NJ coalition takes on combined-sewer overflow problem

New Campaign Launches to Engage Communities in Shaping Solutions to Combined Sewer Overflows

[News release]
A statewide coalition today unveiled Sewage-Free Streets and Rivers, a coordinated campaign across New Jersey communities with combined sewer systems that overflow raw sewage during heavy rainfalls. These overflows can cause sewage backups into basements and streets, and dump an estimated 23 billion gallons of raw sewage into New Jersey’s waterways annually.
“After rains, the raw sewage that spews into our waterways and backs up into the streets of many urban communities poses a significant health threat to people and denies folks their right to access to safely swim, fish and recreate local on local rivers and waterways” said NY/NJ Baykeeper Greg Remaud, one of the partners in the campaign. 
“This is a huge environmental and health issue that impacts hundreds of thousands of people in New Jersey,” said Nicole Miller, Newark DIG co-chair, and another campaign partner. “The people who live and work in these communities need to know what’s being done about raw sewage overflowing onto their streets and into their rivers, and that they can and should have a say in the solutions being considered.”
“Upgrades to these aging sewer systems will be one of the largest infrastructure investments residents will see in a generation,” said Mo Kinberg, community outreach manager with New Jersey Future, a campaign partner. “It’s critical that communities affected by this work have an opportunity to speak up about how these upgrades will be implemented so that they can help ensure the work really bring community benefits.”
The 21 municipalities with combined-sewer systems are also affected by private-sector disinvestment and a history of environmental contamination from industry. The culmination of industry and combined sewer overflows has had a disproportionate impact on low-income residents and communities of color.
“Residents in many of New Jersey’s older communities, like here in Newark, know only too well what happens when they get too much rainfall for the sewage system to handle,” said Drew Curtis of Ironbound Community Corporation, another campaign partner. “They have to deal regularly with flooding and raw sewage spills. This campaign is an opportunity to influence how those problems will be solved, and to advocate for the solutions that are best for them.”
“By July of 2019, the 25 municipalities and utilities that hold sewer treatment permits in these communities will need to submit a report evaluating alternative solutions to the sewage-overflow problem,” said Kim Gaddy, the environmental justice organizer with Clean Water Action, a campaign partner. “That means that now is the time for members of the community to speak up and make their concerns and preferences heard. The purpose of the Sewage Free campaign is intended to be used as a vehicle to coordinate and amplify the voices.”
The goal of the campaign is to build capacity for community organizations to engage residents, business leaders, and elected officials in communities affected by these overflows to learn about various solutions and to indicate which ones they want prioritized. The campaign advocates for funding for extensive public educational outreach; for at least three meetings to allow meaningful public discussion of available alternatives; and for assurances that the solutions being evaluated will be cost-effective, reflect community values, and bring additional benefits such jobs, job training, local contracting and more green infrastructure and green spaces.
In 2015 the state Department of Environmental Protection issued operating permits to 25 communities and authorities with older combined sewer systems that carry both stormwater and sewage in one pipe. The permit requires these operators to develop plans for reducing the number and severity of combined sewer overflows, which happen when stormwater overwhelms the system. This combination of stormwater and sewage is released into nearby waterways, and sometimes floods area streets and backs up into basements. The plans require each municipality and sewage treatment plant operator to evaluate by July 2019 all the alternative techniques available to them to remedy the problem and to file plans by July 2020 showing how they will implement these alternatives to reach the desired reduction.
The Sewage-Free Streets and Rivers campaign was developed by a group of organizations working to make New Jersey communities stronger and healthier places to live and work and is attracting a growing list of partners, including:
The towns and utilities with combined sewer systems are:

NJ coalition takes on combined-sewer overflow problem Read More »

John Dorsey, former Senate majority leader, dead at 80

Former NJ State Senator John Dorsey

 Morris Republican spent 18 years in NJ Legislature

David Wildstein reports for the New Jersey Globe:

John H. Dorsey, a former majority leader of the New Jersey State Senate and a powerful Republican legislator for eighteen years, passed away on Sunday. He was 80.

Dorsey served in the State Assembly from 1976 to 1978, and in the Senate from 1978 to 1994. He lost his seat in 1993 after blocking the reappointment of a Superior Court Judge in Morris County.

He launched his political career in 1971 at age 34 as a candidate for an Assembly seat, losing a Republican primary to incumbent Josephine Margetts (R-Harding) and Albert W. Merck (R-Mendham), the scion of the Merck pharmaceutical fortune. He finished third in a field of seven candidates, running 1,479 votes behind Merck.

When Margetts gave up her seat to run for the Senate in 1973, Dorsey ran again. He won the Republican primary by 544 votes against James J. Barry, Jr. (R-Harding). Dorsey and Merck were casualties of the Watergate landslide that year, losing to Democrats Gordon MacInnes (D-Morris Township) and Rosemarie Totaro (D-Denville). Dorsey ran 4,119 votes behind MacInnes, but just 903 votes behind Totaro. He out-polled Merck by 435 votes.

