Pallone Announces $7 million in New Funds to Begin Cleanup of Margaret’s Creek

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 3, 2016



NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ– Today in Laurence Harbor, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ06) announced $7 million in funding from the Environmental Protection Agency to begin the cleanup at Margaret’s Creek, part of the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund site in Old Bridge. He was joined by Old Bridge Mayor Owen Henry, representatives of the NY/NJ Baykeeper, Raritan Riverkeeper and the Raritan Bay Community Advisory Group.

The area has elevated levels of lead contamination, as well as areas of slag, a byproduct of metal smelting, and battery casings. As a result of urging by Pallone, the Raritan Bay Slag site was placed on the Superfund National Priorities List in 2009. Pallone has long prioritized the cleanup of this contaminated site so the local community may once again access the waterfront area without worry of health hazards. Lead is a toxic metal that can be particularly dangerous to children’s developmental health.




“I am pleased that the EPA is moving forward with a plan to clean up lead contamination at the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund Site in Old Bridge and Sayreville,” said Pallone. “I urged the EPA to have this site placed on the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) to protect the public, as well as the environment, and enable the local residents to go back to utilizing the beachfront areas safely. I am thankful they heeded my call, as even at low levels, lead is a toxic metal that can be especially dangerous to children’s developmental health.

“I strongly believe the public should not be responsible for cleaning-up these contaminated sites, which is why I introduced the Superfund Polluters Pay Act, which would reauthorize the original Superfund fees and make polluters, not taxpayers, pay the costs of cleaning up Superfund sites.”

Pallone has long been fighting to strengthen the Superfund program. This Congress, Pallone introduced H.R.2783 - Superfund Polluter Pays Act, which would reauthorize the original Superfund fees and make polluters, not taxpayers, pay the costs of cleaning up Superfund sites.

Pallone, Diegnan Highlight Harmful Effects of Plastic Microbeads on Fish, NJ Waterways

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-6) and Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex) visited Spring Lake Park to discuss the dangers posed by synthetic plastic microbeads commonly used as exfoliants in cosmetics and personal care products, like face wash, soap, and toothpaste. These small bits of plastic can slip through water treatment systems after they are washed down the drain. As a result, these microbeads often end up in local streams, rivers and larger bodies of water.

The lawmakers highlighted the harmful effects that microbeads have on the environment, as well as fish and other organisms that often mistake the small bits of plastic for food. Pallone and Diegnan were joined by Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin, Middlesex County Freeholder Director Ron Rios, Jim Walsh of Food & Water Watch, and Sandra Meola of NY/NJ Baykeeper.

Last week, Pallone introduced bipartisan legislation in Congress, the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015, which would prohibit the sale or distribution of personal care products that contain synthetic plastic microbeads. Last year, Diegnan helped to ensure passage of a similar bill in the New Jersey State Legislature that would ban the manufacturing of products with microbeads in the Garden State and prohibit them from being sold in New Jersey by 2018.

“This plastic that is polluting our environment is found in products specifically designed to be washed down shower drains,” said Pallone. “And many people buying these products are unaware of their damaging effects. By phasing out the use of plastic microbeads and transitioning to non-synthetic alternatives, we can protect U.S. waters before it’s too late. I thank Assemblyman Diegnan for advancing this critical legislation here in New Jersey, and look forward to continuing to work together to prevent this unnecessary pollution on the national level.”

“I applaud Congressman Pallone for recognizing the ill effects that microbeads have on our environment and standing with what we have done in New Jersey as we take steps to curb its use,” said Diegnan. “When we ban these products on the federal level, we are forever preserving our national environmental heritage by protecting integral marine life and the fishing industry that is important to local and state economies.”

The State of Illinois recently passed a law banning the sale of products containing plastic microbeads by the end of 2017, and a number of other states are considering similar bans. Natural alternatives to plastic microbeads already exist in the market, and some companies, like Proctor & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson, have already started the process of phasing out the harmful plastic in their products.

Info Relating To Ballot Question #2

Vote for Open Space this Election Day Nov 4th

Vote Yes on Public Question 2 to Provide for Preservation Efforts in New Jersey!

Please email this message onto family and friends. We need everyone who can vote to vote for Public Question #2 on Tuesday, November 4, 2014.

On November 4, New Jersey voters have the opportunity to dedicate state funds to ensure the future of parks, open spaces, farmlands and historic treasures. All funds from the statewide bond measure that voters approved in 2009 are allocated, and nothing remains to provide for future preservation efforts. Public Question 2 will ensure dedicated long-term funding for the now-depleted Green Acres, Blue Acres, farmland and historic preservation programs.

