GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS 030815
GSENet
GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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{*} ATLANTIC COUNTY FREEHOLDERS MOVE TO CONTROL GROUNDWATER
{*} NEPTUNE ENVIROS MOVE TO SUE WALMART OVER WATER
{*} BEACHGOERS SWIMMING AGAINST A TIDE OF POLLUTED RUNOFF
{*} EDISON WANTS 'CHEMICAL INSECTICIDE' SITE CLEANED UP
{*} EPA OFFERS INTERIM CLEANUP FOR GALLOWAY SUPERFUND SITE
{*} CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY RELIED ON AT CIBA CLEANUP
{*} AGREEMENT ON DESIGN OF HUDSON RIVER CLEANUP
{*} TETERBORO AIR STUDY CREATES CONTROVERSY
{*} BIG QUESTIONS FOR TINY PARTICLES
{*} PINE BARRENS LAND DEAL TO PRESERVE 9,400 ACRES
{*} SPRAWLING AT OUR OWN RISK
{*} INFILL IS WORKING, AS DEVELOPERS BUILD CLOSER TO TOWN
{*} DEP AIDS SOUTH PLAINFIELD IN COMMUNITY PARK CLEANUP
{*} WORKSHOP ON THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE - NOV 22
{*} BAYKEEPER TO HOST FOUR KAYAK ECOTOURS IN AUG/SEP
{*} CORRECTION TO FINAL NRD LETTER
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The Garden State EnviroNet (GSE) gratefully acknowledges volunteers
Gerald Cullins, Jeff Hook and Paul Neuman for their contributions to
today's issue. Thanks also to Peter Montague for his many contibutions
to the EnviroNews, and his invaluable help as a member of our Board of
Trustees. If interested in helping out, please send an email message
to mai...@gsenet.org.
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ATLANTIC COUNTY FREEHOLDERS MOVE TO CONTROL GROUNDWATER
Date: 14 Aug 2003
From: "Peter Montague" {Pe...@rachel.org}
By Thomas Barlas, Staff Writer, (609) 272-7201
Press of Atlantic City, August 14, 2003
Northfield - Atlantic County government on Tuesday took the first
step toward taking greater control of groundwater issues that affect
everything from drought regulations to construction in the county.
An ordinance introduced by the county Board of Chosen Freeholders
creates a groundwater advisory committee.
It also makes the Atlantic County Utilities Authority the so-called
"lead agency" to study and make recommendations on groundwater issues.
County officials said their action was prompted by inaction by the
state Department of Environmental Protection.
"We need to have someone more closely monitor groundwater issues,
since DEP hasn't stepped forward to do the job it should," Freeholder
James Carney said.
"It's better to do this now, than to react later when it too late,"
Freeholder Rev. Lawton Nelson said.
County officials said last year's drought restrictions, difficulties
some developers have in getting water-allocation permits and the
state's failure to develop wastewater-recycling permits are examples
of the DEP's failure to work cooperatively with local governments in
the county.
Months of below-average rainfall prompted the state to impose severe
water-use restrictions throughout New Jersey last year.
It also prompted a less than successful building moratorium in Egg
Harbor, Galloway and Hamilton townships, three municipalities
designated as growth areas.
Southern New Jersey's green industry - which includes businesses such
as landscaping companies and nurseries - claimed many of the water-use
restrictions were unnecessary. They also claim it cost them about a 40
percent drop in business.
The construction industry also contended that the building moratorium
was based on poor information on behalf of the state.
The proposed groundwater advisory committee would have 16 to 20
members, which would include "water purveyors, environmentalists,
municipal and county officials, scientists, real estate developers,
farmers, landscapers and academicians," according to the ordinance,
which undergoes a public hearing on Aug. 25.
The committee would "advise and consult" with Atlantic County
Executive Dennis Levinson on all issues regarding ground water,
including planning and conservation. It also would be required to
submit reports to Levinson and the freeholders.
The DEP still would have the final say on groundwater-related
measures.
# # #
Rachel's Environment & Health News
Environmental Research Foundation
POB 160
New Brunswick NJ 08903-0160
Tel: 732-828-9995
Fax: 732-791-4603
Email: e...@rachel.org
Web: http://www.rachel.org
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NEPTUNE ENVIROS MOVE TO SUE WALMART OVER WATER
Date: 14 Aug 2003
From: "Steven Sacks-Wilner" {ste...@sacks-wilner.com}
ACTIVISTS MOVE TO SUE WAL-MART OVER EROSION
By Alison Waldman, Asbury Park Press, 8/14/03
Neptune - A local environmental group took the first step this week
to file a lawsuit against Wal-Mart, claiming construction of the new
store on Route 66 and Jumping Brook Road created runoff that polluted
nearby waterways.
The Shark River Cleanup Coalition Inc., a nonprofit group dedicated
to cleaning and protecting local waterways, notified Wal-Mart this
week by letter of its intention to file a lawsuit, said Brian F.
Hegarty, president of the organization, yesterday.
Notification of an intent to sue is required when a citizen group
files a lawsuit under the federal Clean Water Act or under the state's
environmental rights statutes, said Judith Weinstock of the Rutgers
Environmental Law Clinic in Newark, who is representing the coalition.
The Neptune City-based coalition must wait 30 days following the
notice to file in state court or 60 days to file in a federal court,
said Weinstock, who declined to say in which court the suit would be
filed.
A Wal-Mart spokeswoman declined to comment on the notification, but
said the company received the letter.
The coalition claims to have documented through pictures and video
the discharge of mud, silt, clay and sediment into Jumping Brook,
which flows near the site and into the Shark River, on more than a
dozen occasions since April.
This includes an incident on Memorial Day when heavy rains created a
runoff that dumped up to eight truckloads of clay, sand and sediment
into the Jumping Brook, after a portion of the fencing meant to
restrain the dirt was breached.
The Freehold Soil Conservation District issued a stop-work order
until drainage problems were corrected about a week later.
"Sediment in the streams smothers all of the life in the stream and
chokes the fish," said Hegarty.
Unusually heavy rains did create a water runoff problem at the site,
but company representatives have met weekly with conservation district
officials to correct the problem, said Mia Masten, northeast region
community affairs manager for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., yesterday.
"We are doing everything we can to mitigate the runoff," Masten said.
The discharge into waterways is a violation of Wal-Mart's state-
issued permit to discharge storm water, Weinstock said. The permit
required Wal-Mart to submit a plan for soil erosion and sediment
control, but the company has failed to follow the plan, Weinstock
said.
"The plan is very specific about what measures are supposed to be
implemented,"Weinstock said.
Ultimately, Hegarty and Weinstock said they want Wal-Mart to correct
the runoff problem and to clean up the affected waterways.
In a written statement released Tuesday, Hegarty criticized the
conservation district and the state Department of Environmental
Protection for failing to enforce erosion control measures or to issue
fines.
Aside from meeting weekly with municipal officials, company
representatives and the builders, Kay Contracting of Cherry Hill, soil
conservation district officials also inspect the site regularly, said
Ines Grimm, district manager. Inspections range from every day to
every two or thee days, said Grimm, who declined to comment on the
issues in the potential suit against Wal-Mart.
Grimm said yesterday she has asked a soil erosion sediment control
engineer for the state Department of Agriculture to inspect the site
with a soil scientist to determine how much material may have left the
site and how much has been removed from the stream, as well as how far
material may have spread in the water.
She said Wal-Mart has removed runoff from the stream on three
occasions since Memorial Day.
Wal-Mart officials have said the store is expected to open early next
year.
# # #
Steven L. Sacks-Wilner, Esq.
Counsellor at Law
489 Dutchtown-Zion Rd
Skillman, NJ 08558-1307
L...@Sacks-Wilner.com
http://www.TheNJLawyer.com
Tel. 908.359.5550
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BEACHGOERS SWIMMING AGAINST A TIDE OF POLLUTED RUNOFF
Date: 14 Aug 2003
From: "Peter Montague" {Pe...@rachel.org}
By John Curran, Newark Star-Ledger, August 14, 2003
First, the good news: The number of New Jersey beaches closed because
of polluted water last year plunged to 31, a welcome side effect of a
drought that plagued the state.
Now, the bad: Persistent rain this summer has carried polluted
stormwater and other contaminated runoff into the ocean, bays and
freshwater bodies, resulting in 140 beach closings - with nearly a
month still left in the season, according to data released yesterday.
"Last year's low number of closings was a fluke," said Sam Boykin, of
New Jersey Public Interest Research Group. "This year is shaping up to
be one of the worst years for beach pollution ever."
Environmental advocates say the beach closing data released by the
Natural Resources Defense Council underscores New Jersey's failure to
address pollution from pesticides, fertilizers, litter and other
pollutants that get washed away by rain and end up in swimming areas.
"It's very clear that our water quality depends on the weather," said
Cindy Zipf, executive director of Clean Ocean Action, an environmental
group. "When it rains, it pours - pouring all the polluted run-off
into the water."
The Defense Council's 13th annual report, entitled "Testing the
Waters: A Guide to Water Quality at Vacation Beaches," said the
nation's coastal waters are generally in fair to poor condition,
reflecting a need for more water quality testing and public
notification when the results aren't good.
Last year, there were more than 12,000 beach closings or advisories
caused by pollution nationally, the group said.
"Too much of the water at too many beaches is still polluted with
sewage and runoff," said Nancy Stoner, director of the council's Clean
Water Project. "That means millions of American families have their
beach vacations ruined when they can't go in the water. Worse yet,
officials often don't warn parents when it's unsafe for their children
to swim."
New Jersey, the first state to have a mandatory beach-closing
requirement and bacteria standard, continued to reap the benefits of
the stricter monitoring in 2002.
According to the report, there were 31 saltwater beach closings last
year - down from 125 the year before - and 23 of them were pre-
emptive, ordered as a precaution after a significant rainfall.
Twenty-five of the beaches were in Monmouth County and the rest in
Ocean County.
Among them: L Street beach in Belmar, Rec Center beach in Atlantic
Highlands, Brown South beach and York Avenue beach in Spring Lake,
Beachwood beach in Beachwood, Taylor Avenue bay beach in Beach Haven,
Hancock Avenue beach in Seaside Heights, Windward beach in Brick
Township and Money Island beach in Dover Township.
There were no beach closings in Atlantic or Cape May counties last
year, according to the report, which for the first time included
information on freshwater beach closings, too.
Last year, there were 14 of those at state parks, forests and
recreation areas in Salem, Sussex, Morris, Burlington, Hunterdon,
Middlesex and Passaic counties, the report said.
The Department of Environmental Protection did not specify yesterday
how many of this year's 140 closings were at freshwater beaches and
how many were at saltwater beaches.
One beachgoer, while disappointed with the summer's rains, said she
has seen no evidence of pollution at beaches in Wildwood, North
Wildwood and Atlantic City this year.
"To me, the quality of the water is great. It's clear and you can see
your feet," said Ruth Donnelly, 68, of Bensalem, Pa., who was on the
Hereford Inlet beach in North Wildwood yesterday. "Atlantic City
especially seems 100 percent better than it used to be."
* * *
Copyright 2003 The Star-Ledger.
# # #
Rachel's Environment & Health News
Environmental Research Foundation
POB 160
New Brunswick NJ 08903-0160
Tel: 732-828-9995
Fax: 732-791-4603
Email: e...@rachel.org
Web: http://www.rachel.org
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EDISON WANTS 'CHEMICAL INSECTICIDE' SITE CLEANED UP
Date: 14 Aug 2003
From: "Peter Montague" {Pe...@rachel.org}
FEDS OFFER PLAN TO MONITOR SUPERFUND SITE
EDISON OFFICIALS SAY THEY WANT THE TAINTED GROUNDWATER REMOVED
By Joe Tyrrell, Star-Ledger Staff, August 14, 2003
The federal government is proposing to monitor, rather than remove,
contaminated groundwater at the old Chemical Insecticide Corp.
Superfund site in Edison, raising the ire of local environmentalists
and elected officials.
"They've been telling us for the past two years that they were going
to clean up the groundwater," said Allison Speiser, a spokeswoman for
the Edison Wetlands Association, which has been pushing for a cleanup
at the site for the last 12 years. "Now, they've decided they're just
going to monitor it."
Edison Mayor George Spadoro said he is opposed to only monitoring the
contaminated groundwater on the 5.7-acre site off Whitman Avenue,
overlooking Route 287.
"Just ignoring it, I don't find that acceptable," Spadoro said, "and
monitoring is basically ignoring."
But EPA officials said removing or treating the groundwater would be
impractical. The agency is holding a meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in the
Edison municipal building to discuss its groundwater proposal.
Bonnie Bellow, a spokeswoman for EPA's New York regional office, said
the geology of the site would make it difficult to pump out the water.
Monitoring so far shows "there has not been much movement of the
groundwater," she said.
If the EPA decides to deal with the groundwater, it must be treated
to meet drinking water standards, said Carole Petersen, the bureau
chief of the New Jersey remediation branch. That would take hundreds
of years at CIC, according to EPA computer models.
Speiser said the wetlands association believes that treating the
water to meeting drinking water standards is unrealistic. Residents do
not depend on groundwater for their drinking supplies, she said.
Petersen agreed, but said, "there's no other standard that EPA is
allowed to use," unless it is dealing with landfills or similar
facilities where groundwater must be contained.
But "that's why we have public comment," Bellow said. "We really want
to hear from people."
The EPA has been "cooperative" about accepting past suggestions,
Spadoro said, adding the township will prod the agency again.
The EPA named the abandoned plant to the Superfund list in 1985, and
preliminary work was done in the 1990s. The wetlands association
publicized the presence of chemicals dumped on site, using the high-
profile image of rabbits whose fur had turned green from exposure to
the substances.
Arsenic is the major contaminant on the property, but the soil and
water also contain a variety of other chemicals, many from herbicides
and pesticides dumped over the years, according to the EPA.
Contractors for the EPA are in the process of excavating an estimated
200,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil from the old Chemical
Insecticide Corp. property on Whitman Avenue.
Past cleanup efforts included removal of contaminated soil off-site
in two condominium developments. A cover was erected over the polluted
area on site, and monitoring wells were installed around the property.
* * *
Joe Tyrrell covers Edison. He can be reached at
jtyr...@starledger.com or (732) 404-8084.
