GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS 030117
Garden State EnviroNet
GARDEN STATE ENVIRONEWS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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{*} NJ HAS PRESERVED 100,000 ACRES OF FARMLAND
{*} ADMINISTRATION BEGINS ANTI-SPRAWL REGULATORY REFORM
{*} BUILDERS HAMMER ON ANTI-GROWTH PROPOSAL
{*} HIGHLANDS & STATE OF STATE
{*} BUILDER DROPS LAWSUIT IN BRANCHBURG
{*} MEDFORD PLANNERS REJECT DEVELOPMENT
{*} 39 HOMES APPROVED FOR RIDGE IN RINGWOOD
{*} BAYONNE RATED 'GOOD' ON ENVIRONMENT
{*} NJ CONGRESS MEMBERS TO FIX OCEAN DUMPING RULES
{*} FISHING REGULATIONS RELAXED IN NORTHEAST
{*} ATLANTIC SHARK POPULATIONS ENDANGERED
{*} NY GROUPS CALL FOR END TO AESTHETIC PESTICIDE USE
{*} SCOOBY-DOO NEEDS A POOPER-SCOOPER
{*} KIDS SEE HOW THEY CAN CHANGE WORLD
{*} EEDNEWS JANUARY 16, 2003
{*} PLANNING SESSION - INTERFAITH SERVICE FOR RIVER - JAN 21
{*} UPPER DELAWARE WATERSHED PROJECT WORK GROUP MTG - JAN 29
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The Garden State EnviroNet (GSE) gratefully acknowledges volunteers
Gerald Cullins, Bambi Dingman, Jeff Hook and Paul Neuman for their
contributions to today's issue. If interested in helping out, please
send an email message to mai...@gsenet.org.
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NJ HAS PRESERVED 100,000 ACRES OF FARMLAND
Date: 030115
From: http://www.state.nj.us/
MCGREEVEY ANNOUNCES 100,000 ACRE MILESTONE IN FARMLAND PRESERVATION
GOVERNOR SAYS PRESERVING FARMLAND AND PROTECTING OPEN SPACE ARE KEY TO
SMART GROWTH
January 15, 2003
East Brunswick - Governor James E. McGreevey announced today that New
Jersey has permanently preserved 100,000 acres of farmlandnnj - an
achievement that has helped make the state a national leader in
farmland preservation.
"This 100,000 acre milestone is important not only for agriculture,
but for the smart growth of New Jersey," said McGreevey. "Farmland
preservation protects our working landscapes so that future
generations will have the land they need to farm. That is why in my
State of the State address yesterday, I promised to preserve 20,000
acres of farmland a year. By limiting sprawl and preserving open space
we are also protecting the quality of life throughout New Jersey's
communities." "Farmland preservation is an important part of our
efforts to keep New Jersey agriculture strong. By preserving our farms
and targeting new economic development opportunities to make
agriculture profitable, we can retain our working landscapes, keep
today's farmers on the land and encourage future generations to carry
on New Jersey's agricultural legacy," said Agriculture Secretary
Charles M. Kuperus.
New Jersey has preserved 100,000 acres, approximately 12 percent, of
its estimated 830,000 acres of available farmland - a higher
percentage than any other state. The State's farmland preservation
program helps meet the Governor's goal for smart growth by keeping
communities green, open and productive.
"Sprawl consumes more than a million acres of American farmland every
year. New Jersey has taken a leadership role in addressing this
critical problem by making farmland preservation an important part of
the solution. We applaud New Jersey's commitment to its farmers and
agriculture, and offer congratulations on achieving this important
milestone in saving the land that sustains us all," said Edward
Thompson, Jr., Senior Vice President for Public Policy at American
Farmland Trust, a national nonprofit farmland conservation
organization.
"The Nature Conservancy is delighted with the impressive progress the
State has made with preserving 100,000 acres of farmland in New
Jersey," said Michael Catania, Executive Director of the New Jersey
Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. "We are also very pleased that
farms like the Giamarese farm are being preserved since they are
critical to the quality of life in our more developed neighborhoods.
We look forward to working with the Governor as we seek to protect
open space and to meet smart growth goals throughout the State."
ABOUT THE GIAMARESE FARM AND THE FARMLAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM:
The Governor made the announcement at the Giamarese farm in East
Brunswick, which officially entered the state Farmland Preservation
Program in December and put New Jersey over the 100,000-acre
preservation mark. The 35-acre fruit and vegetable farm, owned by Jim
and Susan Giamarese, annually attracts tens of thousands of visitors
with its active farm market, pick-your-own operations, school tours
and seasonal attractions.
The State Agriculture Development Committee administers the state's
Farmland Preservation Program. The Farmland Preservation Program was
established in January 1983, which makes this month the 20th
anniversary of the program.
East Brunswick Township purchased the development easement on the
Giamarese farm for $1.6 million in 2000 and applied to sell it to
Middlesex County. The State Agriculture Development Committee provided
the county with a preservation cost-sharing grant of $678,245 and
Middlesex County paid an additional $226,081.
CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO SMART GROWTH AND FARMLAND PRESERVATION:
In his State of the State address yesterday, the Governor outlined
ways the State can help target new development to urban centers and
older suburbs, control sprawl, and protect the State's most valuable
natural resources, including:
- Preserving 20,000 acres of farmland a year to preserve rural areas.
- Creating or upgrading 200 local parks and adding at least two state
parks in the next three years and planting 100,000 new trees across
the Garden State.
- Devoting at least an additional $100 million over the next three
years -a 15 percent increase-to open space protection in areas such
as the Highlands.
- Creating an incentive for conservation by implementing a limited
time capital gains tax waiver for landowners who sell their
property to the State's open space program.
The Governor also stated his unequivocal commitment to combating
overdevelopment and sprawl by giving local governments the power they
need to fight developers and protect their residents, including:
- Empowering towns with the legal and zoning tools to control and
manage future development.
- Allowing municipalities to impose a one-year building moratorium.
- Establishing impact fees so that developers, not taxpayers, bear
the burdens for the cost of new roads and schools.
- Making county and regional planning authorities more effective and
professional since the negative impacts of development are not
limited to the boundaries of individual towns.
