Highlands Lookout www.njhighlandscoalition.org Newsletter of the New Jersey Highlands Coalition Summer 2012 Message from the Executive Director ends. On that note, please remember ater in New Jersey is owned by responsibility faithfully, diligently, and our special “UPHOLD THE the people of New Jersey. That with all due care, we must remind it of HIGHLANDS” appeal and help us includesW the ephemeral pond in your the obligation. If the State through its achieve our goal of raising $75,000 in neighbor’s backyard, the stream that runs actions or inaction allows conditions or new funds. It is only with your generous along the road, the water in the soils a activities that threaten to degrade the support that we can meet today’s few feet under your feet, etc. It is held in quality or diminish the quantity of our challenges to the Highlands’ resources. public trust by the State to manage and water, it must be challenged. Warmest regards, protect for us. The Legislature reminds At the present time there are too us of this arrangement—which is rooted many examples of State level policy and nj in Roman Law— whenever it enacts actions that pose threats to our water hc laws that pertain to our shared water resources, in both the Executive and resource. For example, the opening of Legislative branches; NJDEP’s the 1981 Water Supply Management Waiver Rule, the Permit Extension Act (58:1A-2) states: Act of 2012, the Governor’s “The Legislature finds and declares hostility towards the Highlands that the water resources of the State are Act and his undermining of the public assets of the State held in trust for New Jersey Highlands Council, to its citizens and are essential to the health, name just a few. Together, these safety, economic welfare, recreational and amount to pervasive and alarming aesthetic enjoyment, and general welfare, governmental malfeasance that of the people of New Jersey; that ownership is squandering our public trust of these assets is in the State as trustee of resource. It is time to insist that it the people…” Water is both a natural resource and Elliott Ruga, senior editor a commodity with mercantile value. If Coalition News the State is not executing its public trust n May 17th, the Highlands as Deputy Executive Director. Feyl’s inside this issue Council approved the hiring was merely a component of conformanceO petitions the grander plan that Message from the Executive for the Preservation Now that Machiavellian was set into motion Director ...................1 Areas of the Townships with Eileen Swan’s Coalition News..............1 of Vernon and schemes for the High- firing in March. Now Highlands Recreation: Harmony, bringing lands Council have been that the Governor’s Warren Hills Wines ..........2 the total number implemented, will the Machiavellian schemes Highlands History : of municipalities for the Highlands Council move forward T.A. Edison in the Highlands. 3 to complete basic Council have been Member Focus: conformance to 42. with its mandated job of implemented, will the C4BPMT..................3 On April 19th Morris protecting the Highlands Council move forward NJ Highlands Coalition County Freeholder natural resources? with its mandated 508 Main Street Gene Feyl was hired job of protecting the Boonton, NJ 07005 as Executive Director Highlands natural www.njhighlandscoalition.org of the Highlands resources? Stay-tuned. 973.588.7190 Council. On May On May 16th, 17th Margaret Nordstrom was hired Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company Your Water … Your Future Continued on page 2 2 HighlandsHighlands Lookout Lookout Summer 2012 Coalition News cont’d Highlands Recreation: Warren Hills Wines (TGP) requested the Federal Energy Betsy Manning Wine making is not new to the state. Regulatory Commission (FERC) hen you think American wine, As early as 1767 London’s Royal Society approve the construction of the stop thinking about the Napa of the Arts recognized two vintners for Northeast Upgrade Project (NEUP) Valley,W think The Highlands! In fact, the producing quality wine from grapes no later than May 30th, 2012. TGP New Jersey Highlands hosts a premier grown in New Jersey’s colonial vineyards. was pushing the FERC to approve in American Viticultural Area (AVA): the Wine making was part of the state’s time for a scheduled hearing on the Warren Hills Appellation. agricultural heritage until Prohibition NEUP at the State House Commission Tucked between rivers—the eliminated all but two specialty wineries meeting on Thursday, June 7th in Paulinskill in the Northwest, the producing communion wines. In the Trenton. The Commission must approve Delaware on the west and the 1980’s, the wine industry, as we know it all conveyances of public lands. Musconetcong in the south east—the today, began to re-establish itself and has The Columbia Environmental Warren Hills Appellation AVA provides grown steadily ever since. Law Clinic wrote to FERC on behalf a wide variety of micro-climates, Today, New Jersey is one of