New Jersey’s Environment1998

From the Commissioner

The Department of Environmental Protection is committed to managing New Jersey’s environment toensure clean air, clear waters, safe and plentiful open space, and an overall high quality of life.

To manage our environment, we must be able to measure it. That means using sound science to assess thecurrent state of our environment, evaluating the effectiveness of past efforts by looking at historic improve-ment trends, developing goals and strategies for future improvement, and forging partnerships with ourconstituents to meet our targets.

New Jersey’s Environment 1998 is one of a series of interrelated documents that is helping us do that. Thisreport, the first of its kind in New Jersey, presents a host of environmental indicators — everything from theamount of pollutants emitted into the air to total acres of protected land — that measure the quality of ourenvironment. These indicators also serve as a baseline so that you will be able to chart future progressthrough subsequent reports.

Detailed plans for how we will achieve that progress can be found in two other important documents: ourStrategic Plan, which outlines the major strategies we will emphasize over the next four years and themilestones we intend to achieve, and our Performance Partnership Agreement with the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA). This two-year agreement, developed under the National Environmental Perfor-mance Partnership System, is a much more comprehensive and detailed planning document that outlines themajor activities New Jersey and the EPA will jointly undertake for continued environmental improvement.

This report provides the foundation for developing a better understanding of the state of our environ-ment, our long-term goals and the challenges we face in meeting them. Along with the Strategic Plan andPerformance Partnership Agreement, it is intended to encourage greater and more informed public participa-tion in environmental decision-making. With the vast amount of information available to the general publicthrough these documents and our computerized Geographic Information System (GIS), there has never beena better opportunity for you to take an active role in the environmental management process.

I encourage you to become a partner in working toward the ultimate goal of a sustainable environmentfor New Jersey – one that is measurably cleaner, healthier and richer in opportunities to enjoy our wealth ofnatural resources.

Robert C. Shinn, Jr.

A tour aboard one of DEP’s water quality monitoring boats used to sampleocean waters off New Jersey

Lore

tta

O’D

onne

ll

n Developing and integrating an environmental master plan to assist the Department and our partners in decision-makingthrough increased availability of resource data on the Geographic Information System.

n Defining and publishing reasonable, clear and predictable scientifically-based standards.

n Achieving the Department’s goals in a manner that encourages compliance and innovation.

n Employing a decision-making process that is open, comprehensive, timely, predictable and efficient.

n Providing residents and visitors with affordable access to safe and clean open space, historic and natural resources.

n Assuring that pollution is prevented in the most efficient and practical way possible.

n Assuring that the best technology is planned and applied to achieve long-term goals.

n Assuring that non-treatable wastes are isolated, managed and controlled.

n Enhancing environmental awareness and stewardship through education and communication.

n Fostering a work environment that attracts and retains dedicated and talented people.

n Committing to an ongoing evaluation of the Department’s progress toward achieving our mission.

Vision: The Department of Environmental Protection is committed to providing a high quality of life for the residents of New Jersey.

Mission: To assist the residents of New Jersey in preserving, sustaining, protecting and enhancing the environment to ensure theintegration of high environmental quality, public health and economic vitality. We will accomplish our mission in partnership with thegeneral public, business, environmental community and all levels of government by:

Mission Statement

Spruce Run State Park, Hunterdon County, by J.J. Raia

“...The State of New Jersey will establish ways to measure ourquality of life and report on our progress. We’ll let you knowabout things that matter to you: the quality of our water...andhow we’re doing in saving open space....”

(Second Inaugural Address, Governor Christine Todd Whitman,January 20, 1998)

ntroductionI

ew Jersey is a national leader in addressing thechallenges of environmental protection. Over the past

three decades New Jersey has dramatically reduced formerlysevere levels of air and water pollution, preserved broad areas of open space andfarmlands, and stabilized or increased populations of many endangered species.This progress has been achieved in a state that is small in land area, denselypopulated and prosperous. New Jersey residents have the opportunity to bothparticipate in a robust economy and enjoy a healthy environment.

New Jersey is the fifth smallest state in the nation with 7,419 square miles ofland area. On its borders are Delaware to the south, Pennsylvania to the west, NewYork to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The state is home to thePinelands National Reserve, a unique ecosystem of over 1 million acres containingthe internationally recognized “pygmy pine forests.” The state currently has over900,000 acres of publicly owned open space, more than 2,000 species of nativeplants and at least 800 species of native wildlife including such rare animals as thePine Barrens tree frog, which is seldom found outside of New Jersey. New Jerseyalso boasts approximately 6,760 river and border river miles, 1,871 square miles offreshwater and coastal wetlands, bays, estuaries, freshwater lakes and ponds, aswell as 127 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline. New Jersey’s farms produce over 80varieties of fruits, vegetables and other commodities annually.

New Jersey faces numerous environmental management challenges related toits industrial history, the nature of its economy, the paradox of its high populationdensity and sprawling land development patterns, and its many legal/politicalsubdivisions. With a population of 8 million in 1998, the state had an estimatedpopulation density of 1,077 people per square mile, making it the most denselypopulated state in the nation. Based on an estimated average growth rate of 0.5%per year, it is projected that, by the year 2010, New Jersey’s population willreach 8,583,550.1

High population density results in land use changes and pollution from manyscattered sources, such as rain washing oil from streets and pesticides from lawnsinto storm drains. This is referred to as “nonpoint source pollution.’’ The tailpipeemissions from cars and trucks also contribute to this problem. The 35,600 miles of

roads in NewJersey aretraveled by5.9 millionpassenger carsregisteredhere and bycountlessvisitors.2

New Jerseyhas a richindustrialhistory thatlives on today. New Jersey ranks 10th nationally in the manufacture of durable andnondurable goods and is 14th in exports by state of origin. There are approximately700 manufacturing industries in such diverse fields as pharmaceuticals, agricul-tural fertilizers, solvents, cleaners and paints at work in New Jersey. In addition,five major petroleum refineries produce gasoline, motor oil, asphalt and lubricantsin New Jersey. Construction, transportation, utilities, wholesale and retail trade,finance, insurance, real estate, agriculture and the military services are all majoremployers within New Jersey and all create potential stresses to the state’s air,water and natural resources.

Other challenges to maintaining a healthy environment include over 8,900hazardous waste sites, including 105 active Superfund sites, that are in some stageof cleanup. There are also 14 operating landfills, approximately 300 municipal and800 industrial wastewater treatment plants, seven electric and natural gas distribu-tion utility companies, four nuclear reactor facilities and five major coal-firedpower plants within the state.

In response to these challenges, the New Jersey Department of EnvironmentalProtection (NJDEP) has implemented comprehensive and innovative environmen-tal policies and programs. Created on Earth Day 1970, NJDEP is responsible forboth pollution regulation and preservation of natural and historic resources.

2N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

Governor Whitman and Commissioner Shinn on the Wading River in the Pinelands

Many of NJDEP’s efforts have earned national recognition. Examples include:n a comprehensive mandatory recycling programn the first state program to monitor and regulate toxic synthetic organic

contaminants in public water suppliesn a leadership role in the development of the National Environmental

Performance Partnership System (NEPPS). NEPPS is an environmentalmanagement partnership with the federal government that sets long-termgoals for improving New Jersey’s air, land and water, and developsenvironmental indicators to measure environmental quality and progress.New Jersey was one of the primary architects of NEPPS, as well as one of thefirst six states to participate in the program.

n extensive use of the Geographic Information System (GIS), a computerizedmapping system, as a decision making tool

n provision of grants and loans to accomplish the dual goals ofhazardous site remediation and economic vitality

n issuance of the first comprehensive facility-wide permit in the nation thatcovers an industrial facility’s releases to air, water and waste

n one of the most effective state environmental research and technical supportprograms in the country (according to the National Governors’ Association)that has continued to meet NJDEP’s critical information needs and offerinnovative solutions to New Jersey’s environmental challenges.

Currently, New Jersey is pursuing the concept of sustainability in itsenvironmental protection efforts. Sustainability has been defined as “developmentthat meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of futuregenerations to meet their own needs.”3 Governor Whitman’s Executive Order #68,issued on Earth Day 1997, directs each state department to promote sustainabilityas a working philosophy and to embrace sustainability as an operating principle.In accordance with this Executive Order, sustainability and sustainablecommunities concepts are being integrated into NJDEP initiatives and day-to-daypractices through coordinated efforts with the New Jersey Office of Sustainabilityand New Jersey Future, a non-profit organization that is developing sustainabilitygoals and indicators for the 21st century.