# # #
Rachel's Environment & Health News
Environmental Research Foundation
POB 160
New Brunswick NJ 08903-0160
Tel: 732-828-9995
Fax: 732-791-4603
Email: e...@rachel.org
Web: http://www.rachel.org
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EPA OFFERS INTERIM CLEANUP FOR GALLOWAY SUPERFUND SITE
Date: 14 Aug 2003
From: "Peter Montague" {Pe...@rachel.org}
By Pat Arney, Staff Writer, (609) 272-7204
Press of Atlantic City, August 14, 2003
Galloway Township - A U.S. Environmental Protection official
Wednesday outlined the agency's proposed interim plan to control a
plume of contaminated groundwater spreading east from the former
Emmell's Septic Landfill.
The 38-acre landfill, located on Zurich Avenue near Liebig Street in
the township's Pomona section, was closed in 1979, after the state
Department of Environmental Protection cited the Emmell family with
various environmental violations.
The site was used for the disposal of septic waste and sewage sludge
from 1967 to 1979, but other chemical wastes were illegally disposed
of there, according to the EPA. The site was placed on the National
Priority List in 1999, making it eligible for Superfund cleanup.
In 2000 the EPA completed removal of the waste materials and about
28,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil. But subsequent groundwater
investigations indicated that residential wells in the vicinity of the
site were contaminated or threatened by the migrating plume.
As a result, the EPA authorized the installation of public-water
connections for 35 homes located on Lisa Drive, Zurich Avenue and
Liebig Street. That work is expected to be completed in mid-September.
In addition, the agency had a water-treatment system installed at a
West Moss Mill Road home whose well was found to be contaminated in
May, according to Joseph Gowers, project manager of the EPA's Southern
New Jersey Remediation Section.
Gowers outlined the proposed interim plan's three possible
alternatives at a public hearing held in the Municipal Building here.
They are:
1. No action
2. Install groundwater wells to extract contaminated water, which
would be treated on site to remove the contaminants and then
discharged either to an on-site recharge basin or an off-site
surface-water body, such as a stream.
3. Includes the same components as No. 2 but with the addition of
underground vertical barrier walls, made of sheet metal, installed
along three sides of the site's property line to funnel the
groundwater and reduce the amount of pumping needed.
The EPA recommends No. 2 as the most cost-effective and readily
implementable of the alternatives, Gowers said. It will decide which
one to use after a 30-day, public-comment period that expires Sept. 5.
Gowers stressed that the goal of the interim plan is to control the
spread of contaminated groundwater while the agency conducts a site-
wide remedial investigation/feasibility study to determine final
cleanup alternatives.
Gowers said regulations require the EPA to include "no action" as one
alternative.
The hearing drew only three people, two of whom were township
officials. Councilman Alan DeSimone asked why the EPA was not
recommending alternative No. 3.
Gowers said No. 2 accomplishes the same objective as No. 3 at half
the cost. He also said the installation of barrier walls would require
noisy heavy equipment to pound them into the ground that would disrupt
the neighborhood.
Township Manager Thomas Henshaw asked if the EPA had tried to obtain
the cost of cleanup from the site's owners.
Gowers said the EPA and the DEP both looked into that and determined
that the owners don't have the money to pay for a multimillion-dollar
cleanup.
# # #
Rachel's Environment & Health News
Environmental Research Foundation
POB 160
New Brunswick NJ 08903-0160
Tel: 732-828-9995
Fax: 732-791-4603
Email: e...@rachel.org
Web: http://www.rachel.org
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CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY RELIED ON AT CIBA CLEANUP
Date: 030814
From: http://www.app.com/
By Kirk Moore, Staff Writer, Asbury Park Press, 8/14/03
Dover Township - You might say chemist Anna Shipman has a nose for
this kind of work - a gleaming red and silver box that can sniff out a
few molecules of toluene, chlorobenzene and 10 other notorious
pollutants buried at the old Ciba-Geigy chemical plant site here.
"This is a gas chromatograph, a 'field GC'...We test for 12 compounds
of concern," Shipman explained to visitors at yesterday's public
information session on the coming stages of cleanup at the Ciba site.
By early next year, workers should be digging in the ground, the
first step of a six-year, $92 million effort to remove some 35,000
drums of chemical waste from an unlined landfill that was used from
1961 to 1977. Meanwhile, roughly 200,000 cubic yards of contaminated
soil will be cleaned up with a bioremediation process, using naturally
occurring bacteria to break down toxic hydrocarbon chemicals.
Dover residents and community activists are concerned about what
might be released into the atmosphere, especially when workers begin
excavating the old drum disposal area. Experts with the Ciba Specialty
Chemicals Corp. have designed a network of air monitoring stations,
and will post daily readings, 24 hours after they are collected, on a
Web site http://www.ciba-geigy.superfund.org, said Joseph Guarnaccia,
a senior environmental scientist with the company.
The Web site will not be up for several weeks, and the removal of
drums and soil will not begin for several months. The Web site will
have information on the cleanup and history of the Ciba site.
"The key thing is what impact we're having on the community,"
Guarnaccia said. To track air emissions, monitoring stations have been
placed around the perimeter of the 1,330-acre Ciba property. Each has
a gas chromatograph, an instrument capable of detecting minute amounts
of organic chemicals and powered by both regular electrical current
and batteries as a backup, ready to automatically take air samples.
Closer to the work sites, mobile "near field stations" will monitor
the air for any surge in vapor traces, Guarnaccia said.
At each station, a whiff of hydrocarbon fumes will set off a photo-
ionization detector, and activate the gas chromatograph to take its
sample, Shipman said.
Drawn through the machine, the air sample is analyzed and the
hydrocarbons measured according to their distinctive boiling point
temperatures, Shipman said.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which is supervising the
Ciba cleanup, has set a limit of 100 parts per billion for total
volatile organic compounds, a family of chemicals that includes the
toxics in the Ciba waste sites, and 400 ppb for particulate pollution
kicked up by the excavations, Guarnaccia said. Background levels
measured so far on the site have been between 2 to 3 ppb.
If those "action levels" are detected by the near field monitoring
stations, workers will stop what they're doing, and figure out where
the volatile compounds are coming from, he said.
"We can afford to do that because our digging schedule isn't that
rigorous," Guarnaccia said.
Based on scientific studies at other cleanup projects, and
experimental digs at the Ciba property, Guarnaccia said he thinks the
air monitoring plan is extremely conservative, and probably won't lead
to many work stoppages.
Removing the drums and contaminated soil is a second major step
toward cleaning up the site, which was once known as the Toms River
Chemical Corp. and produced various dyes, epoxy ingredients and other
products from the 1950s to the early 1990s.
Some $200 million has been spent so far by Ciba to clean up polluted
ground water under the property, said Donna Jakubowski, the company's
director of public affairs.
"That's why this phase of the project is critical," she added. "By
removing the sources, the (ground water) plume will take less time to
clean up."
From 42 extraction wells, ground water is removed from the ground,
treated to remove contaminants, then piped to a corner of the tract
and released into what has become an artificial wetlands. The process
will continue for years until the ground water is cleaned up to
acceptable standards, said Janet N. Larson, who is chairman of the
township Environmental Commission.
Soil removed from the drum site and several other areas will be mixed
with wood chips and straw to help fluff up and aerate the dirt, then
sprayed with water and a nutrient solution to speed up the action of
native bacteria that break down hydrocarbon compounds, Ciba consultant
Karnam Ramanand said.