* * *
Contact: Micah Rasmussen, 609-777-2600
State of New Jersey Governor's Office
PO Box 004
Trenton, NJ 08625
Copyright (c) State of New Jersey, 2002
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ADMINISTRATION BEGINS ANTI-SPRAWL REGULATORY REFORM
Date: 030116
From: http://www.state.nj.us/
1/16/03
Trenton - McGreevey Administration Cabinet members today launched the
first step in the Governor's State of the State agenda to combat
overdevelopment and congestion, outlining an innovative mapping
approach that will align state regulations and funding programs with
the State Plan.
Dubbed "The Big Map," this new approach ultimately will identify
areas of the state where development will be encouraged and where
growth will be strictly regulated.
It was coordinated by the Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP), with the Departments of Community Affairs (DCA), Transportation
(DOT), and Agriculture (DOA). A preliminary version of the map is
being posted on DEP's web site today - http://www.state.nj.us/dep.
"We will have one state map that we will live by and not one dollar
of taxpayer money will be spent to subsidize sprawl anymore," said
Governor James E. McGreevey. "If you want to build and grow consistent
with smart growth, then we will help you get regulatory approvals
quickly and make sure the infrastructure is there to support you."
A major goal of the map is to provide clear direction to both
developers and municipalities, so that planners will be aware of state
regulatory issues and funding constraints prior to proposing new
development projects. The map also allows DEP, DCA, DOT and DOA to
integrate their data and planning so that the state's infrastructure
investment is coordinated with community planning efforts and natural
resource protection goals.
The web posting of the preliminary map will begin an intensive
process of consultation with municipal officials, including county-by-
county meetings, to reconcile the mapping with local conditions and
planning. Ultimately, the map will be used by all state agencies and
proposed to the State Planning Commission for incorporation into its
map.
"Controlling sprawl means not only saying 'no' to development in
certain places, but also saying 'yes' to development elsewhere," said
DEP Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell. "Working with our mayors, county
officials and other community leaders, we must plan now to provide
attractive, affordable, and environmentally sound places for people to
live. This map provides builders and planners with a transparent,
predictable guide for where the state will encourage and support
development."
"I am looking forward to working with our county and municipal
partners over the coming months to create one map that will serve as
the blueprint for smart growth and the preservation of our state,"
said Susan Bass Levin, Commissioner of the Department of Community
Affairs. "I have charged the Office of Smart Growth to work with local
governments to make sure that they have the right tools to plan for
our future."
"Today marks the start of a consensus-building process that will help
New Jersey address the critical issue of sprawl," said Agriculture
Secretary Charles M. Kuperus. "As we determine priority areas for
farmland preservation and work to ensure that our farms are
economically viable, the Department of Agriculture will continue to
provide input into the development of this map. We encourage
municipalities, counties, farmers and all other interested parties to
take an active role in this important process."
"For too long, our transportation system has allowed sprawl and
unchecked development," said Acting Transportation Commissioner Jack
Lettiere. "Thanks to Governor McGreevey's vision and commitment, we
are finally spending our transportation dollars wisely - fixing our
existing infrastructure and saying no to highway expansions that will
only lead to more sprawl."
The map was developed by overlaying Geographic Information System
(GIS) data for natural resources, existing development, infrastructure
availability, and state planning areas. After integrating these
various factors, the state created three regulatory categories,
identified as green, yellow and red areas.
On the map, smart growth areas are designated in green, indicating
that these are places where the state wants to encourage development
and to channel growth. In these areas, the state will streamline and
expedite the regulatory permitting process and dedicate funds for
infrastructure and parks. The state will also use non- regulatory
programs to sustain and to enhance the quality of life for residents
and businesses in these areas. Smart growth areas include metropolitan
planning areas, urban enterprise zones, Urban Coordinating Council
neighborhoods, coastal centers, and areas along NJ Transit rail lines.
Yellow areas on the map indicate a cautious approach to growth. These
are places where natural resource and infrastructure considerations do
not clearly suggest that development should be discouraged or
channeled.
The state has colored critical natural resource areas in red,
indicating that the state has set the regulatory bar higher in these
areas and will exact strict regulatory standards to limit growth. The
vast majority of New Jersey's remaining wetlands and contiguous
forests fall into these red areas. Critical natural resource areas
include dedicated open space and farmland preservation lands,
endangered and threatened species habitat, high quality waters
designated Category One (C1), and other environmentally sensitive
areas.
As the map is finalized, agencies across State government will revamp
their regulatory funding programs, giving clear standards and fast
decision times to development proposed in "green light" areas, while
setting tougher standards and eliminating funding for development in
"red light" areas. Intermediate standards and scrutiny will be
developed for "Yellow light" areas.
"The map will help the state curb sprawl and protect the quality of
life that every New Jersey resident deserves," said Campbell. "Smarter
regulation and planning will cut the time parents spend stuck in
traffic, protect precious drinking water sources for our families, and
revitalize our communities."
The map unveiled today was developed through consultation with
several municipal and county leaders, including representatives of the
New Jersey State League of Municipalities, the New Jersey Conference
of Mayors, and the New Jersey Association of Counties. After
additional updates, it will undergo a period of informal comment and
review, starting with a series of county-level meetings for
municipalities and planners around the state. These meetings will
provide an opportunity to ensure that the data used in developing the
map matches municipal information about existing conditions and
natural resources.
The administration plans to propose the map for formal regulatory
adoption this spring, after which time there will be an official 60-
day public comment period. Prior to the formal proposal, the
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will provide an online
discussion board for individuals and groups to view the map and to
offer input or raise concerns.
- - -
Related Links
NJDEP Geographic Information System (GIS)
http://www.nj.gov/dep/gis
NJ Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
http://www.nj.gov/dca/
NJ Department of Transportation (DOT)
http://www.state.nj.us/transportation
NJ Department of Agriculture (DOA)
http://www.nj.gov/agriculture
* * *
Contact: Elaine Makatura, (609) 984-1795
Department of Environmental Protection
POB 402
Trenton, NJ 08625-0402
Copyright (c) State of New Jersey, 1996-2002
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BUILDERS HAMMER ON ANTI-GROWTH PROPOSAL
Date: 030116
From: http://www.app.com/
REBUTTING GOVERNOR, THEY DENY THEIR WORK WRECKS QUALITY OF LIFE IN NJ
By Michael L. Diamond, Business Writer, Asbury Park Press, 1/16/03
Gov. McGreevey's proposal to curb suburban sprawl would strike a blow
to New Jersey's $10 billion home building industry and potentially
hurt other businesses, from lumber yards to furniture stores,
developers said yesterday.
