FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2/5/03
03/10

Contact: Amy Cradic
609-984-1795

DEP Fines Property Owner for Illegal Removal of Oceanfront Dune:
Full Restoration Mandated

(03/10) TRENTON – Ordering the restoration of more than 5,000 square feet of oceanfront dune in Deal Boro, Monmouth County, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) cited and fined a private landowner for unauthorized dune destruction in violation of the Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA).

“Hasty, unauthorized activities along the New Jersey shore – like those conducted by Ms. Hedaya – can harm our coastline’s fragile ecosystem and impact the natural beauty that attracts visitors,” said DEP Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell. “Only by appropriately regulating development activities can we prevent pollution, destruction of vital wildlife habitat, increases in rainwater runoff, and in some cases prevent the loss of life and property from coastal storms, erosion, and flooding.”

The DEP issued the property owner, Alice Hedaya, a penalty assessment in the amount of $15,000 for failing to comply with the applicable CAFRA permitting requirements in a coastal zone. The violations occurred as a result of Hedaya’s unauthorized destruction of a dune at 1 Ocean Lane in Deal Boro. In addition, the DEP has ordered the submission of a restoration plan to restore the site to its pre-disturbance condition. The plan must include a time schedule for implementation through project completion. The department reserves the right to modify inadequate or incomplete information within the proposal.

The CAFRA law regulates almost all development activities involved in residential, commercial, or industrial development, including construction, relocation, and enlargement of buildings or structures; and all related work, such as excavation, grading, shore protection structures, and site preparation.

A copy of the Administrative Order and Notice of Civil Administrative Penalty Assessment issued to Alice Hedaya is available upon request.

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Related Links

• NJDEP Coastal Programs (includes "Before You Buy; Before You Build" info)
  http://www.nj.gov/dep/landuse/coast/coast.html

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2/4/03
03/9

Contact: Elaine Makatura
609-292-2994

DEP ORDERS CLOSURE OF SHELLFISH BEDS IN OCEAN COUNTY

(03/9) Trenton—The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced a temporary ban on shellfish harvesting in the waters of Barnegat Bay in Ocean County due to a release of sewage from a broken main.

See Order below.
[PDF Version available; 375 Kb]

James E. McGreevey Governor		Bradley M. Campbell Commissioner
CLOSURE OF SHELLFISH BEDS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION LAND USE MANAGEMENT Public Notice of the Closure of Shellfish Beds Dangerous to Health Pursuant to statutory authority granted the Department of Environmental Protection appearing at N.J.S.A 13:1B-4 and 58:24-1 et seq., and to assure that the public health is not imperiled by the consumption of shellfish that may be subject to pollution or to any other conditions which may render shellfish dangerous to health because of degraded water quality resulting from the release of sewage from a broken main into the waters of Barnegat Bay in Ocean County, the Department hereby condemns and prohibits the harvesting of all shellfish from those State waters previously classified as Approved and Seasonally Approved in the Barnegat Bay area, specifically: All waters of Barnegat Bay south of the Mathis Bridge (Route 37) to a line from the northernmost point of land on the mainland located at the northeastern extent of Laurel Boulevard in Lacey Township bearing 105 degrees T to the cupola on Island Beach State Park. This prohibition shall take effect immediately and continue until FURTHER NOTICE.
DATE:_______________	__ [Signed February 3, 2003] __________________
	Bradley M. Campbell, Commissioner
Waters involved in the Closure

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Related Links

• Ocean County Shellfish Beds Re-Opened after February Closure (NJDEP News Release May 2003)
  https://njdepwptest.net/newsrel/03_0064
• NJDEP Fish & Wildlife
  http://www.njfishandwildlife.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1/30/03
03/8

Contact: Fred Mumford
(609) 984-1795

Cleanup Guidelines Require Early Well Testing,
Add Incentives for Brownfield Developers
Ground and Surface Water Standards Adopted for Remedial Work

(03/8) TRENTON – New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell today announced regulations to expedite testing of drinking water wells at risk of contamination and to help prospective purchasers of brownfield sites obtain and redevelop these properties.

