Government Shutdown Hits NJ Hardest

Today the government shutdown is in effect and will have major impact in New Jersey. This will affect numerous agencies including the EPA, Department of Interior, Department of Transportation, National Parks Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Energy, and Department of Interior. The Government Shutdown will also affect programs here in New Jersey including programs to cleanup Superfund Sites around the state, to help New Jersey recover and rebuild after Hurricane Sandy, our state parks, and transportation systems. This shutdown is going to put our environment and health at risk.  

Last year we were hit by hurricane Sandy and as we try to rebuild we are being hit again by this government shutdown. We are one of the states that are going to be impacted more than any other state from the government shutdown and it could not happen at a worse time. People are trying to rebuild from sandy and we are trying to get our economy moving again. The closing of national parks, the failure to clean up toxic sites, and slowing down the rebuilding after Sandy are just some of the consequences of the shutdown that are going to hurt the people of New Jersey.

Sandy

This is happening when many people are still impacted by Hurricane Sandy and are in the middle of trying to rebuild. Those people that are looking to get funding the checks will not be coming. The money that has been distributed to the state will continue to go out but no new money will be coming into the state. Those that are looking to get money directly from the federal government like FEMA will not be receiving any checks. Many people are frustrated right now for the failure of these agencies to act quickly this will slow things down from a crawl to a stop. Some businesses and homeowners are appealing decision by FEMA and other agencies which will not be acted upon.

Those in Congress that oppose sandy aid have now gotten their way by closing down government and hurting the rebuilding efforts in New Jersey. This is the 1 year anniversary present from the Tea Party and speaker Boehner. People are still suffering from the impacts of Sandy and they are trying to rebuild and get our economy going. This is going to really hurt their efforts.  Nature brought the storm but Congress is making this disaster worse.

This government shutdown is going to affect New Jersey’s rebuilding and recovery from Hurricane Sandy. This could stop or slow down beach replenishment projects along our coast. With the fall and winter coastal storm season coming it is happening at the worse time.  New Jersey was allocated $102 million for Army Corps. Of Engineers to do beach replenishment projects from Sea Bright to Manasquan. These projects are vital in protecting our coast from sea level rise and storm surges. Where the money has already been distributed for these projects will continue but no new money or new projects will happen. This could further slow down FEMA money and HUD grants that could help people rebuild hurting construction jobs and our economy.

The Environmental Protection Agency also is giving funding for post Sandy project for water and sewage plants. Total of $569 million has been released with $340 million going to New York and $229 going to New Jersey. This money is from the Disaster Relief Act that President Obama signed few months ago and will go towards protecting our drinking water and sewage treatment plants. There may not be enough money to fix infrastructure damaged by the storm like roads, bridges, and sewage plants like Passaic

Valley.

Government shutdowns have consequences which will have direct and dramatic impacts to New Jersey’s environment. There are also be impacts that will undermine rebuilding and restoration work from Hurricane Sandy that will directly affect the environment and public safety. 

EPA

The shutdown has lead to 94% of EPA being laid off including the closing of the lab here in Edison that does research on toxic chemicals and public health. They just canceled the public information forum on Pompton Lakes. All the hearings and public sessions on cleaning up toxic sites in New Jersey would be canceled. Even the investigation in Elk Township that was announced yesterday will be canceled because of the government shutdown. This is going to delay important rules on toxic pollution, air pollution, mercury, cooling towers, greenhouse gases, and global warming. This will put our environment and public health at risk.

Money for Superfund Sites will be lost effecting sites all over New Jersey including Garfield, Passaic River cleanup, and the White Chemical in Newark. Also the Environmental Protection Agency will not have enough staffing for oversight for the over 118 other toxic sites around the state. Therefore the sites may not more forward or get cleaned up during this period. There will not be enough inspectors for food processing facilities and pharmaceutical plants putting our environment and health at risk.

The polluters in this country have gotten what they wanted. They have shutdown the EPA. They can’t repeal our environmental laws so they are doing it by shutting down the government and the EPA. Shutdown could have drastic consequences to the environment in New Jersey with more toxins from Superfund Sites getting out into our. Shutdown will have broader environmental impacts affecting clean air, clean water, and renewable energy. Without EPA inspectors and enforcement personal this is going to be like removing the cop on the patrol. Leading to more violations, toxic spills and pollution putting our environment and our health at risk.

National Parks

Our National Parks will closed including places like Delaware Water Gap and the Great Swamp. At the Gap they may not have enough staffing to do oversight with the power line being built. With the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island closed the ferries from Liberty State parks will be closed. After Hurricane Sandy the federal government has been working to get Sandy Hook Recreational area open and fixed with this shutdown hurting the parks recovery. Our Wildlife Refuge Centers will be affected including money to expand Wallkill Refuge, repairing Brigantine Refuge that was damaged by Sandy.

The symbol of the United States, the Statue of Liberty is closed as is all of the national parks, recreational areas, historic sites and wildlife refuges. This is not only wrong for our country, but it hurts education and our tourism economy. 

Transportation

Current transportation projects around the state will be seize including regular highway maintenance and fixing our damage system and equipment from Hurricane Sandy. The Department of Energy was going to create a microgrid for New Jersey’s transit systems, which will be stopped during the shutdown. This system was to make our transit systems resilient and more protected for future storms since during Hurricane Sandy our transit system was damaged. Work on other federal projects like the Gateway Tunnel will be stopped because of the government shutdown.  

At a time we need to get our state moving again this will put improvements to our transportation system into a gridlock.