy."

Not only would processors of oysters and hard clams be unable to ship
their shellfish out of state, but ocean quahogs, which are harvested
at sea, also would be affected. New Jersey is the world's leading
supplier of ocean quahogs and surf clams, according to the state
Department of Agriculture.

Danny Cohen, president of the Cape May Seafood Association, said he
has full confidence the state will hire enough enforcement officers to
prevent a shutdown of the shellfish industry.

"It would have a major impact to the industry because we sell so much
shellfish," Cohen said. "The state cannot afford to not solve the
problem, because the public confidence in the health of our waters and
the health of our seafood is paramount to a successful industry."

The FDA report was issued Nov. 26, 2001, making it more than a year
old, but there appears to have been little progress since then.

At the time of the report, the state had a total of 11 marine-
enforcement officers, including two in training, to patrol the entire
coast of the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay. The same officers also
are responsible for enforcing all recreational and commercial fishing
laws in the state.

As of Monday, there were still only 11 marine-enforcement officers
patrolling state waters, said DEP Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell.

"It's a problem we need to address," Campbell said. "No matter what
happens in the budget process, we will have to work within current
budget constraints to address this deficiency."

Starting in the spring, the DEP hopes to train State Police Marine
Unit officers to help with shellfish patrols, he said. If there is
enough money in the next year's budget, Campbell said he also hopes to
hire additional marine-enforcement officers.

The state Marine Fisheries Council, which sets marine fishing
regulations, has proposed creating a saltwater-fishing license to
double or triple the $3.2 million budget of the Division of Fish and
Wildlife, money that among other things would pay for more marine-
enforcement officers. Campbell has said he has made no decision on
whether to pursue such a license.

The FDA report shows that some shellfish waters are getting adequate
patrols, including the Raritan Bay and Navesink River in northern New
Jersey, but the majority are woefully under patrolled.

Little Egg Harbor is considered a high-risk area for illegal
harvesting and so must be patrolled 16 times a month, according to the
FDA. But the southern Ocean County bay was patrolled only 2.8 times
monthly during a five-month period, including two months when it was
not patrolled at all.

Great Bay, at the junction of Ocean, Burlington and Atlantic
counties, was patrolled even less - just twice monthly, when the FDA
requires 16 patrols monthly.

Likewise, in the medium-risk area of Little Bay-Reeds Bay in Atlantic
County, where eight patrols monthly are required, fewer than one
monthly patrol actually occurred.

The Mullica and Great Egg Harbor rivers also were singled out for
receiving less than a quarter of the required shellfish patrols.

Despite the low manpower, the DEP caught 44 clammers harvesting in
condemned waters over seven weeks.

The FDA's Setterberg said the 2002 shellfish evaluation would be
coming out shortly, but she would not comment on it until it is
finished.

"They'll know pretty soon what this year's report is about,"
Setterberg said.

The DEP's Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring determines areas safe for
shellfish harvesting by regularly sampling state waters for high
levels of fecal coliform, an indicator of the presence of disease-
causing organisms.

Shellfish harvested in closed areas can be contaminated with
bacteria, viruses, chemicals and naturally occurring toxins, according
to the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference, an agency that
works with the FDA to ensure the safety of shellfish.

Shellfish in closed areas can accumulate bacteria concentrations many
times that of surrounding waters, causing serious illness and even
death in unsuspecting consumers who eat them, according to the
conference.

Because shellfish grow abundantly in closed waters, they present a
strong temptation to lawbreakers. That is why it is crucial to deter
illegal harvesting through day, night and weekend patrols, according
to the shellfish conference.

* * *

To email Jack Kaskey at The Press: JKa...@pressofac.com

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PROTECTION MAY END FOR SOME WATERWAYS

Date: 030106
From: http://www.philly.com/

By Seth Borenstein, Knight Ridder Newspapers, Jan. 06, 2003

Washington - The Bush administration is on the verge of exempting
more than one-third of the nation's waterways from federal rules that
protect them from pollution, according to environmental and business
activists.

Isolated wetlands and smaller streams that occasionally go dry would
no longer get protection under the 30-year-old Clean Water Act because
the administration is planning to change the definition of protected
waterways, many activists say. The Environmental Protection Agency
would not comment.

The waters to be left unprotected "are crucial to the quality of
larger waterways," said Bob Perciasepe, a former water- regulatory
chief in the Clinton administration and current senior vice president
of the National Audubon Society, a conservation group.

