GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS 031120
GSENet
GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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{*} GROUPS WILL SUE OVER WORST DIOXIN DUMP IN THE NATION
{*} MTBE LIABILITY WAIVER
{*} TIME TO SAFEGUARD CHEMICAL PLANTS
{*} CHEMICAL SITES STILL VULNERABLE
{*} EXPLOSIVES COMPLICATE EGG HARBOR SUPERFUND CLEANUP
{*} DEP SETTLES WITH BRANCHBURG TWP FOR VIOLATIONS
{*} MEADOWLANDS PLAN GETS POSITIVE FEEDBACK
{*} KINNELON WEBER TRACT EDGING TOWARD DESTRUCTION
{*} DOVER TOWNSHIP $10M LAND DEAL PUT ON HOLD
{*} PANEL SETS GOALS FOR GENERATING RENEWABLE ENERGY
{*} APPEAL DELAYS PLANS FOR A.C.'S COASTAL WIND FARM
{*} NATURE AS HEALER
{*} INTERNSHIPS AT FREEHOLD SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT
{*} BURLCO RESIDENTS CAN AIR ENVIRONMENTAL WORRIES - NOV 24
{*} UPCOMING BREAKFAST TALK WITH TREES - NOV 25
{*} WATERSHEDS STEWARDS PROGRAM SET - FEB 6-8
{*} NOV 21 PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE WORKSHOP CANCELED
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GROUPS WILL SUE OVER WORST DIOXIN DUMP IN THE NATION
Date: 19 Nov 2003
From: "Hugh Carola" {hu...@hackensackriverkeeper.org}
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS DEMAND THAT OCCIDENTAL CHEMICAL AND
TIERRA SOLUTIONS ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY AND CLEAN UP NEWARK BAY
Natural Resources Defense Council
New York / New Jersey Baykeeper
Hackensack Riverkeeper
Rutgers University Environmental Law Clinic
November 20, 2003
Newark - National, regional and local environmental organizations
filed a Notice of Intent to Sue Occidental Chemical Corporation and
Tierra Solutions for an imminent and substantial endangerment to human
health and the environment, stemming from what the groups say may be
the single worst case of dioxin pollution ever to occur in the United
States. Dioxins are known to cause cancer, diabetes, liver and skin
damage, neurological and immune damage, and to disrupt the endocrine
system.
NRDC, NY/NJ Baykeeper, and Hackensack Riverkeeper demand that the
companies pay for an independent environmental study and clean-up of
Newark Bay. This resource, once home to abundant, healthy fish and
crabs, is now contaminated from more than 40 years of runoff and
dumping from Occidental's predecessor's production of Agent Orange.
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) and the Rutgers Law School's
Environmental Law Clinic represent the environmental organizations.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has
calculated that cancer risk levels for people eating blue crabs from
Newark Bay could be as much as a million times what government
agencies typically consider an acceptable level for an environmental
contaminant. The U.S. EPA believes that concentrations of dioxin
recorded in Passaic River and Newark Bay blue crabs may be the highest
ever discovered in aquatic animals - the internal organs of one crab
contained six times the level of 2,3,7,8-TCDD levels known to kill
guinea pigs in lab tests. New Jersey has gone so far as to make it
illegal to take these crabs from Newark Bay.
New Jersey's DEP also reported that crabbers do not understand or are
not taking the health warnings posted on signs seriously, and are
continuing to eat these contaminated animals for economic and cultural
reasons. "Unfortunately, these toxic crabs look fine," said Captain
Bill Sheehan, Hackensack Riverkeeper. Captain Sheehan continued,
"Their appearance doesn't reflect the real danger from eating them."
"People are eating crabs and fish contaminated with this toxic
chemical," said NY/NJ Baykeeper Andrew Willner. "Despite the ban, you
regularly find people fishing off bulkheads and harvesting crabs from
Newark Bay. These fishermen take poisoned crabs home and feed them to
their families."
The Newark facility that Occidental is responsible for discharged
2,3,7,8-TCDD, the most toxic form of dioxin, into the lower Passaic
River. Much of the toxin, over time, flowed downstream poisoning
Newark Bay. This toxic chemical has penetrated the food web and can be
found in fish beyond Newark Bay. Government monitoring data indicate
that fish, crabs, lobster and other marine life in the region,
particularly in the waters immediately around the Bay, such as
adjacent to Bayonne and Staten Island, are contaminated with unusually
high amounts of 2,3,7,8-TCDD.
The groups will sue under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act,
the federal statute that empowers citizens to ask the courts to stop
imminent and substantial endangerments to human health and the
environment. "It's time to penalize the polluter, not punish the
people who are simply trying to fish and otherwise use a public
resource," said Jennifer Danis, NRDC staff attorney. Today, the groups
gave Occidental the required 90 days of notice of their intent to go
forward with litigation to protect public health and the environment.
"The toxic legacy of the Lister Avenue chemical plant endures in our
coastal waters and in the animals that call these waters home," said
NY/NJ Baykeeper Andrew Willner. Although government agencies have
recently announced initiatives to study contamination on the Passaic
River, neither of these efforts will address Newark Bay or other
nearby contaminated waters. Mr. Willner continued, "this lawsuit is
being filed on behalf of local residents whose waterways have been
poisoned by large corporations that took decades worth of profits and
then moved on."
To obtain a copy of the "Notice of Intent to Sue," please contact
Kidd Dorn at NRDC.
- - -
The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, non-profit
organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists
dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in
1970, NRDC has more than 550,000 members nationwide, served from
offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco. More
information is available through NRDC's Web site at
http://www.NRDC.org.
NY/NJ Baykeeper is a subsidiary of the American Littoral Society.
Baykeeper's mission is to protect, preserve and restore the ecological
integrity and productivity of the Hudson / Raritan Estuary, its
tributaries and watershed. As the citizen conservation advocate for
the Estuary's waterways and shores, Baykeeper stops polluters,
champions public access, and influences land use decisions. Baykeeper
pursues opportunities for land preservation and habitat restoration
and helps advance the Estuary's environmental and biological
importance as well as its value as a recreational and cultural
resource. http://www.NYNJBaykeeper.org
Hackensack Riverkeeper, Inc. is the leading environmental organization
working on Hackensack River issues and serves as the citizen-steward
of Hackensack River watershed. Its primary mission is to represent the
watershed's natural and living resources through its environmental
advocacy, education and conservation programs. Hackensack Riverkeeper
also serves as the administrator of the DEP's Blue Claw Crab Advisory
Project, which engages community groups throughout the Newark Bay
Complex to educate people about the dangers of consuming crabs from
those waters. http://www.HackensackRiverkeeper.org
The Rutgers University Environmental Law Clinic has defended and
defined environmental rights in New Jersey since 1985. Through its
representation of environmental and citizens groups that seek redress
under environmental laws, the Clinic challenges governmental actions
that threaten the environment.
http://law.newark.rutgers.edu/clinics_environment.html
Contact:
Jennifer Danis, NRDC, 212-727-4417;
Kidd Dorn, NRDC, 212-727-4408
Andrew Willner, NY/NJ Baykeeper, 732-291-0176; 732-768-4848 (cell)
Captain Bill Sheehan, Hackensack Riverkeeper, 201-755-6466 (cell)
Robin Greenwald, Director, Rutgers Environmental Law Clinic,
973-353-5695
* * *
Hackensack Riverkeeper
231 Main Street
Hackensack, NJ 07601
201-968-0808
201-968-0336 (FAX)
http://www.HackensackRiverkeeper.org
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MTBE LIABILITY WAIVER
Date: 031120
From: http://www.ewg.org/
GOP ENERGY BILL PRESENTS HISTORIC THREAT TO ENVIRONMENT
Environmental Working Group, November 17, 2003
These communities and water suppliers have litigation pending to
reclaim damages for MTBE pollution of public drinking water sources.