the of several organizations including perfect for growing wine grapes. Its top ten wine producers in the United the Coalition, requesting denial of valleys and ridges, running northeast to States. Its wines have won national and the NEUP, citing multiple problems southwest, offer broad sunny exposures. international recognition. And, to lock with the construction of the recently Its limestone, shale, and sandstone in New Jersey’s reputation as a producer completed 300 Line project. However, based soils provide the classic vineyard of fine wine, the wines produced must on May 29th, FERC responded to nutrients. And, with plenty of direct pass a rigorous review process to earn TGP’s request with a conditional sunlight, regular breezes flowing up the the QWA (Quality Wine Alliance) approval. The project now has the valleys and cold air draining downwards designation. A review board made up of necessary federal approvals to start to lessen the chance of frost damage, the certified wine judges, wine editors, wine construction. vines thrive. Within this area are located distributors, liquor store owners, and On Thursday, June 7th the State The Four Sisters Winery at Matazzaro experienced wine reviewers, must give House Commission approved this Farms and the Brook Hollow Winery their stamp of approval. project to traverse some of the most near Belvidere; and Alba Vineyards For a wonderful time, plan a winery critical public lands in the Highlands, and Villa Milagro Vineyards, both near tour. Many have special events ranging including Long Pond Ironworks and Finesville. from elegant dinners to Harvest Day Ringwood State Parks. Planting different grape varieties at festivals. Many are prepared to host Your calls to the list of targeted different elevations and on different soils your own special events from weddings Senators in response to our Permit allows these growers to exploit different to corporate get-togethers or group Extension Bill Action Alert was a micro-environments. They need to make outings. Some provide Bed & Breakfast significant factor in the decision to the vines work hard for the moisture accommodations. Just remember: call “hold” the bill (withhold the bill and nutrients needed to produce the ahead, designate a driver and have a nj from the scheduled Senate vote). We layers of complex flavors found in their good time! hc have been working with our partner award winning wines. In the coolest organizations in Trenton to expose the sites, you can find cold very real consequences in the Highlands hardy Labrusca grapes. The Planning Area if the Legislature adopts French American hybrids the development-lobby-driven Permit like Frontenac or Cayuga Extension Act. When our outreach is White like it warmer. And, matched with expressions of concern in the warmest spots, the voiced by the voting public, elected European Chardonnay, officials react. Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot But it may not be over yet. Please Grigio, Pinot Noir, Riesling watch for our Action Alerts. As always, and others. All these your help is a vital component of any varieties and more flourish successful campaign to protect the in the hills of western New nj Highlands natural resources. hc Jersey. Alba’s vineyards, near Finesville in Pohatcong, Twp. Your Water … Your Future SummerSummer 2012 2012 Highlands Highlands LookoutLookou 3 Highlands History: Thomas A. Edison in the Highlands Erica Van Auken hat do you know about Thomas at extracting iron ore from the mines in ore and debris and extract only the Alva Edison (February 11, Sussex County. Around 1890, Thomas iron deposits using an electromagnet. 1847W – October 18, 1931), the Wizard Edison founded the New Jersey and He received several patents for this of Menlo Park? Sure, you know he Pennsylvania Concentrating Works, even application of the electromagnet, invented the light bulb, right? Well, though iron extraction in this region had but because of numerous technical at least he refined a version of the begun to slow. difficulties this process did not prove to incandescent light bulb that stayed lit By the end of the nineteenth century, be financially sustainable. longer and could be mass-produced. iron ore production was slowing down Roughly 500 men were employed Maybe you know he has 1,093 patents in the northeast. This resource had been at the height of Edison’s attempt at to his credit; in fact, he was such a extracted for some time, leaving only iron mining; and over the course of prolific inventor that his record number low-quality iron. The remaining iron the decade, Edison invested nearly of patents was not surpassed until 2003! contained a lot of debris and required $2 million into his electromagnetic But did you know that he was also quite much more work to extract from the extraction technology. Eventually, active in the New Jersey Highlands as surrounding bedrock, so it was not as Edison recognized that his iron ore well as Essex and Middlesex counties? economical to mine.