"When our communities health is threatened and their drinking water is at risk of being contaminated, we must act quickly to protect them," said Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell. "With these new regulations, we are improving protection of public health with early testing of drinking water when private wells may be contaminated."

The new requirements are included in the re-adoption and amendments of DEP's Technical Rules, which were last updated in 1999. These rules establish the minimum requirements for investigations and cleanup work at any site in the state where a hazardous substance may have been released. For the first time, the new rules formally adopt cleanup standards for ground and surface waters. These rules also expand the requirements for long-term monitoring of restricted properties to prevent exposure to soil and ground water contamination remaining at a site.

To better protect public health, DEP is adding new requirements for more immediate testing of potentially impacted drinking water wells when ground water contamination is first detected. Previously, a lag time of six months or more often occurred when ground water contamination was first confirmed in an initial site investigation and when a well search was required in a later, more expansive investigation.

"The revised rules, along with our new brownfield initiatives, also will help developers and community leaders make productive use of brownfield sites," added Campbell. "A key element of Governor McGreevey's plan to combat sprawl and improve the quality of life in our communities is to ensure that contaminated properties are cleaned up and redeveloped as soon as possible."

To promote brownfield redevelopment, DEP will permit non-liable developers to perform a well survey and potable well sampling within 30 days after purchasing a contaminated property, rather than requiring these activities prior to purchase. This provision offers an effective balance by letting brownfield developers get to closing while ensuring the timely protection of public health.

The newly revised Technical Rules also incorporate New Jersey's Ground Water Quality Standards and Surface Water Quality Standards as the minimum remediation standards for ground and surface water. A related provision included in the amendments now requires that current ground water use and the potential for human and environmental exposure be considered when determining an appropriate remedial action for ground water contamination.

In addition, DEP is requiring more complete long-term monitoring and reporting when cleanup work is finished, but contamination remains. In these cases, restrictions such as institutional and engineering controls are implemented to prevent any future exposure to the contamination. Institutional controls may prohibit the installation of new wells or limit construction activities. An example of an engineering control is a landfill cap that contains and prevents the spread or release of contaminants.

An advance copy of the Technical Requirements for Site Remediation, also known as the Technical Rules, can be found at DEP's web site at www.state.nj.us/dep/srp. The regulations are scheduled to appear in the New Jersey Register February 3, 2003.

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Related Links

• NJDEP Site Remediation Program
  http://www.nj.gov/dep/srp
• NJDEP SRP Brownfields
  http://www.nj.gov/dep/srp/brownfields

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1/29/03
03/7

Contact: Peter Boger
(609) 633-1496
or Al Ivany
(609) 984-1795

DEP'S ANNUAL BALD EAGLE COUNT KICKS OFF YEARLONG CELEBRATION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT

(03/7) TRENTON — This month, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) used its annual two-day bald eagle count to kick off a yearlong awareness campaign marking the thirtieth anniversary of New Jersey's Endangered and Nongame Species Conservation Act. In addition, the DEP selected the bald eagle as the first in a series of monthly profiles on New Jersey's endangered species.

"New Jersey's Endangered Species Act is landmark legislation that has forever changed the way we manage our wildlife and natural habitats," said DEP Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell. "Despite its continued endangered status, the bald eagle is one of New Jersey's great success stories in endangered species protection and management."

Prior to 1982, the number of bald eagles had plummeted statewide – fewer than 10 bald eagles were observed in the State's initial annual survey in 1978 – as hunting early in the century and extensive pesticide use in later decades decimated the eagle population. Beginning in 1982, the DEP's Division of Fish and Wildlife (Fish and Wildlife) engaged in a comprehensive strategy to address the situation, helping the State reduce the use of many pesticides that weaken eagle eggs and acquiring 60 bald eagles from Canada to form the nucleus of a new breeding population.