These lawsuits would be nullified by the MTBE immunity clause in the
proposed Energy Bill.
[Snip]
NEW JERSEY - 15 COMMUNITIES OR WATER SUPPLIES AFFECTED
1. Borough of Penns Grove
2. City of Bridgeton
3. City of Camden
4. City of Gloucester City
5. Elizabethtown Water Company
6. Mount Holly Water Company
7. Mount Laurel Municipal Utilities Authority
8. New Jersey American Water Company, Inc.
9. Penns Grove Water Supply Company, Inc.
10. Township of Montclair
11. United Water Arlington Hills, Inc.
12. United Water Hampton, Inc.
13. United Water New Jersey, Inc.
14. United Water Toms River, Inc.
15. United Water Vernon Hills, Inc.
[Snip]
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Copyright 2003, Environmental Working Group. All Rights Reserved.
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TIME TO SAFEGUARD CHEMICAL PLANTS
Date: 19 Nov 2003
From: "Jim Young" {jfy...@erols.com}
LABOR-ENVIRONMENT COALITION PROPOSES FOUR STEPS
TO PROMOTE CHEMICAL PLANT SAFETY AND DETER TERRORISM
November 19, 2003
Trenton - Concerned about a possible terrorist attack on New Jersey
chemical facilities, a coalition of 67 labor, community and
environmental organizations today recommended Governor McGreevy take
action to prevent potential chemical plant catastrophes.
These recommendations follow a well-financed chemical industry
campaign to obstruct federal legislation by US Senator Jon Corzine (D-
NJ). Corzine's Chemical Security Act (S.157) would require chemical
facilities to develop comprehensive safety plans and to consider use
of "inherently safer" technologies, including decreasing the amounts
of dangerous chemicals they store and replacing hazardous substances
with safer substitutes.
"Industry should not be allowed to set the agenda on chemical plant
security - in New Jersey or across the country," said Rick Engler,
Director of the NJ Work Environment Council (WEC). "That's like asking
Enron to help develop policies for corporate responsibility."
The recommendations to the Governor and NJ Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) are:
1. Require comprehensive safety plans and "inherent safety"
approaches. Support legislative amendments to the Toxic Catastrophe
Prevention Act (TCPA), as proposed in Senate Bill 2540 by State
Senator Stephen Sweeney, to require TCPA facilities to conduct an
assessment of the vulnerability of the facility to a terrorist attack,
to assess the potential use of inherently safer technology, and to
prepare a prevention, preparedness, and response plan.
2. Regulate more facilities. Support legislative amendments to TCPA so
the Act would regulate more facilities. Currently, TCPA covers only
about 100-140 facilities. However, there are close to 4,000 facilities
in New Jersey using 10,000 pounds or more of hazardous substances.
3. Involve workers. DEP should encourage workers and union
representatives to accompany inspectors during TCPA inspections to
help point out potential hazards. (DEP has said that they will
initiate a pilot program to evaluate this).
4. Assess community preparedness. DEP should conduct surveys in
neighborhoods near the potentially most hazardous facilities to
determine if residents understand what they should do if there is a
toxic release or other emergency. DEP should conduct surveys in urban
areas where population density, traffic congestion, language barriers,
or other factors may make plant neighbors particularly vulnerable.
Workers are on the front lines when chemical accidents occur and
would be the most vulnerable if a terrorist attack took place. "We are
concerned about risks to our members, but also about the threat our
neighbors," said Kenneth V. Goley, President, Local 1-149, Paper,
Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International Union
(PACE), which represents workers at chemical plants in central and
northern New Jersey. "Workers, the poor and people of color will
suffer the most harm if a chemical disaster occurs."
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, a worst-case
scenario chemical accident could harm more than one million people at
each of 123 facilities nationwide. New Jersey is home to seven of
those facilities, including the following:
Company
City
Chemical
Affected population in millions
Kuehne Chemical
South Kearney
Chlorine
12
Infineum USA Bayway
Linden
Chlorine
4.2
Austimont USA Solvay Solexis
Thorofare
Chlorine
3.8
Ferro Delaware River Plant
Bridgport
Chlorine
3.4
Valero Refining Company
Paulsboro
Hydrofluoric Acid
2.8
DuPont Chambers Works
Deepwater
Chlorine
2
Repauno Products, LLC
Gibbstown
Sulfur Dioxide
1.6
WEC is particularly concerned about this issue because the NJ DEP is
now negotiating a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with chemical industry
trade associations, based almost entirely on industry's own
Responsible Care program. WEC contends the industry's program is
insufficient without significant amendments, including specific
provisions for involving union representatives and communities - not
just industry management.
* * *
Contact: Rick Engler or Jim Young
Cell: (609) 472-9579 (Engler)
Voice: (973) 233-1946 (Young)
WEC is a statewide alliance of 67 labor, community and environmental
organizations working together for safe, secure jobs and a healthy,
sustainable environment. WEC members include unions representing
workers in the chemical industry, such as affiliates of the Paper,
Allied-Industrial, and Chemical Workers Union (PACE), the Union of
Needletrade, Industrial, and Textile Employees (UNITE), Teamsters,
Utility Workers, United Steelworkers, Communications/Electronic
Workers, as well as the NJ Environmental Federation, Sierra Club,
Public Interest Research Group Citizen Lobby, and many other
organizations.
NJ Work Environment Council
142 W State St 3rd Fl
Trenton, NJ 08608
T: 609-695-7100
F: 609-695-4200
E: in...@njwec.org
W: http://www.njwec.org
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CHEMICAL SITES STILL VULNERABLE
Date: 19 Nov 2003
From: "Peter Montague" {Pe...@rachel.org}
By Carl Prine, Pittsburgh (PA) Tribune Review, Nov. 16, 2003
Two years after 9/11, terrorists still have unfettered access to
potentially catastrophic amounts of toxins and explosives nationwide,
the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and "60 Minutes" have found.
The news organizations' odyssey through facilities making, storing or
shipping deadly chemicals follows Tribune-Review Media Service
investigations last year that uncovered shoddy security at more than
60 plants in the Pittsburgh area and in Baltimore, Chicago and
Houston.
Beginning in August, the Tribune-Review Media Service and the CBS
newsmagazine jointly scouted security at 15 facilities around
Pittsburgh and Baltimore. CBS continued on to California, Illinois,
New Jersey and Texas.
The Tribune-Review Media Service and "60 Minutes" have combined to
inspect more than 50 plants over the last four months, finding:
** Lax security. A Tribune-Review Media Service reporter, "60 Minutes"
correspondent Steve Kroft and a CBS cameraman strolled to the tanks of
lethal boron trifluoride at Neville Chemical Co. on Neville Island.
Crossing through open or unlocked gates, they spent more than 30
minutes at the unguarded works during two undetected visits. Plant
officials called the police only after the journalists confronted
Neville's security chief with their findings. Neville Township police
then cited the men for defiant trespass. According to Neville's
filings with the Environmental Protection Agency, a catastrophic
release of the corrosive vapors would threaten the lives of nearly
38,000 within 3 miles.
** Open rail lines. The easiest entrance to Neville Chemical and five
other plants was through unguarded rail corridors. Because of just-in-
time delivery and a lack of space at older yards, companies such as
the James Austin Co. in Butler County and Univar in Forward store
their chlorine gas on the tracks. Industrial chlorine is corrosive
enough to eat through human teeth. A lone tanker at Univar's warehouse
endangers 1.2 million people, according to the EPA.
** Unlocked gates and broken fences. At the Wilkinsburg Penn Joint
Water Treatment Facility in Verona, a broken fence and an unlocked
door allowed a Tribune-Review Media Service reporter to reach 20 tons
of chlorine gas and millions of gallons of drinking water. If the
chlorine tank ruptured, the gas could lap neighborhoods up to three
miles away, threatening more than 100,000 people. Nearly every
Pennsylvania facility examined suffered from dilapidated wire or open
gates.
** See-nothing guards and workers. Inattentive guards allowed easy
access to five facilities, including Giant Eagle's Chartiers warehouse
in the West End. A reporter popped through a fence hole to get to the
grocer's warehouse and its 20,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia, a
coolant for refrigeration. In a break room at the warehouse, workers
sipping sodas chatted with him about the Steelers. Giant Eagle's
ammonia tank puts nearly 43,000 people - including children in 24
schools - at risk of death, burns or blindness, according to company
filings with local emergency planners.
Federal officials were most concerned about the easy penetration of
security at the nation's potentially deadliest plants. At the mammoth
Sony Technology Center in Westmoreland County, an unsecured gate,
distracted guards and unconcerned employees let a reporter reach
200,000 pounds of chlorine gas. No one stopped him as he touched train
derailing levers, waved to security cameras, and photographed chlorine
tankers and a nitric acid vat. If ruptured, one Sony railcar could
spew gas 13 miles, endangering 190,000 people. Two other plants
penetrated by the Tribune-Review Media Service and "60 Minutes" -
Univar and Millennium Chemical in Baltimore - each put more than 1
million neighbors at risk of chlorine poisoning.
In February, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge issued a bulletin
warning that "al-Qaida operatives may attempt to launch conventional
attacks against U.S. nuclear/chemical-industrial infrastructure to
cause contamination, disruption and terror." When told how the
Tribune-Review Media Service and "60 Minutes" easily punctured plant
security in several states, he was concerned but expressed optimism
that long-term federal reforms will protect Americans from toxic
catastrophes.
"I think what we need to understand is that this enormously complex
and diverse economy, worth trillions of dollars, has many potential
targets," Ridge said. "And we have to begin to understand that we
can't eliminate the risk. We have to manage the risk. And the way we
manage the risk is by starting to take a look at those that are most
vulnerable, whose use or destruction could result in a catastrophic
loss of life or economic damage."
Ridge said federal teams recently began scrutinizing security
deficiencies at "nearly two dozen" facilities the agency considers
most tantalizing to terrorists. On Friday, Homeland Security announced
that National Guard troops had visited about 150 sensitive sites, of
which "more than half" were chemical facilities. Details of the visits
were not disclosed. But the plants' neighbors want tighter security
and more openness about potential dangers sooner, not later.
"They've never told us anything about the chlorine there. I've never
even heard they had all of that there," said Nancie Bluebaugh, of East
Huntingdon, who lives a few blocks from Sony. "I have a child here. We
see the trains coming and going, but we had no clue what was in them.
"I'll do a lot of praying now."
Yvette Leto, who lives a few blocks downwind from Neville Chemical's
boron trifluoride, believes federal agencies should outlaw
catastrophic chemical storage near cities. According to Neville's
filings with emergency planners, the plant also could unleash deadly
hydrogen fluoride, anhydrous ammonia, benzene, styrene, phosphoric
acid and 10 other toxins that burn flesh, blind eyes, flood lungs with
blood or cause cancer.
"The big shots who run the corporations aren't worried about us,"
Leto said. "They're fine because they don't live here. Are they
willing to come down and live next to these plants, like we do? I bet
they wouldn't do it. But they'll put the chemicals here." Neville
Chemical officials would not comment.
Frank Leto, Yvette's father-in-law and next-door neighbor, said
federal regulations should balance the risk of disaster with the need
for well-paying manufacturing jobs. A retired Aristech and Pittsburgh
Coke and Chemical employee, he said the chemical industry keeps the
Neville Island economy afloat.
"I worked there for 50 years, so I know how dangerous chemicals can
be," he said. "But you can't have it both ways. People complain about
the dangers and the smells and all that, but they'd complain even more
if the companies packed up and left town."
Reforms fail When told of the latest incursions by the Tribune-Review
Media Service and "60 Minutes," most plant officials immediately
pledged for the second year in a row to investigate security snafus.
AK Steel authorities said they always work to improve security,
citing a $25 million upgrade that recently reduced use of nitric acid
at two Butler plants. AK also installed dikes to significantly reduce
hydrofluoric acid dangers.
Giant Eagle immediately repaired a broken fence and assured the
Tribune-Review Media Service no one else would reach its chemicals.
After a reporter spent more than 20 minutes probing sensitive
purification rooms, Oakmont Water Authority officials vowed to add
gates to block access to their Hulton Water Treatment Plant. In
Beaver, a township supervisor and the Chippewa Township Sanitary
Authority have discussed placing the water-treatment plant under
tighter vigilance.
Several Pennsylvania facilities failed the Tribune-Review Media
Service's latest test even after major security upgrades since 9/11.
After last year's incursion by a Tribune-Review Media Service
reporter, the Wilkinsburg Penn authority spent more than $100,000
scripting a security plan and adding electric gates, camera detectors
and worker identification badges at both the Tyler Road treatment
plant and a pump station along the Allegheny River.
But a Tribune-Review Media Service reporter twice scooted through a
fence hole and an unlocked door that led to 20 tons of chlorine gas.
The treatment plant and its Nadine Road pump station suffer from
century-old layouts that are perfect for saving money on utility
operations but difficult to secure from intruders.
"I've been here 23 years," said Wilkinsburg Penn director Mark Lerch.
"Back then, security was never an issue. The water treatment was out
of sight, out of mind. But 9/11 showed our vulnerability to
terrorists. They can hit our natural gas or our electricity and we
will survive. But you can't go without water."
Lerch lectured workers on lax security and tightened plant
perimeters. After a Tribune-Review Media Service reporter penetrated
Univar's security last year, the company erected high fences at its
Bunola yard, instituted round-the-clock guards, installed cameras and
even fortified its river dock, making the works impregnable from
nearly every direction - except the railroad.
Managers asked the rail line to let them fence off track where a
chlorine tanker parks daily. But federal safety laws wouldn't allow
it. So the Tribune-Review Media Service and "60 Minutes" were able to
make four undetected trips up the rails to 90 tons of chlorine gas.
"We really have done everything we can to make our facility secure,"
said Univar manager Cliff Moll. "I really think we went the extra mile
and did everything anyone could do. But we can't do anything about the
railroad."
The extra mile? At other plants, workers and neighbors questioned
whether management had done anything to stiffen security since the
Tribune-Review Media Service's visits last year. A reporter easily
canvassed the sprawling Allegheny Ludlum mill in Brackenridge three
days in a row, following a path down a bluff, across the railroad,
behind a guard shack and up to 100,000 pounds of hydrogen fluoride, a
lethal toxin used to "pickle" stainless steel.
