Summer 2008 - Hackensack RIVERKEEPER

Transcription

Summer 2008, Volume XI, Issue 3
Hackensack Riverkeeper® is the leading environmental organization working on Hackensack River issues.
Hackensack Riverkeeper’s Legal Victory Over Honeywell
Bears its Biggest Fruit
Secures clean, green future for Jersey City’s Hackensack River Waterfront
By Bill Sheehan and Hugh Carola
The summer has proven to be a
very productive time regarding the
cleanup of chromium-contaminated
sites in Jersey City. In our watershed, particularly in Hudson
County, chromium waste is one of
the most widespread and insidious
pollutants we face. Literally hundreds of millions of tons of the
stuff lay buried throughout Hudson
County, much of it along the banks
of and in the sediments under the
Hackensack River. Among the
“alphabet soup” of contaminants,
the worst is Hexavalent Chromium
(Cr (VI)) – a known human carcinogen.
Readers of Tidelines will recall
our precedent-setting victory in the
2004 decision handed down by US
District Judge Dennis M.
Cavanaugh in our lawsuit against
Honeywell International. Not only
did the judge rule in our favor; his
decision also set a new court-manContinued on Page 19
TRIPLETS!
Contractors taking core samples to determine the extent of chromium contamination
in the riverbed sediment.
Major Court Victory for the
Passaic River – And Beyond
Jersey City Ospreys fledge
three young this season
Ruling has wide-ranging implications
By Hugh M. Carola
Like expectant godparents, all of us at Hackensack
Riverkeeper worried about and hoped for the success
of this year’s Osprey
brood. The nest –
adjacent to PSE&G’s
Hudson Generating
Station – is still the
only active Osprey
nest anywhere within
An important legal victory was recently won by the
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
(DEP) and the people of New Jersey in the seeminglyendless battle to clean up the Passaic River. On
September 5, Essex County Superior Court Judge
Donald S. Goldman issued a ruling in favor of the
DEP regarding its litigation against several local and
foreign defendants including Spanish-owned oil company Repsol YPF, S.A. and its Argentinean-based subsidiary YPF, S.A. Judge Goldman’s ruling enables the
Photo courtesy of PSE&G
Continued on Page 18
Continued on Page 3
INSIDE:
Welcome Our New Trustee
Annual Awards Dinner Invite
Vellekamp Scholarship Winner
Join the CoCoRaHS Network
3
4-5
6
8
Nature Program Cooperative
Real Science for Real People
Birds of the Hackensack
Watershed Field Notes
Volunteer Corner
Letters to Riverkeeper
9
10
11
13
20-21
22
Page 2
Hackensack Tidelines - Summer 2008
At the
helm
231 Main Street
Hackensack, NJ 07601-7304
A word from
Captain Bill
Parks are for Recreation!
Recreational open space is one
of the most important public
resources we have. In heavily
developed and densely populated
Bergen and Hudson Counties, people understand that and have
always supported preserving open
space and expanding recreational
opportunities. Both counties have
active Trust Funds that purchase
open space for both active and passive recreation. Regardless of how
such lands are used (Little League,
soccer, golf, tennis, hiking, dogwalking, nature study, fishing, birding, etc.), the highest criteria for
any project is how it will benefit
people. One thing that all recreational pursuits have in common is
their benefit to the citizens who
pay the taxes used for park acquisition and development.
In general, political leaders in
both counties have very good
records on this issue and have often
proven themselves by taking vocal
and public positions regarding the
need to increase their open space
inventories and expand recreational
opportunities for their constituents.
So far so good, right? Well, read on
and you will be unpleasantly surprised about two projects currently
being considered in our region.
In Bergen County, we’re following a lead that the County Planning
Department is considering paving
over precious parkland – parkland
that is protected by state Green
Acres easements – to build a 700space parking lot. This project
would effectively turn a large section of Overpeck County Park into
a Park-and-Ride facility for a proposed train station in Leonia. It is
truly puzzling how on one hand
Bergen is spending MILLONS of
dollars to improve Overpeck Park
for people’s enjoyment and on the
other hand scheming to undermine
the value of this important open
space resource.
And as if that is not enough, in
Hudson County there is an insidious proposal quietly circulating
among political insiders to chip
away at Laurel Hill County Park in
Secaucus. A few powerful politicians want to take away 25 acres of
the park’s open space (an extremely rare commodity in Hudson) and
relocate the county’s Technical
High School there. If allowed to go
through, this foolish misappropriation of parkland will diminish the
value of the only park on the
Hackensack River that provides
unrestricted access for boaters, paddlers, birders, and anglers. The
park also features a wealth of
recreational fields – most of which
were upgraded this year using
Green Acres funding.
As an environmental leader,
Phone:
(201) 968-0808
Fax:
(201) 968-0336
Hotline: 1-877-CPT-BILL
info@hackensackriverkeeper.org
www.hackensackriverkeeper.org
Board of Trustees
Margaret Utzinger, President
Ivan Kossak, CPA, Vice President
J. Michael Parish, Treasurer
Susan Gordon, Secretary
Trustees
Virginia Korteweg
Kelly G. Palazzi
Dr. Beth Ravit
Ellie Spray
Nancy Wysocki
Honorary Trustees
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
William “Pat” Schuber
Executive Director
Captain Bill Sheehan,
Hackensack Riverkeeper
HRI Staff
Hugh Carola, Program Director
Lisa Ryan, Operations Director
Diane Saccoccia, Development Director
Nick Vos-Wein, Project Manager
Nick Vos-Wein, Tidelines Editor
Lisa Ryan, Webmaster
We gladly accept submissions of
articles, photography and advertisements from the community; however,
we retain editorial discretion. We do
not necessarily endorse any individual
or company whose advertisements are
found in these pages.
Hackensack Tidelines
is published quarterly
on recycled paper.
Riverkeeper is a registered trademark and service mark of Riverkeeper, Inc. and is licensed for
use herein.
Waterkeeper is a registered trademark and service mark of Waterkeeper Alliance, Inc. and is
licensed for use herein.
Hackensack Tidelines - Winter 2008
Page 3
Longtime Advisor Is Newest Hackensack Riverkeeper Trustee
We welcome Dr. Beth Ravit from Rutgers University to our team
By Hugh M. Carola
By a unanimous vote on
September 10, Dr. Elizabeth Ravit
was approved as the newest member of Hackensack Riverkeeper’s
Board of Trustees. Dr. Ravit – Beth
to her friends – is no stranger to
our organization. We’ve known her
since March 1999, when she first
walked into our office.
“There we were – Hughie and I
– in our old office at Fairleigh
Dickinson University when this
tall, vivacious woman strolls in,”
recalled Captain Bill. “After looking at the two of us, she said,
‘Well, if one of you is Bill
Sheehan, then I’m in the right
place.’ Almost from that moment
on, Beth became an important part
of this organization.”
Beth had recently closed the
Passaic River Victory
Continued from Page 1
DEP to continue to seek from the
defendants the costs of cleaning up
severe dioxin contamination in the
Passaic River.
The DEP’s original complaint –
filed in December 2005 –names
seven individual defendants and
alleges that Diamond Shamrock
Chemical Corporation, which operated a pesticide and chemical man-
Dr. Beth Ravit
book on a nearly thirty-year career
in retail management, having spent
much of it as a senior executive
with several major corporations.
Like so many people before her
and since, she was looking to make
not just a change for herself but a
ufacturing facility on the banks of
the Passaic River in the Ironbound
section of Newark, deliberately
polluted the Passaic River with
dioxin, DDT and various other pesticides and chemicals – for approximately twenty years. Dioxin is a
known human carcinogen that
causes other serious health conditions including birth defects, liver
damage, reproductive disorders and
Chloracne – a disfiguring skin disease. Dioxin is a byproduct of the
difference in the world and she
chose the environmental field as
the place to make her mark. Her
timing was perfect: Captain Bill
had just gone full-time as
Riverkeeper, the organization has
just moved into the FDU office,
and another “retail refugee” – me –
had just signed on as a full-time
volunteer. It wasn’t long before she
joined our Advisory Board and
became a valuable and active member of our crew.