Additionally, all state departments are implementing the State Developmentand Redevelopment Plan. The Plan, originally approved by the State PlanningCommission in 1992, provides a strategic framework for controlling suburbansprawl, redirecting investment into urban renewal, preserving open space andfarmland, and generally improving the quality of life for current and futuregenerations. The central organizing principle of the Plan is “Communities ofPlace,” emphasizing compact forms of development in various size centers withprotection of open space surrounding the centers.

This report provides general information on past trends and currentenvironmental conditions in New Jersey. It also details the many daily activitiesthat we as citizens participate in that can harm the environment as well as ways inwhich to reduce or eliminate those behaviors. Whether as individuals or ascommunities, we all influence the health of New Jersey’s environment. Byworking together and taking personal responsibility, we can all play a greaterrole in improving environmental conditions and the quality of life in New Jersey.

For additional information about New Jersey’s environment or NJDEP:

n Search the NJDEP web site (www.state.nj.us/dep). Specific information onenvironmental indicators can be found at the Division of Science andResearch’s web site (www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr)

n Connect to the NJDEP Bulletin Board System (609-292-2006)n Call the NJDEP general information number (609-777-3373)n Visit the Public Access Center at NJDEP Headquarters

(401 E. State St., Trenton, 1st Floor)n Participate in NJDEP’s numerous public involvement opportunities,

including meetings to develop environmental goals and measures of progressfor New Jersey through the National Environmental Performance PartnershipSystem (NEPPS)

1 1997 Reexamination Report. Communities of Place. The New Jersey State Developmentand Redevelopment Plan: Reexamination Report and Preliminary Plan. New Jersey StatePlanning Commission. June 25, 1997.

2 Ibid.3 "Our Common Future,” The World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987

3N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

GOAL: The air throughout the state will be healthful tobreathe, and air pollutants will not damage our forests,land and water bodies.

Robinson Reservoir, Union County, by J.J. Raia

ir QualityAChildren are among the most vulnerable to poor air quality; by Valerie Kraml

Importance of Clean Air

Many pollutants, both man-madeand naturally occurring, harm airquality in New Jersey. Air quality inthe state varies significantly dependingon location, time and weather condi-tions. Over the past 30 years, as sourcesof air pollution have been identifiedand solutions implemented, air qualityin New Jersey has improved. How-ever, widespread exposure to highozone levels in the summer andpotential exposure to toxic air pollut-ants in localized areas are still seriousconcerns because of their potentialeffects on human health.

Nationally, air quality healthstandards have been set for six of themost common air pollutants —ground-level ozone, particulates,carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,nitrogen dioxide and lead. Thesepollutants can damage the respiratorysystem, as well as other organs. Inparticular, exposure to ozone can causecoughing, chest pain and throatirritation in healthy individuals, andcan trigger asthmatic reactions insensitive individuals.

While there are no fixed boundarieslimiting the spread of air pollution,geographic air sheds have been

defined (based on demographics,travel patterns and other factors) fordeveloping strategies to control airpollution. New Jersey is part of fourmajor air sheds, each of which isassociated with a metropolitan area(New York, Philadelphia, Atlantic Cityand Allentown - Bethlehem). Withineach air shed, air quality is affected bothby local emissions and by pollution thatis transported into the area by theprevailing winds. Transported airpollution is a serious problem for NewJersey, just as pollution from New Jerseyaffects areas downwind.

Since air pollutants can be trans-ported across jurisdictional lines, aregional approach to solving airpollution problems is necessary.NJDEP has worked with other states toaddress these problems, taking aleadership role in groups such as theOzone Transport Commission (OTC)and the Ozone Transport AssessmentGroup (OTAG). New Jersey hasdeveloped regional strategies incooperation with other member statesof these groups and is committed totaking all reasonable steps to coordi-nate with other states to implementstrategies to reduce the transport ofozone air pollution throughout theeastern United States.

Within New Jersey there are manyair pollution sources. These cangenerally be categorized as mobilesources (cars, trucks and buses),stationary sources (chemical facto-ries, sewage treatment plants, powerplants, etc.) and area sources(consumer products such as paintsand cleaning products, as well asgasoline stations and the combustionof heating oil to warm a home orheat water for use). In addition toaffecting air quality, the pollutantsemitted by these sources can harmwater quality and ecosystem health.

Indoor air pollution is also aconcern. Radon is a naturally occur-ring radioactive gas. It is a decayproduct of uranium and is found insoil everywhere in varying concentra-tions. Radon gas moves through thesoil beneath a building and may seepthrough cracks or other openings in thefoundation. Just as radon is producedfrom the decay of radioactive materi-als, it further decays, producing newradioactive materials in the form ofsolids. These radon decay productscan attach to other indoor air particles,such as dust and cigarette smoke.

5N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

Figure 1

A I R Q U A L I T Y

1967-71 1972-76 1977-81 1982-86 1987-91 1992-96

Air Pollution Trends 1967 through 1996400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

Per

cent

of H

ealt

h St

anda

rd

LeadTotal Suspended ParticulatesCarbon MonoxideNitrogen DioxideSulfur Dioxide

Data Sources: NJDEP Continuous Air Monitoring Network and NJDEP Air Sampling Network

Four counties and three municipali-ties in the northeastern portion of thestate still are officially designated asnot attaining the carbon monoxidehealth standard. However, in 1997, forthe third consecutive year, New Jerseyrecorded no unhealthful days due toelevated carbon monoxide levels inthese counties and municipalities. Therest of the state also continues tocomply with the standard. Two years

When inhaled they become trapped inthe lungs, where they emit radiation.These decay products can damage lungtissue and increase the risk of lungcancer. In fact, long term chronicexposure to this invisible, odorlessradioactive gas is the second leadingcause of lung cancer in the UnitedStates. In New Jersey, radon is esti-mated to be responsible for up to 500lung cancer deaths each year.

Status and Trends

Programs to reduce pollution fromindustry and automobiles have largelyaddressed New Jersey’s simplest airpollution problems. Air concentrationsof the six pollutants for which the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency(USEPA) has set health standards havedeclined in New Jersey over the past 20years, so that we now meet most of thehealth standards (Figure 1).

The air pollution problems facing usnow are much more complex. Ground-level ozone — not to be confused withthe ozone found in the stratospherethat shields us from the sun’s harmfulultraviolet radiation — is one example.Unlike other pollutants, the ozonefound in the lower atmosphere is notemitted directly. Reducing ozone atground level where we breathe

requires reducing the chemicals thatcombine to form ozone. These chemi-cals, or precursors to ozone, can betransported by the wind for manymiles and may come from sources inother parts of the country. When addedto our local emissions, these pollutantscan cause unhealthful air quality levelswith the right weather conditions, suchas warm temperatures and light winds.

Some pollutants, such as mercuryemissions from combustion, manufac-turing and other sources, do not poseserious air problems when they are inthe outdoor air. However, when theydeposit on the land and water, theycan pollute our water-bodies, threatenaquatic life and accumulate in fish.Other pollutants, like carbon dioxide,contribute to global climate changeand the related concerns of sea-levelrise, ecological shifts and disruptionof agriculture.

Overall, air quality in New Jerseyhas been improving, with far fewerunhealthful air quality days (11) in1997 than in the late 1980s when thenumber of unhealthful days wasregularly 30 or more each year. Figure2 shows the number of unhealthfuldays in each region of the state bypollutant. On some days, unhealthfulair quality is reached in more than one

region; therefore, the sum ofeach of the regional valuesexceeds the statewide numberof 11 days.

New Jersey met air qualityhealth standards throughout1997 for four of the six majorair pollutants; the exceptionswere ozone and total suspendedparticulates. During the summerof 1997, New Jersey exceeded theone-hour health standard forground-level ozone, commonlyknown as smog, on only 10 days(Figure 3). Prior to 1989, thenumber of unhealthful days fromelevated ozone levels was always20 or more. There were 60unhealthful days in 1983.

Many strategies have beenemployed to reduce ozone airpollution. Gasoline has beenreformulated to burn cleaner andevaporate less readily. New carspollute much less than older cars, andall cars must have their emissionschecked periodically. Emissions fromindustrial and utility sources have alsobeen dramatically reduced. However,exposure to ozone is still of greatconcern since almost 4 million peoplein the state were potentially exposed tounhealthful levels at some time in 1997.