Longtime Brackenridge employees blamed lax security on recent guard
cutbacks and indifference. If released, the mill's acid could waft
nearly a mile and threaten more than 16,000 residents with blindness,
severe burns and death. A spill also would jeopardize water supplies
drawn from the Allegheny and Ohio rivers.
Allegheny Ludlum officials declined to comment.
"I know they put in surveillance cameras, but we don't know if anyone
is really watching," said Gerard Magoc, a Brackenridge steelworker for
31 years. "They put on a big show about searching cars, though.
They're big on theft. They care more about protecting their toilet
paper than they do about their hazardous materials." James Austin Co.
managers also didn't discuss breaches.
On Oct. 28, EPA officials asked Austin to resubmit disaster plans,
citing inaccurate estimates of the population endangered by its
railcars. The bleach manufacturer claimed a chlorine plume could reach
12 miles, affecting only 5,500 people in the North Hills and Butler
County. Tribune-Review Media Service research of U.S. Census figures,
however, shows that the gas endangers 260,000 neighbors, making Austin
one of the 700 potentially deadliest plants nationwide.
Sony officials said they would have "locked down" the East Huntingdon
yard had the FBI warned them a terrorist or reporter was coming.
Because Sony is in a rural area, corporate authorities believe it
isn't a likely sabotage target.
"We respond to a threat if it's reported to us," said Sony security
director Tim Pratt. "We can close the place down if something
happens."
Since the Tribune-Review Media Service's surprise visit last year,
Sony officials have added a concrete bulwark, metal fences and a video
camera to aid security at their chlorine railcars, where a rupture
would endanger 190,000 people.
Counterterrorism experts say that's not good enough. They
increasingly advocate the use of barbed wire, heavily armed guards or
technologies that reduce or eliminate the threat of toxic releases -
security standards common to the nuclear industry because of federal
regulations.
"We might as well face the fact that security at a 7-Eleven after
midnight is better than that at a plant with a 90-ton vessel of
chlorine," said John DePasquale, a former Georgia-Pacific Corp.
security chief who now consults with industry. "A guy with a suitcase
full of explosives can kill tens of thousands of people, and we're not
doing anything about it."
* * *
Carl Prine can be reached at cpr...@tribweb.com or (412) 320-7826.
# # #
Rachel's Environment & Health News
Environmental Research Foundation
POB 160
New Brunswick NJ 08903-0160
T: 732-828-9995
F: 732-791-4603
E: e...@rachel.org
W: http://www.rachel.org
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EXPLOSIVES COMPLICATE EGG HARBOR SUPERFUND CLEANUP
Date: 19 Nov 2003
From: "Peter Montague" {Pe...@rachel.org}
WORLD WAR II RELICS COMPLICATE CLEANUP AT EHT SUPERFUND SITE
By Donald Wittkowski, Staff Writer, (609) 272-7258
Press of Atlantic City, November 18, 2003
Egg Harbor Township - Explosives expert Wayne Lewallen opened a
vaultlike storage container, but it seemed like he was unsealing a
time capsule.
Inside was an odd collection of relics coated with dark-brown rust
and appearing centuries old. The slender objects were so badly
corroded that they resembled rotted tree branches.
A closer look revealed exactly what they were: old aircraft rockets
dating to World War II that had been discarded in a former Navy
landfill and forgotten over time.
"Don't worry," Lewallen said reassuringly, while gently placing the
rockets on top of the storage container Monday. "There's no explosive
hazard."
Maybe so, but cleanup crews removing the decaying shells from a
Superfund site at the former Atlantic City Naval Air Station must be
careful. So far, all of the 3-foot-long rockets have been duds - mere
training devices lacking fuses or explosives - but the next one that
is pulled from the dirt may not be.
As a safety precaution, a 200-foot buffer has been set up around the
cleanup site, now part of the Federal Aviation Administration's 5,059-
acre William J. Hughes Technical Center property adjacent to Atlantic
City International Airport.
A machine operator excavating contaminated soil from the old Navy
landfill blundered upon the first rocket last June. He thought it was
an old fence post, but experts later identified it as an explosive
device. At the time, they weren't sure whether it was live, leading to
some tense moments.
"There definitely was a pucker factor when the operator found it,"
joked Greg Falzetta, the FAA engineer overseeing the cleanup project.
Ten rockets have been found since June, the last four on Oct. 14.
They have been placed in a thick-steel storage container for
safekeeping until they are dismantled and scrapped.
Their discovery, which came as a complete surprise, has dramatically
slowed down the excavation of PCB-tainted soil and other contaminants
from a 21-acre area that once served as a landfill, fuel depot and
photographic laboratory. The price tag for the cleanup project has
jumped from $6 million to about $8 million, largely because of
precautions that are needed to recover the old rockets, Falzetta said.
"It's sort of like a domino effect," he explained. "Once you have
something like that in the middle, it affects everything else."
Technicians with Rumson-based Explosives Ordnance Technology Inc. use
specially calibrated magnetometers to scour sections of the cleanup
site for buried metal objects. If something suspicious is detected,
the technicians must carefully dig out the metal before soil
excavation can begin.
"About 99.999 percent of the time nothing but scrap metal is pulled
out, like an old railroad spike. It's a very laborious process, but we
have to be sure exactly what it is," Falzetta said.
The old Naval air base used the dummy rockets to train sailors how to
load the real thing on carrier-based planes and other aircraft. They
were equipped with fins like live rockets, but didn't have a warhead.
Falzetta said no records exist to explain why the rockets simply were
dumped in the landfill and exactly how long they have been there. But
experts believe they are left over from the World War II era. Earlier,
cleanup crews removed discarded 20 mm and .50-caliber ammunition from
an adjacent site.
Lewallen, a vice president with Explosives Ordnance Technology, said
cleanup technicians working at the Superfund site have received
extensive training from the military on how to handle explosives. They
earn between $25 and $32 an hour, depending on their level of
expertise.
"They have all of their fingers and toes, right?" Falzetta asked
Lewallen about the workers. "That's a sign of a good explosives
ordinance technician."
Meanwhile, the cleanup project's lead contractor, URS Corp. of Wayne,
has excavated 1,100 cubic yards of contaminated soil from what is
essentially a muddy pit. Altogether, 2,500 cubic yards of tainted soil
will be dug up and transported to disposal facilities. A regular dump
truck carries about 12 cubic yards of soil.
The cleanup project, under the eye of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, began in the summer of 2002 and is expected to
continue until 2007. In addition to removing the tainted soil, crews
must build treatment facilities to cleanse the groundwater of any
contaminants.
* * *
To email Donald Wittkowski at The Press:
DWitt...@pressofac.com
# # #
Rachel's Environment & Health News
Environmental Research Foundation
POB 160
New Brunswick NJ 08903-0160
T: 732-828-9995
F: 732-791-4603
E: e...@rachel.org
W: http://www.rachel.org
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
DEP SETTLES WITH BRANCHBURG TWP FOR VIOLATIONS
Date: 19 Nov 2003
From: "depnews depnews" {dep...@dep.state.nj.us}
DEP REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH BRANCHBURG TOWNSHIP FOR ILLEGAL SLUDGE
DISPOSAL, WATER POLLUTION VIOLATIONS & FALSIFIED MONITORING REPORTS:
VIOLATIONS SELF-DISCLOSED
November 19, 2003
Trenton - New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)
Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell today announced a settlement
agreement with Branchburg Township, Somerset County, that addresses a
number of serious water pollution violations, including their unlawful
disposal of sludge and their submittal of falsified discharge
monitoring reports. Branchburg Township must pay the state $201,600 as
part of the settlement agreement.
