President: Anne Poole
Legislative Director: Michael Pisauro

Legislative Report - by Michael L. Pisauro, Jr.
Diesel, Coastal Areas, Fast Track, Solid Waste/Recycling, Mercury Emissions
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New Board Members, Officers -
NJEL welcomes two individuals to the Board of Trustees. Paul Simmons, a resident of Middle Twp. in Cape May County and Eric Rush, a resident of Morris Twp.
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EEF Receives Grant From The Environmental Endowment - by Joana Alonzo
The Environmental Education Fund has received a grant from the Environmental Endowment of New Jersey for outreach and education about Integrated Pest Management (IPM) ) in the Passaic Valley Sewerage District.
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College Interns Assist The Organizations -
During the summer, NJEL and EEF were fortunate to have the services of two outstanding college interns, Jessica Costantini and Jennie Lupo.
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Use The Power Scorecard - by Jennie Lupo
The electricity industry in the United States is responsible for some of the highest pollution rates, emitting 67% of the sulfur dioxide responsible for acid rain ...
Read More ...

Legislative Report - by Michael L. Pisauro, Jr.

Diesel

In September Acting Governor Codey signed a bill dealing with diesel emissions from trucks and buses. The bill that was passed differed from those that had been released from the Senate and Assembly committees. The original versions provided that privately owned vehicles be retrofitted at State expense, in effect, "paying" private entities not to pollute. The final bill required that public trucks, buses, school buses, and private vehicles used for public purposes be retrofitted with diesel emission control devices. A small portion of the Corporation Business Tax (CBT) will be reallocated to fund the retro-fits, without any increase in the CBT. Reallocation of CBT funds required voter approval, however, and NJEL participated with other environmental advocates in distributing voter materials that urged a "yes" vote on the initiative. In a win for public health, the initiative passed.

Diesel emissions are considered to be toxic and possibly carcinogenic. They are linked to the increased incidence of asthma, allergies and other disorders. While the law that was passed does not address all mobile sources of diesel emissions, it is a start. It also does not require the citizens of New Jersey to pay private entities not to pollute. A solution must still be found for eliminating other sources of emissions in a fair and cost effective way.

Coastal Areas

Several bills pending in both houses of the legislature will have severe negative impacts on our coastal towns. S2302, S2323, and A3742 would extend the time for municipalities to have coastal centers approved. Over five years ago, regulations were promulgated that gave towns until February 5, 2005 to designate coastal centers. This designation allows denser development in the centers, in some cases allowing up to 90% impervious cover. Most towns did not achieve the designation and the reasons for that failure are in dispute. The proposed bills would extend the deadline. The language of A3742 and S2302 could, in effect, result in an indefinite time line. S2323 would extend the application period until December 31, 2006.

NJEL opposes these bills. Allowing additional time is obviously intended to facilitate increased, and denser, development Coastal areas already have been damaged by overdevelopment. Increases in impervious cover reduce the recharge of ground water. This, coupled with increased demand by residential and commercial consumers, means that we are removing more water from the aquifer than is entering. This has already resulted in saltwater intrusion into some of our aquifers. A recent report by the United States Commission on Ocean Policy noted that watersheds with more than 10% impervious cover are considered seriously degraded. Several of our watersheds exceed or are close to that limit.

There are areas in our bays and ocean where marine life is severely degraded. One of the chief causes is polluted run-off from our roads, lawns, homes, and businesses. Besides the obvious environmental damage caused by unsustainable development in coastal areas, eventually the tourism industry will be negatively impacted. Tourism is the State's second largest industry. If our coastal areas are befouled by pollution, over crowding, gridlocked transportation, and degraded marine life, will it continue to be the spot where tourists spend their time and money? Protecting our coastal areas is good not only for the environment but also for our economic health.

Senator Kean has sponsored a bill which NJEL does support. This bill would begin to tighten the requirements of the Coastal Area Facilities Review Act (CAFRA). Currently, developments of fewer than 25 homes and commercial developments of fewer than 51 parking spaces do not need a CAFRA permit. Senator Kean's bill proposes to condition the need for a permit on the planning area classification of the locale. For example, a permit would be required for one dwelling in an environmentally sensitive area (Planning Area 5). The same house in a rural area (Planning Area 4) would not. In a Planning Area 4, a development of three or more homes would trigger the permit requirement. A commercial development with 10 or more parking spots would likewise require a permit. Under current CAFRA regulations, it does not. To some degree, this bill would help to control sprawl in coastal areas.