They said the few specifics unveiled Tuesday in McGreevey's State of
the State address - including allowing towns to impose building
moratoriums and fees to cover the cost of new roads and schools - put
their future up in the air.
Builders also said they took issue with McGreevey's characterization
of the industry as one dedicated to destroying residents' quality of
life.
McGreevey said runaway growth is clogging roadways, straining
financial resources and eating away at open space.
"A lot of the language used will cause some additional polarization,"
said Doug Fenichel, spokesman of Middletown-based K. Hovnanian
Enterprises. "We've been advocating balance and dialogue. It's
important to preserve New Jersey's lifestyle, but with 1 million
people coming to the state in the next 10 or 15 years, we need 25,000
homes a year."
Hovnanian is the state's largest home builder. It built 1,972 homes -
about 20 percent of its total - in the Northeast in fiscal 2002, the
bulk of them in New Jersey. And Fenichel said the company was
committed to staying.
REBUILDING CITIES
McGreevey also advocated funneling builders away from pristine land
and into urban centers and "brownfields" - abandoned industrial
properties - that need redeveloping. But he needs the Legislature to
approve bills to implement key proposals: allowing towns to stop
construction for a year and to impose impact fees.
"At the very least, this kind of turns upside down all the rules
we're used to playing by," said David Fisher, vice president of
government affairs for Matzel & Mumford, a Hazlet-based home builder.
"I think it's one of the most significant speeches and undertakings
we've heard from a governor in a decade."
The issue likely will be played out in Monmouth and Ocean counties,
considered the fastest-growing area of New Jersey.
Last year in Monmouth, both residential and commercial projects were
approved for 5,427 acres. In Ocean, approvals were given for 8,831
acres of residential development alone.
And during the first 11 months of 2002, the two counties issued a
quarter of the 20,749 permits awarded for single-family homes in the
state, records show.
The construction industry is an economic force accounting for 163,000
jobs in New Jersey. It grew steadily since 1992 and weathered the
recession that began in March 2001 by taking advantage of low interest
rates and consumers' determination to continue spending, economists
said.
With the steady growth, however, has come problems, McGreevey said:
It has created congestion and threatened environmental resources from
farmland to drinking water. In short, he said, it isn't sustainable.
ASSESSING THE IMPACT
McGreevey gave few details about the restraints on developers, and
any changes no doubt would provoke a fierce legislative battle. But
the speech alone was enough for economists and developers to imagine
what a new landscape would look like.
One scenario: Home construction would slow by about 20 percent, and
more developments would be built in urban areas and abandoned
industrial sites instead of farmland.
That would be enough to hurt some home builders, but not enough to do
much economic damage, said James W. Hughes, an economist and dean at
the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at
Rutgers University.
"The actual change in the number of housing units I can't see as that
great; it may be repositioned," Hughes said. "We're long past the
point where we can build 50,000 or 60,000 units a year."
Developers suggested another scenario: Municipalities would take up
McGreevey on his offer and stop construction for a year, essentially
shutting them down.
A moratorium could have a big economic impact. Construction of 1,000
single-family homes generates 2,448 full-time jobs in the building
industry and $79.4 million in wages, according to the National
Association of Home Builders.
Moreover, a housing development can spin off shopping centers with
supermarkets and furniture stores. In the first year after a purchase,
owners spend on average $9,000 a year to furnish, decorate and improve
their home, according to the association.
Other retailers benefit as well. The building-materials sector in
November employed 29,600 people statewide, up about 5.7 percent from
the beginning of the year, according to the state Labor Department.
Cranmer Lumber Co., which has stores in Stafford and Beach Haven in
southern Ocean County and employs 45 workers, depends on residential
contractors for about 60 percent to 70 percent of its business, said
Cameron Troilo Jr., whose father owns the store. That's enough to help
it survive the recession and competition from a nearby Home Depot.
"Something like (a moratorium) would crush us," Troilo said.
REALTORS WEIGH IN
The 40,000-member New Jersey Association of Realtors said McGreevey's
speech paid little attention to what it would take to attract
residents to urban centers - new roads and sewers, better schools and
a sense of security.
Under McGreevey's proposal, "there would be less inventory out there
for us to sell, and we're already having a problem with inventory,"
said Jarrod Grasso, vice president of government affairs for the
Realtors' group. With less inventory, prices - already among the
highest in the country - could rise further.
For now, developers have ques-tions: What would happen to projects
already under construction or approved? Would this add another layer
of regulation? And where can they build, anyway?
"We've gotten the message (about sprawl), and most builders will
respond," said Fisher of Matzel & Mumford. "But you can't expect New
Jersey's population and housing needs to be satisfied by brownfields.
Are we saying those will be the only opportunities available? From the
speech you might think so."
* * *
Copyright (c) 1997-2003 IN Jersey.
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HIGHLANDS & STATE OF STATE
Date: 15 Jan 2003
From: Tom Gilbert {tgil...@igc.org}
MORRIS OFFICIALS SKEPTICAL OF ANTI-SPRAWL PLAN
By Michael Daigle, Daily Record
Gov. James E. McGreevey's anti-sprawl message piqued the interest of
several Morris County officials Tuesday, but they made it clear they
want to see the fine print.
In his first State of the State address, McGreevey took a decided
anti-sprawl approach, calling for stepped-up preservation on the
Highlands region, which includes Morris and Sussex counties, and laws
that would give county planning boards more authority to regulate
development with regional impact.
He also voiced support for redevelopment in urban areas and older
suburbs and for impact fees to be levied on developers to help towns
finance new roads and schools.
"We cannot turn our back or postpone this battle," McGreevey said.
"It is the fight that will define and shape the New Jersey we leave
behind for our children and grandchildren. It is the fight that will
define who we are, what we stand for and who we are willing to
oppose."
Environmental groups lauded the proposals, saying that, if enacted,
they would put New Jersey on the vanguard of controlling development.
The plan drew quick criticism in Trenton from representatives of the
building industry and others.
Assemblyman Richard Merkt, R-Mendham Township, called McGreevey's
proposals for controlling development "an illusion."
"Some of the stuff he proposed is flat-out unconstitutional," Merkt
said. "You can't have a one-year moratorium on development. You can't
do that. The court will knock that down immediately. I would prefer to
focus on solutions that actually can be accomplished."
But Freeholder Jack Schrier, a Mendham Township resident, said
preserving the Highlands - one of the governor's high-priority items -
is the right thing to do.
