EnviroPolitics Blog

Lake Hopatcong’s phosphorous levels this June are the highest in 17 years of data. DEP warns of contact with water

Harmful algae blooms keep water sports on hold at lakes in NJ, NY, and PA

By James M. O’Neill, North Jersey Record

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Lake Hopatcong’s phosphorous levels this June are the highest in 17 years of data .
Exposure to the toxins that the cyanobacteria create can cause a range of health effects, including rashes, allergy-like reactions, flu-like symptoms, gastroenteritis, respiratory irritation, skin rashes and eye irritation.

The kind of weather New Jersey gets in the coming days will determine whether the dangerous algae blooms affecting Lake Hopatcong and Spruce Run Reservoir will last days, weeks — or much of the summer.

A stretch of sunny days could help cause the blooms to crash, said Fred Lubnow, an aquatic and watershed management expert with Princeton Hydro. Or, a major storm with lots of rain could help flush the lakes clean.

But a continued pattern of short, intense storms followed by warm days could set the lakes up for persistent algae blooms through the summer, he said.

The state has bathing beach closures in effect for Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey’s largest lake, bordered by Sussex, Passaic and Morris counties, as well as at Spruce Run Reservoir in Hunterdon County — putting a damper on this weekend’s water sports activities there.

The current bloom in Lake Hopatcong “is the first of this magnitude in New Jersey,” Bruce Friedman, director of water monitoring at the state Department of Environmental Protection, said Friday evening. “We’ve never seen a bloom that covers a majority of a New Jersey lake.” Usually they have been limited to a specific cove.

“How long the bloom will persist is impossible to estimate,” Friedman said. “Some blooms in the past have persisted into the fall. Hopefully that won’t happen here, but it is a possibility.”

Spruce Run Reservoir in Hunterdon County has had bathing beach closures because of a harmful algae bloom (Photo: Chris Pedota /The Record)

So far this year the harmful blooms have also hit Deal and Sunset lakes in Monmouth County, and Swartswood Lake and Lake Mohawk in Sussex County.

The problem has also cropped up in lakes in New York and Pennsylvania. “This has been a regional phenomenon,” Lubnow said Friday.

“One reason is that last week we got a lot of intense short storms where it rained heavily for 20 to 30 minutes and then stopped and were followed by 80-degree days,” he said. “That rinsed the watershed of nutrients, which went into the lakes, where they sat.”

Those nutrients – mainly phosphorous – provided an abundance of food for the algae to feed on. The blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, prefer three conditions to bloom – warmer water, still water and elevated nutrient concentrations.

More: $119 Billion plan to protect NY/NJ from another Sandy raises concerns over impact, cost

More: Stranger Jersey: The Monster of Lake Hopatcong

Smaller lakes have not been as affected this year so far because even during short rain storms the water level will spill over the lakes’ dams, helping to clear out the algae and nutrients.

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On the first day of Jersey City’s ban on plastic grocery bags, here’s how it went

Editor’s Note: Let’s face it, no one likes change. But ShopRite
in Jersey City did an exemplary job preparing its customers to meet the city’s new ban on the use of single-use plastic bags. They had advance signs posted for weeks throughout the store and a large countdown sign warning of yesterday’s effective day. Their employees even wore special tee shirts. A very small customer price for sturdy reusable bags also helped with the transition. Still, not all were pleased on Day 1. Our prediction: Six months from now, the hubbub will give way to ho-hum as new habits are formed. Congratulations, Jersey City and all city grocers! — FB

By Falyn Stempler | The Jersey Journal

JERSEY CITY — If city residents still haven’t weaned themselves off single-use plastic bags, too bad.

A plastic bag ban unanimously passed by the City Council a year ago went into full effect Friday and city officials marked the historic day with a kickoff event at ShopRite at 400 Marin Blvd.

The ban prohibits commercial retailers from giving customers merchandise in plastic bags as part of an effort to decrease litter and reduce environmental impact. Plastic is not biodegradable and often ends up in landfills and pollutes oceans, streets, parks and more.

NJTV News

“We invested dollars in it to do our part to make sure the planet is a better place than the way we found it,” said Mayor Steve Fulop, who attended the event with members of his staff. “Hopefully this paves the way for the entire state of New Jersey.”

All retailers must provide reusable and durable bags with handles and can choose to charge a nominal fee. ShopRite is charging customers 10 cents for each bag. Additionally, ShopRite has larger non-plastic bags that customers can purchase on a buy-one-get-one-free basis. Violating this municipal code could result in a minimum fine of $100.

PIX 11 News

City resident Jeff Fung said he thinks it is worth spending a few extra cents to help the environment.

“I think it’s worth it,” he said. “For the environmental protection, it’s worth it. … I don’t mind 10 cents, not too bad.”

Fulop was joined by the owners, managers, and workers of ShopRite on Friday handing out free reusable bags to some customers as part of the first-day promotion. Katherine Lawrence, director of the city Office of Sustainability, said the government hopes this ban will make residents change their behavior and bring their own bags.

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Has your town implemented a plastic bag ban? Is there one in the works? Do you support or oppose the change? Let us know why–or any other thoughts you have on plastic bags–in the comment box below

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As Cape Cod readies for tourist season, last year’s deadly shark attack is on everyone’s mind

By Kellen Browning Boston Globe Correspondent
June 28, 2019, 8:04 p.m.11

Aiden O’Dell, 9, of Wellfleet, headed into the surf at Newcomb Hollow Beach. His mother, a lifeguard, was on duty.(JOHN TLUMACKI/GLOBE STAFF)

WELLFLEET — Christiane Boezio stood overlooking the Atlantic Ocean at Newcomb Hollow Beach on a sunny afternoon, keeping a watchful eye on her two young children.

Anthony, 6, and Oliver, 4, were entertaining themselves with plastic boats in a shallow tide pool cut off from the ocean by a sandbar, and Mom wanted to keep it that way.

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“We used to go all the way out in the water and not have any concerns about swimming,” said Boezio, of Somerville.

Last year, though, a fatal shark attack at Newcomb Hollow, a favorite spot for Cape Cod locals and a haven for tourists from New York to the Carolinas, changed everything.

The death of 26-year-old Arthur Medici prompted local officials and legislators to take several steps to keep people safer on the Cape’s beaches, including new warning systems, improved call systems to summon emergency personnel, and better medical treatment.

Medici, an avid surfer from Revere, was boogie boarding 300 yards offshore when he was dragged underwater and badly bitten by a shark. He died from his injuries, marking the first fatal shark attack in Massachusetts since 1936.

Because cellphone service at Cape beaches is spotty, officials have installed emergency landline phones in many beach parking lots. The phones automatically dial 911 when picked up. Many beaches also have publicly accessible “stop-the-bleed” kits with a tourniquet and special bandages that encourage blood clotting.

Many beaches have taken measures to deal with possible emergencies, including the installation of bleeding control kits.(JOHN TLUMACKI/GLOBE STAFF)

Suzanne Grout Thomas, Wellfleet’s beach administrator, said lifeguards were trained to use the kits, but they can also be used by beachgoers to “stem the bleeding until paramedics and ambulance could arrive.”

Grout Thomas said the town also bought an inflatable boat with a jet engine, which lifeguards can use to check for sharks if someone reports seeing a fin in the water. On Saturday, Wellfleet will receive an off-road vehicle that can quickly traverse sand dunes with a medical kit and stretcher, she said.

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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.”

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

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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