EnviroPolitics

A New Jersey rarity: Rural residents stop a big warehouse plan

*White Township, Warren County, New Jersey*

By Fred Snowflack in City Confidential | May 16, 2024

WHITE TWP. – Residents don’t normally stop large developments in New Jersey.

But there are always exceptions, and we just saw that in a very, very big way in this rural Warren County community near the Delaware River.

It was back in 2019 when Jaindl Farms and Land Development proposed building about 2.8 million square feet of warehouse space on almost 600 acres.

The uproar was palpable.

Decked out in orange shirts, residents came by the hundreds to monthly planning board meetings to voice opposition.

Warehouses mean tractor trailers – lots of them – on small, country roads 24 hours a day. They also mean more pollution, more people and just about more of everything.

One may have been tempted to say – a bit dismissively – “that’s just the way it is.”

OK, but we are talking about a different part of New Jersey. There aren’t all that many genuine rural places in North Jersey and this is one of them.

The roads are narrow, there are many farms and the night sky uninhibited by all that much artificial light is stimulating to observe.

Travelers may know the area because of Hot Dog Johnny’s, an iconic hot dog stand on Route 46.

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Your 2024 guide to campgrounds in New Jersey

By Amanda Wallace NorthJersey.com

Camping season is well underway, and New Jersey has no shortage of beautiful campgrounds from the middle of the woods to the Jersey Shore and everywhere in between. Whether you have an RV, want to pitch a tent, or are looking for a glamping experience, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Here is your guide to finding campgrounds in and around the Garden State.

State-run campgrounds and obtaining permits

New Jersey has 19 state-run parks, forests, and recreation areas that are available for camping, 11 of which are located in North Jersey.

State-run camping facilities include:

High Point State Park in Sussex
Wawayanda State Park in Hewitt
Stokes State Forest in Branchville
Swartswood State Park in Swartswood
Worthington State Forest in Columbia
Kittatinny Valley State Park in Newton
Jenny Jump State Forest in Hope
Stephens State Park in Hackettstown
Voorhees State Park in Clinton
Spruce Run Recreation Area in Clinton
Round Valley Recreation Area in Lebanon
Cheesequake State Park in Matawan
Washington Crossing State Park in Titusville
Allaire State Park in Farmingdale
Brendan T. Byrne State Forest in New Lisbon
Wharton State Forest in Hammonton
Bass River State Forest in Tuckerton
Parvin State Park in Pittsgrove
Belleplain State Forest in Woodbine

If you would like to make a reservation and obtain a permit to camp at one of the state-run campgrounds you can visit njportal.com/DEP/NJOutdoors/Park/Search to filter through park amenities, available dates, and to make campsite reservations.

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Is enormous dirt pile a threat to drinking water in Wayne, NJ?

By Jon “Ferris” Meredith Tap Into Wayne May 16, 2024

WAYNE, NJ – Over the past three township council meetings, Mayor Chris Vergano has updated council members and the public about the difficult situation at the old Topsoil Depot – now run by a company called XRDS Recycling, LLC. The company accepts topsoil, piles it up so that it towers over Pompton Plains Crossroad in Wayne Township, processes it and resells the dirt. According to Vergano, this operation is run against township, state and Department of Environmental Protection regulations and fines are piling up, with about $250,000 in violations handed out by Wayne Township alone.

But what made the mayor call this a “public health and safety emergency” is the fact that this pile of dirt is sitting on top of a buried “aqueduct” which is the source of Wayne Township’s (and many other town’s) drinking water. This aqueduct lets the water flow from the Wanaque Reservoir down into Wayne Township and through its water filtration system before it flows out of your tap.

Vergano had met with the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission (NJDWSC) and reported that they “are very concerned” about this.

“If there’s a problem where that [water] line is broken, they can’t even get to it because of the dirt,” said Vergano.

The NJDWSC along with the Township of Wayne filed a motion “to enforce litigants rights against XRDS Recycling, LLC, XRDS Management LLC, Cory Weissglass and William Rosa (“Defendants”) for failing to comply with the Court’s November 21, 2023 Consent Order and the Court’s March 19, 2024 Order to Enforce the Consent Order.”

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Companies to pay N.J. $14M to settle contamination allegations

By Eric Conklin | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Two companies have settled a lawsuit brought by Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration over a cancer-causing contaminant found in Bergen County’s water supply in the late 20th century, officials said Thursday.

Handy & Harman and Cycle Chem Inc. agreed to pay $14 million to New Jersey environmental regulators over their alleged improper disposal of trichloroethylene, a chemical commonly used for degreasing, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office said.

What you should know about trichloroethylene (Earth Justice)

The settlement resolves five years of litigation in New Jersey Superior Court that began in 2019, securing for state officials funds to restore natural resources and recover cleanup costs.

Officials on Thursday called the settlement a “significant” recovery for New Jersey groundwater damages. The case stems from both companies allegedly mismanaging the chemical at a Montvale facility between 1966 and 1985, New Jersey officials said.

Click to read the full story

Related NJ environmental news
Copy of the state consent judgment
Montvale contamination settlement news story (northjersey.com)

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Maine researchers seek to spin aging wind turbines off for new uses

University of Maine researchers are working to repurpose the aging blades for new products and also to keep the waste out of landfills.

Maine researchers seek to spin aging wind turbines off for new uses Read More »

Gov. Shapiro seeks financial support for Pennsylvania dairy farmers

From Spotlight PA

The dairy business is a tough one, and Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro wants millions of dollars in funding to help farmers mitigate the risk.

Shapiro’s latest budget pitch includes $5.6 million to create a state subsidy that would lessen sign-up costs for a federal program that gives farmers direct payments to help them deal with volatile milk and feed prices.

Pennsylvania has 4,940 dairy farms. Of those, 1,778 are enrolled in the federal Dairy Margin Coverage Protection Program, which made $102 million in payments statewide last year.

Butler County dairy farmer William Thiele said some farmers don’t want government support, while others might not know the program exists.

Pennsylvania state Reps. Emily Kinkead (D., Allegheny) and Marci Mustello (R., Butler) are looking to Minnesota as a model for legislation that would enable Shapiro’s ask. But while agriculture investments have received bipartisan support in Harrisburg, total spending is already raising hackles.

Read Spotlight PA’s full report: Pa. dairy farmers could see financial boost from Shapiro’s proposed subsidy program.

Gov. Shapiro seeks financial support for Pennsylvania dairy farmers Read More »

A New Jersey rarity: Rural residents stop a big warehouse plan

Your 2024 guide to campgrounds in New Jersey

State-run campgrounds and obtaining permits

Is enormous dirt pile a threat to drinking water in Wayne, NJ?

Companies to pay N.J. $14M to settle contamination allegations

Maine researchers seek to spin aging wind turbines off for new uses

Gov. Shapiro seeks financial support for Pennsylvania dairy farmers

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