He also said he supported the idea of giving county planning boards
more authority to address regional impact of developments. Some
development plans in the county have sparked controversy in part
because of their potential to impact neighboring areas - among them
the Canfield Building Associates application for 740 homes in Mine
Hill, and the redevelopment of the former Exxon property in Florham
Park.
The difficulty, Schrier said, is balancing county oversight with
community oversight.
"It's a knife edge," he said.
Schrier said a better way to address development issues would be to
rescind statewide residential building standards that establish
uniform development rules. The standards have fostered development,
not controlled it, he contended.
"There aren't too many obstacles that a town can use to stop sprawl
development," Schrier said.
But Roxbury Councilwoman Sandy Urgo and Morristown Mayor John "Jay"
DeLaney Jr. expressed concern that giving more regional oversight to
county planning boards could erode local control, undermining New
Jersey's strong home-rule tradition.
DeLaney said a regional approach to development got nowhere when St.
Mary's Abbey sought a sewer hookup to Morristown so that it could
develop a residential project on its Morris Township campus.
The state had approved Morristown's sewer plant with extra capacity,
DeLaney said, but threatened to take away the town's designation as a
regional center if the town offered that capacity to the abbey.
"I like the concept of regional planning, but not to squash local
rule," DeLaney said.
Urgo said she wanted to see the details of a regional planning plan
before deciding whether to support it. She said she would rather see
steps taken to give local planning board more authority to address
projects with regional impact.
"I would rather have the town be able to say, 'This development is
too intense for the region,'" she said.
Dover town engineer Michael Hanston said that it might be time to
move beyond home rule, because adherence to the concept has hampered
regional planning.
He said a regional planning approach to traffic issues near the Route
15/80 interchange would be beneficial because development along that
stretch of road affects four towns: Dover, Wharton, Rockaway Township
and Jefferson.
In addition, the towns along the Rockaway River benefit from county
studies in the McKeel Brook and Jackson Brook watershed, he said.
Both Hantson and Dover Mayor Richard Newman said they were pleased
that McGreevey indicated support for "smart growth" concepts such as
the redevelopment of older suburbs. The town is working with NJ
Transit on a plan for housing and commercial development in the
downtown area.
Hanston also said the town could benefit from McGreevey's call to
preserve the Highlands, a 2 million-acre area that stretches from
Pennsylvania to Connecticut.
Dover is in the Highlands, he said, and as a town center, development
in the Highlands region would be properly focused on places like
Dover.
* * *
Michael Daigle can be reached at mda...@gannett.com
or (973) 989-0652.
# # #
Thomas A. Gilbert, Executive Director
Highlands Coalition
POB 118
Titusville NJ 08560
Tel: 609-818-1776
Fax: 609-737-7264
Email: tgil...@igc.org
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BUILDER DROPS LAWSUIT IN BRANCHBURG
Date: 030114
From: http://www.nj.com/
TOWN HAS APPROVED $15 MILLION BOND TO PURCHASE KANACH TRACT
By Jeanette Rundquist, Star-Ledger Staff, January 14, 2003
One of the nation's largest residential developers dropped a lawsuit
seeking to build high-density housing on the Kanach farm in the center
of Branchburg, clearing the way for township officials to continue
negotiating for the purchase of the land.
The township committee last month approved a $15 million bond to
cover the purchase of the Kanach family's River-Lea Farm on South
Branch Road as open space, after luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers
filed its lawsuit seeking to construct low-cost housing there.
Mayor John Sanford said he was happy to learn that Toll Brothers had
dropped the lawsuit. The township received notice of the dismissal on
Dec. 27.
"It is a very prominent property," Sanford said. The mayor said the
206-acre farm, with its grain fields and red barn, captures the flavor
of Branchburg.
"For any number of reasons, both aesthetic and financial, it is
absolutely the most important property this township needs to
preserve," he said.
Branchburg residents voted in November to increase their property tax
to pay for open space, from 3 cents to 5 cents per $100 of assessed
property value, which Sanford said was essentially a referendum on the
purchase of the Kanach farm. Negotiations with landowner Dave Kanach
began last February, then stalled.
Kanach had said earlier that the two sides had been unable to reach
an agreement.
If talks are successful now, Sanford said, the land would likely
continue to be farmed for the time being. In the future, it could be
used for passive or active recreation, wildlife preservation or as
preserved farmland.
Under the Mt. Laurel suit brought by the builder, which sought to
build high-density housing, the land could have held as many as 750
new homes.
"Not only would it leave a scar in the middle of this town, it would
kill us financially," Sanford said.
Officials with Toll Brothers declined to comment.
* * *
Jeanette Rundquist works in the Somerset County bureau. She can be
reached at jrund...@starledger.com or (908) 429-9925.
Copyright 2003 The Star-Ledger.
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MEDFORD PLANNERS REJECT DEVELOPMENT
Date: 030114
From: http://www.courierpostonline.com/
By Matt Katz, Courier-Post Staff, January 14, 2003
Medford - The planning board Monday night unanimously rejected the
largest development proposed in Medford's history, saying the builder
left a litany of questions unanswered.
A pair of 7-0 votes killed developer Stephen Samost's bid to build
two massive commercial, office and residential villages straddling
Route 70.
Board members and their planners listed various concerns, including
inadequate sewers, landscaping and road improvements. They also cited
Samost's changing plans.
"It is exceptionally frustrating to have new information,
contradictory information all the time," said Deputy Mayor Scott
Rudder, a board member. "It's woefully lacking in information. If
you're going to change the landscape of this town, then you've got to
know what it's going to look like."
The two dozen residents in attendance were pleased with the outcome.
"I feel good but it's not going to last," said resident Jerry Gray.
"I don't care what they build, it's not good for Medford."
Samost said after the meeting that the battle isn't over. "I'm sure
we'll be back in court. That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone," he
said.
The twin projects had received preliminary approval six years ago. A
court order issued last month required the board to make a final
decision on the plans by mid- January.
Samost's two proposals:
- Eayrestown, planned for 103 acres north of Route 70, called for 70
single-family homes and a 12-acre man- made lake. The development
along Eayrestown Road also would have included 130 senior citizen
units and 250,000 square feet of commercial space.
- The sprawling Easttown development was planned on the other side of
the highway. It would have included 84 single-family homes, 218
townhomes, 80 apartments situated above shops and 60 low- or
moderate-income apartments on 178 acres between Route 70 and
Chairville Road. There would have been 340,000 square feet of space
for shops and offices, a church, teen center and a country inn.
