Green City Gazette
June 2008

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Welcome to ANJEC's Green City Gazette, the monthly e-mail newsletter for Environmental Commissions in NJ's urban and developed communities.
The Gazette seeks to provide readers with a periodic sampling of information and resources relating to urban environmental issues, highlighting the
work of urban environmental commissions as well as relevant events, books, articles, and web sites.

Worse than Fast Track: The Permit Extension Act

An action alert sent to us by our Sierra Club friends:

On May 19 the Permit Extension Act was introduced into the New Jersey Assembly and Senate. This is a major bill being pushed by builders and developers in New Jersey. This bill is an attack on the environment, on good planning, and on home rule. This bill will have dire consequences for the state of New Jersey. The Permit Extension Act would extend all permits and approvals for developers at the state and local levels for six years, allowing projects that were permitted many years ago to avoid changes in environmental law, public health standards, building codes, or local zoning. This bill is one of the biggest giveaways to developers in the history of New Jersey. It will result in more flooding, more people living on toxic sites, more sprawls, and more pollution. The act would allow projects whose permits or approvals have expired within the past two years to be brought back to life, even if those projects would cause environmental harm or damage to public health.
For more information on this legislation and guidance on how to take action click on http://actionnetwork.org/SierraClubNJ/notice-description.tcl?newsletter_id=24489360

Friday, June 13
WHAT NO ONE IS TELLING YOU ABOUT THE FUTURE OF NEW JERSEY
PLANSMART NJ'S SPRING PLANNING CONFERENCE

Where: Hyatt Regency New Brunswick
When: June 13, 2008, 8:30am - 4:00pm
What: In a greenhouse gas world, PlanSmart NJ's day-long, statewide conference - What No One is Telling You About the Future of New Jersey - will offer frank insights about the opportunities and challenges for the State. A national expert from the Union of Concerned Scientists will set the stage for thinking across boundaries by considering the profound impact climate change will have on New Jersey. Speakers from Gallis and Associates and Initiative for Regional and Community Transformation will add their perspectives on sustainability from the perspective of the economy and social justice. Governor Jon Corzine has agreed to close the conference with his vision for New Jersey.
Each national expert will be followed by a response panel.

Saturday, June 14
MEADOWFEST

Where: Laurel Hill County Park, Secaucus, NJ
When: 11am-5pm
What: This day-long event features environmentally-oriented activities and educational programs, including ecological tours of Snake Hill, pontoon-boat cruises on the Hackensack River with Captains Bill and Hughie and others, hot air balloon rides, carnival type attractions & games, a petting zoo, pony rides, food & refreshments and live musical performances.

Below are summaries of recent news stories about the environment in New Jersey. Links to www.nj.com are provided at the end of each
article summary To obtain full article you'll need to search for the specific newspaper and the article and may have to pay a fee.

Warren Disbands Group Monitoring County Environment
By Mike Frassinelli, The Star-Ledger, Saturday, May 31, 2008
Warren County's environmental watchdog has been sent to the pound.
In what they branded a cost- cutting move, freeholders have disbanded the Warren County Environmental Commission. The board has been credited with helping shut down a Pennsylvania coal- fired plant that was blamed for the county's high incidence of asthma.
www.nj.com

Smog Rules Too Weak, States' Lawsuit Against Government Claims
By South Jersey News Online, Tuesday May 27, 2008, 9:38 PM
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Several states -- including New Jersey -- are suing to overturn federal ozone standards, which they deem too weak. Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced the federal lawsuit Tuesday against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It says the EPA's new smog-control standards are not stringent enough to protect the elderly, children and people with respiratory problems.
www.nj.com

Ocean Testing No Day At The Beach
N.J. Officials Want Same-Day Water Quality Tests
By Jessica Coomes, The Express-Times, Saturday, May 24, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. | As vacationers open the New Jersey beach season this weekend, lawmakers here are pushing for new water-quality tests that can detect bacteria within hours -- not days. Currently, beachgoers could be swimming in contaminated water for at least two days while officials wait for test results to confirm the ocean is polluted with human waste.
www.nj.com

Senate Opens Debate on Politically Risky Bill Addressing Global Warming
By John M. Broder, The New York Times, June 3, 2008
WASHINGTON - The Senate on Monday opened a raucous debate over climate change legislation even though it will put supporters of the bill, including all three presidential candidates, on the spot - essentially forcing them to come out in favor of high energy costs at a time when American consumers are paying record fuel prices. While the three candidates are on record favoring legislative action on global warming, the Bush administration opposes a far-reaching bill.
www.nytimes.com

Challenges to the environment don't take ever take a break. We need your help. A click on http://www.anjec.org/html/memberindivform.html takes you to our website where you can make a secure contribution using Mastercard or VISA (or print a donation form to mail in). It only takes a minute, but makes a big difference for ANJEC.

If you have an event, article, book or website you'd like us to cover in the next Green City Gazette, please send your information to Editor Kerry Margaret Butch, Urban Project Director, urbananjec@yahoo.com.