Beth also went back to college
to better prepare herself for her
new career. Between 1999 and
2005, she attended Rutgers
University and earned both a
Master’s Degree and Doctorate in
Environmental Science. After gradContinued on Page 22
manufacture of the Vietnam Warera defoliant Agent Orange and is
extremely persistent once released
into the environment and it accumulates in the tissues of humans
and animals exposed to it.
Because of the Passaic River’s
tides, the dioxin has migrated
throughout the lower 17 miles of
the river and has also migrated into
the lower reaches of the
The Diamond Shamrock site, located off Lister Ave. in Newark, as seen on one of our Passaic River Patrol Cruises.
Page 4
Join Hackensack Riverkeeper
In honoring some of New Jersey’s best corporate, community and government leaders
At our Annual Awards Dinner and Sustainable SeafoodFest!
The 2008 Honorees:
Ralph Izzo
CEO, President and Chairman of the Board of PSEG
Ed Onorato and Mark Distler
Save Paramus Wetlands
Lynette Lurig
Research Scientist, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Please join us as we pay tribute to these special people
who are making a difference in our watershed
October 16, 2008
7:00 pm
Hilton Hotel, Hasbrouck Heights NJ
Tickets: $150 per person
For Tickets, complete an mail the response card on the next page.
You can also call 201-968-0808 or visit www.hackensackriverkeeper.org
The Event:
Cocktail hour featuring delectable treats from Whole Foods Market
Sustainable seafood information exhibit
Sit-down dinner featuring sustainable seafood
Desserts from Elegant Desserts
Awards presentation by Captain Bill Sheehan to the honorees
Silent auction with “something for everyone” Limited edition Baron Wolman photograph,
“Shadowing day” with WNBC-TV’s Brian Thompson,
Night on the town dinner & Wynonna Judd tickets
Brazilian Beach House getaway, Spa experiences,
Golf outing at Knickerbocker Country Club,
AND MUCH, MUCH MORE!
Page 5
Corporate
Environmental
Stewardship Award
Grassroots Activist
Award
Ed Onorato and
Mark Distler
Ralph Izzo
CEO, President and Chairman
of the Board of PSEG
Save Paramus Wetlands
Leadership in
Environmental
Education Award
Lynette Lurig
Research Scientist, New
Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection
Hackensack Riverkeeper extends heartfelt thanks to our event sponsors*:
COMMODORE SPONSOR – Xchange at Secaucus Junction;
COMMANDER SPONSORS – BCUA, PSEG, Whole Foods Market;
QUARTERMASTER SPONSORS – The Chronicle of Hackensack & S. Hackensack, Meadowlands Xanadu;
CREW SPONSORS – Hatch Mott MacDonald, Kearny Federal Savings, Panasonic Corp. of North America,
Printing Responsibly, Shop Rite of Hackensack (Inserra Supermarkets);
CADET SPONSORS – Jet Aviation, Otterstedt Insurance
*as of 9/2/2008
If you were expecting a
mailed invitation to our
event this year and didn’t
get one, don’t feel bad.
Out of concern for the
environment we only
printed a limited number
of invitations.
Please clip and mail this
response card to reserve
your seats at our Annual
Awards Dinner and
Sustainable SeafoodFest.
Thanks for helping us
save a tree!
RSVP by October 3, 2008
Name __________________________________________________________________
Company _______________________________________________________________
Address ________________________________________________________________
City, State, Zip ___________________________________________________________
Phone (_____) ___________________________________________________________
Email address ___________________________________________________________
Please reserve tickets as follows:
___ Table of 10 for $1,500. (Fair market value of $600.)
$ ______
___ Individual tickets at $150 per person (Fair market value of $60 pp.) $ ______
___ I am unable to attend, but I wish to make a contribution of
$ ______
Payment enclosed (make check or money order payable to
Please charge $ _________ to my ___ Amex ___ Visa ___ MasterCard
Hackensack Riverkeeper Inc).
Card #_____________________________________ Exp. Date _______/______
V-code _________________ Signature __________________________________
Hackensack Riverkeeper, 231 Main Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601; 201-968-0808
Page 6
Ridgefield Graduate Wins Vellekamp Scholarship
Claire Park honored for academic excellence, environmental commitment
At Ridgefield Memorial High
School on June 20, Captain Bill
Sheehan presented Claire Park with
the 2008 Ron Vellekamp
Environmental Scholarship. This
August Ms. Park joined the freshman class at Stony Brook Honors
College – part of the State
University of New York (SUNY)
system – in Stony Brook, NY where
we’re sure the $1,000 award will
come in very handy. She plans to
study environmental engineering
and to use the knowledge she gains
to make life better for people everywhere.
“My experiences in Jakarta,
Claire Park, joined by Ridgefield Memorial H.S. guidance counselor Irene
Indonesia during eighth grade made Voight, receives her award from Captain Sheehan.
me realize that protecting our environment must be the major concern years ago, she graduated 14th in her
Women and the Governor’s School
of humankind,” wrote Claire in her
for Science. She is an accomplished
class with a 4.24 Grade Point
application essay. “I intend to use
scholar-athlete who spends much of
Average (GPA).
my education towards inventing an
her spare time volunteering in her
In addition to the Vellekamp
effective and clean energy system
community.
Scholarship, Claire received many
so that no baby will ever be born on other academic awards during her
The Ron Vellekamp
this planet with a birth defect due to senior year including recognition
Environmental Scholarship was
environmental degradation.”
founded by friends and family of
from both Renssalaer Polytechnic
“With so much attention being
the late Mr. Vellekamp – a dedicatInstitute and the Society of Women
focused on developing countries in
ed teacher, Scout leader, Palisades
Engineers. She is member of
Asia, there is truly a need for talent- Academic Decathlon, New Jersey
Interstate Park ranger and Trustee
ed individuals to step up,” said
of Hackensack Riverkeeper. Each
Math League, Bergen County
th
Capt. Sheehan. “Coal-fired 19
Junior Commission on the Status of year we honor a deserving high
school graduate from the
Century Industrial
Past Winners of the Ron Vellekamp
Hackensack River
Revolution-style economies
Watershed who has good
won’t cut it in the 21st. The
Environmental Scholarship
grades and a strong desire to
environmental risks are just
2001: Rebecca Nelson, Cresskill, NJ
protect the environment. In
too great – for them and for
Cresskill Junior-Senior High School
2008, out of the sixty-three
everyone.”
2002: Jacqueline Allalouf, Pearl River, NY
eligible schools in New
Claire is fluent in
Pearl River High School
Jersey and New York,
English, Korean (her native
2003: Sonia D’Angio, Cliffside Park, NJ
twelve students were nomilanguage), Japanese,
Cliffside Park High School
nated for the award.
Chinese, Indonesian and
2004: Daniel DeSantis, New City, NY
“Ron knew that young
Spanish. Her fluency in
Clarkstown Senior High School South
people are our hope for the
Spanish even qualified her
2005: Timothy DenHerder-Thomas, Jersey City, NJ future,” explained Captain
for membership in the
High Tech High School
Bill. “All of us who knew
Spanish Honors Society –
2006:
Keith Brunner, River Edge, NJ
him know he would have
of which she is a proud
River
Dell
Regional
High
School
been proud of Claire and the
member. Despite having
2007: Jeffery Deutsch, Park Ridge, NJ
good work she’s done and
moved to the United States
Park Ridge High School
will surely continue to do.”
with her family only four
Page 7
Partnerships Create Opportunities for Environmental Action
Like Hackensack Riverkeeper,
many other people and organizations across New Jersey are working to restore local waterways so
they can once again be fishable and
swimmable. The PSEG
Environmental Partnership Team –
the same folks who built the
Osprey platforms – provides the
hardware that helps make some of
those restorations possible.
“As with many environmental
projects in the past, environmental
advocates have the ideas; but don’t
always have the skill, resources or
time to construct the projects,”
explains Bill Elmer, Planning &
Design Manager – Gas for PSE&G.
Here in our part of the state, the
Team’s plan is to help reduce pollution in the Hudson – Raritan
Estuary, the most urban estuary on
the planet, by supporting local oyster restoration and introduction
efforts. As our local waters get
cleaner, they become better habitat
for many species of marine creatures, including filter feeders like
oysters. An adult oyster can filter
up to 50 gallons of water a day,
making the water clearer as it
feeds; which could bode especially
well for the turbid waters of
Newark Bay and the Hackensack
River.