Samost's application for Easttown before the board Monday sought
approval for all the residential units and 269,000 square feet of the
commercial space.
* * *
Reach Matt Katz at (856) 486-2456 or mkatz at courierpostonline.com
Copyright 2003 Courier-Post.
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39 HOMES APPROVED FOR RIDGE IN RINGWOOD
Date: 030115
From: http://www.northjersey.com/
By Jan Barry, Staff Writer, Wednesday, January 15, 2003
Ringwood - A wooded ridge next to a state forest will sprout 39
single-family homes, under a preliminary plan approved by the Planning
Board this week.
Because of extensive wetlands on the 166-acre site off Burnt Meadow
Road, the approved building lots for West Brook Hills II are arrayed
around a 44.6-acre parcel that is to remain open space. That parcel
contains wetlands, stream corridors, and state-mandated buffer areas
where development is not allowed.
Before approval of the preliminary major subdivision Monday night,
the Planning Board questioned several aspects of the development,
including drainage into a stream that feeds the Wanaque Reservoir and
whether houses would be built where slopes exceed 25 percent.
Jack Levkovitz, developer of the Brookside Heights condominium
complex in Wanaque, is currently constructing 28 houses in West Brook
Hills Section I. The adjacent 166-acre tract extends up a ridge to the
West Milford border and the boundary of a ridgetop section of Norvin
Green State Forest.
A letter from the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission
raising concerns about the proposed Section II development was read
into the public record by Councilman Allan Van Eck. The water utility
said it opposes the development unless adequate provisions are made to
protect the reservoir, which serves about 2 million North Jersey
residents, from contaminated runoff.
"I believe it [the plan] will address all of their concerns," Borough
Engineer Edward Haack testified.
On another issue, Haack agreed with Van Eck that the board's approval
- which will be formalized at a later date - should specify that
houses are not to be built in areas where slopes exceed 25 percent.
"Occasionally, individuals buy these lots and sometimes like to do
adventuresome things," Haack said, referring to houses perched on
cliffs.
Board Attorney H. Shephard Peck Jr. noted that Ringwood's ordinances
don't require that a house be built on the flatter section of a lot.
"I think we better get it in the resolution" of approval for this
project, Peck said.
* * *
Copyright (c) 2003 North Jersey Media Group Inc.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
BAYONNE RATED 'GOOD' ON ENVIRONMENT
Date: 030115
From: http://www.nj.com/
By Ronald Leir, Jersey Journal Staff Writer, January 15, 2003
The Natural Resources Defense Council, a national environmental
advocacy organization, has rated Bayonne's actions on the environment
as "good," scoring 44 out of a possible 50 points.
The group's ratings are contained in "Cape May to Montauk: A Coastal
Protection Report Card," a publication published by the NRDC.
It examined water quality, land use and open space practices of New
York Harbor coastline communities, ranging from south Jersey to the
eastern tip of Long Island. The findings are based on survey forms
returned from 66 communities.
The communities were asked about sewage treatment plants, septic
systems, polluted stormwater runoff, marinas, public access, open
space, habitats, floodplains and flood management, growth and
development, planning and management tools and administration. Each
community was given a point total the NRDC then converted to a verbal
rating.
Only two New Jersey communities - Brick and Allenhurst - were rated
"outstanding," while Bayonne and 10 other municipalities in New Jersey
got a "good" rating.
The NRDC credited Bayonne with adopting water conservation measures,
with regularly inspecting and maintaining its sewer system and with
enforcing sewage regulations.
It commended Bayonne's construction of netting chambers to prevent
floatable pollutants from entering local waterways. It also commended
the city's street-sweeping, catch basins, erosion control and
construction monitoring.
Additionally, it gave Bayonne kudos for its tree preservation
ordinance, for having a professional planner on staff, for having an
environmental specialist on staff, for having 120 acres of protected
open space - with 15 percent publicly accessible - and for securing 35
more acres of open space in the northwest sector as a future park.
Three other Hudson County municipalities answered the survey.
- Union City, which doesn't have a shoreline, was rated "fair" with a
score of 21. It was credited with having money committed to
combined sewer overflow abatement, routinely inspecting and/or
cleaning catch basins, installing hoods on some catch basins to
remove floatables, detecting and correcting illegal connections to
its storm water system, having overlay zoning to protect the
Palisades steep slopes and dedicating 10 acres of protected open
space.
- West New York and Kearny each got a rating of "needs improvement."
West New York, with a score of 15, was lauded for adopting a
"controlled waterfront development" program allowing for
alternative site development; requiring new waterfront development
to provide public access; dedicating 40 acres of open space and
dedicating state Green Acres funds for open space acquisition.
- Kearny, with a score of 10, got points for replacing septic lines
with sanitary sewer pipes, sweeping 90 percent of its paved streets
at least once a week, routinely cleaning and inspecting catch
basins and installing hoods for some catch basins.
* * *
Copyright 2003 The Jersey Journal.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
NJ CONGRESS MEMBERS TO FIX OCEAN DUMPING RULES
Date: 030116
From: http://www.ahherald.com/
NEW JERSEY CONGRESS MEMBERS MOVE FORWARD TO FIX OCEAN DUMPING RULES
Atlantic Highlands Herald, 16 January 2003
Washington, DC - A bipartisan majority of the New Jersey
Congressional Delegation joined together to reintroduce legislation to
block the dumping of contaminated dredged materials six miles off the
coast of Sandy Hook.
Sponsored by Congressmen Chris Smith (NJ-04) and Frank Pallone (NJ-
06), the Clean Ocean Preservation Act of 2003 is supported by the
majority of the state's delegation including Congressmen Rob Andrews
(NJ-01), Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02), Jim Saxton (NJ-03), Steve Rothman
(NJ-09), Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) and Rush Holt (NJ-12).
The legislation is a direct response to a July 2002 decision by a
U.S. District Court Judge in New York, who ruled that a 113 ppb (parts
per billion) dumping standard for waste containing polychlorinated
biphenyl (PCBs) by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) did not
go through the proper regulatory channels, and thus was not valid.
The Smith-Pallone bill was drafted in close consultation with the
EPA, which published a rule of 113 ppb in October and is now reviewing
public comments that could take several months to complete. Both
members wrote legislation to address the issue last year and have
worked together to fine-tune the bill introduced today.