"We are pleased Branchburg Township acted quickly to voluntarily
disclose their environmental violations and to correct the problems
occurring at their sewage treatment plants," said Commissioner
Campbell. "While the penalties issued reflect the seriousness of the
violations and their negative impact on the state's ability to protect
water quality, they also take into consideration Branchburg Township's
cooperation and appropriate response."
Upon hiring a new consultant to oversee the operation of their Fox
Hollow and Neshanic Sewage Treatment Plants, Branchburg Township
discovered that their former operator and employee, Joseph Stracuzzi,
had directed the illegal disposal of sludge from the sewage treatment
plants and falsified discharge monitoring reports submitted to the
DEP.
On at least 65 instances between February 1997 and April 2002, sludge
generated from their sewage treatment plants was discharged into a
portion of their wastewater collection system that flows into the
Somerset Raritan Valley Sewage Authority system. Under state laws,
sludge must be disposed of at a disposal facility approved by the DEP.
Neither the department nor the Somerset Raritan Valley Sewage
Authority were notified or approved of Branchburg's sludge disposal
activities.
In addition, for at least 10 years prior to May 2002, Mr. Stracuzzi
consistently submitted required discharge monitoring reports for
Branchburg Township's Neshanic Sewage Treatment Plant that indicated
that all effluent sampling required by their DEP permit was properly
conducted. However, after hiring the new consultant to oversee the
operation of the sewer utility, Branchburg Township learned that
random, grab samples instead of composite samples were consistently
taken for solids and oxygen demand. As a result, the discharge
monitoring reports contained false sample information that the DEP
relied upon to make compliance determinations.
Also, during May 2001and December 2001, the DEP cited the Neshanic
Sewage Treatment Plant for serious effluent violations for fecal
coliform. In January 2002, Fox Hollow also received a violation for a
serious effluent violation of fecal coliform.
In an attempt to mitigate the financial impact of the $201,600 issued
to Branchburg Township's sewer utility, the DEP granted the township a
10-year payment schedule. The first payment of $20,160 is due March 1,
2004. In assessing the penalty amount, the DEP took into consideration
that the township self disclosed its violations upon discovery.
In a separate settlement agreement with Mr. Stracuzzi, the former
operator agreed to pay the state a $2,000 fine for his unlawful
activities and accept the permanent revocation of his wastewater
operator licenses. The DEP operates a water and wastewater license
certification program to ensure that only properly trained and
experienced individuals operate water and wastewater facilities in New
Jersey.
"Licensed individuals who operate New Jersey's water and wasterwater
facilities have an obligation to serve the public in a professional
and lawful manner," Campbell added. "This enforcement case clearly
demonstrates that any operator who fails to meet these obligations
will be held individually responsible and will be forced to seek
another profession."
Failure to properly monitor wastewater discharge undermines the
integrity of the department's New Jersey Pollution Discharge
Elimination System (NJPDES) permit program, which is based in large
part on self-monitoring and reporting by permittees.
Branchburg Township is currently in compliance with its DEP permit
requirements.
* * *
Contact: Amy Cradic, (609) 984-1795
NJ Department of Environmental Protection
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
MEADOWLANDS PLAN GETS POSITIVE FEEDBACK
Date: 031120
From: http://www.northjersey.com/
By Lisa Goodnight, Record Staff Writer, November 19, 2003
Lyndhurst - State officials are hearing more applause than criticism
for an updated master plan that will protect open space and encourage
development in parts of the Meadowlands.
The final public hearing on the plan was Monday, but the New Jersey
Meadowlands Commission will accept written comments until Dec. 5.
During the public comment period, some critics have said the plan
should provide affordable housing and more truck parking in industrial
zones. Other people praised the plan for protecting open space and
encouraging input from the 14 towns in the Meadowlands Commission's
zoning jurisdiction.
"You have environmentalists side by side with the development
community, side by side with the labor unions," said Robert Ceberio,
executive director of the Meadowlands Commission. "This is a consensus
that we've been trying to build over the last year."
The plan, which will be up for adoption next year, calls for the
construction of 3,750 residential units - none designated as low- or
moderate-income housing - and 24 million square feet of office,
commercial, and retail space. The old master plan called for 70,000
units of housing and 105 million square feet of office, commercial,
and retail space.
Additionally, Ceberio said the plan would bring municipal officials
to the table sooner. For example, under the proposed master plan, a
fire official would receive plans as soon as the commission staff sees
them, instead of five weeks after the application is complete, as was
typical.
At Monday's hearing, which drew about 40 people, mostly college
students studying to become planners, one business owner complained
that he could not park his snow-plowing equipment on his vacant
property. But other people praised the commission for putting together
a plan that balances various interests.
Afterward, officials said the agency will work with property owners
who think the zoning is unfair. Concerns about affordable housing will
be addressed, in part, at a meeting Monday. Ceberio said officials
will work with any Meadowlands town officials looking to build
affordable housing.
A key part of the proposal is protecting the remaining 8,400 acres of
wetlands.
In response to concerns raised by mayors, state officials said they
will not change zoning around Teterboro Airport. The proposal calls
for an aviation zone, but mayors asked to keep existing light-
industrial zoning, and officials said they will oblige that request.
"It was not our intention to suggest the airport should expand,"
Ceberio said.
* * *
Email: good...@northjersey.com
Copyright (c) 2003 North Jersey Media Group Inc.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
KINNELON WEBER TRACT EDGING TOWARD DESTRUCTION
Date: 19 Nov 2003
From: Pequan...@aol.com
Last year the Kinnelon Mayor and Council voted to rezone the Kinnelon
Weber Tract for high-density housing. At that time the Pequannock
River Coalition warned that the density proposed would open the door
to inappropriate development and severe environmental damage. Sadly
that prediction was accurate.
Plans recently unveiled for this property include massive destruction
of wetlands, development of slopes suitable for bobsled runs,
potentially hazardous roadways and a cut-rate stormwater system. The
result will be degradation of the Pequannock River, loss of critical
wildlife habitat, impacts on surrounding homes and wells, dangers for
residents and the eyesore of sprawl devouring more of our Highlands
landscape. But don't take our word for it.
In a recent letter the Morris County Planning Board said, "The site
is a mountainous one with slopes exceeding 35%...Although this will
provide a commanding view to the residents of the surroundings, by the
same token the view of the once tree covered mountain top will give
way to visual dominance of the new structures."
Translation? Scratch off another scenic Highlands ridgeline.
The County also noted, "In order to shelve the development into the
mountainside, 2 twelve (12) foot high walls are proposed one behind
the other for a total height of twenty-four (24) feet. A similar
gravity wall system recently used at a commercial site is known to
have failed."
Does this sound safe or sensible?
In another review a consultant to the Borough, Crew Engineers, Inc.,
questioned the proposed routing of sewer and water lines: "We
recommend that the developer look for an alternative to the intent to
construct piping across the exiting earthen dam of Maple Lake." This
concern was underscored by the NJDEP who consider this dam unsafe and
demanded that it be rehabilitated. Running sewer and water lines
across an unsafe dam is clearly a recipe for disaster.
Additional issues of public safety were raised by the Kinnelon
Police: "If at all possible a secondary access road should be supplied
for emergency vehicles. The main roadway is approximately one mile
long. Kinnelon already has numerous long cul-de-sacs, which translates
to delays in emergency response, particularly when access is blocked
either by emergency activity or acts of god."