DEP recently proposed regulations, rather than legislative action, that would extend the deadlines for coastal centers, depending on the circumstances. We are reviewing the proposed regulations and will have more information shortly.

Fast Track

While the law is still on the books, Acting Governor Codey issued an executive order blocking implementation while the federal government determines whether or not provisions of Fast Track conflict with certain Federal programs that are administrated by the NJDEP. While it is good news that Fast Track has been delayed, the law needs to be repealed. A majority of legislators are in favor of repealing the law, but the bill has not been heard at the committee level or brought for a vote on floor. Please contact your legislators and ask them to put pressure on the leadership to have A3650 and S2157 brought to a vote.

Solid Waste / Recycling

Several bills are pending that would help increase recycling and reduce our usage of landfills. S2578, sponsored by Senator Smith, would require manufacturers of products to use up to fifty percent recycled plastic in their packaging. S2615/A4075, the "Recycling Enhancement Act" will enhance the funding for the State's recycling program. The Assembly and Senate bills are sponsored by Assemblyman McKeon and Senator Smith, respectively. S1861/A3057, "Electronic Waste Producer Responsibility Act," seeks to remove electronic devices from our waste stream. Electronic devices tend to have heavy metals or other substances that are toxic including lead, mercury, polyvinyl chloride, etc. These bills are sponsored by Senator Smith, and Assembly members Barnes, Diegnan and McKeon. NJEL testified in support of these bills at a joint session of the Senate Environment/Assembly Solid Waste and Environment committees.

Mercury Emissions

DEP proposed extensions for meeting mercury emissions requirements. Currently, coal fired plants must meet the emission requirements by December 15, 2007. The extensions would provide for an additional five years under certain circumstances. NJEL believed that the bases for granting these extensions were undefined and subjective. Therefore, NJEL has opposed these proposals. Also, given the given the highly toxic nature of mercury and its effects on wildlife and humans, continuing to allow high levels of emissions can only be harmful. Mercury is in the air and through deposition, is in our waters. Mercury is in our food supply, i.e. fish and shellfish, and in our bodies. Mercury exposure has been linked to "losses of sensory or cognitive ability, tremors, inability to walk, convulsions, and death." It is especially harmful to young and unborn children.

New Board Members, Officers -

NJEL welcomes two individuals to the Board of Trustees. Paul Simmons, a resident of Middle Township in Cape May County, was elected to the Board in May. Paul holds a B.S. in Geography and Environmental Science. Immediately after graduating from college, Paul joined Americorps, as a member of the Watershed Ambassador program. During employment at an engineering firm, and with an interest in local politics, Paul became familiar with zoning, property tax, and land use issues. Paul is particularly interested in assisting NJEL in its efforts to stop sprawl, protect the coastal environment, and reduce the emissions that contribute to global warming and rising sea levels.

Eric Rush, a resident of Morris Township, was elected to the Board at the most recent meeting in September. Eric is a graduate of the Seton Hall University Stillman School of Business and also holds an Executive Certificate from the Kellog School of Management of Northwestern University. Eric has an extensive background in insurance and is currently the Head of Financial Institutions at HCC Global Financial Products, a subsidiary of HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. HCC Global provides professional liability insurance to businesses and boards of directors. Eric is a member and supporter of a number of other local and national environmental organizations, including the Great Swamp Watershed Association and Sierra Club. As a resident of Morris County, a parent, and a participant in outdoor sports, Eric is concerned about the loss of open space and the degraded water quality in New Jersey.

In addition to new Trustees, NJEL announces the election of Daphne Speck-Bartynski to the office of Vice President. Daphne has been associated with NJEL for 10 years and has served both NJEL and EEF in a number of capacities. Most recently, Daphne was co-Chair of the 2005 Awards Reception and is the Chairperson of the Executive Director Retirement Dinner. Congratulations, Daphne!