"Unfortunately, safeguards for endangered species are once again under attack at the federal level," said Campbell. "The Governor's anti-sprawl initiatives acknowledge the importance of protecting endangered species by preserving critical habitat from overdevelopment."

As part of the yearlong celebration of species conservation, the DEP will focus each month on a different threatened or endangered species found in New Jersey. In New Jersey, the bald eagle breeding population living here year-round is listed as endangered, while the wintering population is threatened.

Today, populations of wintering and breeding eagles continue to climb steadily statewide, with the number of known breeding pairs rising from a low of one in 1982 to 34 in 2002.

As part of the eagle population monitoring, Fish and Wildlife coordinates an annual Mid-Winter Bald Eagle Survey every January, which focuses on known eagle wintering areas throughout New Jersey, including the upper Delaware River, most of the major reservoirs, and the South Jersey river systems.

This year, over 75 volunteers counted 137 bald eagles and five golden eagles. The count is lower than previous years' observations – volunteers counted 165 bald eagles in 2002 and 140 in 2001 – yet Fish and Wildlife biologists say that this likely is a random result of weather conditions and not reflective of any drop in the total population.

New Jersey's Endangered and Nongame Species Act was signed into law on December 14, 1973, two weeks before President Nixon signed the federal Endangered Species Act. The law is designed to protect species whose survival in New Jersey is imperiled by loss of habitat, over-exploitation, pollution, or other impacts. New Jersey currently lists more than 35 species as endangered and more than 25 species as threatened.

For more information on each month's featured endangered species and updates about coming conservation events, visit the DEP's website at: http://www.state.nj.us/dep.

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Related Links

• NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife
  http://www.njfishandwildlife.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1/29/03
03/6

Contact: Elaine Makatura
(609) 292-2994

DEP AND INTRAWEST SEAL THE DEAL TO PRESERVE HAMBURG MOUNTAIN

(03/6) Trenton— The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Intrawest Corporation announced today that they have finalized an agreement to preserve more than 1,800 acres atop Hamburg Mountain, saving critical natural resources in the Highlands from future development.

"This agreement is a tribute to Governor McGreevey's commitment to protect Hamburg Mountain and preserve the Highlands for future generations," said DEP Commissioner Bradley Campbell. "We want to steer development into appropriate areas of New Jersey while ensuring more green space and cleaner waterways for its residents and visitors."

Under the deal, DEP's Green Acres program is buying 451 acres from Mountain Creek Resort, Inc. of which Intrawest is the parent company. The company is donating an additional total of 1,398 acres – protecting more than 1,800 acres of forested land.

The agreement for the $7.1 million purchase property limits Mountain Creek to maintaining existing snowmaking equipment and accessing lake water to make snow to service ski trails and other mountain top tracts. The purchased lands will otherwise remain as undeveloped open space.

"As the Governor reminded us in his State of the State address, the Highlands support an abundance of natural resources in this state," Campbell added. "That's why he has proposed to dedicate an additional $50 million over the next three years for the Highlands, which provides one-third of New Jersey's drinking water."

On the donated property, the agreement allows the corporation to maintain existing ski trails and snowmaking equipment and also allows for limited expansion of ski trails and related facilities. All other development rights to the property are relinquished.

DEP's Division of Parks and Forestry will oversee and manage all 1,800 acres covered in this land purchase first announced by Governor McGreevey at a ceremony in Vernon in June.

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Related Links

• NJDEP Green Acres
  http://www.nj.gov/dep/greenacres
• NJDEP Division of Parks & Forestry
  http://www.nj.gov/dep/forestry/parknj

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1/28/03
03/5

Contact: Amy Cradic
609-984-1795

New Health Advisories Call for Limited Consumption of Certain Fish:
State Assures Public that Fish Remain a Good Source of Nutrition

(03/5) TRENTON – The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Department of Health and Senior Services today issued new advisories that outline safe eating practices and warnings for 13 species of fish containing elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).