Dorsey ran for a third time in 1975. This time he finished first in the GOP primary, running 1,083 votes ahead of Barry. Barry took the second seat by 23 votes over Parsippany attorney Alfred Villoresi.

In the general election, Dorsey and Barry narrowly defeated Totaro and MacInnes.

Dorsey was the top vote-getter, running 11 votes in front of Barry and 591 votes ahead of Totaro. MacInnes finished fourth, 1,693 votes behind Dorsey.

After one term in the Assembly, Dorsey gave up his seat to challenge freshman State Sen. Stephen B. Wiley (D-Morris Township).


Read the full story
Like this? Click to receive free updates

John Dorsey, former Senate majority leader, dead at 80 Read More »

Atlantic City offshore wind energy project goes 0-for-3

Nautilus official says ‘state is missing out’ as Board of Public Utilities gives thumbs-down to 25-megawatt wind farm

Tom Johnson reports for NJ Spotlight:

New Jersey has once again rejected a plan to build a small pilot offshore-wind project off Atlantic City, a decision seemingly at odds with the Murphy administration’s commitment to make New Jersey a national leader in an emerging clean-energy sector.

The project, located in state waters 2.8 miles off the resort city, was deemed too costly to ratepayers who would finance the 25-megawatt wind farm and unable to demonstrate it would be a net economic benefit to New Jersey and the customers who would pay for it.

This marked the third time the state Board of Public Utilities has refused to approve the Nautilus Offshore Wind LLC project by EDF Renewable Energy. Prior iterations of the proposal had been pushed by Fishermen’s Energy and rejected for largely the same reasons by state regulators during the Christie administration.

Doug Copeland, regional project manager for EDF, called the decision very disappointing. “With permitting already in place, Nautilus is the only project capable of giving New Jersey an early lead in the offshore wind space race,’’ he said. “We think the state is missing out on a great many opportunities.’’

Only one offshore-wind farm is operating in the U.S., but states up and down the Eastern Seaboard are developing aggressive plans to build turbines off their coasts, with none more ambitious than New Jersey.

Like this? Click to receive free updates

Fiordaliso: Benefits were ‘too tentative’
Gov. Phil Murphy has opened a solicitation to build up to 1,100 MW off the Jersey coast, a process expected to draw interest from up to five offshore-wind developers in an application window that closes three days after Christmas.

Nautilus has touted its three-turbine project as serving as a pilot to develop the infrastructure and skilled workforce to establish New Jersey as a leader in the offshore wind industry. It had its backers.

“Although Nautilus was a small project, it has always offered significant value beyond the clean power in the form of continuing the efficiency of the New Jersey offshore wind supply chain and business community,’’ said Liz Burdock, president and CEO of the Business Network for Offshore Wind.

The project had its detractors, too. The New Jersey Division of Rate Counsel opposed the project, calling its price to ratepayers too high and its supposed benefits too nebulous.

BPU president Joseph Fiordaliso agreed. He described the price that customers would pay, which the state declined to reveal as “confidential,’’ as much higher than similar projects elsewhere in the U.S. and in the United Kingdom.

“Simply stated, the Nautilus proposal contains a price too high and benefits too tentative,’’ Fiordaliso said. The state law promoting offshore wind requires developers to show a net economic benefit to ratepayers, who will ultimately foot the cost of the electricity generated by the wind farms.
Several environmental groups opposed

The project also drew opposition from New Jersey Audubon, the National Wildlife Federation, and the American Littoral Society, among others.

“Pursuing offshore wind as an element of the state’s response to climate change has a place in the agenda, but it cannot be done at the cost of our coastal and marine wildlife,’’ said Tim Dillingham, executive director of the American Littoral Society.

The state Department of Environmental Protection has conducted extensive studies on how birds and marine wildlife would be impacted by offshore wind farms, and essentially found the potential harm to wildlife is minimized the farther the turbines are located offshore.

The projects expected to come into the BPU by the end of the year are expected to be located in federal waters extending from 10 miles to 20 miles off the coastline. Those projects are expected to be utility-scale wind farms, bringing economies of scale to lower the cost to ratepayers


Atlantic City offshore wind energy project goes 0-for-3 Read More »

Environmental bills move ahead in the NJ Legislature


The following bills advanced today in the New Jersey Assembly:

 A2558 – “Vegetation Management Response Act”; concerns vegetation management related to electric public utility infrastructure.
12/17/2018 Passed in Assembly 70-1-5

A2614 – Increases civil penalties for certain natural gas or hazardous liquid facility safety violations.
12/17/2018 Substituted by S-679

A4578 – Makes supplemental appropriation of $50 million from General Fund to DEP and adds language provisions concerning the use of certain environmental settlement monies for natural resource restoration projects.
12/17/2018 Passed in Assembly 79-0-0

A4748 – Authorizes NJ Infrastructure Bank to expend additional sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for FY2019.
12/17/2018 Passed in Assembly 79-0-0

