Lawmakers hear other side of NJ's Sandy recovery story

[See video interviews below]

At a hearing in Atlantic City yesterday, New Jersey lawmakers heard from a number of shore residents, church leaders, and advocates for the poor and the elderly who testified that the state’s efforts to recover from Superstorm Sandy are less effective than the public might believe after watching Governor Chris Christie’s "Stronger than the Storm" television ad campaign.

The Associated Press reports today:

Simone Dannecker, of Union Beach, is fighting her mortgage company for the right to stay in her home. She works 20 hours a week as a bank teller and spends another 20 writing letters, filling out paperwork for seven separate aid programs, and making phone calls.

At a joint state Senate-Assembly hearing on the pace of rebuilding since the Oct. 29 storm, she broke down in tears describing the frustration and hopelessness she and her family feel as everything they once knew has been upended.

"We are the typical hard-working blue-collar American family who ask for nothing," she said. "Now they tell me I owe $320,000 on a house that isn’t worth $150,000 right now.

"We are living in a mold-infested neighborhood," she said. "Do I fight to keep the house I lived in and raised my kids in, or do I walk away? It’s a very emotional thing to deal with this on an everyday basis.

"The state has gotten us wrapped in so much paperwork, it consumes your life," she said. "It really does. Not once have I spoken to the same person.
You get passed along and passed along."

Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for Christie, said the ads "were critical to dispel the
idea that the shore, rentals and attractions were unavailable or unattractive."

Others testified that many elderly residents are totally unequipped to negotiate with government agencies and insurance companies and some have been victimized by phony mold-removal contractors who fail to deliver on promises of mold-removal after pocketing their fee.

Several environmental experts and organizations called for land-use planning that incorporates anticipated increases in sea levels, more government buyouts of properties in flood-prone areas, and swifter future analyses of possible contamination in floodwaters that pours into homes and businesses.   

Below are interviews with Assemblywoman Grace Spencer and Senator Bob Smith,
the two committee chairpersons who conducted the joint hearing. They promise to hold
an additional oversight meeting in Trenton in late September.



NOTE: In a separate blog post later today, we’ll provide video interviews
with several persons who testified on Sandy’s environmental lessons
Related environmental news stories:
Still displaced by Sandy, some ask pols for help
Hurricane Sandy victims: Recovery slowed by red tape and poor information

Please feel free to comment on this post and to send it to your friends.

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NJ lawmakers hear today about Sandy recovery

The environmental committees of the New Jersey Senate and Assembly are conducting a joint hearing this morning, starting at 11, at the Atlantic City Convention Center.

They will hear testimony from various interest groups on the status of the state’s recovery efforts following Superstorm Sandy.

We’ll be covering the event and will have follow-up reports here and on our Facebook page.

Check out the video below for just one of the many problems facing New Jersey shore residents in the storm’s wake.

Our most recent posts: 
Like to bike? Want to ride like the (Jersey) devil?
Help on the way for NJ Sandy-damaged water facilities 
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Meghan Wren completes 13.1-mile Delaware Bay swim 

NJ lawmakers hear today about Sandy recovery Read More »

Like to bike? Want to ride like the (Jersey) devil?

The Pinelands Preservation Alliance invites you to join them in celebrating Pinelands Month in October by pumping up your tires and pedaling along with other bicycle enthusiasts and Pinelands enthusiasts in the 2013 Tour de Pines.

What is the Tour de Pines?

It’s five, consecutive, single-day bicycle tours of the New Jersey Pinelands. 


The 2013 Tour de Pines will begin on Wednesday, October 9th at PPA’s Bishop Farmstead in Southampton Township, traverse the length and breadth of the Pinelands National Reserve, and culminate at Batsto Village on Sunday, October 13th.

Each day’s tour will range from 40-55 miles per day, with average speeds of 11-13 mph, and begin and end at the same location.

The Tour de Pines is a voluntary, non-competitive, unsupported ride. Participants are required to provide their own transportation, food and lodging.

Participants may elect to ride one, two or all days of the Tour. All rides start at 9:00 a.m. 2013 cue sheets with directions/mileage for each ride will be mailed after you register. Registration Information

Day 1 – Wednesday, October 9th  

Day 2 – Thursday, October 10th 
Day 3 – Friday, October 11th
Day 4 – Saturday, October 12th
Day 5 – Sunday, October 13th

For more great events–seminars, workshops, webinars, networking and social–sign up for free email updates at Enviro-Events Calendar–a great resource for individuals, businesses and organizations.
Our most recent posts:
Help on the way for NJ Sandy-damaged water facilities 
EPA updates standards for oil, natural gas storage tanks 
Meghan Wren completes 13.1-mile Delaware Bay swim 

Like to bike? Want to ride like the (Jersey) devil? Read More »

Help on the way for NJ Sandy-damaged water facilities

Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission worker in Newark checks
equipment damaged by Superstorm Sandy- Photo: The Record 

The owners and operators of New Jersey drinking water and wastewater treatment plants severely damaged by Superstorm Sandy had to be applauding yesterday, as Gov. Chris Christie signed into law S-2815—a bill that allocates up to $5 billion for repairs and to harden the facilities against future catastrophic weather events.

More than 100 drinking water and wastewater treatment plants incurred more than $2.6 billion in damages as a result of Sandy, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection.

In today’s NJ Spotlight, Tom Johnson reports:

Some of the damage was catastrophic. The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, the fifth-largest sewage treatment plant in the nation, was completely flooded during the storm, pouring hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage into the state’s waterways, according to environmental officials.

