Tiny piping plover outmuscles thousands of New Jersey beach-sand concertgoers

By Karyssa D’Agostino and Chris Rotolo, Twin River Times

A Sandy Hook Concert Series event in July 2017. The concert series has been canceled this year due to concerns about the future of an endangered nesting bird, the piping plover. Photo by Cheryl Auditor

SANDY HOOK – After 24 years, a beloved summertime music staple has gone to the birds.

In a joint statement issued last week, the Sandy Hook Foundation, the Gateway National Recreation Area and the National Park Service announced the cancellation of its free beach concert series following the discovery of a piping plover nest just 50 feet away from a stage that draws tens of thousands of music lovers to the recreational beachfront each season.

“We really did try to investigate other spots to hold the concert series,” said Patti Rafferty, the Gateway National Recreation Area resource stewardship chief, “but either we ran into other obstacles or seemingly suitable locations turned out to not be so suitable.”

The mighty Piper Plover (Joe Reynolds)

In a June 18 interview Rafferty described the search for an alternate location along Sandy Hook, including various other oceanside sites, as well as parking lot settings.

The great lawn near Officers Row was also eyed, but ultimately dismissed, despite the area’s musical history. The Fort Hancock grounds were the founding site of the Friends of Clearwater Festival, a music event that gained credibility through the early inclusion of late folk legend Pete Seeger.

“We looked at several different locations on the beach, but once we moved a safe distance away from this particular piping plover nest, we had, in turn, relocated too closely to another nest,” Rafferty said. “As for the parking lots, this is supposed to be an oceanside event in the sand, so it’s not really the right setting. The same can be said about the great lawn.”

Rafferty said park personnel perform a weekly census of the grounds to identify piping plover nests.

As of last week, the count was up to 51 attempted nests, 40 completed nests and 29 nests with eggs or hatched egg remains located at different points along the beachhead.

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New law simplifies how New Jersey allocates dedicated open space funding

TOM JOHNSON reports for NJ Spotlight | JUNE 28, 2019

Farmland, historic properties and conservation nonprofits garner a larger share of funds

open space
Photo credit: newsworks.org

Gov. Phil Murphy has signed a bipartisan bill that determines how the state will allocate constitutionally dedicated funds to preserve open space, farmland and historic structures.

The new law could result in less messy fights over how to dispense a big pot of corporate business tax revenues to fund a wide array of open space projects each year. This year, $155 million will be divvied up among state and local governments and nonprofit groups that annually vie for the money.

The governor signed the legislation (S-2920) without comment on Wednesday. By and large, the law approves a new mechanism of how the funds should be allocated, with farmland and historic preservation projects, as well as conservation nonprofit groups, getting a bigger share than in the past.

Overall, 62 percent of the funding will be targeted toward acquisition and development of lands for public conservation and recreation, 31 percent for farmland preservation and 7 percent for historic preservation.

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“The signing and enacting of this law have been a very long time coming,’’ said Sen. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex). “The Legislature, environmental groups and activists have worked longer than anyone can imagine on making sure this covered everything it was supposed to.’’

Permanent funding mechanism

In the past, largely relying on more costly bond issues, the state typically spent more than $200 million annually on preservation projects. The conservation community successfully pushed through a constitutional amendment in 2014 to create a smaller, but more stable source of funding for the state’s Green Acres, Blue Acres, farmland preservation and historic preservation programs.

With a smaller pot of money available, it led to a lot more jockeying for a piece of the funds. After much deliberation, the bill that emerged won wide backing from most environmental groups around the state.

“It’s a great bill,’’ said Ed Potosnak, chair of the Keep It Green Coalition. “We’re really excited to have a permanent funding mechanism put in place.’’

Under Green Acres, local governments would be able to apply for grants to be used for open space acquisition and recreational development. The majority of funds, however, would go to state open-space acquisition and development projects.

Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, criticized the bill, saying it takes away funding from urban areas and state parks.

“Money for open space comes mostly from urban areas, where most of the people live,’’ he said. “They’re putting the money in, but they’re not getting the resources back that wealthier suburbs are getting.’’

That view was disputed by Potosnak and the state Department of Environmental Protection, which administers the Green Acres program.

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Hard to believe but some solar panels already are worn out. Can they be recycled?

Frank Brill is editor of EnviroPolitics

Solar panels seem to be popping up all over. On the rooftops of homes, businesses, and churches. Covering old landfills and industrial sites. Over parking spaces in office parks and now even powering the rides at Six Flags Great Adventure.

For some of us, they still seem relatively new but the fact is that the dark-blue rectangles have been generating electricity for more than 30 years and some of them are wearing out and have begun showing up in scrap yards.

Jimmy Carter’s White House solar panels in 1979

President Jimmy Carter had 32 panels installed on the roof of the White House in 1979. Ronald Regan (not a fan) had them yanked in 1986. Barack Obama, in 2014, installed a new set that is six times more powerful than the originals. They are expected to pay for themselves within eight years. (Shh. Don’t tell the current resident)

Barack Obama’s White House solar panels in 2014

Can solar components be safely recycled and put to new uses? Two state legislators, Senator Bob Smith and Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin, want to know and sponsored identical bills, S601 and A4011, establishing the New Jersey Solar Panel Recycling Commission to investigate those questions.

Initial research already has been performed. A 2016 report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and International Energy Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems Program (IEA-PVPS) found that over 90 percent of materials in typical photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, silicon, aluminum, and glass can be recycled and used again to produce new solar panels.