Environmentalists say the administration's expected proposals would
allow between 35 percent and 60 percent of the nation's waterways to
be polluted, or even filled in, without federal intervention.
Agriculture and real estate interests say that state governments would
continue to regulate these waterways, but concede that state rules are
generally less burdensome for them than federal standards.

Some say that the Bush administration is right in limiting
definitions of waterways. Jerry Taylor, natural resources director of
the Cato Institute, a libertarian think-tank, said: "The assertion
that every little wet spot in the ground is some ecological crown
jewel is simply nonsense."

Even as EPA weighs its rules changes, expected any day, a separate
federal science study issued Monday found that the small waterways are
more important to the health of the nation's water system than
previously understood.

The issue turns on the definition of what the Clean Water Act
protects. It regulates pollution in "navigable waters," "other waters"
and waterways that affect migrating birds. For more than a decade,
federal regulators said that the Act applied not only to major bodies
of water, but also to smaller tributaries that flow into them, and to
small patches of "isolated wetlands" distant from large rivers as
well.

Two years ago the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that so-called "isolated
wetlands" were not covered under the migratory birds provisions of the
Clean Water Act. About 20 to 30 percent of the nation's wetlands fall
into this category, Perciasepe said.

One change the EPA is weighing would conclude that the so-called
"intermittent waterways" - streams and creeks that dry up in summer -
would no longer get federal protection. About 60 percent of the
nation's waterways would be affected, according to EPA data.

Ninety percent of North Dakota's 54,373 miles of rivers are
considered intermittent, for example. The equivalent figure is 83
percent in Utah, 63 percent in Illinois, 42 percent in Wisconsin, 34
percent in West Virginia and only 10 percent in New York. Not all
states record such data.

Some of these waterways are important to regional ecology and
recreation, said Ken Midkiff, the Sierra Club's chief of water
programs.

In the Kansas City area, for example, Indian Creek dries up in
September and October, but during spring it flows into the Blue River
and eventually into the Missouri River. Kansas officially lists Indian
Creek as polluted. The Mulberry River in Arkansas also dries up in
late summer, but during spring it is a major whitewater rafting river
and flows into Lake St. Louis and the Missouri River.

Farm interests have long fought to rein in waterway legal definitions
that they consider so broad that they "make for pretty tough
regulations," said Don Parrish, senior regulatory relations director
for the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Such rules fostered "a long process that complicated development,"
said Russell Riggs, environmental specialist for the National
Association of Realtors.

States are better able to regulate pollution in smaller streams
because they are closer to the problem, Parrish said. But many states
have been reducing environment enforcement recently because of
tightening budgets.

In a related development, the U.S. Geological Survey released its
massive study Monday showing that the nation's waters flow faster than
in the 1970s and that these smaller waters connect more to larger
waterways than formerly understood, said David Wolock, a USGS
hydrologist who did the study. Allow pollution into the smaller
streams, he said, and it will flow into larger rivers.

* * *

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

WATER IS BECOMING A DANGEROUS DRUG

Date: 021230
From: http://www.alternet.org/

By Melissa Knopper, E Magazine, December 30, 2002

Birth control pills, estrogen replacement drugs, ibuprofen, bug
spray, sunscreen, mouthwash and antibacterial soap: all of these
products could turn up in your next glass of tap water, according to
the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Last summer, USGS
scientists sampled 139 rivers and streams, finding hundreds of
prescription and over-the-counter drugs and personal care products
lingering in the nation's water supply.

In many cases, these tiny drug particles were found in river water
that is recycled - flowing from one city's sewer plant into another
city's drinking water system. Many cities can't afford the charcoal
filters required to screen out the final traces of these byproducts,
so they end up in the drinking water, experts say. Rural homeowners
who use well water are at an even greater risk. USGS researchers also
turned up antibiotics in nearly half the streams that were sampled,
raising other concerns about the nation's growing antibiotic
resistance problem. "This study raised a bunch of red flags," says
Dana Kolpin, lead author of the USGS study. "At these low
concentrations, I think there are going to be long-term effects that
may take several generations to show up."

A THREAT TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

The dangers of endocrine-disrupting water pollutants such as dioxin
and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are well known - they have been
linked to a variety of reproductive health problems, from
endometriosis to low sperm counts. Synthetic hormones in the water may
have similar health effects - on both people and wildlife - at very
low levels of exposure. "All of these compounds are going into a
chemical soup," says Theo Colborn, senior scientist at the World
Wildlife Fund (WWF) and author of "Our Stolen Future."

Colborn says she is worried about pharmaceutical estrogens mixing
with chemicals already present in streams. "You can liken it to side
effects you get with a prescription drug - you don't know how it's
going to interact with the over-the-counter drugs you're taking,"
Colborn says. "It's the unexpected, interactive effects we never
predicted that are a real concern."

For example, Colborn says, bisphenol A, a component of plastic that
is also used as a fire retardant, causes female mice to reach puberty
earlier than normal. Bisphenol A forms a weak bond with the body's
estrogen receptors. It can scramble a cell's natural communication
system and cause it to replicate too quickly. That, in turn, raises
concerns about breast cancer in humans. What happens if this compound,
which is active at low levels of exposure, combines with estrogen from
a birth control pill in the water? At this point, it's still unclear.
Colborn says, "It could have long-term health effects."

These estrogens also could have an additive effect with chemicals
such as PCBs, which are found in animal tissue. A recent study by
researchers at Michigan State University found mink that were fed a
diet of PCB-laden fish from the polluted Housatonic River in
Connecticut had offspring with lower birth weights and higher infant
mortality rates. Housatonic Riverkeeper Tim Gray, a member of the New
York-based Waterkeeper's Alliance, wonders if PCBs interfere with the
mink's reproduction, what will synthetic estrogen and other drugs do?

Until recently, people thought the estrogens in birth control pills
were rendered inactive by the body because the kidneys tack on an
extra sugar molecule before they are excreted, says William Owens, a
toxicologist who researched estrogen patches for Procter & Gamble. But
now, scientists have learned bacteria in sewage treatment plants chew
off that sugar molecule.

A British researcher, John Sumpter, contributed to this discovery
while studying fish living near a London wastewater treatment plant.
He found male fish that were producing eggs. After he found the
compound estradiol in the fish tissue, he concluded estrogens from
birth control pills were part of the problem.

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE IS GROWING

Another active area of research and debate is antibiotic resistance.
The Union of Concerned Scientists says farmers use 70 percent of
antibiotics in the United States. Large factory farms use antibiotics
to prevent confined, crowded-together cows or chickens from getting
sick. But that practice is creating "superbugs," such as virulent
strains of salmonella that can be deadly to humans and difficult to
treat. Those superbugs typically are spread to consumers through
contaminated meat, but people who drink from private wells also are
vulnerable, says Dr. John Balbus, director of the environmental health
program for Environmental Defense.

Meanwhile, thousands of pounds of triclosan - the active ingredient
in antibacterial soaps, deodorants, sponges and household cleaners -
are also going down the drain into our waterways. Susan Cellura, a
spokesperson for Ciba Specialty Chemicals, which manufactures
triclosan, says the chemical does not contribute to the antibacterial
resistance problem. She quotes a recent report by the European
Commission's Scientific Steering Committee, which concludes: "There is
no convincing evidence that triclosan poses a risk to humans or the
environment by inducing or transmitting antibacterial resistance under
current conditions of use." Ciba's research also purports to show that
triclosan does not pose any health threat to wildlife or humans
because it's present in water at very low levels, 0.1 part per
billion.

"This is well below the 'safe' level of 0.7 parts per million
established by research," Cellura says. But other studies have shown
that triclosan does contribute to the resistance problem. Because
triclosan is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent, it kills all
bacteria on the body and household surfaces - even the beneficial
kind. That, in turn, creates an environment where the superbugs can
flourish, says a Tufts University study. The Tufts researchers also
argue that the levels of triclosan in common handsoaps and cleaners
are not strong enough to kill certain harmful bacteria. In an August
report, the American Medical Association called on the scientific
community to do a more thorough review of whether antibacterial
consumer products do more harm than good. "The use of these products
have never been shown to be superior, to my knowledge, to regular soap
and water," says Dr. Tamar Barlan, director of the Center for Science
in the Public Interest's project on antibiotic resistance.

