Home Buyouts in Flood Zones to Begin Soon

Home buyouts in areas prone to flooding expected to start soon, though participation remains voluntary.

Buyouts of properties in flood prone areas are expected to begin within a matter of weeks, beginning in Middlesex County and working south into the summer months as residents and their respective town officials make the difficult decision to abandon entire neighborhoods for good. Though buyout specifics have been limited, Bob Martin, commissioner of New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection, said between eight and 10 towns along the coast have inquired about participating in the State’s Blue Acres program, which purchases severe repetitive-loss homes in flood areas and converts the land into open space. Martin said he wanted to be cautious about naming the municipalities that have inquired about the property buyouts as many have …

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NJ DEP: How To Improve Air Quality

It's Air Quality Awareness Week

By William O’Sullivan, Director of the Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Air Quality: The Christie Administration is urging New Jersey residents to consider making simple lifestyle choices and changes to help improve air quality for everyone in our state, as we celebrate Air Quality Awareness Week, April 29 through May 3. Some basic changes to everyday practices, such as burning only well-seasoned wood in your fireplace, keeping your vehicle properly maintained, using environmentally friendly products or just turning off some lights in your home or office, can reduce air pollution and decrease your impact on the environment.  New Jersey's air quality has improved greatly over the years as a result of laws regulating …

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DEP Monitoring Snow Storm Forecast, Emergency Sand Possible for Beaches

Commissioner Martin says agencies could dispatch sand to at-risk areas

A coming storm could impact the already battered Jersey Shore, but the state Department of Environmental Protection is coordinating dumping emergency sand to help protect the shorefront. DEP Commissioner Bob Martin said his office is in contact with shore towns establishing who has protecting berms in place and who may need emergency sand on their beaches. Another anticipated storm surge in places without established dunes, wiped out by Hurricane Sandy, could become an issue in the forecast. Martin said his office is closely monitoring the storm. If needed, emergency sand could be dispatched to at-risk beaches from the DEP and other agencies, Martin said. “Whether through us, through FEMA, through the army corps of engineers, we’re looking…

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foggyworld

12:12 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Now hold on. No one in NJ is allowed to build dunes on beaches without out going through all sorts of red tape with the State. It probably should be the homeowner's responsibility at least to the high water mark but the rich and famous on LBI refuse to even entertain that thought. They want the expensive Army Corps of Engineers to maintain their tax subsidized glorious second homeowner's life.   more ›

NJ Fish and Wildlife Offers Hunting and Fishing App

The smartphone app allows hunters, fishers and wildlife observers enhance the experience in New Jersey.

The NJ Department of Environmental Protection released its new hunting and fishing smartphone app this month, allowing New Jersey nature enthusiasts to enrich the experience within the state. The free app, called The Pocket Ranger, provides spot information around the state for fish and wildlife with a mapping feature of of open spaces and access points. “This is part of the Christie Administration’s continuing effort to bring more people into our state parks and wildlife areas, to enhance offerings and make it easier and more convenient for our residents to enjoy the great diversity of fish and wildlife and outdoor recreation opportunities in New Jersey,’’ said DEP Commissioner Bob Martin in a news release. The app also has the ability to…

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Hurricane Sandy

Point Beach: Do Not Put Home Renovation Debris at Curb

Dec. 9 is deadline to put storm-related debris at curb

Home renovation debris should not be put at the curb because the town will not be reimbursed by FEMA for disposing of that type of refuse, according to Point Beach officials. "Notification received from DEP (state Department of Environmental Protection) states that non-storm related waste, such as home renovation scraps and materials, is not considered 'debris' and therefore is not eligible for FEMA reimbursement," says a prepared statement from Point Beach Business Administrator Christine Riehl. "In order to recoup maximum dollars for all our residents, it is very important that you do not place these materials out to the curb for collection." Residents have to get dumpsters for home repair and renovation trash, Riehl said. Dec. 9 …

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Point Boro, Point Beach Get Clean Communities Grants

State DEP announces awards to counties and municipalities

  Point Borough is receiving $31,774 and Point Beach is receiving $11,508 in state Clean Communities grants. The state Department of Environmental Protection has announced the award of nearly $16 million in Clean Communities grants to help municipalities and counties fund litter cleanup efforts that help beautify New Jersey’s communities and roadsides, according to a prepared statement from the state. “Cleaning up litter protects our natural resources, improves our quality of life and builds a strong sense of pride in our communities,” said DEP Commissioner Bob Martin. “With these grants, our municipalities and counties will be able to carry out important programs that remove litter and graffiti from our neighborhoods and highways, making …

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Groups Oppose Proposed DEP Public Waterway Access Rules

DEP holds public hearing in Long Branch

  A large group of citizens and groups gathered at Long Branch City Hall on Wednesday night to criticize the Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) proposed public access rules and amendments for beaches, bays and other waterways. The DEP held the meeting to hear public comments on the public access rules and the amendments which were drafted after hearing feedback from the public in the past. According to the DEP, the proposed amendments will: Most spoke against the rules and the amendments stating that while the amendments were a step in the right direction, that they will not help create more public access areas for residents and that it they will give too much power to municipalities.  The rules, if adopted, would give towns …

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Karen Wall

10:19 am on Friday, April 20, 2012

The DEP has conservation officers and has had them for many, many, many years. This is not something new.   more ›

DEP Holding Public Hearing on Beach Access Amendments

Several groups plan to protest the DEP's plans for beach access

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is holding a public hearing on Wednesday night in Long Branch to discuss proposed amendments to public access rules for beaches, bays and other waterways. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the Long Branch Council Chambers, at Long Branch City Hall, 344 Broadway. "Wednesday’s hearings will focus only on amendments to the Public Access rule that the DEP proposed earlier this year in response to public comments on the initial public access rule proposal," a DEP release states. According to the DEP, the proposed amendments will: DEP states that the public access rule will "improve and enhance public access to New Jersey’s beaches, bays and waterways through plans to be developed and …

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A Year Into Christie's Bay Plan, Praise and Criticism

Officials tout progress, activists say more should be done

Praise and criticism for Gov. Chris Christie's ten point plan to revitalize Barnegat Bay came from many of the same people Thursday, as state officials touted historic measures to restore the estuary and local activists said even more should be done. It's been about a year since Christie announced his plan, which includes measures ranging from an early closure of the Oyster Creek Generating Station to lawn fertilizer regulations. Since then, the state has committed millions of dollars and plenty of attention to the matter, said state DEP Commissioner Bob Martin, who gave a one-year update on the plan at the Joseph A. Citta Scout Reservation in Waretown. So far, Martin said, work on the plan has included reaching a deal with Exelon Nuclear …

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bayboat

11:08 pm on Thursday, December 15, 2011

As someone who uses the bay frequently, and sees the damage done to the bay over just the past 30 years, I think Christie has made a good start. Its going to be slow and take decades to fix, but at least we have a stragedy .   more ›

County Disputes Claims on Sewer Service Areas

DEP, local officials working on water quality plan.

If 33,000 acres once destined for sewers in Ocean County are eliminated from areas where sewers are allowed, is it really an increase in the area where development is encouraged? Some environmentalists claim it is. Ocean County officials accuse them of fuzzy math when they claim an additional 16,000 acres will be open to sewers and the development that could follow. Planning Director David McKeon said the grinding of bureaucratic gears has fueled the dispute. He explained it this way: The state Department of Environmental Protection came up with a water quality plan that would remove 50,000 acres of land from areas previously proposed for sewering. Then the DEP sent the plan to county and local officials for fine tuning. That fine tuning …

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