"This bill will fix the horribly flawed ruling from last summer and
will help keep our waters and beaches safe and clean from toxic
pollutants by reinstating the more stringent standard," Smith said.
"Hopefully, by the time beachgoers begin flocking to our state's 127
beautiful miles of shoreline this summer, our bill will be law."
"Two years ago, EPA did the right thing for the health of the ocean
and the public when the agency finally agreed with us and established
a tougher ocean dumping standard," Pallone said. "In July, a U.S.
District Court put that health at risk. Our legislation, in
conjunction with EPA's promulgation of a rule, should ensure a
permanent standard is soon in place that will protect generations of
visitors to the Jersey Shore from negative health effects caused by
contaminated water."
U.S. Gypsum, a New York-based company, brought the suit, which
invalidated the standard. Despite winning the suit, the company
negotiated with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) and Congressman Pallone to send more than 107,000 tons of PCB-
contaminated waste (128 ppb) to cap a golf course in Bayonne rather
than in the ocean waters off of New Jersey, at the Historic Area
Remediation Site (HARS), formerly known as the Mud Dump.
To prevent companies in the future from moving forward with their
plans to pollute New Jersey's coastal waters, theClean Ocean
Preservation Act of 2003 codifies the 113 ppb interim standard for
PCBs by deeming it a final criterion. The legislation also states that
the EPA Administrator may only issue a rule that is equal or more
protective than 113 ppb.
In September 2000, a carefully negotiated agreement had been reached
over what the best environmental solution should be for the disposal
of dredged material at the HARS. The final consensus was that any
dredged materials to be dumped at the HARS site must have less than
113 ppb of PCB contaminants.
* * *
Copyright (c) 1996- 2003 - Allan Dean - All Rights Reserved
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
FISHING REGULATIONS RELAXED IN NORTHEAST
Date: 030116
From: http://story.news.yahoo.com/
Associated Press, Jan 16, 2003
Boston - Federal regulators will delay tough new restrictions
intended to allow some struggling fish populations to replenish, a
move that gives New England fisherman a reprieve of up to five extra
years.
The National Marine Fisheries Service announced Tuesday that rules
for rebuilding stocks of cod and other groundfish species will take
effect by 2014, rather than 2009.
Fishermen praised the delay, but environmental groups who have pushed
for stricter catch limits accused the agency of bending to political
pressure from fishermen.
"This is a major problem. They're flying in the face of the law and
breaking their own promises," said Eric Bilsky, a lawyer with the
conservation group Oceana.
A coalition of environmental groups sued the federal government to
win the tough new restrictions two years ago. The rules have since
been relaxed twice.
- - -
On the Net:
Fisheries service: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov
* * *
Copyright (c) 2003 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
ATLANTIC SHARK POPULATIONS ENDANGERED
Date: 030116
From: http://www.upi.com/
By Harvey Black, UPI Science News, 1/16/2003
Halifax, Nova Scotia, - Sharks are on the verge of disappearing from
the Atlantic Ocean, a Canadian study released Thursday reports.
"They're declining at phenomenal rates over really short time
periods," Julia Baum, a biology graduate student at Dalhousie
University in Halifax and lead author of the study, told United Press
International. "We're seeing declines as much as 90 percent for the
hammerhead sharks in 15 years."
The study, which appears in the Jan. 17 issue of the journal Science,
used a combination of scientific observations, analyses of catches by
fishing boats and a mathematical model, found three populations of
sharks - scalloped hammerheads, whites, and threshers - have declined
by about 75 percent between 1986 and 2000. Blue shark populations
declined by about 60 percent over the same period.
The declines are seen from as far north as Newfoundland to northern
Brazil and as far west as the Gulf of Mexico, Baum said.
Many of the sharks are taken by pelagic - that is, open ocean - long-
line fishing methods designed to catch tuna and swordfish, which are
important commercial fish. "They're getting sharks incidentally
because they are set to target these large marine predators," said
Baum.
Pelagic long-line fishing methods involve lines as long as 20
nautical miles in the open ocean with approximately 500 baited hooks.
"Chilling," is how Reg Watson, a scientist with the Fisheries Center
at the University of British Columbia, characterized the results of
the study. The results show "the way in which these stocks have been
decimated over such a remarkably short period of time," he said.
Enric Cortes, a shark specialist with the U.S. National Marine
Fisheries Service, noted there have been declines in the shark
population, but does not agree they have been dramatic.
"If you're basing all your conclusions only on one data set, and
you're talking about all these species, those are some pretty wide,
sweeping statements, I would say," Cortes, told UPI, noting he did
agree with Baum that the loss of a "top consumer" - the animal at the
top of a food chain - can have serious consequences for an ecosystem.
"If we think of an ecosystem as an intricate machine with many
different interconnected parts that we don't understand, and then
we're removing a very big component of that machine, we can't expect
it to function optimally," Baum said. Because so little is known about
the biology of sharks, she said scientists cannot predict the impact
of their decline on the web of life in the ocean.
Regarding proposals to set aside marine reserves - ocean areas that
are off-limits to fishing - to protect sharks and other endangered
species, Baum said she disagreed they would be an effective way to
protect the sharks. She said she and colleagues performed a computer
simulation of the impact of such reserves and the result was they
would only intensify fishing elsewhere.
A better solution to the problem, Baum said, is to cut back on the
amount of fishing done for tuna and swordfish. That, she explained,
would reduce pressure on sharks. However, in the face of heavy demand
for high-value fish such as tuna, such action would be "difficult,"
she said.
* * *
Copyright (c) 2001-2003 United Press International
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
NY GROUPS CALL FOR END TO AESTHETIC PESTICIDE USE
Date: 030116
From: http://www.newsday.com/
ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS CALL FOR END TO AESTHETIC PESTICIDE USE
By Seanna Adcox, Associated Press Writer, January 16, 2003
Albany, NY - Pest control on farmland accounted for less than 20
percent of the pesticides sprayed or spread across New York state,
according to a report released Thursday by environmental groups.
The bulk of the 3.2 million gallons and 25.3 million pounds of
commercial pesticides used in 1999, the latest year numbers are
available from the state, were applied in urban and suburban counties,
primarily downstate, the report said.
"Yes, agriculture uses pesticides, but the typical homeowner uses
even more," said Aaron Gabriel, of Cornell Cooperative Extension in
Washington County. "I think this opens eyes."