6N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

Figure 2

A I R Q U A L I T Y

1997 Unhealthful Daysby Region and Pollutant

Pollutant Causing theUnhealthful Day

Smoke and Particles

Ozone

Data Source:NJDEP ContinuousAir MonitoringNetwork

03

0 41

4

4

5

2

without exceeding the health standardis a prerequisite for declaring the areaofficially in compliance with the healthstandard. NJDEP is working withneighboring states that are part of theair shed to officially redesignate thearea as attaining the carbon monoxidehealth standard.

Air pollution from industry andmobile sources has been greatly reducedthanks to more efficient manufacturingprocesses, removal of pollutant sourcematerials and improved methods forremoving contaminants before they are

released to the air. Since 1990,significant reductions have been seen inindustrial emissions of two types ofsmog-forming pollutants — volatileorganic contaminants (VOCs) andnitrogen oxides (NOx) (Figure 4).Federally mandated acid rain controlshave also reduced sulfur dioxide(SO2) in New Jersey and otherneighboring states.

In 1994, NJDEP adopted the nation’sstrictest mercury emission rules fortrash incinerators. Since then, mercuryemissions from New Jersey’s five

incinerators havedeclined 80 percent (Figure 5). Leadconcentrations found in the air havealso declined substantially since thephaseout (beginning in 1976) of lead asa gasoline additive.

Regarding indoor radon, a measure-ment test can determine if a buildinghas elevated radon levels. During1997, approximately 49,500 radontests were conducted and 2,500radon mitigation systems wereinstalled (Figure 6). The radontesting rate has remained steady

7

from 1992 through 1997 while thenumber of radon mitigation installa-tions has generally increased.

What’s New: Air Standardsand Global Climate Change

The federal Clean Air Act requiresthe USEPA to review the air qualityhealth standards every five years todetermine whether, based on currentresearch, those standards are protec-tive of human health. Based on the

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

Figure 3 Figure 4

A I R Q U A L I T Y

Annual NOx, VOC and SO2 Emissions*

NOx VOCs SO2

(tons

per

yea

r)

1996

1990199319941995

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

no d

ata

colle

cted

* Stationary sources only

Data Source: NJDEP Continuous Air Monitoring Network

Unhealthful Ozone Days

65

55

45

35

25

15

5

Num

ber

of D

ays

Data Source: NJDEP Continuous Air Monitoring Network

'73 '74 '75 '76 '77 '78

Year

0'79 '80 '81 '82 '83 '84 '85 '86 '87 '88 '89 '90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97

latest information, the USEPA promul-gated changes to the health standardsfor ground-level ozone and particulatematter in 1997. New Jersey is requiredto meet the health standards as soon aspossible, but not later than 2010 and

2015, respectively, for ozone andparticulate matter.

The ozone standard was changedbecause these studies showed thathuman health is harmed at ozonelevels lower than the current one-hourstandard if the ozone levels remainhigh for at least 8 hours. The old one-hour standard was exceeded on just 10days during the summer of 1997, whileozone levels were above the new eight-hour standard on 35 days that year.Meeting this new standard will bedifficult, but it will provide a greatermargin of public health protection, andNew Jersey is already positioning itselfto meet this challenge.

Under the former health standardfor particulate matter, the health effectswere thought to be associated withparticles 10 micrometers in diameter orsmaller. (A human hair is approxi-mately 70 micrometers in diameter.)The USEPA’s new health standard isbased on particles 2.5 micrometers orsmaller. These smaller particles areinhaled more deeply into the lungs andare thought to cause many of theadverse health effects. The entire stateof New Jersey meets the healthstandard that was set for the 10micrometer particles. It is estimatedthat much of the state will not meet the

new standardfor 2.5micrometerparticles, butwe will notknow forcertain untilwe have datafrom themonitoringprogram whichgets under wayin 1998. Inanticipationof the 2.5micrometer particle standard, NewJersey is implementing a heavy dutydiesel truck inspection program in 1998to reduce smoke emissions.

NJDEP is also assessing the long-term environmental and economicimplications of greenhouse gases. Leftunchecked, increasing concentrationsof greenhouse gases may contribute torising sea levels, warmer temperatures,more arid soils, and more frequent andintense storms. An inventory of allNew Jersey greenhouse gas emissions,by gas and market sector, is nowcomplete. This inventory indicates thatNew Jersey is responsible for approxi-mately 2 percent of the nation’sgreenhouse gas emissions. An action

plan to reduce emissions of carbondioxide and other greenhouse gases isunder development with help fromparties throughout the state. Specificpolicy recommendations in the areas oftransportation, building emissionsreductions, and industrial manufactur-ing are being formulated. Programs topromote the benefits of utilizinginnovative technologies such asgeothermal energy, fuel cells and solardesign are under development. Effortsto educate the public about the factsand consequences of climate changeare also under way.

8N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

Figure 5 Figure 6

A I R Q U A L I T Y

Num

ber o

f Hom

es

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997

Residential Radon Tests and Mitigations

10,000

30,000

40,000

0

20,000

50,000

60,000

Data Source: NJDEP Mandatory Radon Certification Database

Radon Screening Tests

Radon Mitigations

Annual MercuryEmissions fromMunicipal WasteIncinerators

4,500

4,000

3,500

3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

01991-93** 1996 1997

Poun

ds P

er Y

ear

*

**Data collected during 3 year period

*Mercury emissions rule adopted in 1994

Data Source: NJDEP Air QualityPermitting

What can you do?

n Drive Less. Collectively, automobiles are the largest cause of air pollution in thestate. Try using mass transit, carpooling, walking or riding a bike. Combine tripswhen you do use your car. When shopping for a new car, look for the most fuelefficient and lowest emitting model available.

n Conserve Energy. Almost all of the energy we use comes from the burning offuel, whether in our cars, in our homes or at the power plant supplying electricityto our homes. The more efficiently we use energy, the less pollution, so turn offunneeded lights, use a fan instead of an air conditioner whenever possible andconsider energy efficiency when purchasing new appliances.

n Maintain Your Car Properly. Keep your car tuned, get it inspected when dueand keep your tires properly inflated. You’ll get better gas mileage, too.

n Delay Yard Chores. Those gas powered yard tools are big polluters. Don’t mowyour lawn or use other gas powered tools on days when ozone is expected to behigh. Consider using electric tools. They pollute far less and are quieter.

n Use Products That Pollute Less. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) inconsumer products, such as paints and household cleaners, quickly evaporate andcontribute to ozone pollution. Substitute water-based products whenever possible.

n Don’t exercise outside on days when air quality is unhealthful. Check the airquality forecast, especially on sunny, hot summer afternoons.

n Test Your Home for Radon and Mitigate if Necessary. Inexpensive test devicescan be purchased at hardware stores or local health departments, or a New Jersey-certified radon measurement business may be hired to conduct the testing. Allhomes, including those with slab-on-grade construction, should be tested. TheNJDEP recommends mitigation if the radon concentration in your home is 4 pCi/Lor greater. House repairs can be simple and affordable, starting at just a fewdollars for do-it-yourself applied sealers, to a professionally installed mitigationsystem ranging in cost between $500 and $2,000. All businesses and individualsthat provide professional mitigation installations must be certified by New Jersey.

n Call the Radon Information Line at 1-800-648-0394 or visit the NJDEP RadonWeb Page at www.state.nj.us/dep/rpp/index.htm for further informationon radon.

To find out what the daily air quality is like in your area:Look in your local newspaperCall the Air Quality Index & Regional Forecast toll-free number (1-800-782-0160)View NJN TV nightly newsSearch the World Wide Web (www.state.nj.us/dep/airmon/index.htm)Connect to NJDEP’s Electronic Bulletin Board (609-292-2006)

Reflections on Lake Absegami, Bass River State Park, Burlington County, by J.J. Raia

9

GOAL: New Jersey’s rivers, lakes and coastal waters will befishable, swimmable and support healthy ecosystems. Groundwater will be a clean source of water. Every person in New Jerseywill have safe drinking water. Adequate quantities of surface andground water will be available for all needed uses.

South Fork of the Raritan River, Ken Lockwood Gorge, Hunterdon County, by J.J. Raia

Water

A fisherman casts a line at Wawayanda State Park, Sussex County; by Alyce Parseghian

Surface Water

New Jersey’s surface waters providehabitat and food for numerous speciesof wildlife and are an important sourceof drinking water and food forresidents. Over 173 million pounds offish and 75 million pounds of shellfishare harvested from New Jersey’scoastal waters each year. Fishing,swimming and boating are favoritepastimes and are important to thetourism industry. Tourism in NewJersey coastal counties is a $12 billionindustry that employs hundreds ofthousands of people. Clean water is

important economically and ecologi-cally to the well-being of New Jersey.