PROTECT YOURSELF - AND THE ENVIRONMENT

So what are the solutions? Legislation could be one option. The
government could, for example, require all cities that use treated
wastewater for drinking to install charcoal filters, although that
would be costly. That type of legislation won't likely be passed until
research pinpoints exactly how risky these substances can be for
humans and wildlife. But until recently, says Kolpin of the USGS,
researchers had no way to even measure these compounds at the very low
levels they appear in streams. The Waterkeeper Alliance's Gray joins
the WWF and other green groups in the call to enact stronger clean
water laws. "This new report paints a scary picture of what's out
there in our rivers and lakes," he says.

In the meantime, consumers can protect themselves and the
environment. WWF's Colborn recommends drinking distilled water,
possibly produced by your own distiller system. If you must buy
bottled water, she adds, pour it into a glass container instead of
leaving it in the plastic bottle. Other steps include:

- Use condoms instead of birth control pills;

- Choose natural menopause remedies instead of prescription hormone
replacement therapy drugs;

- Return old prescriptions to the pharmacy rather than flushing them
down the toilet;

- Avoid unnecessary use of antibiotic drugs, and try plain old soap
and water unless your doctor recommends antibacterial soap for
medical reasons;

- Switch to antibiotic-free meat or a vegetarian diet.

- - -

Author's Note: For more information, contact: Campaign to End
Antibiotic Overuse, (202)572- 3250; KeepAntibioticsWorking.com; The
original USGS study; Our Stolen Future; Waterkeeper Alliance,
(914)674-0622.
Melissa Knopper is a Denver-based science writer.

* * *

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

CURTIS WRIGHT FINED FOR HAZ WASTE DUMPING

Date: 030107
From: http://www.state.nj.us/

DEP FINES FACILITY FOR ILLEGALLY DISPOSING OF HAZARDOUS WASTE

1/6/03

Trenton - The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
today announced that the Curtiss Wright Corporation was fined $109,991
for improperly identifying and disposing of more than 33,000 gallons
of hazardous waste that was generated from clean up efforts at its
former Bergen County facility.

"Curtiss Wright's mishandling of hazardous waste was truly blatant,
putting residents, workers and the environment at risk simply to save
costs of safe treatment," said DEP Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell.
"This cavalier regard for the requirements of the law dema nds severe
penalties."

As part of a remediation project at its former facility in Wood-
ridge, Curtiss Wright pumps and treats contaminated groundwater to
remove oil and other volatile organic chemicals. Between May 1998 and
November 1998, the waste removed from the contaminated groundwater was
labeled as hazardous and shipped off site to facilities permitted to
dispose of hazardous waste.

In January 1999 through March 2002, Curtiss Wright shipped the same
waste generated from the contaminated groundwater as non-hazardous.
Twelve shipments totaling 33,275 gallons of hazardous waste were
improperly labeled and sent to facilities not authorized to handle the
treatment, storage or disposal of hazardous waste. In addition to
public health risks and environmental impacts, failure to prepare a
required hazardous waste manifest or properly identify the type of
waste being disposed of can negatively impact the permitted design of
the receiving facility.

The DEP issued Curtiss Wright a $109,991 fine for violations of the
Solid Waste Management Act, including: failure of a generator of solid
waste to determine if waste is hazardous; failure of a generator to
prepare a manifest before offering hazardous waste for transport off-
site; failure of a generator to designate an authorized facility on
the manifest; and failure of a generator to determine if the hazardous
waste is restricted from land disposal.

In addition to penalties assessed for environmental violations, the
$109,991 fine issued to Curtiss Wright includes a penalty for $4,991 -
reflecting the economic savings realized by disposing hazardous waste
as non-hazardous waste. The DEP has invoices that show that Curtiss
Wright paid $.80 per gallon for hazardous waste disposal and $.65 per
gallon for non-hazardous waste disposal.

In a separate Notice of Civil Administrative Penalty Assessment, the
transporter - Allstate-ORC in West Milford, Passaic County - was fined
$3,000 for accepting hazardous waste from a generator without a
required hazardous waste manifest.

Currtiss Wright has requested a hearing concerning the DEP's penalty
assessment.

A copy of the DEP's Administrative Order and Notice of Civil
Administrative Penalty Assessment issued to Curtiss Wright is
available upon request.

- - -

Related Links

NJDEP Division of Solid & Hazardous Waste
http://www.nj.gov/dep/dshw

* * *

Contact: Amy Cradic, ( 609) 984-1795

Department of Environmental Protection
POB 402
Trenton, NJ 08625-0402
Copyright (c) State of New Jersey, 1996-2002

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

NJPIRG TAKE ACTION FOR A CLEANER GOVERNMENT

Date: 07 Jan 2003
From: "Dena Mottola, NJPIRG Acting Director" {De...@njpirg.org}

Dear NJPIRG supporter,

Decision makers in New Jersey commonly reward their biggest
contributors with state government contracts. This practice drives
government purchasing in the state, regardless of the party in power
and compromises the democratic process by making policymakers
dependent on large business interests to win reelection.

Please take a moment to contact the state assembly and ask that they
support legislation that would significantly reduce the amount of
money that professionals doing business with the state can contribute
to political campaigns. Follow the link below to go to a web page
where you can email your state assembly member.

http://www.pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=352&id4=ES

BACKGROUND

The practice of awarding state government contracts to the biggest
political contributors, called "Pay to Play", has already resulted in
several debacles that left New Jersey taxpayers footing the bill. The
Parson auto inspection contract plagued us with huge lines for
inspections; the WorldCom / EZ-Pass contract led to a host of errors
on our EZ-Pass bills.

Mistakes like the Parson auto inspection and the WorldCom / EZ-Pass
contracts could be avoided if the money influencing decision makers
was removed. New Jersey taxpayers deserve better services and a
cleaner government.

The A-427 bill now before the state assembly would prohibit
contributions to state legislators and gubernatorial candidates by
businesses and professional firms with state contracts worth more than
$17,500 and require businesses and professional firms seeking state
work to limit their giving to $250 for individual candidates and $500
to political parties.

Several groups, including NJPIRG, New Jersey Common Cause, the New
Jersey League of Women Voters, the New Jersey Sierra Club, and the
AARP, support the A-427 bill to end Pay to Play practices. The state
senate has already passed the bill, but leaders within the assembly
have been reluctant to act.

Moving this bill through the assembly quickly is in the best interest
of the citizens of New Jersey and our politicians. We should be hiring
the best company, not the one making the largest contributions.

Please take a moment to urge the state assembly to support legislation
that would end Pay to Play.

Sincerely,
Dena Mottola, NJPIRG Acting Director
http://www.NJPIRG.org

P.S. Thanks again for your support. Please feel free to share this
email with your family and friends.

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

INTERIOR EASES CURBS ON FEDERAL RIGHTS OF WAY

Date: 030107
From: http://www.washingtonpost.com/

By Eric Pianin, Washington Post Staff Writer, January 7, 2003

The Interior Department yesterday issued rules to make it easier for
western states and local governments to claim rights of way on
hundreds of millions of acres of federal lands, including areas now
off-limits to roads, mining and other commercial activity.

Interior officials said the rules, published in the Federal Registry,
are essential to clearing up scores of long-standing land ownership
controversies between the federal government and state and local
jurisdictions that otherwise would entail costly litigation.

"This will help our federal land managers more clearly define who
owns what and how [the land] can be used," said Patricia E. Morrison,
deputy assistant secretary for land and minerals management. "It goes
to the heart of our land management planning."

But environmental groups said the rules changes would make it easier
for state and local jurisdictions to convert dirt tracks and wash
bottoms into roads, which could lead to development harmful to
wilderness areas and national parks.

"This allows special interests to punch highways into our most
precious parks and refuges along long-abandoned mining trails, cattle
paths and streams," said Heidi McIntosh of the Southern Utah
Wilderness Alliance.

For years, western state and local governments have feuded with the
Interior Department and the Bureau of Land Management over rights of
way. In southern Utah's Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument,
for example, environmental groups say counties ignored the area's
protected status in 1996 and scraped roads out of obscure trails.

The state of Alaska has identified 24 routes in Denali National Park
and Preserve that it contends may be valid state rights of way. In
California, an effort by San Bernardino County to survey specific
routes and map claims - including wagon roads, trails and horse and
footpaths - has resulted in 2,567 miles of road claims in the Mojave
National Preserve.

The Interior Department intends to use the new rules essentially to
revive a provision of the 1866 mining act known as Revised Statute
2477, meant to encourage western settlement. Congress repealed the law
in 1976 when it passed the Federal Land Policy and Management Act.

The old statute had granted states and local governments the right of
way for the construction of highways over public lands "not
specifically reserved for public uses," but in many cases the states
never received a deed to the land.