So, don't hold your breath here waiting for an ambulance if a tree
should fall in the project's single entrance.
Our own concerns include vital water quality issues. Much will depend
on stormwater management, and in this regard the project again comes
up short. New stormwater regulations from the NJDEP are scheduled for
adoption in January. The developer's engineers, Schoor DePalma, have
been recommending that all their clients design runoff controls to
meet these new standards. Given the sensitivity of the adjacent
Pequannock River, one of the state's finest "Category 1" rivers, we
would expect this developer to include top-notch controls. Yet, in
this case the proposed system isn't even close. In fact it remains to
be seen if the new regulations can ever be met on this problematic
site.
Are there other concerns? Definitely. These are just major
highlights, but enough to make us question how one Kinnelon Councilman
assessed this as a "win-win" situation. The only winners that we can
see are the landowner and the prospective developer.
On the other hand, losers are everywhere-residents in adjacent
neighborhoods gazing up at new castles while their property values
plunge and their wells go dry. Supporters of open space who would like
this property added to adjoining Silas Condict Park. The wild trout of
the Pequannock River, facing added loads of silt and pollution-laden
runoff. Citizens in the proposed development waiting needlessly for an
ambulance or police car to arrive. Commuters snarled in more traffic
on Kinnelon Road. And those who once found inspiration in our scenic
Kinnelon hills.
Is there reason for hope? We think so. Kinnelon officials are now
working to preserve 34 acres once destined for another housing
development. Perhaps they will come to their senses here too. For now
we ask readers to contact their representatives at the local, county
and state level. Tell them a plan this badly flawed should not be
approved. You can also attend Planning Board hearings on this project
beginning in December or January. Your voice counts!
Additional information on this issue is available at:
Pequannock River Coalition
POB 392
Newfoundland NJ 07435
T: 973-492-3212
E: in...@pequannockriver.org
W: http://www.pequannockriver.org/
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
DOVER TOWNSHIP $10M LAND DEAL PUT ON HOLD
Date: 031120
From: http://www.app.com/
OUT OF RESPECT FOR INCOMING COUNCIL, LAME-DUCK COMMITTEE
HOLDS OFF ON SECOND ATTEMPT AT LAND PURCHASE
By John Hazard, Ocean County Observer Staff Writer, 11/19/03
Toms River - A partnership between Dover Township and the Dover
Municipal Utilities Authority to buy $10 million of open space will
have to wait at least until next year, but may still pass muster with
Mayor-elect Paul C. Brush and the incoming seven-member new council.
The outgoing committee had tried and failed before the Nov. 4
election, to win four votes for a bond ordinance financing the
purchase of 700 acres of environmentally sensitive open space, and
will withhold a second attempt to adopt the ordinance out of respect
for the incoming administration and council, said Mayor John F. Russo
Jr.
The purchase of the Home Depot tract on Fischer Boulevard will be
unaffected as the township may use a previously approved bond source
to buy the tract, Russo said.
"We're not going to take action on it at this time," Russo said.
"That wouldn't be fair to the new government. Hopefully, they will
look at and see its merits. If they don't they'll have to watch those
properties fall as they get developed."
Brush had been critical of the specific properties identified in the
spending measure during the election, but said he supports the concept
and would examine adopting a revised partnership in the new year, with
more scrutiny applied to the selection of properties to be purchased.
"I support any partnership with any agency that will benefit the
town," Brush said. "What I'm not in favor of is the tracts they chose.
I don't believe they are the most endangered properties in the town."
Brush and seven Republican council members will be sworn in Jan. 1 as
Dover's first directly elected mayor and Township Council form of
government.
Under New Jersey's Faulkner act, which guides the transition's
between the committee and council form of government, the outgoing
committee is limited in what legislation it may pass in the waning
hours of their tenure, but Russo said the committee would be
considerate of the incoming government and keep the agenda light for
the rest of the year.
Russo remains unabashed in his support of the proposal.
"It is a good plan and one of the most progressive measures by a
municipality to save environmentally sensitive land in New Jersey
history," Russo said. "It will save 700 acres from being developed and
keeps 300 to 500 homes from being built. I am hoping that once outside
the realm of the campaign, everyone will see it for what it is and
support it."
Because the DMUA's charter limits its activities to measures that
protect the quality of water in Dover, the partnership was to include
only properties threatened by development on or near stream corridors
and the Barnegat Bay Estuary.
The township may use $2.5 million of a $2.7 million bond ordinance
approved Oct. 13, to acquire a 35-acre tract on Fischer Boulevard near
Hooper Avenue, where a developer had proposed building a Home Depot
store, and about 100 adjoining acres. The land had been slated for
purchase in the partnership, but cannot wait much longer, Russo said.
The Township Committee entertained using a $2.7 million open space
bond at a Monday meeting but still needs the consent of the property
owner, Russo said.
"We will probably move on this before the year is out," Russo said.
* * *
Copyright (c) 1997-2003 IN Jersey.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PANEL SETS GOALS FOR GENERATING RENEWABLE ENERGY
Date: 031120
From: http://www.courierpostonline.com/news/southjersey/
ALTERNATE SOURCES WOULD PROVIDE 20% OF NJ ELECTRICITY BY 2020
By Lawrence Hajna, Courier-Post Staff, November 19, 2003
New Jersey residents get less than one percent of their energy from
renewable solar and wind sources, a dismal statistic by any account.
The state has historically lagged in development of renewable energy
because of a well-entrenched electricity delivery infrastructure, and,
some would argue, too much dependence on nuclear power.
But things are changing.
A state advisory council of utilities, advocacy groups and citizens
has set aggressive renewable energy goals for the near-term and the
long-term, including establishing a goal of having renewable sources
generate 20 percent of the state's electricity by 2020.
But while the state is dabbling with things like energy from tidal
power and is allowing companies to explore the feasibility of wind
farms off the coast, right now the future is mostly about solar power,
or more accurately, energy from photovoltaic cells.
"New Jersey has a lot of commercial rooftops and brownfields for
(photovoltaic cells)," said Mike Winka, director of the state's clean
energy office.
A couple of the best examples of this shift to photovoltaic cells are
occurring right in Gloucester County, and include a big-box store and
an old landfill.
In Paulsboro, BP, the owner of a closed petroleum terminal, is
operating the largest photovoltaic farm on the East Coast from atop a
closed landfill. The nearly 6,000 panels can create 350,000 kilowatt
hours a year to help operate a groundwater treatment plant at the
site.
And in Deptford, a 52-kilowatt array consisting of 1,330 photovoltaic
cells atop the roof of a BJ's Wholesale Club store is generating
energy for the local power grid.
These projects, though small in relation to the big energy picture,
are important symbolically, officials say, and will help the state
meet one of its key shorter term goals - generation of 90 megawatts of
photovoltaic capacity by 2008. That's enough electricity for about
45,000 homes.
"This is probably the largest (photovoltaic) goal east of the
Mississippi," Winka said.
The state gets only 5.5 megawatts from photovoltaic sources
currently, but hopes to boost this to 7 megawatts in 2004.
Winka says the state wants to create as many new sources of renewable
energy within New Jersey as possible, adding the state's electric
utilities support this idea.
At the same time, the state recognizes the utilities will have to
purchase green power produced in other parts of the PJM
Interconnection, the regional power grid. Such sources include wind
farms sprouting in Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland.