The nine-member New Jersey commission would conduct its own investigation and submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within one year. The report would be published on the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) website.

Both bills passed their respective houses on unanimous votes in the past week and have been sent to Gov. Phil Murphy for his consideration.

Should the governor sign the legislation? Tell us what you think in the comment box below and we’ll hazard a wild guess about your political inclination.

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NJ Gov. Murphy takes state shutdown off the table but could veto parts of pending state budget

No NJ Government Shutdown, Gov. Phil Murphy Says

Tom Davis reports for The Patch

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said there will be no government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins on Monday.

Murphy made the announcement on Thursday that, going into the July 4 holiday, beaches and parks will be open, state employees will be getting a paycheck and “the gates will be open” at state facilities.

“I cannot and will not subject our residents to the inconvenience they would suffer under a government shutdown,” Murphy said.

He said closing parks and beaches “only punishes the innocent.”

Murphy did, however, hint that he will possibly line-item veto parts of the budget as he continues to push for a millionaire’s tax.

“I will meet our constitutional deadline and sign a budget,” he said.

Murphy said talks between his administration and the Democratic-controlled legislature have been constructive and “all options are on the table” – except a shutdown.

“I’m taking a government shutdown off the table,” he said.

While both sides disagree over taxes, there are a number of issues that could have sidetracked state officials and led to the second New Jersey government shutdown in three years.

A government shutdown would have meant: shutting down Motor Vehicle Commission offices, courts and state parks and leaving thousands of state workers without a paycheck.

Murphy could line-item veto what he calls “pork” in the budget if he doesn’t get his signature plan – a tax on everyone making $1 million or more. Or he could take no action.

The lawmakers could override his vetoes, and there is a lot of acrimony between Murphy and the Democratic legislature that’s bigger than any tax, and a number of things could continue to cause problems – even without a shutdown:

  • Murphy wants what he calls “a modest fee” on opioid manufacturers and distributors to help offset state costs for programs to fight the opioid epidemic and support recovery. The Legislature’s budget, he said, “failed” to include Murphy’s proposed fee on opioid manufacturers and distributors, along with numerous other revenue raisers, to help offset the costs for additional spending. The assessment on manufacturers and distributors would raise an estimated $21.5 million in new revenue to fight the opioid crisis devastating New Jersey’s families, he said.’

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Enviros criticize Pa state budget shifting $10 million from environmental fund

Marie Cusick reports for StateImpact

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf

A coalition of sixteen environmental groups sent an open letter to Gov. Tom Wolf and legislators Tuesday decrying the transfer of approximately $10 million out of Pennsylvania’s Environmental Stewardship Fund in this year’s state budget.

The fund was established nearly two decades ago to support environmental programs, including flooding and storm water management, Chesapeake Bay cleanup efforts, and farmland preservation.

The budget, which is expected to pass this week, shifts the money to general government operating expenses. Joanne Kilgour heads the Pennsylvania chapter of the Sierra Club and said the state has been seeing increasing strains on its built and natural environments.

“It’s absolutely the wrong direction to be decreasing, rather than increasing, our contributions to environmental programs through the state budget,” Kilgour said.

The letter goes on to criticize lawmakers for expanding the state’s Rainy Day Fund, noting that Pennsylvania has been seeing more precipitation and flooding — the kinds of issues the Environmental Stewardship Fund was meant to address. They wrote that it delivers “on-the-ground results for communities now, and helps us avoid future costs from water pollution and property damage.”

Wolf’s spokesman J.J. Abbott said the proposed transfers in the budget would not cut previously allocated environmental projects.

“We believe these transfers will not affect or decrease the output from the [Environmental Stewardship Fund],” he wrote in an email.

Abbott added that Wolf’s Restore PA plan — a  $4.5 billion infrastructure proposal that is separate from the state budget — would “dwarf” any previous environmental investments in the state. It outlines ways to address flooding, stormwater, new green infrastructure, brownfield clean-up, and the development of clean energy.  Those investments would be funded through a severance tax on natural gas production.

As PA Post reported, Restore PA is Wolf’s fifth attempt in office to enact a severance tax, and it looks like lawmakers will not take it up until the fall.

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NY and Great Lakes States launch “Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz”

Zebra mussels, one type of aquatic invasive species

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced its participation in a campaign taking place at hundreds of water access sites throughout the Great Lakes region to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.

The “Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz” runs from June 28 to July 7 and will inform boaters and others of the risks of introducing and spreading aquatic invasive species (AIS).

“New York is leading the charge to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species to protect our environment and economy from this urgent threat, and collaboration with other states and provinces is key as these species do not know state and provincial boundaries,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “Starting June 28, New York watercraft inspection stewards will join forces with stewards in other Great Lakes states and provinces to raise awareness about AIS in Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and the St. Lawrence River and encourage all boaters, no matter where they are, to Clean, Drain, and Dry their watercraft and assist in our protection efforts.”

AIS are non-native aquatic plants and animals that can cause harm to the environment, economy and human health. AIS have been found in the lakes, ponds, and rivers of New York and can reproduce and spread at a rapid rate. AIS contribute to the decline of native plants, fish and wildlife, and can negatively impact recreational opportunities and income.

One of the main pathways for transfer of AIS between waterbodies is recreational water vehicles and equipment, including boats, canoes, kayaks and jet skis. Aquatic invasive plants and animals such as hydrilla, water chestnut, and zebra mussels can easily attach themselves to a water vessel and be transported to an uninvaded body of water and take over.

Read the full NYDEC news release here

http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/press.html

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