A4751 – Appropriates $15.696 million from constitutionally dedicated CBT revenues to DEP for State acquisition of lands for recreation and conservation purposes, including Blue Acres projects.
12/17/2018 Passed in Assembly 79-0-0

ACR51 – Memorializes Administrator of EPA to expedite cleanup of Garfield Ground Water Contamination site and provide for temporary relocation of residents affected thereby.
12/17/2018 Passed in Assembly 79-0-0

S679 – Increases civil penalties for certain natural gas or hazardous liquid facility safety violations.
12/17/2018 Substituted for A-2614
12/17/2018 Passed in Assembly, sent to Governor 78-0-0


Like this? Click to receive free updates

Environmental bills move ahead in the NJ Legislature Read More »

Drop in benzene in air follows shut down of NY coal facility


New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today released DEC’s analysis of air monitoring data for benzene and air samples collected by community residents from the neighborhood around the former Tonawanda Coke Corporation.

The data show an immediate drop in benzene following the shutdown of the facility in October 2018. Overall, DEC’s assessment of the data found no chemical concentrations that would be of concern for short- and long-term exposures and no public health concern for either short- or long-term exposure.


“For too long, Tonawanda Coke has been a blight on this community, and its owners will be held accountable for any damage to this community and the environment, ” Seggos said.

In response to concerns raised by local residents, DEC assessed neighborhood air quality by analyzing monitoring data and samples. It reports that air quality distinctly improved after the shutdown of Tonawanda Coke and that benzene, a toxic air pollutant, dropped precipitously. 

DEC and the USEPA are developing a cleanup plan for the site where the DEC has operated two monitors near the site since 2007. One monitor, located on Grand Island Boulevard, is 1,500 feet northeast of the facility and near interstates 190 and 290 and other industrial facilities. The second monitor is located in a residential neighborhood on Brookside Terrace West, 8,000 feet northeast of the facility. 

Earlier this year, in response to concerns about operations at Tonawanda Coke, DEC supplemented the Grand Island Boulevard toxics monitor with real-time benzene monitoring. Although benzene levels at Grand Island Boulevard were higher than recent years for much of 2018, the agency says that the shutdown of Tonawanda Coke in October corresponded with an immediate drop in benzene at that location. In addition, samples taken by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the period leading up to the plant closure did not detect levels of significance. For additional information, visit the DEC website.

In addition, DEC provided air sampling equipment to community residents engaged with DEC since the Tonawanda Community Air Quality Study, which DEC launched in 2007 to evaluate air quality in Tonawanda and emissions from Tonawanda Coke. In 2009, the study documented high levels of benzene released from Tonawanda Coke’s operation, which can be an indicator of certain improper operations at the facility. As a result, DEC required the facility to make repairs and operational modifications to address the releases of this pollutant. The facility worked to reduce benzene concentrations after DEC’s study and the area measurements for benzene had been reduced by 89 percent prior to the shutdown of the facility.


Drop in benzene in air follows shut down of NY coal facility Read More »

EPA proposes $18.2M cleanup of toxic Meadowlands site

The Universal Oil Products Superfund site in 2010 on Route 17 in East Rutherford, NJ. (Photo: File photo)

Scott Fallon reports for the North Jersey Record:

Another major toxic site in the Meadowlands is slated to be cleaned up under a proposed $18.2 million plan, unveiled this week by federal officials, for a former East Rutherford factory.

The proposal for Universal Oil Products comes just two months after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chose a $332 million plan to dredge mercury-laden sediment from nearby Berry’s Creek.

The plan targets Ackerman’s Creek, which is tainted with lead, PCBs and other contaminants from Universal Oil Products.

Workers would remove the top 2 feet of sediment laced with lead, PCBs and other contaminants from the waterway on the west side of Murray Hill Parkway. That would total 16,300 cubic yards — enough to fill almost 1,200 average-sized dump trucks.

Like this? Click to receive free updates


The excavated areas would then be filled with clean sand and gravel.

EPA officials are supporting the $18.2 million plan over a $21.6 million plan that would excavate the first 3 feet of soil from the property for a total of 19,600 cubic yards.

Honeywell acquired the property in 2002 and would likely be among the parties to pay for the cleanup.

Officials said removing all of the contaminated sediment would not reduce the risk substantially more than a proposal to scoop up the first 2 feet and cap the remaining contaminants. Many environmental groups have criticized this practice, derisively calling it “pave and wave” and saying only complete excavation can ensure that there is no threat to public health.

As with most of New Jersey’s worst toxic sites, the pollution at Universal Oil Products dates back decades to when ink was manufactured at the site, off Route 17 near Paterson Plank Road.

The factory handled chemical waste for decades, and pollution would routinely seep from on-site wastewater lagoons into soil, groundwater, marshlands, and creeks.


EPA proposes $18.2M cleanup of toxic Meadowlands site Read More »