New Jersey simply lacks reliable wind patterns on land and sufficient
land to support sprawling wind farms, Winka said. Coastal winds and
mountainous areas could support wind farms, but the state is moving
cautiously in this regard because of public concerns about effects on
the state's ecology and scenic views.
"Europe has plenty of wind farms; the technology is there," Winka
said. "From our standpoint, we're looking at the feasibility only and
evaluating environmental impacts on fish, water and vistas (versus)
the clean energy that comes from wind."
Emily Rusch, an energy advocate with the New Jersey Public Interest
Research Group, is excited about the direction the state is taking.
"We're a densely populated state. We don't have a lot of land for wind
farms, but we do have a lot of rooftops," she said, adding, "I think
we have to make room for some wind power in New Jersey."
If photovoltaic is to meet much of the state's renewable energy
goals, then businesses and homeowners must embrace the idea of
investing to put the shiny black panels on their roofs, Rusch said.
To this end, the state has established a rebate program covering 70
percent of homeowners' costs to put up the panels. The state's Clean
Energy office receives an average of 40 applications a month for this
program.
The cost of installing a typical system for a small home can range
from $10,000 to about $22,000. So, even after the state rebate,
homeowners still face paying thousands of dollars out of their own
pockets.
But, Winka points out, once the system is repaid, homeowners will
have a lifetime of no or significantly reduced electricity bills.
A coalition of religious groups is getting into the act, combining
state financial assistance and a long-term repayment program through a
solar panel installer to place photovoltaic cells on churches and
other houses of worship throughout the state.
The nonprofit Partners for Environmental Quality already has helped
get panels for a Lutheran church in Mendham, Morris County, and an
organic farm run by nuns in Blairstown, Warren County.
In December, the coalition plans to announce an application process
for religious organizations interested in installing panels at 25
additional locations.
Nathalie Shapiro, the coalition's director of programs, said the
project will help spark homeowners' interest in solar power by
allowing religious organizations to be "a great beacon to the
community, showing they care about lessening their dependence on
fossil fuels."
* * *
Reach Lawrence Hajna at (856) 486-2466 or lha...@courierpostonline.com
Copyright 2003 Courier-Post.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
APPEAL DELAYS PLANS FOR A.C.'S COASTAL WIND FARM
Date: 031120
From: http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/atlantic/
By Thomas Barlas, Staff Writer, (609) 272-7201
Press of Atlantic City, November 19, 2003
Atlantic City - Construction of the country's first coastal wind farm
here will most likely not be complete until next summer, according to
project officials.
Original plans had the five-turbine wind farm scheduled to be
operational by the end of December.
However, the New Jersey Audubon Society is appealing the issuance of
a state environmental permit - granted in September - for the project
planned by Community Energy of Wayne, Pa.
Community Energy President Brent Alderfer said the appeal does not
stop the project, but company officials want to work out any concerns
raised by the Audubon Society to prevent any future problems.
Alderfer said the Audubon Society apparently does not oppose the
project, which is to be built at the Atlantic County Utilities
Authority sewage treatment plant here. The Audubon Society is instead
more concerned that the state Department of Environmental Protection
has the appropriate safeguards and regulations in place for wind-farm
projects, he said.
"We intend, as always, to meet with them," Alderfer said.
Audubon officials could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
The Audubon Society has raised concerns about the project in the
past, including its impact on migrating birds.
DEP spokeswoman Elaine Makatura agreed with Aldermen's contention
that the appeal does not stop the project from proceeding.
Makatura also said that if Community Energy is "opting to settle the
appeal, the DEP would not suggest that they move (forward with the
project) if they chose not to."
Community Energy also is working on a new financing package - that
includes a partnership with a New England-based utility - for the
project, according to ACUA officials.
The financing package should make it easier for Community Energy to
proceed with the project, which has increased in price by about $2
million, ACUA President Richard Dovey said.
Alderfer said he could not discuss the financing package.
A major reason for the price increase, from $11 million to $13
million, is that new, larger and more efficient wind turbines now are
available, Dovey said.
The turbines that were to be used had a blade span of about 220 feet.
The newer turbines should increase that span by about 30 feet.
Alderfer said the extra blade span would be helpful, since the region
has what is considered to be moderate wind patterns.
Meanwhile, Community Energy is at least relieved that a federal-tax
credit program crucial to the project's financial success is likely to
be renewed by Congress.
The program - which would offset the wind farm's significant capital
investment - is scheduled to expire Dec. 31. But it should be renewed
as part of a major energy bill in Washington, D.C.
The ACUA wants the project operational for financial purposes. It
anticipates buying at least 60 percent of its energy needs from the
wind farm. The power would be used to run the massive pumps and other
devices at the sewage-treatment plant.
The wind-farm project here is one of three wind projects under
consideration for New Jersey.
Atlantic Renewable Energy Corp. of Richmond, Va., is studying the
feasibility of creating an offshore wind farm in the Atlantic Ocean or
Delaware Bay.
Clipper Windpower of Goleta, Calif., is planning a 21-megawatt wind
farm atop Scotts Mountain in Harmony and White townships in Warren
County.
* * *
To email Thomas Barlas at The Press: TBa...@pressofac.com
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
NATURE AS HEALER
Date: 19 Nov 2003
From: Sam Pesin {pesinl...@earthlink.net}
Anyone who has been an ExchangeEveryDay reader for at least two weeks
knows that a favorite publication is Utne Reader: http://www.utne.com.
Their November-December, 2003 issue contained a very interesting
series of seven articles on parenting ("The Art of Imperfect
Parenting," "Land of the Lost Parents," "Underground Toddlers?"), but
the one that caught our eye was "How Nature Heals Us: New evidence
that natural beauty, even in small doses, reduces stress." This
article cited a study by Andrea Faber Taylor of children living in a
housing project in Chicago:
"The children she studied were all from the same socioeconomic
bracket: all were African American; all lived in virtually identical
apartments to which their families had been randomly assigned; and all
lived on the second, third or fourth floors, the best levels for
viewing nature. The only difference was that some apartments
overlooked trees and grass while others overlooked pavement.
"Girls who could see nature were better able to concentrate and to
control impulsive behavior, as measured in standard psychological
tests. These behaviors tend to help children resist peer pressure and
sexual pressure, and help in other challenging situations.
"'Our theory was that the public housing is a very fatiguing
environment,' says Fabor Taylor. 'It turns out that small amounts of
greenery seem to make a big difference. You don't have to live in
Sherwood Forest to enjoy nature's benefits.'
"By creating more green spaces, particularly in urban areas, we could
minimize, or at least buffer, the stress of everyday life and long-
term costs in terms of mental and physical health associated with
stress..."