"These advisories let the public make an informed choice about the amount of fish in their diet in light of potential health risks associated with PCBs," said DEP Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell. "While these measures provide essential safeguards, particularly for pregnant women and young children, eating fish remains an important part of a well-balanced diet. Our recreational fishing industry will continue to play a key role in the state' s economy and provide a stable food source for our families."

Long-term exposure to PCBs has been shown to cause a number of serious health effects, including impacts on the nervous system of developing fetuses, the immune system and the reproductive system. PCBs are also considered a probable human carcinogen.

The new advisories were prompted by the results of a DEP-commissioned study conducted by the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia released to the public in July 2002. New statewide consumption advisories have been established for American eel, bluefish and striped bass. The statewide advisory for American lobster established in 1996 did not change. Additional location-specific advisories have been revised for blue crab, white perch, white catfish, channel catfish, common carp, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed sunfish, brown bullhead, bluegill sunfish and redbreast sunfish.

Fish consumption advisories are developed through a scientific process that includes collecting samples of fish and crustaceans from waters throughout the state and analyzing the uncooked tissue for various chemical contaminants.

Consistent with advisories issued for mercury fish in July 2002, the new consumption guidelines reflect more updated data and a more protective approach based solely on human health risks. The new advisories are 20-to-200 times more stringent than the previous FDA-based consumption guidelines.

"These new advisories provide the public greater protection than previous consumption guidelines," said Health and Senior Services Commissioner Clifton R. Lacy, M.D. "People can continue to reap the nutritional benefits provided by eating fish and significantly reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals."

Consumption guidelines for several fish species were last issued for PCBs by the DEP in 1989. These new advisories inform the general public of a range of risks based on fish sizes and meal frequencies. The range reflects a person's risk of getting cancer, which is estimated at 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 100,000, from regularly eating raw, PCB-contaminated fish over a lifetime. The advisories are more stringent for high-risk individuals, including infants, children, pregnant women, nursing mothers and women of childbearing age, who may be more sensitive to other harmful effects of PCBs.

In addition to following consumption guidelines provided as part of the advisories, individuals can significantly reduce their exposure to PCBs (by approximately 50 percent) by properly cleaning and cooking fish. The size of the fish consumed and the variety of fish that a person eats over time also impact exposure risks. Specific preparation and cooking recommendations to lessen PCB exposure are provided on the attached fact sheet.

PCBs were first used in transformers and other electrical equipment and were later incorporated into other uses such as printing inks, paints and pesticides. The manufacturing of PCBs was stopped in 1979 as a result of evidence that PCBs build up and persist for long periods of time in the environment, the food chain and humans, causing harmful effects. Once they enter the food chain they have a tendency to absorb into fat tissue of fish and wildlife. When humans consume foods such as fish that have already accumulated PCBs, the PCBs in those food items accumulate in their bodies. Ultimately, the highest PCB levels are found in those species at the top of the food chain.

DEP data indicates that PCB levels have declined in some species and regions examined since the 1979 ban on PCB manufacturing. However, despite the fact that the manufacturing of PCBs was banned more than 20 years ago, PCBs still exist in sediments, particularly in the state's ocean waters.

"The persistence of PCBs in fish reinforces Governor McGreevey's opposition to ocean dumping of contaminated sediments and his call to EPA to finalize regulations that protect New Jersey's coast from material with excessive PCB levels," added Commissioner Campbell.

In addition to those species listed in the statewide advisories, the waterways with fish populations impacted by elevated levels of PCBs that are identified in the new advisories include: Newark Bay Complex^*, Hudson River, Raritan Bay Complex, Coastal Tributaries (including the Shark, Navesink, Shrewsbury, Toms, and Mullica Rivers) and the Lower Delaware River – Estuary & Bay. In Camden County, advisories were established for the Pennsauken Creek at Forked Landing, Evans Pond, the Cooper River spillway below Evans Pond and at Hopkins Pond, Cooper River Lake, Newton Lake, Strawbridge Lake and Stewart Lake. Advisories are also listed for the Passaic River, Passaic/Bergen counties, and the entire length of Bound Brook (including Market Pond and Spring Lake), Somerset County.