"It's a consortium of microorganisms already in the soil," Ramanand
said. Bioremediation has "been used widely," mostly in cleanups of
petroleum spills at fuel stations and the like, he noted.
At Ciba, "it's the air treatment that's more challenging," he added.
Air from a 450-foot long primary treatment shed will be treated to
remove fumes during the one- to two- month process, Ramanand said.
* * *
Kirk Moore: (732) 557-5728
Copyright (c) 1997-2003 IN Jersey.
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AGREEMENT ON DESIGN OF HUDSON RIVER CLEANUP
Date: 14 Aug 2003
From: Delly...@epamail.epa.gov
EPA & GENERAL ELECTRIC REACH AGREEMENT
ON DESIGN OF HUDSON RIVER CLEANUP
August 14, 2003
New York, NY - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
announced today that it has signed an agreement with General Electric
Company (GE) to perform the project design work for the cleanup of
PCB-contaminated sediment in the Hudson River. Under the agreement,
embodied in an Administrative Order on Consent (AOC), GE will develop
detailed approaches to removing sediment from the river bottom,
transporting and disposing of the material, and replacing the habitat
in dredged areas. The company will also pay up to $28 million in
partial reimbursement of EPA's past and future costs associated with
the dredging project. The AOC was signed by EPA on August 13 and
becomes effective on August 18, 2003.
"EPA will work with GE to ensure that this complex project is
performed in a safe and efficient manner," said EPA Regional
Administrator, Jane M. Kenny. "EPA stands by its commitment to invite
and consider public input on major issues throughout the project."
The AOC covers the detailed design of the dredging project. It does
not cover the performance of the actual dredging work itself. The AOC
includes work plans for the design of the dredging work, baseline
monitoring, cultural and archeological resources assessment, and
habitat delineation and assessment. The agreement also includes a
revised Community Health and Safety Plan to help ensure that the
project design work is performed in a manner that is safe for local
communities.
Before finalizing the AOC, EPA released draft versions of the work
plans to the public, and accepted public comments on them from May 28
until July 2. EPA also released the draft AOC to the public for
informational purposes. The final work plans include changes made in
response to public comments.
Under the agreement, GE is responsible for designing a dredging
project that will be conducted over a six-year period, in two phases,
consistent with EPA's February 2002 Record of Decision (ROD) for the
project and the engineering performance standards developed by EPA to
ensure that the dredging is done safely and effectively. The company
will perform key activities needed to complete the design of the
project, including:
- evaluating sediment sampling data resulting from the collection and
analysis of approximately 30,000 sediment samples from the Upper
Hudson. This sampling work, which began in the fall of 2002, is
being performed under a separate AOC signed in July 2002;
- developing engineering and design specifications to support EPA's
selection of sites for sediment processing/transfer facilities, and
designing these facilities;
- determining locations for the disposal of the dredged and dewatered
sediments;
- developing engineering and other information needed to select which
areas of sediment will be removed during phase 1 and phase 2 of the
dredging project;
- developing all remedial design documents; and
- designing an effective monitoring program that meets the objectives
of the engineering performance standards developed by EPA.
EPA will retain lead responsibility for three aspects of the design
project: the siting of sediment processing/transfer facilities, the
development and peer review of engineering performance standards, and
community outreach and involvement.
The design work is expected to take three years to complete and will
be performed and paid for by GE with oversight by EPA and New York
State. The design work will be phased so that dredging can begin in
spring 2006.
Under the agreement, GE will pay EPA $15 million in partial
reimbursement of the Agency's past costs for the site. In addition,
the company will reimburse the Agency up to $13 million in costs
associated with EPA's performance of work for which it has lead
responsibility, as well as costs that will be incurred in the
oversight of GE's design work. GE also paid the Agency $5 million for
past costs last summer, under the July 2002 Sediment Sampling AOC.
Those funds, plus the $15 million for past costs included in the
agreement announced today, bring the company's total reimbursement for
past costs to $20 million a down payment toward the more than $40
million incurred by the Agency on the site to date. Additional
negotiations with GE will begin shortly to address the company's
performance of the actual dredging work and the reimbursement of the
remainder of EPA's past and future costs.
The AOC and associated work plans are available on EPA's Hudson River
Web site at http://www.epa.gov/hudson. Copies are also available by
calling the Hudson River Field Office.
* * *
Contact:
Bonnie Bellow (212) 637-3660
or
Leo Rosales (518) 747-4389
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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TETERBORO AIR STUDY CREATES CONTROVERSY
Date: 14 Aug 2003
From: "Peter Montague" {Pe...@rachel.org}
TETERBORO AIR BATTLE GETS PRICEY
By Shannon D. Harrington, North Jersey News, August 14, 2003
Bergen County should provide up to $500,000 to fund a study of air
pollution around Teterboro Airport rather than merely contributing
$5,000 toward a lawsuit aimed at getting the Port Authority to pay for
the study, a freeholder says.
"Let's get this study rolling," said Republican Freeholder Lou
Tedesco, who's also running for an Assembly seat in a district that
includes many Teterboro neighbors.
Tedesco made the pitch as the Freeholder Board was poised Wednesday
to approve a $5,000 contribution to an 11-town coalition that is
trying to force the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which
operates the airport, to fund the study. The coalition has been
embroiled in a lawsuit against the agency since May 2002.
Tedesco's Democratic colleagues accused him of trying to score
political points on a half-baked idea.
"This smacks to me of political grandstanding on Freeholder Tedesco's
part," said Bernadette McPherson, a freeholder and the mayor of
Rutherford, who serves as the coalition's vice chairwoman.
The Coalition for Public Health and Safety has not formally asked for
more than the $5,000 that the county gave last year. Coalition members
pay $5,000 annually as dues.
The coalition contends that the airport has become a health threat to
people who live around it. It is fighting a $92 million improvement
plan that the coalition asserts is an expansion plan in disguise.
Before any money is spent, the coalition says, a full environmental
impact study should be conducted on the existing airport.
The authority has contracted with Rutgers University to conduct a
study of air pollution around the airport. But the coalition says that
study, overseen by the Port Authority, would not be objective. They
want a federal judge to force the authority to pay for a study
overseen by the coalition.
The idea to ask the county to fund the study - rather than wait for
the court decision - came up at a recent meeting of coalition members,
which Tedesco attended.
The coalition has only preliminary estimates of how much the study
would cost - perhaps $500,000 at most, said Bogota Mayor Steven
Lonegan, co-chairman of the coalition.
Coalition members have planned to make a formal pitch to the
Freeholder Board next month, he said, when a more concrete cost
estimate was available.
But Tedesco said that when he saw a resolution on the agenda to give
the coalition $5,000, the same amount the county contributed last
year, he decided to push for $500,000.
"If indeed we do find that there are toxins or pollutants - whatever
the case is - that are over the guidelines, then at that point have
the Port Authority pay for [the study] or the state of New Jersey or
whoever," Tedesco said. "But let's at least get the people of South
Bergen an answer."
Asked where the money would come from, Tedesco said: "Let's take it
out of the surplus if we have to. Let's bond it if we have to."