By dedicating a percentage of existing Corporate Business Tax revenues, Public Question 2 would ensure reliable long-term funding for critical preservation efforts to continue. The state currently dedicates 4% of the money collected from the Corporate Business Tax to help pay for some environmental programs, and Public Question 2 changes the way some of those programs are funded and raises the amount from 4% to 6% beginning in July 2019. Public Question 2, Green Acres, Blue Acres and farmland and historic preservation programs will receive approximately $71 million annually for the first five years and then $117 million annually thereafter. Public Question 2 only changes the dedication of existing tax dollars and does not increase taxes.

Again, there is no state funding left for preservation programs in New Jersey, but tremendous needs remain. According to the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, more than 650,000 acres still need to be preserved to protect water and natural resources and to provide recreational opportunities to a growing population. The New Jersey Department of Agriculture reports that 350,000 acres of additional farmland must be preserved to maintain a viable agriculture industry.

This November 4th, please ensure New Jersey continues its preservation legacy by voting YES on Public Question 2!
To learn more or volunteer, visit njkeepitgreen.org.

Volunteers Needed For Comptons Creek Clean-Up Sunday 10am

Please, your help is needed to clean up the Bayshore region from the mess that construction crews post-Super-storm Sandy leave around and from ignorant people. We really need your help!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CLEAN-UP NEAR COMPTONS CREEK

SUNDAY, September 21, 2014
10am to 12pm

The Bayshore Watershed Council & NY-NJ Baykeeper are having a cleanup of Compton's Creek wetlands, located along Church Street, near the old fish factory in the Belford section of Middletown Township.

Meeting Location: On-street parking along Church, located in between Port Monmouth Road and Broadway in the Belford section of Middletown Township, zip code 07718. The wetlands and creek will be located on either side of the road..

Time: 10am to 12pm
Be part of the solution to clean up the Bayshore and restore the shore!

Come with friends, family and lots of energy! Wear long pants, sturdy shoes, and gloves. Bring boots or waders. Join us as we restore the health of our creeks and waterways. Join in the effort to protect our environment by helping us remove litter from our beaches, creeks, and wetlands; thereby reducing the harmful impact caused by both litter and urban runoff and enhancing the natural beauty of our watershed.

Pallone Fights for Post Sandy Beach Protections

During Visit to Belmar, Pallone Announces Bill Containing Stronger Safety Standards for Beaches

Long Branch, NJ—In Belmar, New Jersey, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that he has reintroduced his legislation to reauthorize the BEACH Act, which requires tough new water quality testing and public notification standards so beachgoers are better informed about the safety of their beaches.

“Stormwater runoff is one of the primary contributors of water pollution, and now more than ever improved water quality and beach protections have become increasingly important to the Jersey Shore. Both from a public health standpoint and for the vitality of New Jersey’s booming tourism industry, stricter standards and better testing methods are needed to give beachgoers the piece of mind that the beaches they visit are clean,” said Pallone. “After Sandy, many of our hard hit coastal towns are strapped for cash and facing new challenges in water safety. Ensuring clean and safe beaches in New Jersey and nationwide is a necessary and wise investment by the federal government. I worked with Senator Lautenberg on this issue for years, and I’m proud to continue fighting for our beaches and working to get the BEACH Act signed into law.”

The BEACH Act of 2013 will provide funding for water monitoring and notification programs and will require faster public notification of unhealthy conditions at America’s beaches. It will also require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop methods for rapid testing of beach water.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) 2013 Testing the Waters report, beach closings totaled 20,120 in 2012, exceeding 20,000 for the 8th time in the past nine years. More than 80 percent of closings and advisories were issued because bacteria levels in beachwater exceeded public health standards, indicating the potential presence of human or animal waste in the water. NRDC’s report confirms that serious water pollution persists at many U.S. shores, and the primary known cause of this pollution is massive stormwater runoff and sewage.

In addition to protecting the environment, the BEACH Act makes sure beachgoers continue to come to the Shore. According to state officials, tourism directly supports 318,500 jobs and generated $34.7 billion in total economic activity last year, proving there’s a lot at stake for New Jersey’s beaches.

Pallone partnered with Senator Frank Lautenberg in writing the original BEACH Act in 2000 to fight for cleaner, healthier beaches, a cause the two worked on together for years. The original law required every coastal state to adopt water quality standards and established monitoring and notification programs to keep beachgoers safe. President Obama’s budget proposal for 2014 eliminates BEACH Act grants.

“I’m extremely disappointed in the President’s proposal to eliminate these important grants for water quality monitoring. It is critical that we invest in testing our waters to ensure swimmers are safe, and it is wrong to burden state budgets,” added Pallone.

Pallone was joined in Belmar today by Mayor Matt Doherty and representatives from Clean Ocean Action, NY/NJ Baykeeper and the Surfrider Foundation.