Here’s the introduction to NJTV News Anchor Mary Alice Williams’s March 19, 2015 interview with NJ Future’s Chris Sturm:

In virtually every big storm, much of New Jersey’s vintage water infrastructure overflows sending a staggering 23 billion gallons of raw sewage into waterways and streets and even basements each year. The culprits are so-called combined sewer overflows (CSOs) which now violate the Federal Clean Water Act.

Environmental groups sued the state Department of Environmental Protection, which has now issued permits that will force 25 cities and utilities to design new multi-billion dollar water systems without suggesting where the money will come from.

New Jersey Future Senior Director of State Policy Chris Sturm told NJTV News Anchor Mary Alice Williams that permits released last week by the DEP are a permit to pollute, but with lots string attached.

The interview (click video link above) covers a lot of ground in nearly five minutes but, due to restricted program time, just seemed to get rolling when it was forced to end. We were left wanting to hear more about the innovative techniques that some cities are using as stop-gap alternatives to the incredibly expensive engineering costs associated with separating storm water and waste water during heavy rains.

EnviroPolitics will invite Chris Sturm and others to continue the discussion on this blog
and on our podcast.