The new rules will facilitate the filing of claims by eliminating a
12-year statute of limitation on such claims, by allowing "entities"
other than the owner of record to file claims, and by giving federal
agencies other than the Bureau of Land Management greater say in the
disposition of the land.

* * *

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

GROUPS SUE EPA OVER OFF-ROAD VEHICLES

Date: 030107
From: http://www.newsday.com/

By Associated Press, January 7, 2003

Washington - Two environmental groups filed suit Tuesday seeking to
force the Bush administration to tighten its new emissions standards
for snowmobiles and other off-road vehicles.

The groups, Bluewater Network and Environmental Defense, want the
Environmental Protection Agency to revise its standards to require
even greater emissions reductions to be phased-in through 2012. The
lawsuit was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia.

EPA issued a final rule last fall requiring cleaner snowmobiles, dirt
bikes, all-terrain vehicles, diesel-powered boats and some other
combustion engines. Snowmobiles, for example, must have a 50 percent
reduction in emissions by 2012.

The agency said requiring cleaner machines will cut pollution by 2
million tons a year, which would be like taking 32 million cars off
the nation's roads.

Russell Long, Bluewater Network's executive director, said the rule
was too lenient because it allowed two-stroke snowmobile engines to
continue to be sold indefinitely, did not require catalytic converters
for all-terrain vehicles and failed to regulate noise pollution.

"We will sacrifice air quality, public health and wildlife, and
that's flat-out inappropriate and unlawful," he said.

An EPA spokesman was not immediately available for comment. Agency
officials have previously said the emissions standards reflect
attainable goals that will lead to cleaner air and better public
health, preventing hundreds of premature deaths and thousands of
asthma attacks.

Snowmobile manufacturers have described the EPA rule as a reasonable
compromise, especially since most snowmobiles are ridden in rural
communities away from where the majority of people live. Complying
with the new rule is expected to cost manufacturers $900 per
snowmobile and $100 per ATV.

- - -

On the Net:

Environmental Protection Agency:
http://www.epa.gov

Bluewater Network:
http://www.bluewaternetwork.org

International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association:
http://www.snowmobile.org

* * *

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

SCIENCE AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING INSTRUCTOR

Date: 030102
From: http://www.ecoemploy.com/

KIDS CORPORATION

Introduction

Kids Corporation is seeking an ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND LEADERSHIP
TRAINING INSTRUCTOR for its Mountain Classroom Program. Kids
Corporation is a non-profit which operates an environmental science
camp as well as summer and after school programs for the elementary
school children of Newark, New Jersey. The camp is located in the
scenic foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in rural northwest New
Jersey.

Responsibilities

Instructors are needed to start work on January 2, 2003, to lead
groups of inner city fifth graders through discovery hikes,
environmental science experiments, obstacle courses, and character
education. Training is provided. Work is Monday through Friday,
roughly 8-6, occasional Saturdays.

Qualifications

Energetic, hardworking, flexible people are needed to change
children's lives.

Compensation

Benefits include housing, 2 meals daily, full health and dental care,
$225 per week, $5,000 scholarship from AmeriCorps (good on loans,
undergraduate, and graduate school).

To Apply

Please contact:

Kids Corporation II
6 Atlantic St Fl 2
Newark NJ 07102-3202
Telephone: 973-877-0980

Please indicate in your correspondence that you are responding to our
announcement in http://www.EcoEmploy.com

* * *

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

ECOLOGICAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS - DEADLINE JAN 15

Date: 7 Jan 2003
From: "Christine Hall" {ch...@upperdelaware.org}

ECOLOGICAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS - NOMINATION DEADLINE JANUARY 15TH

There is still time to submit your project for the Soil & Water
Conservation Society & Pinelands Nursery Ecological Excellence awards.

Each year two $500 awards are granted for Ecological Excellence in
Design and Construction of ecological restoration projects. In the
design catagory this award will be given to a landscape architect,
engineering design, or environmental consulting firm for excellence in
the design of an ecological restoration project, unique soil and water
conservation stabilization project, or innovative habitat development
or enhancement project. In the construction catagory this award will
be given to an individual contractor or construction company for
excellence in the construction of an ecological restoration project,
unique soil and water conservation stabilization project, or
innovative habitat development or enhancement project.

For both catagories a $500 cash award and a plaque will be given to
the recipient or to a non-profit organization of the recipient's
choosing.