If a specific fishing site is not identified within an advisory, this does not mean the fish are free of contamination. Not all New Jersey waterways have been tested and not all fish species were found in all water bodies. At a few locations, available data were insufficient to list a species for a specific water body. In these cases, individuals should follow guidelines outlined in the statewide advisories.

The Department of Environmental Protection is launching an expanded public outreach campaign to better inform anglers and the general public about risks associated with eating certain fish taken from waters around the state. These efforts will require all locations that issue state-fishing licenses to provide, along with the license, a new comprehensive, easy-to-use booklet of fishing advisories currently being developed by the DEP.

A priority in its outreach efforts, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is actively working with adjacent states to develop common advisory messages for the public and to establish advisory consistency for affected fish in shared waters. Commissioner Campbell is currently working with Delaware and Pennsylvania to establish consistent fish consumption advisories in the Delaware estuary under the Delaware Estuary Program.

Copies of the advisories that provide consumption recommendations for certain fish in particular regions and waterways throughout the state are available on the DEP website at: www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/njmainfish.htm. In addition to the updated PCB fish consumption advisories, the DEP recently issued advisories warning people about unsafe mercury levels found in 21 species of freshwater fish from water bodies around the state.

^* In the Newark Bay Complex, new consumption guidelines – based upon PCB levels – were established only for American eel, white perch, and white catfish. Previous consumption guidelines based upon dioxin levels remain in effect for the fish in the complex, which includes the Passaic River downstream of the Dundee Dam.

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Related Links

• Updated PCB Fish Consumption Advisory
  http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/pcb-advisories.htm
• DEP Fish Consumption Advisories
  http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/njmainfish.htm
• NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife
  http://www.njfishandwildlife.com

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1/16/03
03/3

Contact: Elaine Makatura
(609) 984-1795

ADMINISTRATION BEGINS ANTI-SPRAWL REGULATORY REFORM

(03/3) 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 – 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.

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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

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1/10/03

Contact: Elaine Makatura
(609) 292-2994

Commissioner Campbell's Response to Asbury Park Press Editorial of January 9, 2003

Below is an editorial response sent today to the Asbury Park Press

Mr. Andrew Sharp, Editor
Asbury Park Press
PO Box 1550
Neptune, New Jersey 07754-1550

Dear Editor:

I read with interest the Asbury Park Press editorial (January 9, 2003) concerning recent discussions about a saltwater fishing license and license fee.

Contrary to the editorial's suggestion, the McGreevey Administration has never suggested such a license or fee. The proposal originated in a consultant's report from the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and was discussed at a forum on marine fisheries convened by the statutorily established Marine Fisheries Council on November 12, 2002. The report discussed possible revenue-generating ideas for seven northeastern states, and New Jersey was one of those seven.

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is deeply concerned about the impact a license might have on New Jersey's saltwater anglers, and on the range of businesses that would be affected by such a fee. Upon fuller review of the report, I have concluded that while the consultant's report raises several valid points, neither the license proposal nor any of the other proposals discussed in the report were sufficiently developed to be credible from a policy or budgetary perspective. Accordingly, I have advised the Treasurer that none of these proposals should be considered in their current form in preparing the 2004 budget.

Despite the challenges of a staggering budget deficit inherited from the prior administration, Governor McGreevey is strengthening our stock assessment, fisheries enforcement, coastal protection, and other programs that are vital to protecting our saltwater fisheries and the businesses that depend on them.

In taking these important steps, DEP has consulted closely with all affected constituencies, and will certainly do so before any changes in New Jersey's licensing system or related programs are entertained.

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Related Links

• NJDEP Commissioner's Office
  http://www.nj.gov/dep/commissioner
• NJDEP – Division of Fish & Wildlife
  http://www.njfishandwildlife.org

MCGREEVEY TAKES ACTION TO CONTROL SPRAWL
AND PROTECT STATE’S WATER RESOURCES
Announces Greater Protection of Metedeconk River and Lifts Drought Emergency

(BRICK TOWNSHIP) – Ending New Jersey’s ten-month drought emergency, Governor McGreevey today reaffirmed his commitment to protect New Jersey’s waterways and drinking water supplies and announced plans to increase protection of the Metedeconk River, a key drinking water supply in the State’s shore region.