To that end, the PSEG
Environmental Partnership Team
constructed 20 Taylor Floats to aid
in the start-up of oyster gardens.
The floats help to contain the oys-
and Bayonne Cleaner & Greener,
the latter of which will provide a
float to each of Bayonne’s 12
school environmental clubs. The
students will have the chance to
watch their oyster gardens grow
and help reduce pollution in
The 20 Taylor Floats constructed by PSEG’s Environmental Partnership Team
will be donated to NY/NJ Baykeeper and Bayonne Cleaner & Greener.
ters near the surface of the water
allowing food and oxygen to reach
them, while protecting them from
predators. They also allow volunteers to easily monitor and maintain
the oyster population.
PSE&G donated the floats to
New York/New Jersey Baykeeper
Remaining 2008 River Cleanup Schedule
Newark Bay and the other waterways around the ‘Peninsula City.’
Baykeeper’s longstanding and
volunteer-driven Oyster Gardening
Program, combined with an
Aquaculture Program has resulted
Report Suspected
Saturday, October 4 10 AM-2 PM Foschini Park, Hackensack
We provide the tools, work gloves,
trash bags and refreshments; participants
need only bring themselves and clothes
they don’t mind getting dirty. Cleanups
involve working from shore or from
canoes. There’s no fee or registration
required; just look for the white tent and
our Mobile Cleanup Unit and check in.
Groups are welcome with adequate
supervision, but register in advance with
Lisa Ryan at 201-968-0808 to ensure we
have enough supplies and food.
Pollution Sources to
Watershed Watch
Hotline
1-877-CPT-BILL
(1-877-278-2455)
Page 8
Become a Weather Watcher, Join the CoCoRaHS Network
By Lisa Ryan
Hackensack Riverkeeper recently hosted a
training session for volunteers interested in
becoming a member of the national
Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow
(CoCoRaHS) network. The training, held at the
Meadowlands Environment Center in Lyndhurst, was
presented by the NJ State Climatologist Dave Robinson
and the Assistant State Climatologist Dave Gerbush.
Both of them spoke enthusiastically about the history
and importance of volunteer precipitation monitoring in
forecasting weather trends and predicting flooding.
They emphasized that volunteer collected precipitation
data are used by agencies across the country, including
the National Weather Service. The more volunteers
who participate, the more accurate weather forecasting
will be.
Participants at the training were walked through the
online signup process and also given the opportunity to
purchase a rain gauge. Robinson and Gerbush then presented a slide show that detailed proper monitoring
procedures and the many, sometimes confusing variables that volunteers contend with. After the training
they answered many questions from the new recruits.
The two climatologists declared the evening to be a
Since it began in 1998, CoCoRaHS has expanded rapidly
with over 11,000+ observers in thirty-five states. To learn
about how you can participate, visit www.cocorahs.org.
great success, as volunteers left the training
talking excitedly about where they would place
their rain gauges!
Many of you have expressed an interest in
volunteering with CoCoRaHS but were unable
to attend the training. You are still very much
welcome (and encouraged) to join CoCoRaHS, and can
watch the training slideshow and sign up from the comfort of your own home at www.cocorahs.org. There are
a number of logistical and geographical requirements to
consider before you get started, and we’ve outlined the
most important ones here.
CoCoRaHS volunteers must all use the same model
gauge to ensure consistency in the readings. These
gauges cost about $30 each and may be ordered from
Weather Your Way at 1-877-WXYOURWAY (ask for
Lucy) or via email at cocorahs@weatheryourway.com.
Gauge placement is also extremely important, as
environmental factors can completely skew readings.
Ideally the gauge should be placed about five-feet
above the ground, approximately twice as far away
from a structure (such as a house) as the structure is
tall. In areas that don’t have large properties, it should
be placed at least as far away from the structure as the
structure is tall. It should not be placed under trees or
anything else that may collect or divert rainfall.
Placing a gauge on a roof is not recommended, since
the wind will be stronger and can blow the rain right
over the top of the gauge opening. However, if a roof is
the only option, you may still participate, but when you
sign up you’ll submit not only your location but details
about the positioning of the gauge and possibly photos,
so that the State Climatologist knows how to correctly
interpret the data that you present.
In winter, you will measure snowfall using a board
that you can easily construct yourself. The online training will explain how to deal with variables such as
drifting, melting and trace amounts.
Readings should be entered online every morning,
preferably as close to 7 am as possible – if there is no
precipitation, you simply enter “0”. Of course, nobody
can do it EVERY day and that is understood, but if you
tend to travel a lot, this might not be the project for
you. Volunteers are asked to commit to taking readings
for one year (or more, of course!).
So, if you love watching the weather and you’re able
to fulfill the above requirements, please visit
www.cocorahs.org to get started with your precipitation
monitoring today! You may also contact the Office of
the NJ State Climatologist directly with any questions
you may have. They can be reached at 732-445-3076
or via email at njcocorahs@climate.rutgers.edu.
Page 9
Nature Program Cooperative Programs
Hackensack Riverkeeper is a founding member of the
Nature Program Cooperative, a network of environmental
education organizations. NPC members provide opportunities to experience and enjoy our region’s natural side.
Members of one are welcome at all; nonmembers are also
welcome. (For more info, visit www.natureprogram.org.)
Here are the upcoming events:
Mad About Hawks
Hosted by the Palisades Interstate Park
State Line Lookout, Alpine, NJ
Saturday, October 4, 11 am - 4 pm
Featuring live birds of prey with Jonathan Wood & the
Raptor Project and exhibits by area nature centers at State
Line Lookout. The event, to be held rain or shine, is free to
all. No registration required. For more information: 201768-1360 ext. 107.
Natural New Jersey Tour
Hosted by the Nature Program Cooperative
Sunday, November 2, Noon - 5 pm
Did you know there are over a dozen places and organizations in Bergen County alone that provide quality nature
programs? Join staff members from several NPC partners
as we go on a van tour and visit some local natural treasures. Register early because space is limited. Pre-registration is required. Trip details will be mailed to registered
participants. $10 per person. Registration by mail is
required. Visit www.flatrockbrook.org for the registration
form. For more information, please contact the Tenafly
Nature Center at 201-568-6093.
Field Trip to Mehrhof Pond
Hosted by Bergen County Audubon Society
Mehrhof Pond, End of Mehrhof Road, Little Ferry, NJ
Saturday, November 22, 9 am - 11 am
Join leader Dave Hall for a morning walk at Mehrhof Pond
where a wide array of migrant waterfowl can be found at
this time of year. There are usually thousands of Ruddy
Ducks present at this time as well as Green-winged Teal,
Common Mergansers, Hooded Mergansers, Gadwall and
more. In addition there should be some fall sparrows and
raptors. For more information, contact Dave at 973-2267825. There is no charge for this trip.
The Bergen Christmas Bird Count
Hosted by Bergen County Audubon Society
Saturday, December 20, Pre-dawn to post-dusk
For adults only. For over 100 years, the National Audubon
Society has conducted this nationwide event designed to
create a “snapshot” of America’s birds during the two
weeks surrounding Christmas. NAS Chapters and other
groups are assigned count “circles” within which teams of
birders spend up to eighteen hours listing species and
counting individual birds. The Bergen CBC includes eastern, east-central and southern Bergen County (including
the Meadowlands District) as well as southern Passaic
County. Registration and team assignment is required.
There is no cost to participate. For more information, contact Dave Hall at 973-226-7825.
The Ramsey Christmas Bird Count
Hosted by The Fyke Nature Association
Saturday, December 27, Pre-dawn to post-dusk.
For adults only. The Ramsey CBC includes northwestern
and west-central Bergen County as well as central and
upper Passaic County and small portions of Rockland and
Orange Counties in New York State. As with the Bergen
CBC, up to eighteen hours of commitment is expected; and
registration & team assignment is required. There is no
cost to participate. For more information, contact John
Brotherton at 201-327-1483.
To keep track of more upcoming NPC events or to
access links to all NPC member organizations, visit
www.natureprogram.org. See you in the field!
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Page 10
Real Science for Real People
Using Leachate for Irrigation?
By Dr. Beth Ravit
Water resource management is a
critical concern in the Hackensack
River watershed. North of the
Oradell Dam, the upstream reaches
of the Hackensack River provide
drinking water for three quarters of
a million residents of Bergen and
Hudson Counties. By managing
available water resources more
efficiently, we can protect this
valuable drinking water supply.
For the last two years, the New
Jersey Meadowlands Commission
and Rutgers University have been
conducting a study to determine
the feasibility of recovering usable
‘gray water’ from the millions of
gallons of landfill leachate1 that
flows through the Commission’s
leachate collection system. The
research was initiated to see both
whether usable water could be
recovered, and if plants could survive being irrigated with this ‘gray
water’ source.
This summer the pilot field test
was conducted at the 1E landfill in
North Arlington, NJ. This is the
only active landfill in the
Meadowlands; although garbage
dumping stopped in the mid1990’s, construction and demolition debris continues to be deposited there. This site was chosen
because the landfill, which will
soon be closed, could potentially
be transformed into hundreds of
acres of desperately needed open
space. The dark brown leachate
was collected and heated to over
100 degrees Celsius (212˚F), causing the water within the leachate to
evaporate as steam. The steam was
then collected and allowed to cool,
producing a clear liquid without
the contaminants that are found in
the leachate. Grasses were grown
on top of the landfill and the
recovered ‘gray water’ was used to
water these field test plots. After a
month of watering some plots with
the recovered leachate water and
some plots with freshwater from a
pond, we found that the grasses
were growing better with the ‘gray
water’ treatment. We think this is
because a small amount of organic
nitrogen remains in the recovered
water, and that it may be a good
fertilizer. Further studies will be
done on the grasses to determine
exactly what in the ‘gray water’ is
causing the positive growth effects.
If this research is successful it
will provide a treatment that could
reduce the volume of leachate circulating within, and potentially
leaching from, closed landfills
while providing a source of water
that could be used for non-drinking
purposes. The process could also
be cost effective if the evaporation
system is powered by methane gas
generated by the landfills and if
the treatment reduces the volume
of leachate that is sent to wastewater treatment plants. We believe
innovative research can support
human activities and requirements
within the watershed while contributing to protection of critical
natural resources. We congratulate
the Meadowlands Commission for
supporting projects that contribute
to the sustainability of the entire
Hackensack River ecosystem.
1
Grass plots on top of the Meadowlands 1E landfill in North Arlington. Darker
squares were watered with recovered landfill leachate or ‘gray water.’
Leachate is the liquid that drains or
'leaches' from a landfill. Depending on
the age of the landfill and the type of
waste that it contains, its composition
can vary greatly.
Hackensack Riverkeeper Paddling Center
Laurel Hill County Park,
New County Road, Secaucus, NJ
Sat. & Sun., 9 AM to 6 PM
Open Through the End of October
For reservations call 201-968-0808
Rental Rates:
Canoes: $25/paddler; $10/passenger
Kayaks: $25/paddler (no passengers)
(On weekends, call our Paddling Center at
201-920-4746 to check on vessel availability.)
Page 11
Birds of the Hackensack:
By Ivan Kossak
In most of my previous columns
in Tidelines, I have written about
birds that are either common or at
least reasonably easy to find within
the Hackensack River Watershed.
However this time I have chosen to
highlight a rare visitor to our area
which, as of this writing, is still our
‘guest’ in the environs of DeKorte
Park in Lyndhurst. The bird is a
juvenile White Ibis (Eudocimus
albus), typically found far to our
south. I chose to share the news
about the Ibis in order to bring
home the point that with its
improved habitat, the Meadowlands
is a hemispherically-important
stopover for migratory birds; and
one that can attract and support a
vast array of avian wildlife.
The White Ibis is known for its
propensity to wander after its
young are fully self sufficient. Each
year several are seen in New Jersey
(and farther north) but in small
numbers. According to New Jersey
Audubon Society records, 1977
was New Jersey’s banner year for
White Ibis with as many as 50
birds reported throughout the
Garden State. White Ibises are typically found in the American
Southeast along both the Atlantic
and Gulf coasts. Their range also
extends along both Mexican coasts,
into Cuba and through some coastal
and wetland areas of Central and
South America.
White Ibis
Our visitor is a
wading bird built
similarly to
Herons and
Egrets but is more
closely related to
Flamingos. At 23
inches tall, only
the adult White
Ibis sports a virtually all-white
plumage with a
red bill and legs.
There is also red
featherless skin
on the front part
of the adult bird’s
White Ibis
face at the base of
the bill. The adult The striking White Ibis is frequently seen probing for prey
along the shoreline but can also be seen on dry lawns lookbird’s wings are
ing for large insects.
tipped in black,
found in both salt and fresh water
but this feature is typically seen
only when the bird is in flight. The wetlands such as marshes and
swamps. They are colonial nesters
White Ibis’ bill curves strongly
(nesting in large groups) and their
downward (decurved) and is used
colonies have been known to conto probe shallow waters and mud
flats in search of the small fish and tain thousands of nests.
White Ibis can become quite
aquatic invertebrates that make up
used to humans. I remember a trip
the bird’s diet. The juvenile White
to a local park in Lake Worth,
Ibis is mostly brown on the back
and neck with white underparts that Florida where some of these birds
walked right past my feet along a
extend into a white crescent on the
bird’s shoulders. The rich red of the pond edge. Even if our local White
adult bird’s bill is only hinted at on Ibis is no longer in the area by the
time this issue of Tidelines goes to
a juvenile bird.
press, you may find another rarity
The range of the White Ibis has
on your next walk around the natubeen expanding north in recent
ral places that still can be explored
years with breeding records as
in our watershed.
close as Virginia. They can be
Page 12
Our Worst Fears Come To Pass
All-terrain vehicle rider killed in Meadowlands; police offer no answers
By Hugh M. Carola
On September 4, a 17-year old
resident of Little Falls, NJ was
killed when he and his all-terrain
vehicle (ATV) fell off an embankment into a marshy area located
within the Meadowlands District in
Lyndhurst. Paul Celmer died when
his 370-pound Suzuki LTZ 450R
pinned him in knee-deep water
about one-half mile east of Jerome
Avenue. Despite a Lyndhurst Police
spokesman saying that Celmer was
“wearing all of the proper safety
equipment”, it wasn’t enough to
prevent him from drowning; or to
keep him out of where he shouldn’t
have been.
Also, Celmer’s ATV is a racing
model, specifically designed for
racing on professionally-maintained Motocross tracks, not the
illegally-cut tracks in the
Meadowlands with their uneven
terrain. According to a report in
The Record, it took “several police
officers” to pull the heavy machine
off of Mr. Celmer after his “16year-old friend, who was watching
him ride” got through to 911.
Sadly, he was pronounced dead at
the scene – a location that police
could not determine if it was public
or private property. The police
characterized the accident as “a
horrible event” but offered no indication – at least in published
reports – how they might work to
prevent such tragedies in the future.
One way might be to keep riders
out of where they just don’t belong.
Tidelines readers should be wellacquainted with the issue of ATVs
and other off-road vehicles (ORVs)
being illegally operated in the
Meadowlands and other inappropriate areas. Particularly hard-hit are
wetlands and other open spaces in
Kearny, Little Ferry, Moonachie,
Rutherford, East Rutherford,
Berry’s Creek Canal
Exit
16W
Oritani Marsh
NJ
Tu
r
np
ik
e
Illegal
ORV Tracks
ck
ensa
r
Rive
Secaucus and South Hackensack as
well as Lyndhurst. Adding to the
problem is the fact that New Jersey
doesn’t require ORV registration or
insurance. For those reasons and
for the record, it is against the law
to ride ORVs on public land; or on
private property without the
owner’s consent. Public or private
property shouldn’t matter; what
does matter is that there is a real
need for active enforcement of
existing anti-ORV laws.
Some authorities contend it’s
difficult to catch ORV riders
because they can go where police
cars can’t. That’s half true. People
don’t ride quad ATVs or non-street
legal dirtbikes from their homes to
the meadowlands. They load them
in vans and pickup trucks and drive
to parking lots near their favorite
haunts. Since getting involved in
this issue, Hackensack Riverkeeper
has identified several places riders
use to unload their ATVs and dirtbikes including one town park
where riders park full-size vans out
in the open, unload and ride their
dirtbikes in full view. A basic ticket
blitz could go a long way toward
solving this problem and saving the
life of the next teenager who wants
to dirt-ride in the Meadowlands.
All of us at Hackensack
Riverkeeper extend our condolences to the family and friends of
Paul Celmer. Memorial tributes all
speak of him as a good friend and a
good young man. We are truly
sorry to learn of his passing and we
hope that in some way his story
will help dissuade others from
choosing similar dangerous paths.
k
Hac
For years people have been illegally riding ORVs in the Meadowlands. One of
the hardest-hit areas is in E. Rutherford alongside the NJ Turnpike.
Record Staff Writer Heather Kays’
article on 9/6/08 was instrumental
in putting this article together.
Page 13
H A C K E N S A C K WA T E R S H E D F I E L D N O T E S
By Hugh M. Carola
Just so you know, fall bird migration ACTUALLY comes to our
watershed during the third week of
July so despite the fact that many
of us (myself included) were sweating it out, lots of birds were already
winging their way south. Together
with our local breeding birds and
other wildlife, the migrants ensured
some excellent wildlife viewing
opportunities. So…
American Restart – Five
females and sixteen males were
noted on a great migration day at
Overpeck Preserve in Leonia on
8/22.
American Redstart
Baltimore Oriole – A single
female was observed at Overpeck
on the same date.
Barn Swallow – A common
nester in our watershed, several
active nests were discovered under
the New Bridge Road bridge
between River Edge and Teaneck
on 8/19.
Black-and-white Warbler – Five
birds were seen at Overpeck
Preserve on 8/22.
Black-crowned Night Heron – A
group of ten was observed roosting
near Van Buskirk Island in Oradell
on 7/11. Another five were noted
near the Oradell Dam on the west
bank of the river that same day. In
the Meadowlands, they were seen
on virtually every Eco-Cruise and
Guided Paddle.
Black Skimmer – Pairs and individual birds were seen foraging in
the Hackensack River and
Meadowlands through July.
Blue Grosbeak – A real rarity for
our area, one was confirmed at
Overpeck on 7/25.
Caspian Tern – Uncommon in
our area but not unusual in the fall,
a single bird was observed on the
mudflats at the Sawmill Creek
Wildlife Management Area (WMA)
in Lyndhurst on 8/20. Another was
seen at Mill Creek Point in
Secaucus on 8/28.
Common Moorhen – Four
juveniles were observed at
Kearny Marsh in Kearny on
8/22.
Eastern Kingbird – Several
were seen at Overpeck on 8/5.
Egrets, Great and Snowy –
Certainly no rarities along the
Hackensack River; a flock of
up to eighty individuals was
observed roosting in trees near
the western spur of the New
Jersey Turnpike and the southern edge of the Sawmill Creek
WMA on 9/2.
Forster’s Tern – What appeared
to be two family groups took up
residence in the Sawmill Creek
WMA in mid-July. Despite the
Eastern Kingbird
Blue Grosbeak
young being able to fly and catch
their own prey, families of this
species stay together after fledging.
Through September, flocks were
being seen along the Hackensack
River in Carlstadt and Secaucus as
well as the Sawmill.
Great Blue Heron – Our largest
heron, two were sighted along the
Hackensack River in Oradell on
7/11. A group of six was spooked
out of the Spartina grass in the
Sawmill WMA on 7/14. By early
September, post-breeding dispersal
brought many to our watershed.
Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs –
Like clockwork, these shorebirds
began showing up in our watershed
by the third weekend in July. In the
Meadowlands, they were first noted
at Richard W. DeKorte Park in
Lyndhurst on 7/17. A large group
of over 100 was observed there on
8/22.
Indigo Bunting – A male was
seen being chased by a
Mockingbird near the trailhead of
the Mill Creek marsh Trail on 7/24.
Another (the same?) was noted on
8/7. Another was observed at
Overpeck Preserve on 8/5.
Laughing Gull – Post-breeding
birds began showing up in the
Meadowlands on 8/7. After that,
Courtesy NJDEP
Page 14
WMA 5 Ambassador Update
By Matthew Manthey
Thanks for the Memories...
I knew this day would come but
now it’s a reality. My term as your
2007-2008 WMA-5 AmeriCorps
Watershed Ambassador has ended.
Over the past ten months, I completed 1,700 service hours (!) during which I conducted seventy
clean water presentations for
schools and community groups and
fifty visual and biological assessments of waterways in the
Hackensack’s upper watershed. In
addition, I helped train volunteers
in visual and biological stream
monitoring protocols during five
Volunteer Monitoring Training sessions. Best of all was the time I
spent with the Clean Streams Club
at Hackensack Middle School:
twenty-five kids over nine weeks
learning how to be stewards of
their one river. I enjoyed every
moment of it.
To all the teachers who invited
me into their classrooms to give
presentations on watersheds and
nonpoint source pollution: thank
you very much for the opportunity
to share. Many thanks also to the
Bergen County Environmental
Council for graciously inviting me
to their monthly meetings and treating me as one of their own. Most
of all, Captain Bill, Hugh, Nick,
Lisa, and Diane gave me plenty of
support and guidance during my
time at Hackensack Riverkeeper. I
learned a lot about nonprofit organizations, the successes and challenges of protecting watersheds,
and the importance of active networking from each of them.
For those of you who didn’t recognize the title of this column, I
borrowed Bob Hope’s signature
line. I thank Hackensack
Riverkeeper for all the memories I
have from the past year. Captain
Bill and his crew shared their hope
for the environment with me, and
in so doing fueled my passion for
the same. Every day they offer
hope for the protection of two fragile ecosystems – the Meadowlands
and the woodlands of the upper
watershed – and have done so for
more than eleven years. Over the
next eleven and beyond, I’m sure
they will help secure a clean, green
and sustainable future for the entire
Hackensack River Watershed.
Thank you so much Hackensack
Riverkeeper! It was an honor and a
privilege to be a part of your organization and its mission.
As for me, I’m off on a small
(and I hope, well-deserved) vacation while I wait to hear back from
several potential employers.
Regardless of my next move, I will
be continuing my career path in the
environmental field, specifically in
natural resource management. If
anyone is interested in a presentation, Volunteer Monitoring
Training, or organizing a waterrelated stewardship event, be sure
to contact your new 2008-2009
Watershed Ambassador at
Hackensack Riverkeeper. He or she
will soon be on the job. As always,
keep our water clean and I hope to
see you at the river again someday
soon!
Three Convenient Ways To Donate To Hackensack Riverkeeper®
• Online. In just a few clicks, you can donate to Hackensack Riverkeeper; please go to
www.hackensackriverkeeper.org. Click on the ClickandPledge icon. You can conveniently
charge a donation to your credit card.
• By phone. You can call the Hackensack Riverkeeper office (201-968-0808) between 10 a.m.
and 6 p.m. weekdays and give us your credit card information over the phone.
• By mail. Send a check or money order to this address:
Hackensack Riverkeeper, Inc.
231 Main Street
Hackensack River as well as into
Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill and
the Kill Van Kull, making the area
one of the world’s worst contaminated regions. As a result, the lower
Passaic River has been officially
declared a “DO NOT CATCH –
DO NOT EAT” zone for more than
twenty years and crabbing has been
banned everywhere along the
affected waterways since 2000. In
addition, the pollution has negatively impacted commerce throughout the greater New York/New
Jersey harbor region.
This legal victory is important
because it allows the DEP to continue pursuing Passaic River
cleanup costs from all seven defendants, including direct corporate
successors to the former Diamond
Shamrock Corporation as well as
Repsol YPF and its out-of-state
subsidiaries. Repsol and its subsidiaries had argued that they did
not have sufficient contacts with
the State of New Jersey to be subject to the jurisdiction of New
Jersey courts. In response, the DEP
argued that those companies, while
Tons of soil contaminated with dioxin,
DDT and various other pesticides and
chemicals still remain buried at the
Diamond Shamrock site in Newark.
The interim remedies, including a slurry wall and cement cap, were completed in December 2001.
Page 15
not based in New Jersey, should be
subject to New Jersey jurisdiction
because they allegedly conspired to
remove assets from Maxus Energy
Corporation and Tierra Solutions,
Inc. Maxus and Tierra are based in
New Jersey and are direct successors to Diamond Shamrock. Both
defendants are also completely
dependent upon the parent company (Repsol) and its subsidiaries for
financial support, and thus unable
to satisfy their responsibilities to
the State of New Jersey for the
contamination caused by their predecessor.
Judge Goldman agreed with the
DEP, and held that because of the
alleged scheme to render Maxus
and Tierra insolvent, the State does
have sufficient contacts with the
foreign defendants to subject them
to the jurisdiction of New Jersey
courts. The judge’s ruling is an
extremely important victory for
New Jersey and a giant step toward
Passaic
River
Hackensack
River
Newark Bay
Page 16
Field Notes
individuals and small flocks were
noted through late summer.
Least Bittern – This uncommon
and secretive heron was spotted on
7/15 in the Sawmill Creek WMA.
Another was noted at Kearny
Marsh on 7/17. According to the
NJ Breeding Bird Atlas, Least
Bitterns are probable nesters in the
Meadowlands.
Marbled Godwit – A pair of
these large (16-20”) and rare
migrant sandpipers was observed
8/22 at Harrier Meadow. Three
were seen on 8/26 near the end of
the Sawmill trail at DeKorte Park
and again on 8/30 during our
evening Eco-Cruise through the
Sawmill marsh.
Osprey – In addition to the
Jersey City resident birds, early
migrants were noted over Oradell
Reservoir, Overpeck Preserve and
the Mill Creek Marsh. A second
(though unused) nest was discovered along the river in Kearny near
the decommissioned Boonton Line
railroad bridge in August.
Pectoral Sandpiper – Not
always easy to spot among the
flocks of more common species,
one was spotted and photographed
at Mill Creek Marsh on 8/7.
Marbled Godwit
in left field at Enos Jones
Park in Jersey City. The
bird was observed on the
ground and eating a Grass
Snake (which was, until it
became a meal, an unusual
sight in J.C.).
Red-throated Loon –
Red-throated Loon
Extremely rare in NJ during the warmer months, an
Peeps – No, not the marshmallow “oversummering” individual was
observed off Liberty State Park
Easter candies, “peeps” is the
catch-all name for a mixed flock of during the month of June.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird –
small shorebirds like Least,
You have to be quick to spot one of
Semipalmated and Western
these “flying jewels” as they zip by
Sandpipers. We first noted them
during migration, but one of our
on 7/16. By late August, we were
Eco-Cruise folks did just that on
seeing flocks of thousands on the
9/7 while we were in the Sawmill
mudflats. On August 22, upwards
WMA.
of 6,000 were observed on the
mudflats of the Sawmill Creek
WMA.
Peregrine Falcon – The “Route 3
Pair” took up residence again this
year to the delight of hundreds of
people who saw them during EcoCruises; perhaps next year they’ll
nest. Subadult birds were spotted
perched on the Pulaski Skyway, the
Short-billed Dowitcher
NJ Turnpike bridge between
Carlstadt and Ridgefield, and
Short-billed Dowitcher –
PSE&G’s decommissioned Kearny
Always a great bird to spot, small
Generating Station. On 7/17, a
flocks were observed in the
juvenile was observed flying over
Sawmill WMA on 7/15 and at
Mill Creek Marsh and Harmon
DeKorte Park on 7/17.
Meadow Plaza in Secaucus.
Spotted Sandpiper – Four indiRed-tailed
viduals were spotted near Historic
Hawk – A comNew Bridge Landing by paddlers
mon species
observed in an
uncommon place:
Page 17
Field Notes
enjoying a floating lunch on the Hackensack River on
8/19. FYI, “Spotties” are one of the few shorebirds
that nest in our watershed.
Striped Skunk – Common in the upper watershed
but unusual at Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus, one was
seen there on 8/11. Despite fears to the contrary, these
members of the weasel family are generally docile and
are not prone to bother people as long as they have a
clear route away from you and are not being bothered
by dogs or cats.
Tricolored Heron – More of a South Jersey bird,
every few years one of these strikingly-patterned wading birds makes its way to the Meadowlands. A juvenile was observed and photographed at DeKorte Park
on 7/31.
White Ibis – Extremely rare north of the Carolinas,
one immature bird somehow found its way to Harrier
Meadow and the Sawmill WMA in Lyndhurst and was
observed by NJMC staffers and others from 8/19
through 9/5. See “Birds of the Hackensack” on Page
11 for more on this rare bird.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo – An early southward-bound
migrant was observed at Schmidt’s Woods in Secaucus
on 8/7.
Yellow-crowned Night Heron – The Harmon Cove
colony in Secaucus continues to produce young. As of
7/10, there were approximately seven active nests; one
less than last year’s confirmed eight but it was still
good news.
Partnerships
in the restoration of hundreds-ofthousands of oysters to the Estuary
ecosystem, allowing this keystone
species to begin playing its natural
role in cleansing our waterways.
Oysters are sometimes referred to
as bio-engineers because of their
ability to improve water quality.
“NY/NJ Baykeeper is thrilled to
have PSE&G supporting the oyster
gardening program. To see
improvement in our waterways, a
critical mass of oysters must be
restored. Cooperation between nonprofits, educators, and companies
such as PSE&G will help achieve
this goal,” said Meredith Comi,
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Thanks to all our spotters and as always, a tip o’ the naturalist’s hat to: Joe Augeri, Jay Auslander, Pete Bacinski,
Scott Barnes, Ray Duffy, Gene Dunton, Gil Hawkins, Lynn
Kramer, Ken Lapham, Frank Massaro, Mike Newhouse,
Kate Ruskin, Lisa Ryan, Diane Saccoccia, Don Torino, Bill
Sheehan & Nick Vos-Wein.
A final note: Is there anybody watching wildlife in
places like Alpine, Emerson, Haworth, Montvale,
Oradell or Rockleigh? How about New City, Tappan,
or Orangeburg, NY? OF COURSE there is! We’d
LOVE to hear what you’ve been seeing so just give
me a call at 201-968-0808 or send an e-mail to
hugh@hackensackriverkeeper.org and we’ll tip our hat
to you, too!
Baykeeper’s oyster program director. “We look forward to working
with PSE&G on future oyster gardening projects.”
Both the Baykeeper program and
the new Bayonne schools initiative
dovetail perfectly with Hackensack
Riverkeeper’s Oyster Habitat
Development Study (See Summer
and Fall 2007 Tidelines issues).
The Study will determine if oyster
reefs can be established in the
lower Hackensack River and several marshes within the
Meadowlands. If they can be established, then the prospects for
increasing the habitat value of the
entire Hudson-Raritan Estuary will
increase dramatically.
“Long before the home of the
Statue of Liberty was called
Liberty Island, the native Lenape
Indians called it Oyster Island,”
said Sam Pesin, president of
Friends of Liberty State Park.
“Like Baykeeper and Hackensack
Riverkeeper, we also appreciate the
role the Bayonne public schools
will soon be playing to help restore
oysters, an important part of the
Estuary’s marine food chain.”
Hackensack
RIVERKEEPER®
Page 18
At the Helm
Hackensack Riverkeeper strongly
supports improving our region’s
mass transit options; and as educators, we believe that our young
people deserve the best educational
facilities that government can provide. However, we cannot and will
not stand idly by while otherwise
well-meaning public officials conspire to usurp some of the most
important and popular recreational
lands in both counties.
Now is the time to contact the
decision makers both in Trenton
and at the county level. Tell them
you are aware of these threats and
that there are alternatives to taking
away our precious parkland. Be
sure to tell Governor Corzine, DEP
Commission Jackson and the
respective County Executives that
our parks are for RECREATION –
they are NOT free land banks that
politicians can dip into whenever a
pet project comes along.
Write to:
Governor Jon S. Corzine
PO Box 001
Trenton, NJ 08625-001
Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney
One Bergen County Plaza
DEP Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson
401 East State St.
PO Box 402
Trenton, NJ 08625-0402
Hudson County Executive Thomas A. DeGise
Brennan Court House
583 Newark Ave
Jersey City, NJ 07306
Triplets!
the 210-square mile Hackensack
River Watershed. Needless to say,
we care.
In our last issue of Tidelines we
reported that the three birds had
hatched and been photographed on
6/7 but all of us were unprepared
for the four-day oppressive heat
wave that settled over our area later
that month. It was amazing to see
the female half-standing in that
blazing sun shading her chicks with
her wings. Although we feared for
them – especially the smallest (and
youngest) of the three, all of them
survived.
“It’s been said that what doesn’t
kill you makes you stronger and
that was certainly the case,” said
Captain Bill. “After all, we’re talking about Hudson County birds –
and pretty tough ones at that.”
Once again PSE&G (the birds’
‘landlords’) did a stellar job of protecting their tenants. Among the
safeguards taken were: installing
signs and Jersey barriers put up to
keep contractors away from the
nest site, requiring PSE&G staff to
walk – not drive – near the nest and himself to personally monitor the
situation until the chicks were no
sending a staff photographer to
longer in danger of becoming gull
document the birds’ progress.
food. Fortunately the officer’s
One thing that both we and
PSE&G were concerned about was efforts paid off; otherwise this article would have had a much differpeople illegally riding off-road
motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles ent tone.
As of this writing, one of the
near the nest site. The lawbreakers
young birds was still hanging
were not on PSE&G property but
around the nest platform – probably
they were close enough that we
the youngest of the three. Soon he
witnessed the parent birds being
or she will join the tens of thouspooked off the nest several times
sands of other southward-bound
during a June Eco-Cruise. If the
raptors that will hopefully return in
parents had been younger and/or
the spring.
less experienced, the noise, smoke
and dust kicked up by
the machines would
2008 Bird-Walk Schedule
have certainly caused
them to abandon the
Bird-walks are guided field trips to unique
habitat areas in northeastern New Jersey. They
nest and leave the
offer you a chance to gain a more thorough
young to be killed
and eaten by the ever- understanding of the ecosystems and wildlife
that inhabit our region. Bird-Walks are led by
present gulls.
an experienced field naturalist and beginning
A call to the
birders are always welcome.
NJDEP’s Hotline (1Sat., Oct. 18, 10 AM
877-WARN-DEP)
Celery Farm Natural Area,
about the problem
Allendale, NJ
brought no immediate
Reservations are required. To reserve your
action but a conserva- spot, please call our Program Director Hugh
tion officer from the
Carola at 201-968-0808. For more info, call or
Division of Fish and
go to www.hackensackriverkeeper.org.
Wildlife took it upon
Page 19
Honeywell
dated criteria for cleaning up the
site – the former Roosevelt Drivein located on the river east of Route
440 near Kellogg Street in Jersey
City. Honeywell had contended that
merely capping the fifty million
tons of chromium-contaminated
soil was enough to ensure the safety of nearby residents and protect
the Hackensack River.
We disagreed and joined a lawsuit brought by the Washington
DC-based firm of Terris, Pravlik
and Milian under the federal
Resource Conservation and
Recovery Act (RCRA). We sought
to force the company to undertake
a complete excavation and cleanup
to residential site standards. After
our unequivocal victory, Honeywell
appealed but Judge Cavanaugh’s
decision was unanimously upheld
by the three-judge Appellate Court.
A last-ditch appeal to the U.S.
Supreme Court also failed. The
company is currently engaged in a
$500 million federally-supervised
cleanup of the site; and at their –
not the taxpayer’s – expense.
Two years ago, Hackensack
Riverkeeper filed a second RCRA
case to maximize the value of the
2004 decision. The thrust of our
second complaint was to have
Honeywell clean up companyowned lands adjacent to the original site, also known as Area 7.
Designated as Study Areas 5 and 6,
those two sites are located directly
adjacent to Area 7.
This time around there was no
long litigation – just a series of
good-faith negotiations under
Judge Cavanaugh’s auspices that
on May 28, 2008, resulted in a settlement as historic as our 2004 victory. There are two different
aspects to the settlement that was
approved by the judge. The first
deals with submerged sediments
With cleanup work at Area 7 well underway, our recent settlement will address
the chromium-laden sediments at the bottom of the the Hackensack River.
adjacent to all three areas. The key
elements of the sediment settlement
are:
• Removal of the most heavily contaminated sediments from the
riverbed adjacent to the above
mentioned areas;
• Capping with sand other underwater sites where the levels of
chromium are significantly less
worrisome;
• The creation of wetlands on and
around the capped sediments;
• The abatement of two Combined
Sewer System outfalls located
directly north of and south of
Areas 6 and 7.
When all is said and done,
the final result of our litigation and its settlement will
be one hundred acres of
remediated property that will
be redeveloped to 21st
Century standards.
Next, the settlement negotiations
resulted in the establishment of $5
million worth of funding to assist
both future environmental improvements and affordable housing
opportunities in Jersey City. Those
key elements are:
• The creation of a $2.5 million
Hackensack Riverkeeper-directed
Environmental Improvement
Fund with $1.25 million designat-
ed for ecological and/or public
access improvements to the lower
reaches of the river and $1.25
million dedicated to making
eco/access improvements to the
specific sites during the postremediation redevelopment phase;
• The creation of a $2.5 million
fund to assist in the expansion of
affordable housing opportunities
in Jersey City.
It is important to note that none
of this Honeywell-provided funding can be used to pay for any
eco/access projects or affordable
housing obligations that are already
required by law, regulation, or the
terms of our legal settlements or
decisions. The monies are to be
used for additional projects to benefit the people and the environment
of Jersey City and Hudson County.
Lastly (and regarding the settlement on Area 6), when we filed our
second case we had to cast a larger
net due to the fact that much of the
land in Areas 5 and 6 is being
actively used by Jersey City.
Because the city operates three
municipal service facilities on Area
6, we had to list it as an additional
defendant with Honeywell. Due to
tireless efforts by all parties, we
reached an amicable agreement. As
of this writing Honeywell has purContinued on Page 24
Page 20
r
e
e
t
n
u er
L
o
V orn
C
by Lisa Ryan
Goldman Sachs
A great bunch of hardworking volunteers from Goldman Sachs
cleaned up Laurel Hill County Park in Secaucus and
surrounding marshes just in time for Meadowfest in June.
We saw a huge increase in the number of participants
at our river cleanups this summer - thanks to everyone who came out to give a little back to this river
that gives us drinking water, an abundance of wildlife
to observe and enjoy, and peaceful places for solitude
and reflection. There are just so many great photos
and not enough room in the newsletter – we HOPE to
have them posted on our website soon, so keep an
eye out! Thanks also to the volunteers who helped
out at Meadowfest, the two Fourth of July parades we
participated in, and as always, with the mailings.
16th St. Park, Bayonne
Local residents came out in droves as other volunteers traveled to
the southern reaches of our watershed on a blistering hot day in
June to clean up the banks of the Newark Bay at 16th Street Park.
Capt. Bill dropping volunteers off in the marsh
Father and Son spend quality time at “Bayonne Beach”
Definitely more productive than a day in the office!
Laurel Hill, Secaucus
A very different landscape from the upper watershed!
Longtime volunteer and board member Kelly Palazzi (left) joins
Miss New Jersey and friends in a cleanup chorus line at the
Summer Solstice Cleanup at Laurel Hill County Park in Secaucus.
It was so hot, many people left before the pizza arrived!!??
Page 21
Harrington
Park
Mill Creek Marsh, Secaucus
It was another beautiful day when we cleaned up the Mill Creek Marsh in Secaucus in
August. These wetlands, owned and maintained by the NJ Meadowlands Commission,
have flourished under their care - it is a wonderful place to walk!
We were joined by volunteers from Eileen Fisher and Emerging Green Builders.
Thanks to a strong partnership with United
Water New Jersey, we had a great cleanup
on the Oradell Reservoir in Harrington Park
in July. Over 150 volunteers from both
organizations pulled two dump trucks full of
debris from our drinking water supply. For
many, this clearly demonstrated the problem
of non-point source pollution (litter, fertilizers, motor oil, road salt and other pollutants)
that runs off the land or into storm drains
and ends up in our precious resource.