Surface water quality has remainedexcellent in undeveloped areas such asthe Pinelands and the Delaware WaterGap. Populations of shad in theDelaware River have improvedconsiderably as the water has becomecleaner and oxygen levels haveimproved (Figure 7). Over 86 percentof available shellfish beds are open toharvesting due to point and nonpointsource pollution control efforts(Figure 8). Harvest areas that are opencontinually, open seasonally, openwith special restrictions and closed are

shown on theshellfish growingarea map (Figure 9).Notably, effectivepollution controlprograms haveallowed the shellfishindustry to thriveonce more on theNavesink River inMonmouth County.Beach closings due topollution are far lessfrequent than inyears past because of improvements insewage treatment and shorelinemaintenance (Figure 10). Prior to 1991,450 dry tons of sewage sludge weredumped in the ocean per day. Today,over 60 percent of sewage sludge isbeneficially used to fertilizecrops, support landscapingactivities and to reclaimdamaged land due tosuccessful efforts to preventtoxics from tainting thesludge. Much of thisprogress is the result of the$5 billion spent since 1972 toimprove sewage treatment.Through an advancedpretreatment program,significant improvements havealso been made to prevent or

reduce industrial pollution and to improvetreatment of industrial wastewater.

Watersheds are “nature’s bound-aries,” encompassing the areas of landthat drain into a body of water such as

11

1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1993 1997 1998

Shellfish Waters Open for Harvesting

Per

cent

age

of A

ll A

vaila

ble

Wat

ers 88

76

78

80

82

84

86

74

72

Data Source: NJDEP Water Monitoring Management

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

Figure 7

Figure 8

W A T E R

1976

Delaware River Shad Populations*800,000

700,000

600,000

500,000

400,000

300,000

200,000

100,000

01977 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1992 1995 1996

Est

imat

ed N

umbe

rs

*Includes years for which data are available

Data Source: NJDEP Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife

Hard clams are one of the most common types of shellfish harvested fromNew Jersey’s bay waters.

Bonn

ie Z

imm

er

a river, lake, stream or bay. A water-shed includes both the waterway andthe entire land area that drains into it.We all live in a watershed. There are 96watersheds in New Jersey that havebeen grouped into 20 watershedmanagement areas (Figure 11). NewJersey is embarking on a watershedmanagement approach to helpcommunities and government worktogether to identify the issues andneeds in each watershed and water-shed management area so we cancontinue to improve, protect andmaintain our state’s water resources.

Despite significant improvements,many watersheds are harmed by

various kinds of pollution.Some lakes and rivershave become overgrownwith weeds and filled inwith sediment. Fish killssometimes occur. Con-sumption advisories are ineffect for some fish speciesdue to toxic contamina-tion. Erosion sendssediments into lakes andharbors, which thenrequire dredging. Bacte-ria, particularly fromstormwater, may at timesforce closures of beaches

and shellfish beds.

So far, management strategies havefocused on wastewater from factoriesand sewage treatment plants. As thesepoint sources of pollution have beenmanaged, nonpoint source andstormwater pollutants have becomesignificant concerns. Nonpoint sourcepollution includes all sources of waterpollution that do not come from a pipe.Nonpoint contamination of ourground water, rivers and ocean resultsfrom activities such as fertilizing lawnsand golf courses, walking pets,improper disposal of used motor oiland littering. With each rainfall,pollutants generated by these activities

12

are washed into storm drains that flowinto our waterways and ocean. In someplaces, high volumes of stormwaterlead to frequent flooding. Wetlandscan absorb floodwaters and filterpolluted stormwater, but these benefitsare lost if wetlands are filled orotherwise disturbed.

Populations of aquatic insect larvaeand other organisms that live in streambeds have been used to evaluate thehealth of aquatic ecosystems at over

700 stream locationsstatewide. Theorganisms conveyinformation aboutthe health of theaquatic ecosystems

and are a primary food source for fish.These bottom-dwelling organisms actas indicators, like the canary in a coalmine, because they respond to improv-ing or degrading conditions faster thanfish populations. Monitoring of thesebottom-dwellers has shown that about35 percent of New Jersey streams arenot stressed, and the remainder areshowing moderate or severe stress(Figure 12). These results were used toset a milestone (target) to increase thestream miles which are not stressedfrom 35 percent to 50 percent by theyear 2005; this milestone was estab-lished by NJDEP in partnership withstakeholders including the regulatedcommunity, environmental groups,citizens and academics.

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

W A T E R

Figure 9

Beach Closings

10

20

30

40

50

01988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996

803

44

32

10

2734

50

410

1997

18

Num

ber o

f Clo

sing

s

Data Source: Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program

Figure 10

The health of aquatic ecosystemsreflects stresses caused by a variety ofimpacts including chemical pollutionand habitat degradation. Aquatichabitats can be degraded in severalways: stormwater can erode streambanks; eroded sediments can bedeposited elsewhere, smotheringaquatic plants and organisms; andstreams may be channeled for floodcontrol or development, removing thephysical habitats used by aquatic

organisms. While chemicalpollutants in New Jerseystreams and sediments havebeen monitored for anumber of years, theevaluation of stream habitatis now beginning.

Ground Water

Ground water is a hiddenresource. This buried watercomes primarily fromrainwater trickling throughsoil. Ground water gener-ally moves very slowlytoward streams, lakes andbays. It is an importantsource of drinking waterand helps sustain streams,lakes and wetlands,particularly during dry

weather. Therefore, the quality ofground water influences surface waterquality and the health of aquaticecosystems. This is of particularsignificance in the New Jersey AtlanticCoastal Region and portions of theLower Delaware Region (see Figure11), where up to 90 percent of the baseflow to these streams is from groundwater sources.

Ground water quality is generallyvery good in New Jersey. Industrial

13

35.4%

52.4%

12.2%

2005 Goal: 50% of streammiles not stressed

Biological Conditionsin NJ Streams

Data Source: NJDEP Water MonitoringManagement

Not Stressed

Moderately Stressed

Severely Stressed

and commercial discharges to groundwater are managed to protect groundwater from point sources of pollution,such as leaking underground storagetanks. However, in some locations,ground water is contaminated bynonpoint sources and naturally occur-ring contaminants. Nonpoint sources of

ground water pollution include excessfertilizers and pesticides.

Additionally, some contaminants,such as radon and radium, occurnaturally in ground water and canoccur at levels that are a human healthconcern if the water is used fordrinking water. Elevated levels ofmercury have been found in numerousprivate drinking water wells tappedinto the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifersystem located in the Coastal Plain ofsouthern New Jersey. Contaminationby bacteria is also a concern if groundwater supplies drinking water toprivate wells.

Drinking Water

A major use of New Jersey’s waterresources is for drinking water supply.About 1.2 billion gallons of potablewater are used in New Jersey each day.In New Jersey, 87 percent of the state’spopulation receives its drinking waterfrom public water systems, while 13percent is supplied by private residen-tial wells. About half of the state’spopulation receives its drinking waterfrom surface water, the rest fromground water.

Drinking water is a direct route ofpotential human exposure to microbio-logical and chemical contaminants. To

Figure 12

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

W A T E R

Figure 11

WatershedManagementAreasand Regions

Upper DelawareRegion

Lower DelawareRegion

Passaic Region

Raritan Region

Atlantic Region

Source: NJDEP Officeof EnvironmentalPlanning andNJDEP Water Supply Element

1

23

4 56

78

910

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

protect public health, both EPA andNJDEP have set standards for approxi-mately 90 contaminants. Public watersuppliers must monitor for theseregulated contaminants, based on thetype of water system and the source ofthe drinking water. Public watersystems that serve homes are calledcommunity water systems. In 1995, 97percent of the community watersystems in New Jersey met all of themicrobiological standards and 89percent met all of the chemicalstandards (Figure 13).

New Jersey has focused particularattention on reducing exposure to 22volatile organic chemicals, whichinclude solvents, degreasers andcomponents of gasoline. Manychemicals in this group are consideredto be known or probable humancarcinogens. In 1983, the New JerseyLegislature gave NJDEP the authorityto require semiannual monitoring andthe responsibility of developing thestandards or MCLs (maximumcontaminant levels) for these contami-nants in community water systems.Initially, levels of at least one volatileorganic chemical were greater than therelevant standard at 20 percent of thecommunity water systems. By 1997,only 7 percent of community water

systems did notmeet thestandard for allvolatile organicchemicals(Figure 14).

About400,000 privatewells in NewJersey serveapproximately1.5 millionpeople. Allprivate wellsare required to be tested for microbio-logical contamination and a limitednumber of other chemicals (e.g.,nitrate) when a well is drilled, butthereafter, regular monitoring is theresponsibility of the homeowner. Somecounty and local health departmentsrequire retesting of the well when theproperty is sold.

Plentiful Water

New Jersey’s homes, industries,businesses and farmers use about 1.5billion gallons of water each day. Thesystem of reservoirs, surface waterintakes and wells generally providesadequate supplies of water for all uses.However, as described in the 1996 NewJersey Statewide Water Supply Plan,

water supplies are regional, and someregions have significant surpluseswhile others have significant deficits(Figure 15). Those regions for whichcurrent surpluses may turn to deficitsare shown in yellow on the map andcategorized as areas with “ProjectedFuture Deficits.” Deficits are generallyaddressed by conservation, improvinglocal water management, transferringwater from one area to another, ordeveloping a new supply.

The long-term trend is towardgreater stress on all water supplies,especially in developing areas. Asdevelopment covers land with roads,parking lots and houses, the amount ofrain water reaching ground water isdeclining. In addition, more than half

14

1984-86 1987-89 1990-92 1993-95 1996-97 2005

Community Water Systems ExceedingOne or More VOC Standards

5

15

20

0

10Per

cent

Data Source: NJDEP Bureau of Safe Drinking Water

Our Goal:No

Exceedances

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

1995 CommunityWater SystemsMeeting AllStandards

Microbiological

Chemical

3%

Data Source: NJDEP Bureau of SafeDrinking Water

Meeting Standards

Not Meeting Standards

97%

89%

11%

Figure 13

W A T E R

Figure 14

of the water used in the state is usedonly once, then discharged to tidalwaters as treated wastewater. In thefuture, demands for water may exceedsupplies in regions where surplusescurrently exist. In some locations, poorquality of surface and ground waterlimits its use for drinking and otherpurposes. For example, as water usehas increased in some coastal commu-nities, saltwater is being drawn intodrinking water supply wells. Surface

What can you do?

n Conserve water at work and at home. Install flow restrictors on all faucets anduse low-flow shower devices. Do not let the water run when washing cars. Minimizelawn watering.

n Read and follow pesticide and fertilizer label instructions and precautions. Usefertilizers and pesticides carefully and appropriately. Reduce pesticide use byimplementing alternative pest control methods such as biological and mechanicalcontrols, sanitation, monitoring of pests and selective use of the least hazardouspesticides when needed. Do not apply fertilizer or pesticides before a heavy rain.

n Dispose of used motor oil and cooling fluids at designated recycling centers.Do not dispose of any hazardous materials or wastes in storm or home drains.Bring toxic household wastes to county hazardous waste collection centers ondesignated days.

n Be sure that your motor vehicle does not leak any fluids. These petroleum productshave a major impact on surface and ground water.

n Clean up after pets to reduce bacterial contamination in stormwater. Dispose ofwastes in the garbage or toilet.

n Participate in watershed management activities, including developing watershedmanagement plans. These activities will begin in each of the 20 watershedmanagement areas over the next two years.

n Join local watershed associations, environmental groups or other serviceorganizations involved in water resource activities. Participate in monitoring, litterclean-ups, stream bank and wetlands restoration projects, and educational activities.

n Participate in local efforts to improve land use planning and land conservation.

n Look for additional information about water quality in Statewide Water QualityInventory Reports and the 1996 State Water Supply Plan. These publications areavailable at state repository libraries or through NJDEP’s Maps and PublicationsOffice (609-777-1038). National and state water quality information is available atEPA’s “Surf Your Watershed” website at www.epa.gov/surf.

n Contact your local drinking water purveyor or NJDEP’s Bureau of Safe DrinkingWater (609-292-5550) to get information on the quality of your drinking water.

n Request copies of the NJDEP publication “The Clean Water Book: LifestyleChoices for Water Resource Protection” (609-292-2113). It describes many actionsindividuals can take to prevent water pollution.

Water Supplies inNew Jersey

Water SupplyPlanning Areas

Surplus

ThreatenedDeficit

Source: NJDEP Office of Environmental Planning

water pollution is threateningwater supplies in severalnorthern New Jersey areas.

Strategies to Protectand Enhance WaterResources

Through statewide water-shed management, NewJersey is implementing anintegrated approach tomaintain existing high qualitysurface and ground waters,clean polluted waters andenhance water supplyprotection measures. Theissues affecting each of the 20watershed management areas(see Figure 11) are beingidentified and will be priori-tized. Partnerships with

municipal, county, state and federalgovernments, business and industry,environmental groups and citizens arebeing established. NJDEP and itspartners will develop watershedmanagement plans for each of the 20watershed management areas. Thegoal is to work with the watershedcommunities to reduce point andnonpoint sources of pollution toimprove and enhance water resourcesfor human and ecosystem use.

Figure 15

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

and andNaturalResourcesGOAL: The health, diversity and integrity ofNew Jersey’s natural resources will be restored andsustained. Natural and scenic landscapes will bepreserved and every person will have the opportunityto visit an abundance of well-maintained parks, forests,wildlife areas and historic sites. The public will learnabout natural and historic resources and have accessto a wide variety of recreational experiences.Dogwood near the Delaware and Raritan Canal, Somerset County, by J.J. Raia

L

Young hikers on High Mountain, Passaic County, by Marc C. Wuensch

Healthy Ecosystems

Though New Jersey is one of thesmallest and most densely populatedstates in the United States, it is ecologi-cally unique. The state overlaps verydifferent northern and southern plantand animal communities. Its ecosys-tems are among the most complex anddiverse in the nation. New Jersey’s fivephysiographic regions range frommountainous areas in the Valley andRidge and Highlands Regions in thenorth, to the gentle ridges and fertilesoils of the Piedmont Region stretchingfrom the Hudson River south throughPennsylvania (Figure 16). Theseregions support northern plant andanimal community types. The Innerand Outer Coastal Plain Regions arethe most easterly and southern parts ofNew Jersey. This vast area of sandy,unconsolidated soil is host to diversehabitats including the PinelandsNational Reserve, extensive salt marshand freshwater wetlands, and theAtlantic coast barrier islands and bays.These two regions include nearly 60percent of New Jersey’s land mass andsupport southern plant and animalcommunity types.

Ecosystem integrity is a measure ofthe capacity of ecosystems to renewthemselves. It is the degree to which

all ecosystem elements — species,habitats and natural processes — areintact and functioning well enough toensure sustainability and long-termadaptation to changing environmentalconditions and human uses.

The loss of a species from anecosystem in which it naturally occurschanges the interactions among theremaining species, as well as theirinteractions with their surroundings.For people, the loss of a species maymean lost sources of food, medicine,fiber, building materials and pestcontrol. Many species that were nearlyextinct in New Jersey a few years ago,such as bald eagles, also have anaesthetic and cultural value that isdifficult to measure in dollars.

Many ecological communities withinNew Jersey are healthy and vibrant,while others require restoration andimproved management to reversedeclining environmental health. Onesign of the fragile nature of our habitatis the number of threatened or endan-gered species that live in New Jersey.Species listed on the federal Threat-ened and Endangered Species list areat peril on the national level. NewJersey has its own Threatened andEndangered Species list. These speciesare in danger of vanishing from the

state. (Swamp Pink, a floweringwetland plant, is an example of aspecies that is found on both lists.) Inmost cases these species are in peril atthe regional level as well.

The state has 2,117 known nativeplant species. Approximately 30percent of those are categorized asspecies of conservation concern. Inother words, nearly one of every threenative New Jersey plants is at risk ofbecoming increasingly rare. Fifteenpercent of New Jersey’s native plantsare also listed as endangered.

New Jersey is home to 90 mammalspecies, 79 reptile and amphibianspecies, and more than 400 fish species.Approximately 325 species of birdsinhabit New Jersey. Approximately 1.5million shorebirds and as many as80,000 raptors make migratorystopovers in New Jersey each year.Like the plant species, about one-thirdof the known vertebrate animal speciesare classified as either rare or endan-gered in New Jersey. Bald eagles andperegrine falcons are examples ofspecies on both the federal and stateEndangered Species lists.

The bog turtle, which was already onthe state Endangered Species list, wasadded to the federal Endangered

17

Figure 16

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

L A N D A N D N A T U R A L R E S O U R C E S

Source: NJDEP Geological Survey

Valley and Ridge

Highlands

Piedmont

Inner Coastal Plain

Outer Coastal Plain

PhysiographicProvinces ofNew Jersey

Species list in 1997. This affords thespecies greater protection nationally aswell as in New Jersey. Documentedbog turtle habitat sites in New Jerseyhave declined by 60 percent since the1970s. The Endangered and NongameSpecies Program has developed apredictive model to determine theareas most suited as bog turtle habitat.So far, program biologists have found70 previously unknown bog turtle sites.

To sustain ecological diversity, NewJersey must protect the habitats of thestate’s plant and animal species.NJDEP offers protection of endangeredand threatened species habitat on a

site-by-site basis by regulating someland development activities. How-ever, the strongest protection that canbe offered is acquisition of open space.Sometimes endangered or threatenedspecies inhabit small plots of landunconnected and isolated from otherexisting public open spaces. The stateand several nonprofit conservationgroups work to identify and protectthese unique, ecologically sensitiveparcels. The key to protectingendangered and threatened species isto preserve both large and smallparcels of open space and link thoseopen spaces with greenway corridors.

Large blocks of open spaces providethe variety of environmental condi-tions that plant and animal speciesneed to survive and regenerate. Forexample, some bird species cannotsustain breeding populations in forestssmaller than 250 acres. Open spaceprovides opportunities for forests toremain intact and mature. Greenwaycorridors provide opportunities forwildlife to migrate, nest, find matesand forage for food. Poorly plannedland development can fragment forestsand interrupt open space corridors. Asland development intensifies in NewJersey’s rural and suburban areas,more of New Jersey’s open spacesbecome fragmented. The cumulativeimpacts of development alter theability of forests and wetlands tofilter air and water, and to providecritical habitat.

Many of New Jersey’s forest lands areheld by private owners. In 1997, therewere 273,885 acres of land registeredas private forest for tax purposes. TheState Forest Service encouragesprivate landowners to preserve andmanage these forest lands. Under theguidance of the State Forest Service,owners of 38,273 acres of private foresthave taken additional steps to adoptforest stewardship plans for their lands.

Fragmentation of forests and loss ofopen space has consequences all acrossNew Jersey. For example, in the lower10 kilometers of the Cape May penin-sula, 40 percent of the habitat critical tomigratory and residential wildlife hasbeen lost to development over the past20 years, even though a significantamount of open space is already setaside. Neotropical bird species spendthe winter in South America but breedin North America. Many of thesespecies migrate through and rest andfeed in New Jersey. Partly as a resultof the loss of New Jersey habitat, theworld populations of these species aredeclining. The state Endangered andNongame Species Program is workingto protect migratory raptor andsongbird habitats on the Cape MayPeninsula. The Cape May StopoverProject provides money and expertiseto landowners to manage private landfor wildlife and works with localplanning boards to pass landscapingand development ordinances sensitiveto ecological needs.

Flora of the State

Through its Office of Natural LandsManagement, the state directly protectsrare species and manages forbiodiversity on 31,284 acres in 42 sites.

18

The bog turtle has been added to the federal Endangered Species list.

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

L A N D A N D N A T U R A L R E S O U R C E SR

ober

t Zap

palo

rti

The sites range in size from 11 acresup to 3,800 acres. These sites containsome of the state’s rarest ecologicalcommunities.

During 1997, two historic endan-gered plant species — the purplefringeless orchid (Plantantherapramonena) and the cut-leaved water-milfoil (Miriophyllum pinnatum) — aswell as the common water-milfoil(Miriophyllum sibiricum), a speciesbelieved completely gone from thestate, were rediscovered. A newaddition to the state’s native flora, thesmall-fruited beggar’s-tick, was alsodiscovered in Cape May and added tothe Special Plant List. A total of 64plants previously unrecorded in thestate have been discovered since 1984.

Raptors and MigratoryBirds

Several threatened and endangeredraptor species have difficulty breedingbecause of the bioaccumulation of toxiccompounds, while others are experi-encing improvements in populations.The number of Cooper’s hawks hasincreased statewide. The number ofbreeding pairs of bald eagles continuedto increase this year with a new nestalong Alloways Creek, bringing thestatewide total to 14 pairs. Therecovery, however, is threatened. Toxiccontamination is a serious problemfor three pairs, while five pairs arethreatened by habitat loss andchronic disturbance is disruptingthree more pairs.

Piping plovers have also suffered adecline in productivity. The number ofbreeding pairs fell from 135 in 1996 to115 in 1997. The key reasons for thedecline were disturbance and preda-tion. The Endangered and NongameSpecies Program has developed acommunity-based protection planthat will increase municipal controlfor protection, thereby lessening thepotential for disturbance fromrecreational activities and landdevelopment.

Marine Life

Important recreational and commer-cial fisheries in New Jersey dependupon healthy fish populations. Morethan 50 species of fish and shellfish areharvested commercially in New Jersey.Approximately 175 million pounds offish, with an approximate docksidevalue of $95 million, are harvestedannually. Populations of severalspecies, such as striped bass, weakfishand summer flounder, are makingsignificant recoveries. Other species

What Can You Do?

nContribute to the protection ofendangered species by making sureyou “Check-off” for wildlife on line 46B of your state tax form. Purchase a“Conserve Wildlife” license plate at anyDMV agency or by calling (609) 292-6500 for an application.

nLearn about the state’s biodiversityby visiting one of the state’sinterpretive centers such as the PequestFish Hatchery (908-637-4125), theForest Resource Education Center(732-928-0029), or the newest parkinterpretive centers at Island BeachState Park (732-793-0506) andWashington’s Crossing State Park(609-737-0609).

nCreate habitat. For information oncreating a backyard habitat formigratory and breeding birds, contactthe Endangered and Nongame SpeciesProgram at (609) 628-2103, or by mail at2201 County Route 631, Woodbine,New Jersey 08270.

nSearch various natural and historicresource-related web sites:www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw (Fish, Game& Wildlife), www.state.nj.us/dep/forestry/home.htm (CommunityForestry), and www.abi.org/nhp/us/nj/ (Natural Heritage Program).

Numbers of the endangered Cooper’s hawkare on the rise.

The purple fringeless orchid (Plantanthera pramonena)recently was rediscovered in New Jersey.

Dav

id S

nyde

r

Jerr

y Li

guor

i

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

remain at low levels. Sometimes it isdifficult to determine if these popula-tions are depressed for reasons peoplecan control, such as pollution, overfish-ing and habitat alteration, or if thereasons are natural factors likepredation or disease. Fish and shellfishconsumption advisories for five speciesare in effect in various locations in ourcoastal waters because of pollution.

Open Space Protection

In the past three years, the numberof people citing “the outdoors’’ as theirprimary reason for traveling to NewJersey has tripled. Travelers enjoyingopen spaces and wildlife account for 6percent of all overnight trips to NewJersey. Another 12 percent of travelerscome to enjoy the beaches. Fishing,hunting and wildlife viewing have anannual economic value of $1.2 billionto the state. Heritage tourism (tourismthat incorporates visits to historic sites)has an annual economic value of$413 million.

The travel and tourism economicsector in New Jersey is valued at $24.6billion yearly and is projected toexpand at least 31 percent over the nextdecade. Tourism is among the state’stop three industries for employmentand economic impact. Ecotourism and

heritage tourism are two of the fastestgrowing tourism markets. Thecontinued growth of these markets inNew Jersey depends upon the state’sability to preserve scenic, ecologicaland historic resources.

State open space is managed largelyby the NJDEP. The Division of Parksand Forestry is steward for 53 parks,forests and recreational areas; 57historic sites and districts; 42 naturalareas; marinas; reservoirs; a golfcourse, and other miscellaneousfacilities. These areas total 334,250acres and attract over 13 millionvisitors annually. The Division ofFish, Game and Wildlife manages107 Wildlife Management Areas,totaling 254,000 acres.

New Jersey’s voters have long beensupportive of protecting open space.Over the past 35 years, New Jersey’svoters have overwhelmingly approvednine Green Acres bond issues, totalingover $1.4 billion, to fund landpurchases. To date, over 390,000 acreshave been purchased for preservationby state, county, municipal andnonprofit open space programs. In1997, the Green Acres state acquisitionprogram purchased 13,467 acres at acost of $29.8 million. Another $62.1

million was approved for local openspace projects for preservation ofapproximately 4,800 acres. As of 1998,New Jersey has 920,000 acres ofpermanently protected open space,including lands managed by federal,state and local governments, interstateagencies and nonprofit organizations,and lands protected under theDepartment of Agriculture’s FarmlandPreservation Program.

