Last week, in anticipation of the arrival of Hurricane Irene, New Jersey took steps to allow the suspension of some of its solid waste regulations in order to help speed the cleanup of the debris that the hurricane was expected to leave in its wake.
The action proved timely, as Irene trailed northeast along the New Jersey coast Saturday night, leaving behind what Governor Chris Christie estimated to be ‘billions’ of dollars worth of damage.
Some rivers, still rising on Sunday, were expected to crest on Monday, adding to the damage in numerous communities (see video of flooding in Manville, NJ).
If you are a county or municipal official–including solid waste and recycling coordinators–you may find the following information to be of particular value as you participate in the work of cleaning up after the hurricane.
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin signed an Administrative Order on August 26, to suspend certain regulations pertaining to waste transportation and disposal. Under the order, the DEP may temporarily, allow for the:
Use of currently unregistered vehicles for waste transport
Exceedance of waste tonnage limits
Expanded hours of facility operation
Martin was careful to stress that the suspensions would be only issues “in very limited circumstances, on a case-by-case basis, provided adequate environmental safeguards are maintained.”
For details, see Compliance Advisory #2011-10
Our most recent posts:
Exelon shuts down NJ nuclear plant as Irene nears
Trenton-based enviro-engineering firm’s new president
Court throws out fraud suit filed against LEED program
New Jersey considering a floor price for solar credits
Follow today’s hearing on NJ’s energy plan on Twitter
———————————————————————————————————————————-
Like this post? You’ll love our daily newsletter, EnviroPolitics
Have an opinion on this? Use the comment box below. If one is not visible, activate it by clicking on the tiny ‘comments’ link, also below.