The report is the third released since the state Legislature passed a
law in 1996 requiring commercial applicators to report the amount,
location and types of pesticides they use or sell to farmers to the
state Department of Environmental Control.
Three years is not long enough to identify trends, said Audrey Thier
of Environmental Advocates. And because few other states require such
reporting, comparing New York to states nationally is impossible, she
added.
"But it is enough to see the numbers are all in the same ballpark,
and that ballpark is too high and too dangerous," Thier said. "We
believe that much of New York's pesticide use in entirely avoidable."
Suffolk County on Long Island, with both urban and agricultural
areas, ranked highest in pesticide use, applying 376,000 gallons and
2.2 million pounds. Insecticide sprayed to kill mosquitos to combat
the West Nile Virus accounted for less than 1 percent of pesticide
use, the report said.
Farmers statewide bought 826,000 gallons and 4.2 million pounds of
pesticides in 1999.
"Technology is changing," Gabriel said. "Farmers are only using a
couple ounces to cover a whole acre. Two decades ago, they would use a
pint to two quarts to an acre. They can be affective with a very small
quantity."
The numbers prompted two environmental groups to call on the
Legislature to ban all aesthetic pesticide use.
"We need to change the attitude that suburban perfection is a lush,
green lawn without a single dandelion," said Laura Haight of New York
Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG).
The state does not collect data on pesticides bought and used by
homeowners. So the actual numbers of pesticides used for lawn and tree
care are likely much greater, Thier said.
Chris LaRoe of the New York Farm Bureau agreed that most pesticide
use is "superficial" but fears banning it could make pesticides more
expensive for farmers and eventually lead to bans on all chemical
pesticides.
"For farmers, it's a necessity. There are so many pests and insects
that can just decimate a crop; to use or not to use just isn't a
choice," he said.
NYPIRG and Environmental Advocates also called on legislators to pass
a bill that would regulate pesticide use in urban areas and require
commercial applicators to learn nontoxic methods of pest control.
* * *
Copyright (c) 2003, The Associated Press
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
SCOOBY-DOO NEEDS A POOPER-SCOOPER
Date: 030116
From: http://www.ahherald.com/
PET OWNERS PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: STOP POLLUTING OUR WATERWAYS!
OLD OAK TRAIL
By Joe Reynolds
AH Environmental Commission Member
Atlantic Highlands Herald, 16 January 2003
One of the most serious deterrents to clean water in the Bayshore
region and along the Jersey Shore is from high fecal coliform levels
that originate from pet waste. For whatever reason, some pet owners
(primarily dog holders, but cats and other animals too) fail to take
responsibility to clean up after their animals.
Instead, certain pet owners (you know who you are!) leave the filthy
stuff on the ground, beaches, sidewalks, or along nature trails for
the poop to decay and to cause pollution or human health problems.
One of the worst incidents is when pet owners let their animals go to
the bathroom right in bay waters or a stream. It is a gross and an
appalling aspect of our society that needs to be taken seriously for
it to end.
It is not magic that makes the pet poop disappear on the ground, but
rain or melting snow. When a storm occurs the discarded stuff is
washed away into nearby waters to pollute our environment.
When pet waste enters our waterways, it decays and releases toxic
chemical compounds, such as ammonia that can kill fish. Pet waste also
contains nutrients to foster the algae growth. As the plants die and
decay, this process contributes to the rise of bacteria, which causes
low oxygen levels to occur in our waters that at best will lower
species biodiversity and at worst will kill animals.
Neglected pet waste also makes local waterways look dirty, degraded,
and unattractive for fishing, swimming, and nature observation. It
fosters a perception that a community is neglecting important natural
resources.
Scientists from the US Geological Survey estimate that pet waste
contributes between 20 to 30 percent of water pollution in America.
Studies in Washington DC have determined that 12,000 dogs living in
the city produce more than 5,000 pounds of solid waste per day. In New
Jersey, the Department of Health estimates that there are over 500,000
dogs in the state. If you include cats and other pets, this is an
enormous amount of solid waste being produced daily in New Jersey.
A study by the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association
informs us that 68 million American people own a dog. Regrettably,
approximately 40% of these people say they do not pick up after their
dog's scat, either because they feel the waste will eventually just go
away or it is too much of a hassle for them to pick up.
Yet, it is to the benefit for human health that pet waste is disposed
of correctly. Improperly disposed pet waste carries diseases that can
cause humans to get sick. Apparently, your chances of getting sick
from pet waste are easier than you think.
Anyone who plays outside, works outdoors, hikes, swims at public
beaches or at pools, or just likes to take a walk around the block can
be at risk for infection from the bacteria or parasites detected in
pet waste. Indeed, just a single ounce of dog scat contains about 23
million microorganisms of bacteria, which is enough to cause sickness
in humans.
Perhaps that wasn't a simple cold you were suffering from last week,
but an illness caused from pet waste bacteria. The germs carried by
your pet can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, dehydration,
fever, or a cough. In some cases, parasites in pet waste can even
cause vision loss or birth defects if a pregnant woman becomes
infected.
Fortunately, the solution to this problem is easy. Take a bag or a
pooper-scooper and pick up the waste from your pet. This is simple,
right?
Once you have the waste, flush it down the toilet, so it can be
disposed of properly in a septic system or public sewage treatment
plant.
Discarded pet waste is such a critical problem in America that the US
EPA under the federal Clean Water Act is urging all towns to improve
their stormwater management plans and prohibit dog waste from entering
local waterways. Atlantic Highlands has also enacted a pooper-scooper
law requiring pet owners to clean up after their animal.
So, tell your family, friends, and your neighbors that dog waste is a
serious problem to clean water, and that pet owners need to take
responsibility for their animal's actions. Clean up pet waste and
properly dispose of it.
* * *
Contact Joe Reynolds, sosa...@comcast.net
Lenape Woods Preserve
http://www.ahherald.com/atlantichighlands/lenprsvshots.htm
Copyright (c) 1996- 2003 - Allan Dean - All Rights Reserved
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
KIDS SEE HOW THEY CAN CHANGE WORLD
Date: 030116
From: http://www.nj.com/
By Paula Saha, Star-Ledger Staff, January 16, 2003
The pesticides strongly resembled orange Kool-Aid powder, but the
kids sprinkled them on the miniature village before them with
confidence - on the golf course, the farm and lawns.
Cocoa powder and water were the makings of oil that dripped from the
Matchbox cars onto the roads. The chocolate-looking concoction also
doubled for waste coming from the farm animals and neighborhood pets.