“Today I am lifting New Jersey’s statewide drought emergency, but while the short-term crisis is over, the long-term threat still remains,” said Governor McGreevey. “I am asking all New Jerseyans to join me in the battle to protect our waterways, to end crisis-to-crisis management of our most precious resource, and to stop the overdevelopment and sprawl that threaten to destroy both our water supplies and our quality of life.”

Joined by Senator Andrew Ciesla, Brick Township Mayor Joseph Scarpelli, Environmental Commissioner Bradley M. Campbell and other local and environmental leaders, Governor McGreevey announced that the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will work with mayors from the communities within the Metedeconk watershed to identify sections of the river for Category One (C1) designation – the highest level of water quality protection. C1 designation protects waterways from any discharge that produces a measurable change in the existing quality of the water.

“I applaud Governor McGreevey and Commissioner Campbell for their efforts to protect our state’s watersheds and their vital ecosystems,” said Mayor Scarpelli. “Since it serves as the source of 75% of our drinking water, I am extremely pleased that the Metedeconk River will gain C1 status.”

“The Metedeconk River, a vital drinking water source for many families, will be the 23 rd body of water that my administration proposes for increased protection,” said McGreevey, “but we are only beginning our battle to protect New Jersey’s air, water and quality of life against sprawl.”

“By stopping sprawl on the Metedeconk River, we protect a major drinking water supply for future generations. This is just the latest demonstration of the Governor’s commitment to smart growth – and we know there is more to come,” said Amy Goldsmith, State Director of New Jersey Environmental Federation.

“Under the Governor’s direction, the DEP is setting tougher standards to protect New Jersey’ s waterways – particularly those that provide our families with drinking water,” said DEP Commissioner Campbell. “The Metedeconk River represents an exceptional water supply and will be critical to meeting the area’s water supply demands in the future.”

The Metedeconk River serves as a drinking water source for more than 100,000 residents and will serve significantly more people in the coming years. In addition to meeting current water supply needs, the Metedeconk River will support a new billion-gallon reservoir to meet anticipated future water demands in Brick Township and surrounding communities. The completion of the reservoir is scheduled for early 2004.

The specific boundaries of the C1 designation will be achieved by determining how best to ensure a safe and plentiful drinking water source and allow for smart growth within the affected towns.

Last March, the Governor declared New Jersey to be in a statewide drought emergency as the state ended the driest six-month period since 1895. Over the last ten months, New Jersey continued to experience some of the most erratic precipitation patterns in history with groundwater levels reaching record lows.

The recent, abnormally high rainfall has replenished New Jersey’s surface waters and increased groundwater levels. However, groundwater levels in the sourthern part of the state remain below normal. Approximately half of New Jersey’s drinking water comes from groundwater.

New Jersey coastal south and southwest drought regions will be placed under a drought warning and DEP will maintain the authority to manage water resources in the interest of the public.

For more information on New Jersey’s current reservoir and groundwater levels, please visit the DEP drought website at www.njdrought.org. The updated administrative order regarding the end of the drought emergency is available online.

• Commissioner Campbell’s Administrative Order #2003-01
  http://www.njdrought.org/ao03-01.htm
• NJ Drought Information
  http://www.njdrought.org
• NJDEP-Division of Watershed Management
  http://www.nj.gov/dep/watershedmgt

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
1/6/03
03/1

Contact: Amy Cradic
( 609) 984-1795

DEP Fines Facility For Illegally Disposing of Hazardous Waste

(03/1) TRENTON – The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced that the Curtiss Wright Corporation was fined $109,991 for improperly identifying and disposing of more than 33,000 gallons of hazardous waste that was generated from clean up efforts at its former Bergen County facility.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Related Links

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