Strong public opinion has promptedmunicipal and county governments totake leadership in preserving landswithin their communities. In

November 1998, voters in 45 towns andsix counties approved local initiativesfor open space related spending.Voters have dedicated funds for openspace in 13 counties and 98municipalities. The public itself hasplaced open space at the center of itsvision for the future of New Jersey.

20

Figure 17

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

L A N D A N D N A T U R A L R E S O U R C E S

1970 1976 1982 1988 1994 1996 1997

Preserved Open Space

200,000

600,000

800,000

0

1,000,000

400,000

Cum

ulat

ive

Acr

es

2008

10-Y

ear

Goa

l: 1,

886,

000

4-Ye

ar G

oal:

1,18

6,00

0

2002

Data Source: NJDEP Green Acres Program

An Open Space Goal IsEstablished

In her inaugural speech in January1998, Governor Christine ToddWhitman set an ambitious open spacegoal for New Jersey. The Governorlaunched an initiative to preserve amillion additional acres of open spaceover the next 10 years, with the first300,000 acres to be preserved beforeshe leaves office in 2002.

The goal of preserving a millionmore acres of open space wasrecommended by the Governor’sCouncil on New Jersey Outdoors, atask force established by GovernorWhitman. The Council conductedpublic hearings and took acomprehensive look at the preservationneeds for ecological diversity,watershed protection, greenwaycorridors, conservation of farmland,historic preservation and recreationalopen space.

When the Council made itsrecommendations the state had 886,000acres of open space already preserved,so preserving an additional millionacres would result in a 10-year goal of1,886,000 acres (see Figure 17).

On November 3, 1998, by a two-to-onemargin, New Jersey voters showed theirsupport for the Governor’s initiative andapproved a constitutional dedication of$98 million of annual funds and $1 billionin bond financing to preserve farmland,open space and historic resources.

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

Meadow of goldenrod, Middlesex County

J.J. R

aia

What Can You Do?

nGo outdoors. Go for a hike or a bikeride, spend the day at the beach or picnicbeside a lake. Glimpse a migrating hawk,fish for trophy-size trout or canoe downa sparkling stream. Enjoy the naturalbeauty of New Jersey.

nVolunteer. Volunteers are theindispensable friends of parks, forests,natural areas, historic sites andinterpretive centers. Volunteers countmigrating birds, build protective fencingon dunes, provide educational programs,write newsletters, garden, restore historicsites, re-enact military history, clear trails,and lead hikes. For information onvolunteer opportunities, write to theDivision of Fish, Game and Wildlife orthe Division of Parks and Forestry at POBox 400, Trenton NJ 08625.

nSave open space in your area. Findout if your town has an EnvironmentalCommission to advise on managingnatural resources. If your town doesn’thave an Environmental Commission, callthe Association of New JerseyEnvironmental Commissions (973-539-7547) to learn how you can help saveopen space in your area.

n Vote to voice your opinion on openspace preservation ballot initiatives.

Goal: Evolve the current system of pollutioncontrol into a system that prevents the generationof pollution. Maintain an integrated wastemanagement system that ensures minimizedwaste generation and disposal; maximizes reuseand recycling; guards against future contaminatedsites; and provides long-term capacity assurancethat is protective of human health and theenvironment. Eliminate or reduce the risk tohuman health and the environment from knowncontaminated sites.The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, constructed on a former brownfield site in NewarkDavid Street, courtesy of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center

asteW

A view of the tomato production area inside the Burlington County Research and DemonstrationGreenhouse, which is heated by methane gas from the county landfillCourtesy of the Burlington County Solid Waste Office

Pollution Prevention

Increasing efficiency while reducingemissions has become a fundamentalgoal of many businesses and manufac-turers in New Jersey. Through the useof innovative technologies andpollution prevention initiatives,alternatives now exist for businessesseeking to reduce the amount of toxic

materials they generate, use andultimately need to dispose of. Pollu-tion prevention results in moreefficient production processes andsafer products. By reducing quantitiesof waste that require treatment andcontrol, manufacturers avoid the costlydisposal of hazardous waste, simplifythe process of complying with regula-tions and reduce pollution.

Studies of the New Jersey PollutionPrevention Program have found thateconomic competitiveness andenvironmental protection go hand-in-hand. For every dollar spent byindustry and government on pollutionprevention planning, industry isprojecting cost savings of betweenthree and eight dollars.

Laws requiring public disclosure ofchemical releases by industry are animportant factor in prompting indus-tries to cut emissions dramatically.There has been a marked and consis-tent decline in total releases andtransfers from manufacturing facilitiesover the past seven years (Figure 18).Improved treatment and controlsystems, increased recycling andpollution prevention activities accountfor these reductions.

New Jersey manufacturing indus-tries achieved the public policy goal ofa 50 percent statewide reduction intoxic waste, or “nonproduct output,”by 1994 (Figure 19). These sameindustries have also significantlyreduced the amount of toxic chemicalsneeded to make household andindustrial products. Between 1991 and1994, the amount of waste generatedby all U.S. manufacturers increased by3.5 percent, while the amount of wastegenerated by New Jersey manufactur-ers decreased by 34 percent. A likelyreason for the reductions seen in NewJersey, but not in the United States as awhole, is the sharp focus on pollutionprevention in New Jersey since thelate 1980s. These changes appear tobe independent of changes in thestate’s economy as a whole.

23

Figure 18

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

Where Do the Pollutants Go?

1988 1993 1994 1995

25,000,000

20,000,000

15,000,000

10,000,000

5,000,000

01988 1993 1994 1995

60,000,000

50,000,000

40,000,000

30,000,000

20,000,000

10,000,000

0

Pou

nds

Pou

nds

Releases Transfers

Data Source: USEPA TRI Public Data Release

Stack Air EmissionsFugitive Air EmissionsReleases to LandSurface Water Discharges

Transfers to RecyclingTransfers to Sewage Treatment PlantsOther Transfers

W A S T E

The New Jersey Pollution PreventionAct mandates pollution preventionplanning for regulated industries but,unlike other regulatory programs,implementation is voluntary. Theplanning program requires hundreds ofNew Jersey manufacturing companiesto develop materials accountinginformation. Facilities conduct a“materials accounting” to determine theamount of chemical that entered thefacility and then subtract the amount ofchemical that left the facility as eitherproduct or waste. The amount that is leftover or missing is pollution that can bereduced by implementing pollutionprevention initiatives.

Studies of the planning programhave shown not only significant

benefits tothe environ-ment, buteconomicbenefits tothe indus-tries as well.NewJersey’schemicalmanufac-turingindustrieshave been

particularly successful at nonproductoutput reduction compared to otherindustrial sectors in the state.

Many programs in New Jerseyencourage deployment of new tech-nologies that allow businesses toreduce toxics and other waste productsby operating more efficiently. NewJersey works closely with the businesscommunity, other states and in somecases other countries to solve environ-mental problems and develop newtechnology. New Jersey is a nationalleader in maximizing the availability ofinformation about innovative environ-mental technologies and encouragingtheir commercialization and use.Currently, New Jersey has innovativetechnology partnerships with Califor-

nia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Yorkand Pennsylvania, as well as interna-tional environmental technologyagreements with Israel, Thailand,France and Canada.

Waste Management

The citizens of New Jersey currentlyproduce over 16 million tons of solidwaste a year. Of that, New Jerseyresidents currently recycle over 10million tons a year. That translates toeach citizen generating approximately2 tons of solid waste a year. Thesenumbers include industrial andcommercial waste as well as municipalsolid waste (garbage). One of the state’smain goals is “source reduction,’’ theterm for minimizing the amount of solidwaste created in the first place.

NJDEP works with county andmunicipal government programs toencourage source reduction andenhance recycling efforts. Amongthese initiatives are education pro-grams on yard waste management,special household hazardous wastecollection days and programs toencourage the purchase of productsmade with recycled materials.

New Jersey has achieved its goal ofrecycling 60 percent of the total waste

stream by 1997. It also has come closeto its goal of recycling 50 percent of themunicipal waste stream. When thestate originally set its recycling goalthere were established markets for onlypaper, glass and aluminum cans. Manycounty and municipal recyclingprograms now collect plastics, tin andbimetal cans, white goods (e.g.,refrigerators), used motor oil, yardwaste and other materials not collectedin the past. New Jersey has now set anew recycling goal of 65 percent of thetotal waste stream by the end of theyear 2000 (Figure 20), as well as arecommitment to meet the 50 percentmunicipal waste goal.

