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New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors Program Underway
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has started a New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors AmeriCorps program to raise awareness about watershed issues across the state.
‘This excellent program makes a difference in the environment through river and watershed assessment and by educating residents on why watershed awareness should be important to everyone in New Jersey,’ said DEP Commissioner Bob Shinn.
AmeriCorps members have been placed with host agencies in watershed management areas across the state. Members assist DEP's Division of Watershed Management in monitoring the rivers and watersheds through River Assessment Teams (RATS) and Biological Assessment Teams (BATS) volunteer monitoring programs.
The members also train community volunteers to assist in these monitoring programs. Through audio-visual presentations, the members provide information and education to community organizations and schools.
The program will address the diverse environmental needs of the state by raising awareness about the state's waterways, which are used as drinking water supplies, agricultural and industrial purposes, and recreation for eight million residents.
‘AmeriCorps members work to improve water quality by exploring relationships between people and the environment, nurturing community-based environmental activities and empowering residents to make responsible decisions about their watershed,’ said Lance Miller, director of DEP's Division of Watershed Management.
AmeriCorps is a national service initiative started in 1993, likened to a domestic peace corps. There are hundreds of AmeriCorps programs nationally with 10,000 citizens serving yearly. AmeriCorps focuses on four issues – education, public safety, human needs and the environment. Members complete 1,700 hours of service in return for a living stipend and an education award. They are full-time and serve out of the assigned host agency office.
For more information about the program, contact Fran Varacalli, Program Manager in the Division of Watershed Management at 609-633-0533 or at fvaracal@dep.state.nj.us
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Related Links:
AMERICORPS HOST AGENCIES & MEMBERS
NORTHWEST Region
| HOST AGENCY |
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| Area 1 |
North Jersey Resource Conservation & Development
1322 Route 31 North Box 3
Annandale, NJ 08801 |
| Member: |
Grace Messinger
Phone number: 908-735-0733
Fax: 908-735-0744
No e-mail at this time
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| Area 2 |
Sussex County Municipal Utilities Authority
34 South Rt. 84
Lafayette. NJ 07848 |
| Member: |
Nathaniel Sajdak
Phone: 973-579-6998 ext 111
fax:973-579-7818
e-mail – nsajdak@hotmail.com
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| Area 11 |
Regional Planning Partnership
Princeton
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NORTHEAST
| HOST AGENCY |
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| Area 3 |
North Jersey District Water Supply Commission
1 FA Orechio Dr.
Wanaque, NJ 07456 |
| Member: |
Julie Ann Zoleta
Phone:973-835-3600
fax 973-835-6701
e-mail- jzoleta@njwdsc.com
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| Area 4 |
NJDEP, Compliance & Enforcement Northern Office
1259 Rt. 46 East Bldg. #2
Parsippany, NJ 07054-4191 |
| Member: |
Emma Melvin
Phone:973-299-7394
fax:973-299-7712
Emelvin@dep.state.nj.us
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| Area 5 |
Hackensack River Keeper
1000 River Rd. T090C
Teaneck, NJ 07666 |
| Member: |
Christine Hirt
Phone: 201-692-8440
fax: 201-692-8449
Email – chirtriverkeeper@hotmail.com
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| Area 6 |
Great Swamp Watershed Association
PO Box 300
New Vernon, NJ 07976 |
| Member: |
Louisa Lubiak
Phone: 973-966-1900
fax: 973-966-1009
e-mail LLubiak@greatswamp.org
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RARITAN
| HOST AGENCY |
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| Area 7 |
Union County Engineering Dept.
Scotch Plains
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| Area 8 |
Upper Raritan Watershed Assoc.
PO Box 273
Gladstone, NJ 07934 |
| Member: |
Kevin Burke
Phone:908-234-1852
fax:908-234-0609
e-mail – Kevin@urwa.org
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| Area 9 |
NRCS-USDA
1370 Hamilton St.
Somerset, NJ 08873 |
| Member: |
Kathleen Bigelow
Phone: 732-246-1171 ext 135
fax: 732-246-2358
E mail: kbigelow@nj.nrcs.usda.gov
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| Area 10 |
Stony Brook – Millstone Watershed Association
Pennington
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ATLANTIC
| HOST AGENCY |
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| Area 12 |
Monmouth County Planning Board
Hall of Records Annex One East Main St.
Freehold, NJ 0772 |
| Member: |
Ryan Merritt
Phone: 732-431-7460
fax:732-409-7540
e-mail – none at this time
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| Area 13 |
American Littoral Society
PO Box 1306
Tuckerton, NJ 08087 |
| Member: |
Bridget Bachmann
Phone:609-294-3111
fax: 609-294-8044
e-mail none at this time
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| Area 14 |
American Littoral Society
PO Box 1306
Tuckerton, NJ 08087 |
| Member: |
Christine Giordano
Phone:609-294-3111
fax: 609-294-8044
e-mail – none at this time
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| Area 15 |
Bureau Of Marine Water Monitoring
PO Box 405, Stony Hill Road
Leeds Point, NJ 08220-0405 |
| Member: |
Adriana Calle
Phone:609-748-2000
fax:609-748-2014
e-mail acalle@dep.state.nj.us
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| Area 16 |
Nature Center of Cape May
Cape May , NJ |
LOWER DELAWARE
| HOST AGENCY |
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| Area 17 |
County of Cumberland Dept. of Planning & Development
Bridgeton
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| Area 18 |
NJDEP Compliance and Enforcement Southern Office
One Port Center 2 Riverside Dr.
Camden, NJ 08102 |
| Member: |
Jeremy Greenwood
Phone: 856-614-3609
fax:856-614-3654
e-mail – jgreenwo@dep.state.nj.us
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| Area 19 |
Mount Holly Municipal Utilities Authority
PO Box 486
Mount Holly, NJ 08060 |
| Member: |
Eric Schramm
Phone: 609-267-0015 ext. 16
fax:609-261-4528
e-mail – erichschramm@mhmua.com
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| Area 20 |
Mercer County Soil Conservation Service
508 Hughes Dr.
Hamilton Square, NJ 08690 |
| Member: |
Dan Tonden
Phone: 609-586-9603
fax: 609-586-1117
e-mail :none at this time
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OFFICIAL SITE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY