DATED MATERIAL DO NOT DELAY Nonprofit Organization-Sierra Club U.S.Postage PAID The Jersey••••••••••• IERRANIERRAN Vol. 34, No. 1 SS 22,500 Members in New Jersey January-March 2005 Assessing the McGreevey Years By Jeff Tittel, Chapter Director With Governor on an environmental agenda. He picked “Center” designations in the Highlands mental laws, though we are still far McGreevey’s resig- up on many Sierra Club initiatives such and many others. Now we have a new below the levels of enforcement under nation, it is time to as Category One upgrades to waterways, Acting Governor, Richard Codey, with the Florio administration. McGreevey look back at his protection of the Highlands, and putting whom we have had a long relationship. cancelled Whitman’s Open Market record: what were enforcement back into the DEP. At the He has supported some of our environ- Emission Trading program that would his achievements, same time we fought him on permitting mental initiatives, but he has not been an have brought more air pollution into what were his fail- issues. Unfortunately, all his modest environmental leader, and we have New Jersey. He proposed a goal of 20% ures? The best way advances have been outweighed by the never endorsed him as a candidate for renewable energy by the year 2020. His to evaluate the last three years would be passage of Fast Track. The Sierra Club the State Senate. He supported establish- pilot program for recovering Natural in line with the Clint Eastwood movie, filed more lawsuits in McGreevey’s three ing an Environmental Prosecutor, Resource Damages is good, but should “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.” We years than in eight years of Whitman and expanding private well testing and he be even larger. His administration, under had endorsed Governor McGreevey and DiFrancesco -- for putting office build- was helpful in passing Clean Car legisla- Commissioner Brad Campbell, also worked closely with his administration ings on a park in Plainfield, approving tion. So for now we will wait and see, implemented the Sierra Club’s recom- and hope that he will fix Fast Track. The mended upgrading of major streams and first indications are not so hopeful. reservoirs to Category One status and The Good: Governor McGreevey adopting strong Stormwater Can Petty’s Island be Saved? ended the Liberty State Park Management Rules that establish 300 Development Corporation’s prolonged foot buffers around these C-1’s. He also By Gina Carola, our Delaware River Issues Coordinator (and much more!) attempts to build golf courses and water- stopped the Millstone Bypass. His n the Delaware River, just off the Petty’s Island. So, despite of a grass-roots parks. We saw a doubling of enforce- Transfer of Developments Rights Law south end of Pennsauken’s riverfront effort to get the DEP to accept CITCO’s ment efforts against violators of environ- (Continued on page 5) Iand Camden’s north end, sits Petty’s generous offer, Pennsauken Township Island, 392 acres that are home to CITCO has initiated condemnation proceedings Petroleum with its refinery equipment in an effort to force CITCO to sell the and petro-chemical tanks. Strangely, for island and go away. The developers are Going Into 2005, Politically the past couple of years, it has also been not happy being allowed to By Richard Isaac, Chapter Political Chair home to a pair of nesting bald eagles. develop just the riverfront. They want Why this pair of eagles prefers to be the island too. Although the envi- called “Smart Growth Ombudsman” urban dwellers rather than to nest in CITCO is promising a fight to follow ronment wasn’t a established by the Fast-Track Act. The the more southern and rural reaches of through on plans to clean up the island major issue in the State needs to restore the office of Public the Delaware Estuary is not known. and turn it into a wildlife refuge. 2004 presidential Advocate, and the Chapter will be asking Perhaps it is just because we now have As this issue of the Sierran goes to campaign, the Sierra candidates whether they agree. more than 25 nesting pairs of bald press, here is what has happened so far: Club is committed to eagles in South Jersey and the newcom- • In the spring of 2004, CITCO making it part of the 3. CLEAN AIR: A3182/S1759 ers had to find their own territory. announced plans to establish a wildlife State’s 2005 guberna- The harmful exhaust from diesel-pow- Perhaps it is because in recent years the preserve on Petty’s Island. This prompt- torial and legislative election campaigns. ered trucks, buses and cars contains improvement in water quality and ed various environmental and citizens By the time this newsletter reaches you, more than 40 known and probable car- the addition of a fish ladder on the groups to send letters, emails and faxes, our Chapter will have sent out question- cinogens, plus particulate matter com- Cooper River, which is a tributary to including a Sierra Club Action Alert, to naires to gubernatorial candidates on the monly known as soot. These substances the Delaware running through Camden, the DEP encouraging acceptance of the issues below, which constitute a legisla- are believed to cause as many premature has increased the food supply for the CITCO offer. tive “wish-list.” We will follow up in the deaths every year as motor vehicle acci- eagles. Perhaps it is because two other • On September 30, 2004, a hearing Spring with similar questionnaires to can- dents and shootings. The DEP estimates pairs of eagles claim the territory was held in Camden at which CITCO didates for the State Senate and Assembly. that reducing diesel emissions can save a little north on Burlington Island and a presented a proposal to The Natural The Chapter’s Political Committee will do 370 New Jerseyans from premature little south along Mantua Creek. Lands Trust, an advisory arm of the everything it can to stay on message. And death and prevent 16,000 asthma attacks No matter what the reason, these eagles DEP. Citizens’ comments were all in here is that message: every year. are comfortable living on the wooded favor of accepting the CITCO offer. Of The diesel emissions bill would require end of the island that is not used by the the eight members on the Board of 1. REPEAL FAST-TTRACK: A3008/S1368 the retrofitting of diesel vehicles with refinery. They can often be seen Directors for the Trust, five voted to On July 2, 2004, with little or no press, cleaner filters and exhaust devices. It cruising along the Delaware River and up accept, and three voted ex-Gov. McGreevey signed the Fast-Track would also mandate of the sale of only along the Cooper River and Newton against. However, the Board is made up Act into law. It established a “Smart ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. While the bill is Creek as they fish. of five citizen members and three state Growth” Ombudsman whose role is to a step in the right direction, in its current Eagles aren’t the only inhabitants of officials, and at least one of the state offi- lobby on behalf of developers in so- form it would reduce fine particulate this urban refuge for wildlife. It is cials must vote yes. So, despite the called “smart growth” areas. The diesel emissions only by 2.2% (20% reduc- also home for a heron rookery (nesting majority vote in favor of preserving the ombudsman can over-ride rules and regu- tion for targeted engines: only 11% of all sites), and a host of other wildlife island, the motion failed because none lations from all state agencies, and expe- diesel engines). The Chapter will be ask- species, as well as wetlands. of the votes in favor of the plan were dite the state agency (DEP, DCA, DOT) ing candidates to support a larger reduc- That is why CITCO has offered to clean cast by the state officials. permit approval process for new devel- tion in fine particulate diesel emissions. up the contamination on the island • On October 30, volunteers fanned opment in areas designated for growth in and donate the land to The Natural Lands out in Pennsauken Township armed the State Plan. 4. FAMILY PLANNING/POPULATION: Trust, which is an entity in, but not of, with 11,000 copies of a fact sheet put As the worst environmental bill in S556 NJDEP. The Trust would hold the conser- together by Delaware Riverkeeper. Their decades, the act was opposed by all the New Jersey is the most densely popu- vation easement. CITCO will complete a goal was to deliver one to every resi- state’s environmental organizations, and (Continued on page 5) full and comprehensive environmental dence in the township. is currently being challenged in court. So cleanup of the island and has generously • Attempts are now underway to con- the Chapter will be asking candidates if offered to establish a wildlife stewardship vince the US Fish and Wildlife Service they support repeal of this Law. NSIDE THIS ISSUE... and restoration fund. (FWS) to accept the CITCO offer. FWS’s I Unfortunately, NJDEP has caved to New Jersey field office has supported 2. RESTORATION OF THE PUBLIC Pinelands Issues Report ..................................2 pressure from developers and put CITCO’s proposal to turn over the land to ADVOCATE: A1424/S541 Population Issues Report.................................2 pressure on the Trust to reject the offer the state, but its regional office says that Abolished by former Gov. Whitman, Resolutions Passed by the Chapter from CITCO. The reason is that the island Petty’s Island does not have high enough the Department of the Public Advocate Executive Committee .....................................2 is actually part of the Township of biological value, despite the eagles’ nest was once in the Executive Branch, with Election Aftermath............................................2 Editorial: Wal-Mart Zoning ...............................3 Pennsauken.