Criteria for eligible projects:

- The project must be completed and functioning.

- The project must be in New Jersey.

- Nominees may include contractors or design firms from outside of
New Jersey

Acceptable Projects include:

- Ecological restoration, such as wetland, riparian or upland
restoration or enhancement, reforestation or similar projects

- Unique soil and water conservation or stabilization projects

- Unique fish or wildlife habitat development or enhancement projects

Nominees must send in a completed award nomination form, including
the project design and photos. Project nominations must be received by
January 15th. Nomination forms are available online at
http://www.geocities.com/njswcs. Or for more information contact:
Tim Dunne, Awards Committee Chairman of the Firman E. Bear Chapter of
SWCS, (908) 735-0733 x104 or via email tdu...@nj.nrcs.usda.gov.

* * *

Christine Hall
NRCS, North Jersey RC&D
54 Old Highway 22, Suite 201
Clinton, NJ 08809-1389
Phone (908) 735-0733 x105
Fax (908) 735-0744
ch...@upperdelaware.org
http://www.upperdelaware.org

ch...@northjerseyrcd.org
http://www.northjerseyrcd.org

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

GRANTS MAY BE AVAILABLE FOR BAY ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS

Date: 030107
From: http://www.app.com/

By Don Bennett, Staff Writer, Ocean County Observer, 01/07/03

Toms River - Programs benefiting the Barnegat Bay environment might
be eligible for grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 from a fund
administered by the Trust for Public Land.

The deadline to apply is March 7. Grant recipients will be announced
during the week of April 1.

The TPL, a major facilitator of open-space acquisitions in the
Barnegat Bay area, provides the grants from a $500,000 fund created by
the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Grants are given to promote environmental education, planning,
monitoring, research and land stewardship in the bay and its 660-
square mile watershed.

Only nonprofit groups that are tax exempt can apply.

Government agencies cannot apply, but can be partners with eligible
nonprofit groups.

No funds will be provided for lobbying, political activities, fund-
raising or entertainment.

An advisory board will review the applications and decide which
groups get funds. Members of that panel include: conservationists;
state and county officials; representatives of the DEP, Ciba
Speciality Chemicals Corp.; the Barnegat Bay Watershed Estuary
Foundation, and the TPL; and a Rutgers professor emeritus.

The TPL's work in the Barnegat Bay area has resulted in the
protection of more than 9,400 acres of land, including 3,000 that were
added to the Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.

Applications for TPL grants can be sent to the Barnegat Bay
Environmental Grant Fund, Trust for Public Land, NJ Field Office, 20
Community Place, Morristown, NJ 07960.

* * *

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

NJEF'S 17TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE - MAR 29

Date: 07 Jan 2003
From: Jenny Vickers {jen...@optonline.net}

SAVE THE DATE! SATURDAY MARCH 29, 2003

New Jersey Environmental Federation's 17th Annual Conference:

JUSTICE FOR ALL:
FIGHTING FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES AND A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT

8 AM to 5 PM in Princeton, NJ
Princeton University Friend Center

SPEAKERS:

Jim E. McGreevey, NJ Governor (CONFIRMED)
Bradley Campbell, NJDEP Commissioner (INVITED)
Robert Bullard, Nationally renowned Ware Distinguished Professor of
Sociology Director of the Environmental Justice Resource Center
at Atlanta Clark University (CONFIRMED)

...

CONFERENCE TITLES:

The Water Bowl: Trenton vs. Washington

Lobby for the Environment: Getting What You Want in an Election Year

People Power: NJDEP's New Environmental Justice Initiative

Digging Up the Data for Precautionary Action

Brownfields: How Clean? For What?

Healthy Schools

Stopping Sprawl: The Big Map

Using the Media to Get Your Point Across

...

RECEPTION

Enjoy food and drinks with NJEF and friends following the conference

...

REGISTRATION:

$30 per person, $25 per person for groups of 5 or more, $25 per person
registering before March 19, 2003, $15 for students.

To Register Please Contact Jenny At (732) 280-8988

* * *

Jenny Vickers
Member Communications Coordinator
New Jersey Environmental Federation
1002 Ocean Avenue
Belmar, NJ 07719
PH: 732-280-8988
FAX: 732-280-0371
jvic...@cleanwater.org
http://www.cleanwateraction.org/njef

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tina Bologna - Editor - bol...@gsenet.org

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

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

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

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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