A spokeswoman for County Executive Dennis McNerney said Wednesday
that there was no room in this year's $350 million budget for
Tedesco's request.
"If Mr. Tedesco were a responsible partner in providing better
services to people while lowering taxes, he would understand that half
a million dollars is an astronomical figure that simply is not in the
budget," said the spokeswoman, Julie Roginsky.
McPherson also questioned the prudence of Tedesco's request.
"The coalition has been pursuing this class-action suit for 2 years,"
she said. "It sounds as if [Tedesco wants] the taxpayers of Bergen
County to fund something that the Port Authority should be funding."
Port Authority officials could not be reached for comment.
* * *
Copyright 2003 North Jersey Media Group Inc.
# # #
Rachel's Environment & Health News
Environmental Research Foundation
POB 160
New Brunswick NJ 08903-0160
Tel: 732-828-9995
Fax: 732-791-4603
Email: e...@rachel.org
Web: http://www.rachel.org
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BIG QUESTIONS FOR TINY PARTICLES
Date: 14 Aug 2003
From: "Peter Montague" {Pe...@rachel.org}
FROM CLEAR SUNSCREEN TO SELF-CLEANING CARS, NANOTECHNOLOGY
SEEPS INTO DAILY LIFE AND STARTS TO RAISE TOUGH ETHICAL ISSUES.
By Peter N. Spotts, Staff Writer
Christian Science Monitor, August 14, 2003
Arlington, VA. - In the days when the Beach Boys ruled the radio and
bikinis were the rave, beaches were populated by noses: big and
slathered white with zinc oxide to avoid sunburn.
Today the big white noses are gone. Instead of relying on thick goo,
many manufacturers now use titanium-dioxide particles so small the
sunscreen looks invisible but still reflects away ultraviolet light.
Chalk it up to an early use of nanotechnology, where "big" is defined
as 1/1000th the width of a human hair and the possibilities look
potentially limitless.
Yet even as nanotech goes commercial, environmental groups worry
about its effect on health and safety. Long term, analysts say,
society will have to confront a broad set of ethical and social issues
as it deals with humanity's growing ability to manipulate atoms,
molecules, and biology's genetic code. The real crunch may come if
researchers manage to merge nanotechnology and biotechnology.
If they do combine the two - what Nobel Prize-winning chemist Richard
Smalley has dubbed the "wet" and "dry" sides of nanotechnology - "then
you start talking about some long-range issues," says Clayton Teague,
who heads the coordinating office for the federal National
Nanotechnology Initiative here. These might include the desirability
of restoring or enhancing human capabilities such as sight or strength
through hybrid nanotech-biotech devices.
Although not strictly nanotechnology, researchers have tested in
humans tiny arrays of light- sensing diodes on a chip, which act as
replacement photoreceptors, in a bid to restore human sight. Over the
very long term, some researchers speak of tiny nanobots, perhaps with
some form of artificial intelligence, injected into humans that repair
damaged organs or remove obstructions.
Many researchers and industry insiders reject such speculation as
hype. But others are less dismissive.
"Whether something looks loopy or not is a function of your time
horizon," says Glenn Rey-nolds, a law professor at the University of
Tennessee at Knoxville who specializes in nanotech issues. Some ideas,
such as self-replicating nanobots, "are not loopy at all if you look
far enough into the future."
Whatever nanotech's future, it's already big business. The federal
government is pouring so much money into the field that the National
Nanotechnology Initiative "is on track to become the second highest-
funded science program after NASA," says Mark Modzelewski, executive
director of the NanoBusiness Alliance in New York. Meanwhile, venture
capital is flowing into the field at a pace that would make many
biotech companies envious. In addition, the alliance is leading the
US's first nanotech trade mission to Europe in September.
It's this growing level of commercial activity that is drawing the
attention of groups such as Greenpeace, which late last month issued a
report on the potential impact of nanotechnology and artificial
intelligence on society. The report drew heavy criticism from many in
the nanotech field. Others who have disagreed with the organization in
the past say this effort was relatively tame and makes some useful
points.
The study noted, for example, that the field is too fluid to make any
solid assessment of the kinds of technologies it will yield in the
next 10 years or their effects. It also notes that calls have arisen
over the past few years for a moratorium on making nanomaterials until
their interaction with living organisms is better understood. While
these calls square with the "precautionary principle" that many people
apply to environmental issues, the study also acknowledges that "an
externally imposed nanotech moratorium seems both unpractical and
probably damaging at present."
Perhaps the area of most immediate concern involves public and
workplace health issues as well as environmental issues relating to
newly developed nanomaterials - especially particles, which can be
inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
Vicki Colvin, director of the Center for Biological and Environmental
Nanotechnology at Rice University, notes that at nano-meter scales,
particles not only can penetrate barriers such as skin more easily,
but their small size and large numbers can provide more surface area
on which chemical reactions can take place than a single particle of
equal total mass. This feature could in effect accelerate chemical
reactions that may or may not have an unpleasant effect on humans.
Another worry - not unique to nanotechnology - is economic. Inspired
by the water- and dirt-defying surfaces of lotus flowers,
DaimlerChrysler Research is looking at specially designed
nanoparticles to make wheel rims and auto-body paint self-cleaning. If
cars clean themselves, goodbye Scrub-A-Dub carwashes?
Confronting the long-term concerns over "intelligent" nanobots and
tiny self-assembling machines is harder. Dr. Colvin doesn't dismiss
them out of hand but says, "To me, as a scientist, the issue is: Can I
test these questions? Nano-bots are not a testable concern because
they are so far out there."
Nevertheless, researchers still are trying to learn from the early
days of recombinant DNA research, when scientists imposed a moratorium
on their work until they had agreed on a set of guidelines addressing
the safety concerns. Nanotech researchers gathered three years ago in
Palo Alto, Calif., to establish guidelines for safe and responsible
research, which included provisions governing self-replicating
machines and molecular manufacturing.
Meanwhile, in December the federal government is slated to hold its
second meeting in three years to explore the implications of nanotech
for society. Taking a cue from the Human Genome Project, the National
Nanotechnology Initiative is funding research into the implications of
nanotech, as well as for nanotech R&D itself. And in two nanotech
funding bills before Congress, lawmakers are weighing whether to
establish a separate institute to study the social and ethical
implications of nanotechnology, or to ensure that such studies are
administered as part of the existing research effort.
"Public acceptance is no longer a given," Dr. Colvin says. "The
public...sees risks, which must be quantified. It's the ethical duty
of scientists to evaluate those risks."
* * *
Copyright 2003 The Christian Science Monitor.
# # #
Rachel's Environment & Health News
Environmental Research Foundation
POB 160
New Brunswick NJ 08903-0160
Tel: 732-828-9995
Fax: 732-791-4603
Email: e...@rachel.org
Web: http://www.rachel.org
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PINE BARRENS LAND DEAL TO PRESERVE 9,400 ACRES
Date: 14 Aug 2003
From: "Peter Montague" {Pe...@rachel.org}
New York Times, August 14, 2003
The New Jersey Conservation Foundation announced yesterday that it
had entered into formal agreement to buy 9,400 acres in the heart of
the Pine Barrens, representing what it said would be the largest
private land preservation deal ever undertaken by a nonprofit
organization in the state.