Salt was sprinkled along roads and parking lots, to keep the cars from
sliding in the icy weather.
Then it was time for rain. Each child gleefully pumped the spray
bottle, sending water spritzing all over the model town. They watched
the water pick up all the pollutants as it rolled down the hills,
roads and storm drains, and collected in the basin that represented
the town's lake and water supply.
It was a revelation to Jack McGinley, one of several fourth-graders
at St. Patrick's School in Chatham who recently learned about water
runoff in a lesson by the Great Swamp Watershed Association.
"I had no clue that if you put salt onto a street or a sidewalk, it
would go into a river or a lake," the astonished 9-year-old said after
the simulation was over.
The Great Swamp Watershed Association is a nonprofit group formed in
1981 to help protect the 12,000 acres of land within the Great Swamp
watershed. Part of the group's mission, said Outreach and Education
Coordinator Jan Malay, is to preserve water quality in the area.
And, while the group does a great deal of adult education, they also
want to get to the next generation.
"We feel it's important to get in on the ground level and educate
people who will have their own homes and be out in the working world
in a few years," Malay said.
The association has been doing the classroom lessons since 1998, when
they purchased the three-dimensional models from a Virginia
environmental company. The lessons are done as a community service,
Malay said.
"I think it's very effective because it's interactive and because
they can visually see how runoff is formed and what happens to it,"
Malay said. "Kids remember 80 percent of what they see but only about
50 percent of what they hear."
Malay said she believes the lesson is best for children in grades 3
through 5, though it can be adapted for children who are younger and
slightly older. The models are also available for loan to teachers who
are interested, and the association will provide training on using
them.
So far this year, the association has been to about three schools
each month. Schools that have participated through the fall include
Franklin School in Summit, St. Elizabeth School in Bernardsville,
Mollington in Long Hill and Everett Academy in Peapack.
The message, as presenter Kathy Abbott put it, is that "everything is
connected."
The key, Abbott told the students, is to minimize pollutants. Some
have to be used, she said, but they should be kept to a minimum.
The kids at St. Patrick's seemed to get the message.
"It's really cool that you can see how much people pollute and how
much salt and fertilizer and pesticides they use," said Lindsay
Marshall, 9, of Chatham.
"I thought it was really educational," said Akkad Moussa, 9, of
Florham Park. "I learned all the different things that pollute the
water. I'm going to tell my mom whenever she has someone working on
the grass not to put too much pesticide."
* * *
Paula Saha works in the Morris County bureau. She can be reached at
ps...@starledger.com or (973) 539-7910.
Copyright 2003 The Star-Ledger.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
EEDNEWS JANUARY 16, 2003
Date: 16 Jan 2003
From: "Marc Rogoff" {Marc....@dep.state.nj.us}
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
THE NEW EEDNEWS FOR JANUARY 16, 2003 IS NOW ON-LINE.
Go to http://eenj.digital-ocean.org/discuss/msgReader$6?mode=day
for information on the following topics:
"EPA Environmental Education Grants"
"Species on the Edge" Art & Essay Contest
"DELAWARE RIVER SOJOURN OPPORTUNITY"
"School Yard Habitat Photos"
"Science History Tours"
"Pinelands Short Course"
"2003 Fish Art and Writing Contest"
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
PLANNING SESSION - INTERFAITH SERVICE FOR RIVER - JAN 21
Date: 16 Jan 2003
From: "Fletcher Harper" {revfh...@peqnj.org}
PARTNERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (PEQ), HACKENSACK RIVERKEEPER TO
PLAN INTERFAITH SERVICE FOR RIVER
Partners for Environmental Quality (PEQ), New Jersey's interfaith
environmental coalition, and Hackensack Riverkeeper, the leading
organization protecting the Hackensack River and its watershed, invite
you to a planning meeting for an interfaith worship service offering
thanks and calling for increased protection for the Hackensack River.
The planning meeting will be at Christ Episcopal Church at 251 State
Street in Hackensack on Tuesday, January 21 from 7-9 pm. Those
attending will help plan the content, location and other aspects of
the service.
If you have questions or would like to be part of the service but
cannot attend the meeting, contact the Rev. Fletcher Harper, PEQ's
Executive Director, at revfh...@peqnj.org or 609-394-1090.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
UPPER DELAWARE WATERSHED PROJECT WORK GROUP MTG - JAN 29
Date: 16 Jan 2003
From: "Grace Messinger" {gmess...@upperdelaware.org}
REMINDER-
The rescheduled Upper Delaware Watershed Project Work Group Meeting
will be held on Wednesday, JANUARY 29, 2003 at Pequest Trout Hatchery
(snow date of January 30, 2003). If the meeting has to be canceled due
to inclement weather a notice will be posted on the project web site's
homepage at http://www.upperdelaware.org as well as a recorded message
will be on the North Jersey RC&D phone line at 908-735-0733.
Click the link for directions to Pequest Trout Hatchery
http://www.upperdelaware.org/Meeting/directions/
Pequest%20Trout%20Hatchery%20Directions.pdf
A pre-meeting session for newcomers will be run from 6:15 to 6:45 pm
and the general meeting will be held from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. The full
agenda can be viewed here
http://www.upperdelaware.org/Meeting/pwg/1_29_03/Agenda.pdf
The featured presentation will be on the TMDL (Total Maximum Daily
Load) process that is now underway for the watershed. Terri Romagna,
NJDEP Division of Watershed Management will be giving a presentation
on how DEP plans to develop and implement TMDLs in New Jersey. For
more information on the TMDL process including what stream segments &
lakes are slated for TMDL development visit
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/watershedmgt and click on hot topics.
The January 29th Project Work Group meeting will also feature updates
on the progress from the various subcommittees. At the end of the
meeting there will be an opportunity to discuss any local issues of
concern.
New Release: The Fish & Wildlife in the Upper Delaware Watershed
technical report is final and can be viewed at
http://www.upperdelaware.org/Documents/tech_rep/wildlife/wildlife.htm
We hope you'll join us at the January 29th Meeting!
* * *
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
http://www.upperdelaware.org
gmess...@upperdelaware.org
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Phil Reynolds - Associate Editor - reyn...@gsenet.org
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Back issues of the Garden State EnviroNews are available at
http://www.gsenet.org/library/11gsn/11gsn.php
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
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Tel: 973-394-1313 - Fax: 973-394-9513
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