Many of the facilities suffering damage had their own backup generating units — with enough fuel to cope with short-term outages — but the blackouts extended far beyond what was anticipated.

Under the bill, the state hopes to count on funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide much of the financing to bankroll the initiative. In the short term, the state’s Environmental Infrastructure Trust would funnel so-called bridge loans to local governments and authorities, enabling them to get a jump on the needed work, with the expectation being that the loans would be repaid with federal dollars.

You can read Tom’s full story here.
For more information like this, try a FREE subscription to EnviroPolitics. Our daily newsletter also tracks NJ & PA legislation–from introduction to enactment

Also signed yesterday by Governor Christie were the following environmental bills:

S-2816/A-4184(Gordon, A.R. Bucco/Andrzejczak, Wagner, Conaway, Barnes) – Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2014
S-2817/A-4183(Whelan, O’Toole/Eustace, Albano, Singleton, Diegnan) – Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2014

A-2675/S-1781(Caride, Russo, Rumana, Webber/Sarlo, O’Toole) – Re-appropriates $3 million from "Dam, Lake, Stream, Flood Control, Water Resources, and Wastewater Treatment Project Bond Act of 2003" to fund State flood control projects
A-3890/SS for S-2598 (Eustace, Schepisi, Rudder, Caride, Webber, Wimberly/B. Smith, Whelan) – Provides limited exemption from development regulations to allow certain structures to be raised as high as the highest applicable flood elevation standard

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Help on the way for NJ Sandy-damaged water facilities Read More »

EPA updates standards for oil, natural gas storage tanks

** Revised at 3 p.m. to include related news story**

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) today issued updates to its April 2012 oil and natural gas standards for
storage tanks. The agency says that the revised standards allow responsible oil and natural gas production while
ensuring air emissions are reduced as quickly as possible.

In a news release, the EPA says it will
phase in emission control deadlines, starting with higher-emitting tanks first,
and will provide the time needed to ramp up the production and installation of
controls.

The agency says it is making the changes based on information received after the
2012 standards were issued that shows more storage tanks will come online than
the agency originally estimated.

The update provides that storage tanks that emit 6 or more tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
a year must reduce emissions by 95 percent. Today’s rule establishes two
emission control deadlines:

  • tanks that come online after April 12, 2013 are likely
    to have higher emissions and must control VOC emissions within 60 days or
    by April 15, 2014, whichever is later; and 
  • tanks that came online before April 12, 2013 are likely
    to have lower emissions and must control VOC emissions by April 15, 2015.

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The EPA says that the updated standards also establish an alternative emissions limit that
would allow owners/operators to remove controls from tanks if they can
demonstrate that the tanks emit less than 4 tons per year of VOC emissions
without controls. In addition, the rule streamlines compliance and monitoring
requirements for tanks that have already installed controls.

“The oil and natural gas industry uses tanks for temporary storage of crude
oil, condensate and other liquids, before those liquids are moved to a
pipeline, sold or moved for disposal. These storage tanks can be sources of
emissions of ozone-forming VOCs, along with several toxic air pollutants,
including benzene. Today’s final action does not affect the April 2012
standards for capturing natural gas from hydraulically fractured wells.  

“Today’s updates respond to petitions for reconsideration of the 2012 New
Source Performance Standards for Oil and Natural Gas Production. Those
cost-effective standards rely on proven technologies and best practices to
reduce emissions of ozone-forming VOCs and air toxics, including benzene and
hexane. Exposure to ozone is linked a variety of health effects, including
aggravated asthma, reduced lung function and increased susceptibility to
respiratory infections, in addition to increased risk of premature death from
heart or lung disease. Benzene and hexane are air toxics, which can cause
cancer and other serious health effects.” 

More information from the EPA 

Related environmental news stories:
EPA finalizes relaxed standards for gas storage tanks

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Meghan Wren completes 13.1-mile Delaware Bay swim

Meghan Wren – Photo by Cindy Hepner, South Jersey Times


Meghan Wren is one determined lady.

Twenty five years ago, she started a crusade to restore the historic oyster schooner, the A.J. Meerwald. Today, Phillip Tomlinson writes in the South Jersey Times, "the ship sails proudly as the State of New Jersey’s official tall ship. A museum and a thriving cultural center that tell the rich history of the bay now stand on the wharf in Bivalve, a testament to her endurance and vision." 

AJ Meerwald
A.J. Meerwald – Anthony Baglio photo


Yesterday, Wren became "the first person to successfully swim across Delaware Bay in adherence with English Channel rules—she wore no wetsuit, no life jacket and she was not assisted in her swim, completing the entire span under her own power."

Which is not to say that she did not have help along the way. 

Two escort boats along with two kayaks were with her the entire time. She also had assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Port Norris Fire Company, and Fortescue Fire and Rescue, among others who helped keep her on course and on

shark alert.

The executive director of the Bayshore Center at Bivalve undertook the challenge in order to raise public awareness and funding to preserve the culture and environment of New Jersey’s Bayshore region.

The event helped her organization raise $17,000 toward a goal of $25,000.

For more stories like this, try a FREE subscription to EnviroPolitics. Our daily newsletter
also tracks NJ & PA environment and energy bills–from introduction to enactment

Related environmental news stories:
Meghan Wren completes 13.1-mile swim across Delaware Bay
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Meghan Wren completes 13.1-mile Delaware Bay swim Read More »