The 14-square-mile property, which is the second-largest tract of
privately owned land in New Jersey, consists primarily of wetlands and
upland forests, with 1,500 acres of reservoirs, and close to 800 acres
of cranberry bogs and 300 acres of blueberry fields. The tract, which
includes parts of Bass River, Tabernacle and Woodland Townships, also
connects four state forests and one wildlife management area.
The conservation group said it would name the property for Franklin
E. Parker, the first chairman of the New Jersey Pinelands Commission,
from 1979 to 1988, and the first person to make a sizable donation
toward buying the land. The land where the bogs are now will be named
the DeMarco Cranberry Meadows Natural Area, after the DeMarco family,
which has owned the land for more than 60 years.
"I'm very proud of my family's participation in this effort," said J.
Garfield DeMarco, president of A. J. DeMarco Enterprises, which, until
it stopped harvesting last year, was one of the country's largest
cranberry growers. "We've kept this area beautiful and now we're going
to help preserve it."
The land was originally offered to the conservation group last
November for $12 million, a price that was estimated to be about half
of its assessed value. A March 1 deadline to come up with the initial
payment - $5 million - was extended by Mr. DeMarco to Sept. 1. The
balance will be paid off over the next five years. The foundation's
executive director, Michele Byers, said it was important to move
quickly since about $3 million of the $5 million is in the form of
annual pledges, in part contingent upon closing the deal this year.
"The fact that we were able to collect this amount of money in this
short period in these difficult times speaks to the importance of the
project," she said. "People recognize how important it is to be able
to permanently preserve contiguous property to protect the water
supply and wildlife management."
The foundation will begin inspecting and surveying the land, and,
barring the discovery of any unexpected environmental hazards, plans
to close on the sale in late November.
Under the deal, the DeMarco family maintains the right to harvest
cranberries this year and the next two seasons, however Mr. DeMarco,
who remains a shareholder in Ocean Spray Cranberries, said he is not
exercising that option this year.
"The cranberry industry has inalterably changed," said Mr. DeMarco,
who has battled with growers over the cooperative's future. "Cranberry
farming is just not profitable, and I don't see it changing any time
soon."
* * *
Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company
# # #
Rachel's Environment & Health News
Environmental Research Foundation
POB 160
New Brunswick NJ 08903-0160
Tel: 732-828-9995
Fax: 732-791-4603
Email: e...@rachel.org
Web: http://www.rachel.org
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
SPRAWLING AT OUR OWN RISK
Date: 14 Aug 2003
From: "carol" {ca...@njconservation.org}
THE STATE WE'RE IN
By Michele S. Byers, Executive Director
New Jersey Conservation Foundation
August 13, 2003 - Volume XXXIII, No. 31
A recent report out of Trenton has found that sprawl's voracious
appetite for land is the number one ecological and socioeconomic risk
to New Jersey's environment and people.
The New Jersey Comparitive Risk Project, released by the New Jersey
Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) also determined that
invasive species pose serious ecological threats to several New Jersey
ecosystems, and indoor pollution and outdoor air pollution pose major
health risks.
Funded by the NJDEP and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
seventy-three experts analyzed and ranked 88 chemical, physical and
biological factors (or "stressors") according to relative impacts on
human health, ecological quality and socioeconomic conditions. The
report provides 178 detailed analyses of "stressors" from acid rain to
zinc.
Sprawl produced far and away the most ecological and socioeconomic
damage, including traffic congestion, air pollution, plant and animal
habitat loss, and increased flooding and stormwater flows due to
greater impervious cover (like roofs, roads and parking lots).
Habitat loss and forest fragmentation are gradually destroying
several of our state's natural ecosystems.
The biggest direct threat to human health comes from indoor
pollution, like secondhand tobacco smoke, lead, radon, indoor
pesticide use and carbon monoxide.
But outdoor air pollutants, like ground-level ozone, sulfur oxides
and nitrogen oxides, are significant threats despite progress in
reducing outdoor air pollution, taking lead out of gasoline and
cleaning up contaminated lands.
Nineteen actions are recommended, including:
- The State should collaborate with state and local planning
officials to find ways to reduce the damaging environmental impacts
from land use changes;
- The State should systematically examine indoor pollution's impacts
and take action against these problems.
The recommendations make sense, but our current land use pattern of
sprawl is building New Jersey into environmental and social oblivion.
New Jersey's Comparative Risk Project confirms that eliminating sprawl
should be our top priority.
A complete copy of the New Jersey Comparative Risk Project report is
available on NJDEP's web page at http://www.nj.gov/dep.
- - -
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
New Jersey Conservation Foundation
Bamboo Brook
170 Longview Road
Far Hills, NJ 07931
Phone: 908-234-1225 x105
Fax: 908-234-1189
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
INFILL IS WORKING, AS DEVELOPERS BUILD CLOSER TO TOWN
Date: 030810
From: http://www.tallahassee.com/
IT'S THE OPPOSITE OF URBAN SPRAWL
By Bruce Ritchie, Tallahassee Democrat, Staff Writer, Aug. 10, 2003
For George Hatch, the decision to buy a new house two years ago in
the new Betton Brook subdivision off Thomasville Road was easy.
It was close to his office near Capital Circle Northeast. It had nice
amenities, such as vaulted ceilings. And it seemed like a good
investment.
"It really is a great place to live," he said. "I've enjoyed being
there a lot."
Hatch joined other Tallahassee residents who are building new homes
or buying homes in new subdivisions that are being built closer into
town.
New homes are being slipped onto lots between existing homes. New
subdivisions, often with houses on smaller lots, are being slipped
into the nooks and crannies of undeveloped land within two or three
miles of downtown.
Some builders say there is more of a market push now for new homes
closer into town. Tallahassee and Leon County growth policies are
designed to encourage "infill" as an antidote to urban sprawl.
Bob Herman, director of the city's Growth Management Department, says
he sees such a trend, even if it's difficult to quantify.
"I think when a city starts growing up and maturing, that is what
takes place," he said. "I call it a maturing of the community."
Pete Rosen of Benchmark Construction of Tallahassee Inc. said he had
seen more of a push for new homes near downtown within the past five
years. He has built 10 in the area, including four located side-by-
side on Ninth Avenue at Thomasville Road.
People are willing to spend more than $100 per square foot for the
houses, he said. And that price, he added, makes it worthwhile for
builders to construct them.
KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS
The American dream of living on larger lots in the suburbs is not as
fulfilling as some people had once thought, Rosen said.
"You drive a half-hour, 45 minutes or an hour every day each way to
work," he said. "You get home - you are exhausted at night. You pull
into your garage without meeting any of your neighbors or knowing who
the kids are playing with."
In contrast, residents living on smaller lots closer to downtown get
to know their neighbors better.
"You sit on your porch, wave at your neighbors and interact with
other people," Rosen said. "It is more fulfilling than being in the
burbs on your hunk of land."
Some residents say they're happy to trade the strip malls of the
suburbs for mossy oaks and cafes closer to downtown. Some are college
students who say they like renting new homes or duplexes in older
neighborhoods.
Schools also were important in deciding where to build the new Day
Star Community located on Hunter and Payne streets off Thomasville
Road, said Emory Hingst, a community founder. The subdivision falls
within the districts for Kate Sullivan Elementary School, Cobb Middle
School and Leon High School.