EEF Receives Grant From The Environmental Endowment -
by Joana Alonzo

The Environmental Education Fund has received a grant from the Environmental Endowment of New Jersey for outreach and education about Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in the Passaic Valley Sewerage District. EEF is offering free presentations to schools in the Sewerage District area for the 2005/2006 school year. We are very excited to be given this opportunity to get back into the classroom and we hope to expand this offering throughout the state. With our presentations, we hope not only to involve students in protecting their watersheds, but also to promote the new IPM law for New Jersey schools. In order to make the subject more interesting and meaningful, we have acquired a watershed model for use in the presentations. Schools or teachers in the Passaic Valley Sewerage District that are interested in these presentations, or anyone who would like to volunteer for this project should contact Joana at (609) 394-3774.

College Interns Assist The Organizations -

During the summer, NJEL and EEF were fortunate to have the services of two outstanding college interns. Jessica Costantini and Jennie Lupo assisted the organizations while observing the legislative process and gaining experience in the operation of environmental organizations.

Jessica, now a senior at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY, began working for EEF almost immediately after returning from a semester in Costa Rica. Jess, as she prefers to be called, is a resident of Yardville and is pursuing a degree in environmental policy. Jess collected information needed for EEF's Green Town USA project and her work on the project resulted in an application from an interested municipality. Jess also observed committee hearings and assisted NJEL's Legislative Director with research on recycling.

Jennie Lupo, a student at Rutgers, whose permanent home is in Rutherford, divided her part time hours between NJEL and EEF. She compiled a voluminous resource file of media outlets and their requirements, including potential outlets for public service announcements for the Power Scorecard Project. Jennie staffed a table at a public event ("volunteering" the help of two of her friends), researched various issues, and assisted with administrative duties.

We regretfully said good-bye to Jess as she returned to classes in late August, and we hope that her future plans as an environmental advocate will include New Jersey and NJEL. We are happy to report that Jennie's departure was only temporary.
After organizing her fall semester at Rutgers, Jennie has returned to assist NJEL and EEF. Her first assignment was to distribute voter information about Ballot Question 2, which sought voter approval to fund diesel engine retrofits of public vehicles, including school buses. Jennie will also assume responsibility for maintaining NJEL's new email alert system.

Welcome back, Jennie!

Use The Power Scorecard - by Jennie Lupo

The electricity industry in the United States is responsible for some of the highest pollution rates, emitting 67% of the sulfur dioxide responsible for acid rain, 25 % of the nitrogen dioxide contributing to urban smog, and 40% of the carbon emissions impacting global warming.

This has serious consequences for the present and for future generations. However, these emissions may be decreased with new technologies and renewable sources. Consumers may now choose their electrical suppliers and in doing so have the power to send a message to the industry that "greener" energy is important to the consumer. To assist the consumer in choosing an electric utility that utilizes cleaner technology and renewable energy sources, Pace University has created Power Scorecard. Power Scorecard rates electric companies based on the impact they have on air, water, and land quality as well as the percentage of electricity they obtain from renewable sources. The impact the companies have on climate change, acid rain, ozone, mercury emissions, their consumption of water, and the disposal of solid waste and fuels, are all taken into account. In addition to assigning ratings for the environmental impact and renewable energy sources, Power Scorecard discloses the price, in cents per kilowatt-hour.

NJEL is collaborating with Pace University to publicize Power Scorecard. Our former Ex. Director Marie Curtis is the project leader for NJEL's participation. The Scorecard is accessible to the public via the website, www.powerscorecard.org. A consumer may select a state from a scroll down menu. The website then displays a ratings chart which is clear and easy to understand. Several links are available to explain how the ratings were assigned and what they mean. The consumer can compare the companies' ratings in order to make the best decision. Other links allow the user to read more about energy use, new technologies, and how to reduce personal energy consumption. The Scorecard enables the consumer to choose an electric supplier based on environmental consequences. Consumers can show the utility industry that they will act with their pocketbooks. To utilize the Scorecard log on to www.powerscorecard.org. Marie Curtis has composed sample letters-to-the-editor that members may send to newspapers to promote use of Power Scorecard. If you would like us to email you a sample letter, please call the NJEL office or send an email to Joana Alonzo at njel@earthlink.net