Mill Creek Marsh abounds with birds, fish, lush vegetation, views and determined volunteers!
There was no slacking going on here!
Waders are fun!
It’s true, we found everything AND the kitchen sink! (front center)
Big tire VERY tiring
The very versatile kayak
Yet another creepy baby doll
Making new friends
Page 22
and RERC have been able to
accomplish in the short time
they’ve been working is nothing
short of amazing,” said Capt. Bill.
uation, Beth helped found the
“They have access to scientists and
Rutgers Environmental Research
other professionals across a wide
Clinic (RERC). Patterned after the
range of disciplines and they offer
University’s effective
Environmental Law Clinic, she and Rutgers students the opportunity to
several colleagues started RERC to do research for the good guys.”
Among the recent and current
“help build coalitions that can work
projects RERC has conducted in
together to solve environmental
our area are: the restoration of
challenges facing New Jersey. By
Teaneck Creek on behalf of the
providing applied research in the
Teaneck Creek Conservancy, a
areas of the environment and natupilot program for leachate distillaral resources, human and ecosystion at the 1-E Landfill in
tem health, and community develLyndhurst, a Stormwater
opment, RERC works to meet
Management Plan for the
those challenges.”
Meadowlands District, and of
“The amount of work that Beth
course our own
Oyster Habitat
Subscribe To Hackensack Tidelines
Development
If you are enjoying this issue of Hackensack Tidelines
Study. Working
and you want it to be mailed to your home or business, call
on those and
other RERC proj201-968-0808 or email info@hackensackriverkeeper.org.
ects are sixteen
Subscriptions to Tidelines are FREE . . . but donations are
Rutgers faculty
appreciated to help defray printing and postage costs.
members, four-
New Trustee
teen partnering organizations and
five funders.
Of course Tidelines readers are
familiar with Beth’s column “Real
Science for Real People” which she
has written since 2000. In each
issue, she juxtaposes unique
aspects of the Hackensack River
Watershed with current trends in
scientific research – often with
thought-provoking conclusions and
recommendations. If you want to
exercise your brain before putting
the newsletter down, be sure to
check out her current piece, “Using
Leachate for Irrigation?” on page
10. In addition to her quarterly
Tidelines contributions, Beth is also
a member of our Captain’s Circle,
Annual Benefit Committee and a
longstanding supporter of our
World Series of Birding team.
“Without question, Beth Ravit is
the perfect example of a committed
colleague and Trustee and I am so
very proud and happy to have her
on our Board,” said Capt. Bill.
Letters to Riverkeeper
Hi All,
I have been meaning to write to all the staff of the Hackensack Riverkeeper and of course Capt. Bill. After
seeing two of your Eco-cruises off in the last few weeks I had a chance to observe everyone enjoying the
River going out of Laurel Hill Park. There were Birders of course, Kayak and Canoe trips waiting to leave,
Eco-cruises, private boaters, jet skis, fisherman, you name it. So I thought, if not for Capt. Bill and the
Riverkeeper staff, none of this would have ever happened.
As a person who has grown up in the Meadowlands area I have seen it go through many changes. While
other kids grew up playing baseball and other sports, we were raised having our adventures in the marshes
and mud of the Meadowlands. Except for muskrat trappers, very rarely if ever was anyone observed using the
river. None of us ever could have imagined what a great recreational gem this would become.
I often think of all my friends and relatives that are no longer with us how much it would have made their
hearts glad to see what our river has become. Well, hopefully maybe they can see it.
So before I get too busy with, work, family and
life in general I would just like to say thanks to
everyone for the job that you have done and
continue to do and thank you for making this a
better place to live and enjoy.
Don Torino
Thank You for the Kind Words...
We would love to hear from You!
Please don’t hesitate to send us a letter or
email telling us about your relationship to
the Hackensack River.
restoring the Passaic River to the
valuable resource it once was (and
will be again). It also helps ensure
that those responsible for its degradation – the polluters, not New
Jersey taxpayers – foot the bill for
its restoration.
Note: There is a correlation
between what you have just read
and a much older story. Legend has
it that when Alexander the Great
Page 23
entered the city of Gordion, he was
faced with a chariot secured with a
strong and intricate knot. It was
prophesied that whoever could
untie the knot would become ruler
of all Asia. Without a second
thought, the 23-year old Alexander
– and future ruler of most of the
known Western world – drew his
sword and cut the Gordian Knot in
half.
Many of the legal battles that we
and many others fight on behalf of
the environment are often attempts
to cut through “Gordian Knots” put
in place by polluters and their
expensive and talented attorneys.
Unfortunately, the knots they tie
and webs they weave are all too
often designed to insulate their
clients from justice and responsibility. While we can’t always follow
Alexander’s example, the DEP’s
victory in Judge Goldman’s courtroom is no less impressive. We at
Hackensack Riverkeeper extend
our thanks to the state’s attorneys
for their diligence and to the judge
for his clear and unequivocal ruling. Next case!
Advertise in Hackensack Tidelines!
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Place your ad and reach people who care about their communi-
201-968-0808
ties, the environment and the well-being of generations to come.
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NICK@HACKENSACKRIVERKEEPER.ORG
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For cost-effective rates & design service,
contact Nick Vos-Wein at 201-968-0808
Think globally and act locally!
Hackensack Riverkeeper wants to partner with your business or employer
You can increase your personal support for our mission by helping us make contact and share our story
with coworkers at your workplace. There are several ways you can help:
Help Hackensack Riverkeeper make contact with your
company’s foundation or corporate philanthropy contact.
Corporations give to causes in which their employees are
involved. Hackensack Riverkeeper needs your help to identify
the philanthropic funding contact in your corporation so we can
introduce our funding proposal.
If your workplace participates in a program that
matches your donation to a nonprofit, please fill out that
paperwork when you make donations to us: As a 501(c)(3)
Get out on the water with your friends and nonprofit, Hackensack Riverkeeper, Inc. may qualify for your
colleagues! You can charter an Eco-Cruise company’s matching gift program. By automatically increasing
for up to 15 people for just $300. Call
the size of your gift, you will increase the boost you give to
201-968-0808 for details.
Hackensack Riverkeeper’s work.
Organize an Eco-Cruise or River Cleanup for your company as an incentive, networking or
team-building event: You can charter an Eco-Cruise or specifically for your workplace. Not only will
you enjoy the time on the river, but also you will be offering others the opportunity to learn about and
support preservation of natural resources in their watershed.
Call Diane Saccoccia at 201-968-0808 for details.
Page 24
tide308
Be a Friend of Hackensack Riverkeeper
Your help is urgently needed. Hackensack Riverkeeper® operates with
assistance and contributions from concerned citizens such as yourself.
Please show your support for environmental health and conservation
within the Hackensack River Watershed by making a donation today.
HRI is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Your donation is tax deductible.
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Make checks payable to
Hackensack Riverkeeper, 231 Main Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601
or visit www.hackensackriverkeeper.org/donate.html to donate online
Honeywell
chased Area 6 from Jersey City for
$15 million and the city is planning to relocate its municipal service facilities elsewhere.
When all is said and done (and
it all soon will be done), the final
result of our litigation and its settlement will be one hundred acres
of remediated property that will be
redeveloped to 21st Century standards. Twenty-five of those acres
will be redeveloped as riverside
parkland with Hackensack
Riverkeeper holding a conservation
easement on all of them.
“At a recent city council meeting, Councilman Mariano Vega
remarked that the Hackensack
River is ‘Jersey City’s Green
Coast’,” said Captain Bill Sheehan.
“Not only is the councilman correct; he also recognizes that this
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will
benefit Jersey City for generations
to come.”
Hackensack Riverkeeper: Protecting The Public’s Right To:
• Clean, Plentiful Drinking Water
• Public Access To Local Waters
• Open Space Preservation
• Wildlife & Habitat Conservation
• Safe Boating, Swimming,
Paddling, Fishing
231 Main Street, Hackensack, NJ 07601-7304 • 201-968-0808 • HackensackRiverkeeper.org
NON-PROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 451
HACKENSACK, NJ
07606

Summer 2008 - Hackensack RIVERKEEPER

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