The subdivision has space for 13 homes on 2½ acres, Hingst said.
Homes there have sold for an average of $172,000.
Some community residents stress the importance of energy
conservation, Hingst said. They like the location because they can
walk, rather than drive, to stores, restaurants and salons.
"We absolutely love it here," he said. "We love the midtown aspect."
POLICIES ENCOURAGE INFILL
Herman said it was difficult to quantify how much infill is occurring
because it was difficult to define where the term applies to
development.
Some might consider development within Capital Circle and south of
Interstate 10 to be infill, he said. But he said that even houses
built in Killearn, located north of the interstate, could be
considered infill as the number of vacant lots there dwindles.
Tallahassee and Leon County's growth policies encourage development
within a designated "urban services area," which includes the city and
some urban fringe within the county.
Population statistics suggest that more new development is occurring
within that area, slowing a trend of the population's moving into
rural areas, said Rick Fausone, research supervisor in the
Tallahassee- Leon County Planning Department.
The percentage of the county's population living outside the urban
services area increased from 6 percent in 1970 to 13 percent in 2000.
But the percentage increased by only 1.6 percent from 1990 to 2000.
"Although it has been growing at a fairly healthy pace, that growth
has been slowing," Fausone said.
While policies encourage urban infill to reduce sprawl, individual
projects sometimes face opposition from homeowners and neighborhood
groups. They oppose the loss of green space and fear their property
values will plummet because of higher-density development.
The homes built by Benchmark Construction on Ninth Avenue represent
the kind of quality infill development that should be encouraged,
County Commissioner Bob Rackleff said.
"When people see that and understand that is the possibility with
high-density housing, they will be less likely to object to density,"
he said.
Don Pickett, chairman of the market trends and research committee at
the Tallahassee Board of Realtors, said infill development had been
steady in some parts of Tallahassee.
But he said vacant lots with willing sellers closer to downtown were
becoming scarce. And the lots in new subdivisions are becoming smaller
as the value of land climbs, he said.
And not all areas of the city have vacant lots that are in demand.
Many people won't invest in building a new home near existing homes
with far less value.
"Home-buying is an investment - everybody knows that," Pickett said.
Hatch, who bought his 1,500-square-foot home off Thomasville Road for
$183,000 in 2001, said he thought it would hold its value.
"I also thought it would be a pretty good investment, given the
location near town," he said. "There are not an awful lot of...new
homes that close into town."
But investments are not on the mind of some other new residents,
especially those who are renting.
Kristin Parlet, a Florida State University student who leases a new
duplex on Bronough Street near West Sixth Avenue, says she just likes
being in an older neighborhood.
"I like the smaller houses," she said. "I think they're cute."
* * *
Contact reporter Bruce Ritchie at (850) 599-2253 or
brit...@tallahassee.com.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
DEP AIDS SOUTH PLAINFIELD IN COMMUNITY PARK CLEANUP
Date: 14 Aug 2003
From: "depnews depnews" {dep...@dep.state.nj.us}
$250,000 GRANT TO HELP COVER COSTS IN REOPENING VETERANS PARK
August 14, 2003
South Plainfield - New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell today presented South
Plainfield Borough with a $250,000 grant to help the community clean
up asbestos tiles discovered last summer in Veterans Park. With the
funding assistance, South Plainfield plans to reopen the park in
October.
"Today's grant award represents a victory for children and families
in South Plainfield," Commissioner Campbell said. "For many New Jersey
towns, parks provide a place where we forge our sense of community.
DEP is pleased to support the leadership of municipal officials and
legislators in restoring Veterans Park for families to enjoy once
again."
Joining the Commissioner at today's ceremonial check presentation
were Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan, Jr., South Plainfield Mayor Daniel
Gallagher, South Plainfield Borough Council members, members of the
Edison Wetlands environmental group, and representatives from the
offices of Assemblyman Peter Barnes, Jr., and Senator Barbara Buono.
"Today's presentation is an outstanding example of how effectively
local government, with the help of the State, can address an
environmental hazard," said Assemblyman Diegnan. "As someone who
played in this park during most of my youth, I am particularly
grateful to Governor McGreevey and DEP Commissioner Campbell for their
ready response and financial assistance."
South Plainfield closed Veterans Park as a precaution on July 24,
2002 after large patches of oily tar began surfacing in portions of
the park and after community advocates discovered stacks of asbestos
tiles along Bound Brook in the northwest corner of the park.
The $250,000 grant from the statewide Livable Communities Fund will
cover the costs of cleanup for the asbestos tiles, which borough
leaders expect will take only a few weeks. The Borough has also
secured funding for remediating the rest of the park, including
removal of the tar and cleanup of a patch of soil contaminated with
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Borough officials hope to complete
the project in time to reopen the park by the end of October.
The DEP provided today's award through the Statewide Livable
Communities Fund, which to date has provided more than $7 million in
grants to over 75 communities to acquire and to improve open space and
parks.
"One of government's most fundamental commitments is to provide
citizens with safe, attractive places in which to gather and to play,"
said Commissioner Campbell. "New Jersey is fortunate to have the
leadership of a governor dedicated to strengthening our communities
through protection of open space."
As Governor McGreevey promised in his State of the State address, the
state is working to create or to improve at least 200 local parks
statewide over the next three years. As part of this goal, the
Governor initiated a legislative push to raise the cap on bonding for
the Green Acres program. This proposal would allow the state to raise
at least an additional $100 million over the next three years, of
which $50 million would be dedicated to parks and open space
acquisition and improvements in urban and older suburban communities.
The decision to raise the bonding cap will appear as a referendum on
the November statewide ballot.
* * *
Contact: Peter Boger, (609) 984-1795
NJ Department of Environmental Protection
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
WORKSHOP ON THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE - NOV 22
Date: 14 Aug 2003
From: "Peter Montague" {Pe...@rachel.org}
Workshop: PLANTING THE PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE IN THE GARDEN STATE
Date: Saturday, November 22, 10-4:30 (registration at 9:30)
Place: Rutgers Labor Education Center, New Brunswick
The precautionary approach offers a new approach to traditional ways
of protecting workers, communities and ecosystems. Instead of asking,
"How much harm is allowable?" the precautionary approach asks us to
consider, "How little harm is possible?" The precautionary approach
urges a full evaluation of available alternatives for the purpose of
preventing or minimizing harm.
Precautionary action urges decision-makers to set goals for safe
environments, examine all available alternatives for achieving the
goals, really involve the public and workers in decisions, and put the
burden of proof of safety on those who are using inherently dangerous
technologies.
Join us for a one-day workshop to explore precautionary action and
how it can be applied to public health, occupational and environmental
policies in New Jersey.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Conservationists, environmental justice activists, public health
professionals, labor activists, policymakers, environmental lawyers,
sustainable development proponents, and physicians (among others) will
find this workshop useful and thought-provoking because it offers a
new way of thinking about ecosystem, occupational and public health
protection.
SPEAKERS INCLUDE
* Ted Schettler, MD, MPH, a pediatrician and author of the book, In
Harm's Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development (Cambridge, Mass.:
Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility, May 2000).
* Nancy Myers author of "The Precautionary Principle Puts Values
First" (http://www.rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=188 ).