The first priority of waste manage-ment in New Jersey is to reduce, reuseand recycle as much waste as possible.Landfills, incinerators, transfer stationsand other facilities are required todispose of the remaining waste. Whenthe NJDEP was created in 1970, over300 landfills were operating in NewJersey with little concern for theenvironment. Prior to the 1980s, therewere also no state-of-the-art incinera-tors in existence (e.g., existing ones hadno air pollution controls and were notused to generate energy). There arenow five incinerators and 14 regional,state-of-the-art landfills operating in

24

Figure 19

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

W A S T E

Nonproduct Output Trend

50,000,000

75,000,000

100,000,000

125,000,000

25,000,000

Poun

ds o

f NPO

150,000,000

0

Data Source: NJDEP Release and Pollution Prevention Reports1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996

New Jersey. These facilities arerequired by NJDEP to employ the bestavailable pollution controls.

The safe disposal of hazardouswaste is a special challenge. NJDEPrequires that hazardous waste beidentified during shipment. Allfacilities that generate, transport, treat,store or dispose of hazardous wastemust be licensed. NJDEP has estab-lished an effective cradle-to-gravetracking system for all hazardouswaste shipments. All of these actions,as well as the pollution controlsrequired on hazardous wastemanagement facilities, protect thepublic from toxic waste.

Remediating ContaminatedSites

Twenty years ago, passage of theNew Jersey Spill Compensation andControl Act set in motion the firstconcerted effort to control the transferand storage of hazardous substancesand the remediation of contaminatedsites. Soil, ground water, air andsurface water at these sites may containharmful levels of contamination. Theprimary goal in site remediation is toeliminate or reduce risks to humanhealth and the environment fromknown contaminated sites.

The term “remediation” includes allactivities necessary to identify thesource, nature and extent of contami-nation, and to implement a cleanupaction if necessary. Remediationaddresses a wide variety of contami-nated sites, ranging from leakingunderground home heating oil tanks tolarge abandoned industrial sites withwidespread contamination of soil andground water. The number of siteswith soil contamination and thenumber which are now consideredremediated are used as indicators ofenvironmental progress.

In July 1994, there were 6,070 knowncontaminated sites in New Jersey. BySeptember 1997, the number had grownto 8,937. The increase is significant, butit is important to remember thatidentifying a contaminated site is thefirst, crucial step needed for NJDEP tobegin the cleanup of contaminated soiland ground water. As of July 1994,9,326 sites had been cleaned up or theinvestigatory process was completedand no cleanup was necessary. BySeptember 1997, this number had risento 15,815 (Figure 21).

Remedial action can involve theremoval of the source of contaminationand decontamination of soil and waterto the degree required to allow future

use of the site. Often, the remediationof a site involves capping the contami-nated area, restricting future use forthat property or both. One suchrestriction is the designation ofClassification Exception Areas (CEA).These are defined, mapped areaswhere ground water quality standardsare exceeded. A total of 495 CEAsdesignated during the course ofremediation (of approximately 642known CEAs) have been mapped onNJDEP’s Geographic InformationSystem. Mapping the location andextent of the CEAs will prevent unsafeuse of the ground water in that area.

Regulations passed in 1997 requireelectronic submission of all datarelated to the remediation of a con-taminated site. Electronic datasubmission will enable the automaticgeneration of maps to aid in visualiz-ing contaminant conditions. Thisinformation can assist in the sitedecision-making process.

Streamlining the cleanup processunder NJDEP’s Voluntary CleanupProgram has provided greater incen-tives for private parties and localgovernments to remediate contami-nated sites. Since 1994, these partieshave signed 5,648 voluntary agree-ments to conduct various remedial

25

Figure 20

1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1995 1996

Recycling Rates

*Based on 90 percent of New Jersey towns reporting

10

20

30

40

50

60

0

OurGoal:65%

Perc

enta

ge o

f Tot

al W

aste

Str

eam

2000

Data Source: NJDEP Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

W A S T E

activities at tainted sites. Programsoffer loans or grants to upgrade orremove underground storage tanks.Municipalities can receive assistancewith investigating, cleaning up orclosing landfills. The 1997 Brownfieldand Contaminated Site RemediationAct created a fund to reimbursedevelopers who return a previouslycontaminated property to viable,productive use.

New Jersey is focusing much of itsefforts on encouraging the cleanup andredevelopment of brownfields —

What Can You Do?

nParticipate in your local recycling program at home and in the workplace.

nPurchase products containing recycled-content materials. This increases demandfor recyclables placed at the curb, creating value for these materials, stimulates localeconomic growth and closes the recycling loop.

nPractice environmental shopping. Purchase products that are durable, reusableor are packaged in bulk. Less packaging means less waste for disposal.

nLeave your grass clippings on the lawn when you mow. These clippings fertilizeyour lawn as they decompose. Not bagging them helps reduce the amount of yardwaste at the curb for trash pickup.

nSwitch from chemical-type household cleaners to natural products, like soap andwater. A vinegar and water mixture works well as a window cleaner.

nReport discharges of potential pollutants, and any suspicious activity or motorvehicle accidents involving potential pollutants, to the NJDEP 24-Hour Hotline at(609) 292-7172.

nCall the New Jersey Right-to-Know Program at (609) 984-3219 for information onspecific chemical substances.

nFind out whether your local industry has made any reductions in emissions.EPA’s web site includes Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) data on the type and quantityof toxic chemicals that are emitted from industrial facilities across the nation. Lookfor it at http://www.rtk.net/.

nBecome informed. Visit the NJDEP Site Remediation Program and Solidand Hazardous Waste Program web sites at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/srp(site remediation) and http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dshw/recycle (solid/hazardous waste).

n Attend public meetings in your community regarding cleanup plans forcontaminated sites to provide state and federal officials with appropriate guidancefrom a local perspective.

Figure 21

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

7/94 1/95 7/95 1/96 7/96 1/97 7/97

Cumulative Site Cleanups16,000

14,000

12,000

10,000

8,000

6,000

4,000

2,000

0

Cleanups completed or not necessary Cleanup process underway

Site

s

Data Source: NJDEP Bureau of Planning Systems

abandoned or underutilized contami-nated sites. Returning these contami-nated properties to viable, productiveuses not only stimulates economicgrowth in the state but also protects theenvironment.

DEP’s objectives in brownfieldredevelopment are to help privateparties through the cleanup process ina timely and consistent manner, assistinterested parties by directing them tostate programs where funding may beavailable and provide the certaintyrequired to quantify costs.

27

LOOKING FORWARD

To continue our environmental progress, as well asmeet remaining and new challenges in New Jersey’senvironment, NJDEP has embarked on an innovativeenvironmental management system which strives to setclear environmental goals and develop better measuresto evaluate our progress in meeting our targets.

The system emphasizes management for environ-mental results and seeks flexible approaches to achieveour long-term goals. This new management approachaims to involve all of our partners — including thepublic, regulated parties, the environmental commu-nity, other state agencies and the federal government —in even more meaningful ways to set New Jersey’senvironmental goals and employ the best strategies toachieve them.

NJDEP is developing and implementing this newenvironmental management system through itsparticipation in the National Environmental Perfor-mance Partnership System (NEPPS) and through itsStrategic Planning process, both of which emphasizeresults-based management. Results-based managementwill provide additional measures of progress for futurereports on the state of the environment and is intendedto assist NJDEP in evaluating its strategies based onmeasured environmental outcomes. In these ways, wehope to become increasingly accountable to our publicin terms of the environmental results achieved, andprovide a greater public awareness of the quality ofNew Jersey’s environment and our collective progressin maintaining and improving it.

Barnegat Lighthouse, Ocean CountyWalter Choroszewski

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

Acknowledgments and Comments

This report was prepared by the members of the NJDEP Steering Committee forNew Jersey’s implementation of the National Environmental PerformancePartnership System (NEPPS), co-chaired by Leslie McGeorge (Division of Scienceand Research) and Bryan Ianni (Environmental Regulation), as well as additionalkey NJDEP contributors. The members gratefully acknowledge the particulareffort of Alena Baldwin-Brown, and the reviews by Communications Director PeterPage, NJDEP’s Management Team members and the Green Mountain Institute forEnvironmental Democracy.

The NJDEP welcomes comments on this report and suggestions for future reportson the state of New Jersey’s environment. Comments can be submitted to:NJDEP, Division of Science and ResearchP.O. Box 409, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0409.

28

Cover Photo of Island Beach State Park, Ocean County, by J.J. Raia

N E W J E R S E Y’ S E N V I R O N M E N T 1 9 9 8

State of New JerseyChristine Todd Whitman, Governor

New Jersey Department of Environmental ProtectionRobert C. Shinn, Jr., Commissioner