# # #
Sam Pesin, President
Friends of Liberty State Park
POB 3407
Jersey City NJ 07302
T: 201-792-3767
E: pesinl...@earthlink.net
W: http://www.folsp.org
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
INTERNSHIPS AT FREEHOLD SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT
Date: 19 Nov 2003
From: "Karen Rowe" {kr...@freeholdscd.org}
FREEHOLD SOIL CONSERVATION DISTRICT HAS IMMEDIATE
OPENINGS FOR TWO RESOURCE CONSERVATION INTERNS
DUTIES INCLUDE:
Assist Chapter 251 Staff
With data entry for detention basin and watershed mapping
By daily GPS of field sites
By mapping basin on USGS maps of newly certified files
With digitization of project drainage areas in watershed study
By completion of engineering data sheets from drainage reports
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
Must be enrolled in an environmental, soils or natural resources
related major
Courses in GIS or related subject matter is helpful
SKILLS REQUIRED:
Strong communication skills
Computer literacy
General knowledge of natural resource protection
Ability to work independently
CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:
Must have valid NJ driver's license
Must be 18 years of age or older
WORK HOURS & DAYS:
Flexible Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Salary: $10.50 per hour
BENEFITS:
None
Send a cover letter, including advisor's name and phone number, and a
transcript or resume to:
Freehold Soil Conservation District
211 Freehold Road
Manalapan, NJ 07726
732-446-2300 Fax 732-446-9140
in...@freeholdscd.org
* * *
Karen Rowe
Education Coordinator
Freehold SCD
211 Freehold Road
Manalapan, NJ 07726
732-446-2300
email: kr...@freeholdscd.org
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BURLCO RESIDENTS CAN AIR ENVIRONMENTAL WORRIES - NOV 24
Date: 031120
From: http://www.phillyburbs.com/
By John Reitmeyer, Burlington County Times, November 19, 2003
The Burlington County Health Department will host a meeting Monday to
find out the environmental health concerns of residents in 19
communities.
The meeting will be at 6 p.m. inside the Pemberton Public Library on
Broadway in the Browns Mills section of Pemberton Township.
The Health Department is compiling an overall environmental health
assessment for the county and has identified three different regions.
The meeting will be for a region that includes Bass River,
Chesterfield, Eastampton, Hainesport, Lumberton, Mansfield, Mount
Holly, New Hanover, North Hanover, Pemberton Borough, Pemberton
Township, Southampton, Shamong, Springfield, Tabernacle, Washington,
Westampton, Woodland and Wrightstown.
Residents who attend the meeting will be asked to share any concerns
they have about the environment and health issues.
Drinking water, air quality, traffic and pollution are among the
topics that will likely be discussed, officials said.
Ultimately, the Health Department would like to find at least 10
volunteers from the region who will be asked to study the concerns
more closely and then come up with strategies to address them.
"The purpose of the meeting is to convene a voluntary group to
examine residents' views about how the environment affects health,"
said Freeholder Dawn Marie Addiego, who oversees the county's health
issues.
A team has already been formed for a region of the county that
includes Evesham, Maple Shade, Medford, Medford Lakes, Moorestown and
Mount Laurel.
The third region of the county includes Beverly, Bordentown City,
Bordentown Township, Burlington City, Burlington Township,
Cinnaminson, Delanco, Delran, Edgewater Park, Fieldsboro, Florence,
Palmyra, Riverside, Riverton and Willingboro. The first meeting for
that region will be held early next year.
For more information about the health assessment or Monday's meeting,
call the Health Department at (609) 265-5291 or (609) 265-5548.
* * *
Email: jreit...@phillyBurbs.com
(c)2003 Copyright Calkins Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
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UPCOMING BREAKFAST TALK WITH TREES - NOV 25
Date: 19 Nov 2003
From: "Grace Messinger" {gmess...@northjerseyrcd.org}
BREAKFAST TALK WITH TREES!
JOIN US FOR ANOTHER HUNTERDON COUNTY
PLANNING BOARD BREAKFAST TALK ON
Tuesday, November 25, 7:30am to 9:00am
Hunterdon County Assembly Room, Building #1, Route 12 Complex
Join Caroline Armstrong (Assistant Director- Hunterdon County
Planning Board) and Donna Drewes (North Jersey RC&D Coordinator) as
they present information on Implementing a Comprehensive Woodlands
Conservation Program into your municipality. Receive your FREE copy of
the newly published Woodlands Conservation Handbook published by the
Hunterdon County Planning Board & North Jersey Resource Conservation &
Development Council. Also, municipal representatives from Hunterdon
County that attend the workshop will receive a poster-size map
emphasizing the forest cover change in your township.
Woodlands contribute so much to our quality of life. They affect
public health and the ecology, economy and character of our
communities. Woodland conservation resource strategies to be discussed
at the breakfast talk will include:
* Guidance on how to prioritize woodlands resources for protection
* How to incorporate a woodland resource management plan into the
Master Planning process
* Discuss woodland conservation design & construction strategies
* Highlight the Draft Woodland Conservation ordinance that the
Hunterdon County Environmental Toolbox Woodlands Conservation
sub-committee is working on
SPACE IS LIMITED, RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY
Please RSVP by Monday, November 24th by calling the Hunterdon County
Planning Board office at 908-788-1490.
* * *
Grace Messinger
North Jersey RC&D
Watershed Specialist
54 Old Highway 22, Suite 201
Clinton, NJ 08809-1389
phone (908) 735-0733 ext. 110
fax (908) 735-0744
gmess...@northjerseyrcd.org
http://www.northjerseyrcd.org
gmess...@upperdelaware.org
http://www.upperdelaware.org
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WATERSHEDS STEWARDS PROGRAM SET - FEB 6-8
Date: 19 Nov 2003
From: colleen gould {nj...@optonline.net}
LEADERSHIP WEEKEND YIELDS STEWARDSHIP GRANTS FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS
For the last six years, the NJ Watershed Stewards Program has been a
successful and effective means of engaging high school students in an
environmental stewardship project. The program begins with a
Leadership Weekend Workshop held February 6th to February 8th at the
Mount Misery Retreat Center in Browns Mills (Burlington County).
The workshop is designed to empower students with the necessary
knowledge, resources and tools to become team leaders while
coordinating a stewardship project of their choice in their community.
Participating schools will receive a $800 to $1,000 grant to plan,
develop and implement their watershed stewardship project. A teacher
or adult advisor must accompany the students. They will receive a $150
stipend as well as 12 NJDOE Professional Development Credits and the
Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide.
A Watershed Stewards Team consists of a minimum of three and a
maximum of five students interested in completing a stewardship
project. It is a long term commitment that just begins with their
participation in the Leadership Workshop in March. They will be
required to choice a project that will make a difference in their
community (or on their school site) and write a two-page proposal
outlining their plans. Most project are completed within the calendar
year.
The Weekend Workshop begins at 6:00 p.m. on Friday evening and
concludes at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. The cost for registration is only
$35 per student which includes overnight accommodations, food and
resources. Confirmations with details will be sent out after January
15th.
The NJ Watershed Stewards Program is a unique opportunity for
students to explore the outdoors while building their leadership
skills and making a difference in their community. To learn more,
please email or call Colleen Gould at 732-292-4670 or
nj...@optonline.net
To register, the high school team must send the following information
by January 30th:
(1) School Name
(2) Address and Phone
(3) School Fax
(4) Teacher/Advisor Name
(5) Student Names
(6) Email Address
with a check payable to NJ Project WET to:
Colleen Gould
NJ Project WET
2528 Algonkin Trail
Manasquan, NJ 08736
* * *
Colleen Gould
NJ Project WET Coordinator
Phone and Fax: 732-292-4672
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NOV 21 PRECAUTIONARY PRINCIPLE WORKSHOP CANCELED
Date: 19 Nov 2003
From: "Peter Montague" {Pe...@rachel.org}
The Precautionary Principle Workshop scheduled for Nov. 21,
2003 at the Rutgers Labor Education Center in New Brunswick has
been canceled and will be rescheduled for the Spring.
* * *
Environmental Research Foundation
POB 160
New Brunswick NJ 08903-0160
T: 732-828-9995
F: 732-791-4603
E: e...@rachel.org
W: http://www.rachel.org
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Ivan Kossak - Executive Director - kos...@gsenet.org
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