* Carolyn Raffensperger, JD, MPH, director of the Science and
Environmental Health Network (http://www.sehn.org) and editor of
the book, Protecting Public Health and the Environment:
Implementing the Precautionary Principle (Washington, D.C.: Island
Press, 1999).
* Others, who will discuss precautionary policies in the workplace,
and the importance of precaution for achieving environmental
justice.
In the afternoon, a roundtable of New Jersey activists will discuss
examples of "precautionary action" in the workplace, in our schools,
and in our neighborhoods. How can we plant these new ideas throughout
the Garden State?
The workshop fee is $12.00 (which includes lunch) but it is free to
anyone who requests a scholarship.
To reserve your place send $12.00 to PPworkshop, Environmental
Research Foundation, POB 160, New Brunswick, NJ 08903-0160, or phone
toll-free 1-888-272-2435 . Make checks payable to Environmental
Research Foundation.
PRESENTLY CO-SPONSORED BY
Edison Wetlands Association, Edison, NJ
Environmental Research Foundation, New Brunswick, NJ
New Jersey Environmental Federation (NJEF), Belmar, NJ
New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance (NJEJA), Trenton, NJ
New Jersey Work Environment Council (WEC), Trenton, NJ
Science and Environmental Health Network, Ames, Iowa
BACKGROUND READING
Precautionary principle - overviews
http://www.rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=187
http://www.rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=188
http://www.rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=189
http://www.rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=227
Precautionary principle in the workplace:
http://rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=198
http://rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=218
http://rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=219
http://rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=221
http://rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=222
Precautionary principle and municipal/county government
http://www.rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=195
http://www.rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=197
Precautionary principle and environmental science:
http://www.rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=170
Precautionary principle and children's health:
http://www.rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=220
Precautionary principle and public health:
http://www.rachel.org/library/getfile.cfm?ID=225
# # #
Rachel's Environment & Health News
Environmental Research Foundation
POB 160
New Brunswick NJ 08903-0160
Tel: 732-828-9995
Fax: 732-791-4603
Email: e...@rachel.org
Web: http://www.rachel.org
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BAYKEEPER TO HOST FOUR KAYAK ECOTOURS IN AUG/SEP
Date: 14 Aug 2003
From: Aviva Zuller {aviva_...@netlabs.net}
ESTUARY ECO TOURS HOSTED BY NY/NJ BAYKEEPER AND
REEL THERAPY KAYAK ADVENTURES
SUMMERTIME KAYAK TRIPS INTRODUCE PUBLIC TO
NATURAL WONDERS OF HUDSON-RARITAN ESTUARY
The public is invited to sign up and enjoy four August kayak
EcoTours, a rare opportunity to view firsthand and up close the
natural wonders of the Hudson-Raritan Estuary. The 2 to 3 hour trips,
hosted by NY/NJ Baykeeper and Reel Therapy Kayak Adventures, let
paddlers explore Swimming River (headwaters of the Navesink River);
Raritan River near Sayreville; Matawan Creek near Keyport; and
Lawrence Brook in East Brunswick. Paddlers can expect to see egrets,
herons and other water birds, red tailed hawks and more raptors,
turtles, deer and a wide variety of wildlife.
"As people drive around at sixty miles per hour, crossing over New
Jersey's urban waterways, it's easy to miss the natural world below.
These ecotours show people that you don't need to go to Yellowstone to
see spectacular wildlife," says NY/NJ Baykeeper Andy Willner, the head
of a group that has protected the Hudson-Raritan Estuary since 1990.
"Once we get people on the water, they're captivated by the beauty of
our rivers, bays and marshes," says Willner, "Then they become
advocates for our threatened wild places."
Capt. Paul Eidman of Reel Therapy Kayak Adventures agrees, "If you're
looking for a quick, fun and easy way to escape modern life, you've
found it! These mellow adventures are perfect for the beginning
paddler, for those interested in discovering central New Jersey's
hidden waters." Each secluded flatwater trip accommodates up to 14
people in single and tandem kayaks ($45 per person). Experienced
kayakers can bring their own boats ($20 per person). The Baykeeper
and, "Reel Therapy will supply you with everything you need to enjoy
the trip," says Eidman. "All you need to bring is a smile and a great
attitude."
TRIP DATES ARE
August 23rd, Saturday, 9am - Hudson-Raritan Estuary EcoTour #1:
Swimming River: Kayak the headwaters of the Navesink River on a
peaceful paddle. See wading birds, raptors and more. Launch near
Garden State Parkway Exit 109.
August 30th, Saturday, 10am - Hudson-Raritan Estuary EcoTour #2:
Matawan Creek: Kayak from Keyport's public boat launch, paddle the
bay, under the Parkway, to Matawan Creek and into a marsh with great
birding.
September 6th , Saturday, 9am - Hudson-Raritan Estuary EcoTour #3:
Shrewsbury River, Black Berry Bay: Meet at Black Berry Bay Park In
Oceanport. Explore the backwaters of the Shrewsbury River. Calm
waters, Marsh grasses, egrets wading, Osprey diving and Cormorants
fishing.
September 13, Saturday 1`0am - Hudson-Raritan Estuary EcoTour #4:
Sandy Hook: Clam Bake Kickoff (Clam Bake, Sunday, Sept 14). Discover
creeks and coves of Sandy Hook. Meet at first beach pavilion.
Driving directions to meeting places provided after sign up. Start
times are prompt for tidal planning. Participants must arrive 30
minutes prior to start time for briefing/setup. Bring water, silly sun
hats, sunscreen, water shoes and clothes that can get dirty and wet.
Light batting or golfing gloves prevent blisters. Zip lock baggies
keep personal items dry. Bring cameras and binoculars with straps.
Foul weather results in refunds or rain checks for alternate dates.
To reserve your spot on an Estuary EcoTour call or email NY/NJ
Baykeeper or Reel Therapy Kayak Adventures.
* * *
The NY/NJ Baykeeper has been a guardian of the
Hudson-Raritan Estuary since 1990.
Contact:
New York / New Jersey Baykeeper
Aviva Zuller
Building 18 ˆ Sandy Hook
Highlands, NJ 07132
Phone: 732-291-0176
Fax: 732-291-7727
Email: av...@nynjbaykeeper.org
Web: http://www.NYNJBaykeeper.org
Reel Therapy Kayak Adventures
Serving Central New Jersey
Phone: 732-922-4077
Fax: 732-922-8270
Email: paul...@reeltherapy.com
Web: http://www.reeltherapy.com
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
CORRECTION TO FINAL NRD LETTER
Date: 14 Aug 2003
From: "Debbie Mans" {deb...@netlabs.net}
Re:
Garden State EnviroNews 030814
"FINAL NRD LETTER TO GOVERNOR MCGREEVEY"
Could you please print a correction to the NRD letter - it should be
noted that Marc Matsil, Asst. Commissioner, Natural and Historic
Resources, NJDEP and John Sacco, Office of Natural Resources, NJDEP
were not signatories to the letter, but rather included in the cc
list.
Thanks, I think people will definitely get the wrong impression if
they think two DEP upper management types signed onto the letter.
* * *
Debbie Mans, Policy Associate
NY/NJ Baykeeper
Building 18, Sandy Hook
Highlands, NJ 07732
732.291.0176 tel
732.291.7727 fax
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Phil Reynolds - Associate Editor - reyn...@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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