From the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions’
Urban Environmental Initiative
From the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions’
Urban Environmental Initiative
Green City Gazette
March 2008In the Spotlight
Upcoming Events
In the News
Job Openings
Support Us
Contact UsWelcome 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.
ANJEC HIGHLIGHTS SMART GROWTH PLANNING GRANTS
ANJEC is pleased to announce that we have received funding from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation to continue our Smart Growth Planning Assistance Grant Program in 2008. For the past six years, this program has provided matching grants of up to $20,000 each to towns for land use planning projects that protect natural resources, open space and quality of life. Over the past six years, the program has awarded over $1 million in grants for 136 local
planning projects involving 128 New Jersey municipalities and counties.Your town's environmental commission, mayor, administrator and planning board will receive application packets in the mail in January. Counties will receive applications through their county planning departments. The application information is posted at http://www.anjec.org/pdfs/Dodge2008Application.pdf This year's application deadline will be March 31, 2008. For additional questions about the grants or about environmental commissions, please contact Kerry Miller at kmiller@anjec.org, or (973)539-7547.
To read about last year's awarded grants, see article in the Summer 2007 ANJEC Report at www.anjec.org/pdfs/anjecreport/Summer2007ANJECReport.pdf
ANJEC COMMISSIONERS' COURSE
Train Environmental Commissions
to Protect Natural ResourcesMonday March 10, 2008
Where: Galloway Twp. Historic Room, 300 E. Jimmie Leeds Road, Galloway
When: 5:30 - 9:00 pmSaturday March 15, 2008
Where: Clifton City Hall, 900 Clifton Avenue, Clifton
When: 9:00 am - 12:30 pmSaturday March 29
Where: Carslake Community Center, 209 Crosswicks Road, Bordentown City
When: 9:00 am - 12:30 pmWhat: ANJEC staff and other invited speakers will present an overview of environmental commission responsibilities and powers, and discuss master planning, ordinance development, site plan review, and environmental resource inventories used by commissions to promote sustainable land use and protect quality of life at the local level.
Learn how to work effectively within local government and with your community, and find out about current grant opportunities to fund projects. The Commissioners' Course is provides practical information and project ideas to assist commissions as they face the challenges of protecting their towns' natural resources.
Registration: $35 ANJEC members, $40 non-members
ANJEC Workshop Plan participants: FREE
THE HEAT IS ON: NEW JERSEY ENVIRONMENTAL FEDERATION 22nd ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Where: Rutgers University School of Law, 123 Washington Street, Newark
When: Saturday, April 5, 2007, 8am - 5pm
What: The Day Will Feature
Registration $30 per person, $25 for groups of 5 or more or if you register before March 15, 2008, and $15 for students.
Contact Jenny Vickers at (732)280-8988, www.cleanwateraction.org/njef/conference08.html
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.
Study
Uncovers Harmful Air Around Teterboro Airport
By Mark Mueller, The Star Ledger, Tuesday, February 12, 2008
A long-awaited study on air quality around Teterboro Airport has found elevated
levels of harmful particulates and other compounds, some of which are commonly
found in jet fuel. Concentrations of known or suspected carcinogens such as
formaldehyde, toluene and ethylbenzene were four times higher than at other
monitoring stations operated by the state Department of Environmental Protection,
the study found.
www.nj.com
DEP
Accused of Easing Stream Protection
Department Denies Critic's Charge it Bowed to Developers on Buffer Zone
By Brian T. Murray, The Star Ledger, Friday, February 15, 2008
A year after conservationists hailed New Jersey for toughening its stream-protection
regulations, one group contends the state Department of Environmental Protection
has quietly backed down.
"Developers were not happy with the new rules, and the DEP has retreated.
The devil is in the details of a new order quietly re leased by the DEP last
month," said Bill Wolfe of the New Jersey chapter of Public Employees
for Environmental Responsibility or PEER.
www.nj.com
Modifications
to Cut Bus Emissions
Retrofit Mandated for Diesel Fleet
By Todd Bates, The Asbury Park Press, Monday, February 18, 2008Within
the next few years, about 9,000 diesel school buses in New Jersey will have
to be retrofitted to curb emissions that seep inside bus cabins, to prevent
hundreds of asthma attacks annually, according to state officials. "Reducing
the emissions that your children are exposed to at any point is a good idea,"
said Lisa Kaes, a 41-year-old Toms River mother of two children with "pretty
severe" asthma.
http://app.com
Well, Doctor, I Have This Recycling Problem
By Gabrielle Glaser, The New York Times, Saturday, February 16, 2008
Some
months ago, Catherine McLendon and her husband, Martin, decided to talk to
a psychologist. The couple have a blended family with three adolescent sons,
and they wanted guidance in easing some typical adjustment problems. But a
few sessions in, Ms. McLendon, a floral designer, and Mr. McLendon, a bus
driver, realized their worries extended beyond the demands of work, school
and extracurricular sports. Ms. McLendon was troubled by the family's consumption
habits, while Mr. McLendon worried about the disappearance of green space.
In therapy, their psychologist, Sandy Shulmire, began providing the family
with practical instructions for reducing anxiety, and their carbon footprint.
www.nytimes.com
Appeals
Court Tightens Eminent Domain Rules
By Tom Hester, The Star-Ledger, Monday, February 25, 2008
A state appeals court ruled today that a 45-day time limit to file suit against
a city or town's effort to take private property for redevelopment is constitutional
only if the owner receives notice that the site may be acquired and that legal
action must be taken quickly to oppose the action. On the other hand, the
three-judge panel held that if a government's notice provides the constitutionally-essential
warnings, the property owner must file a lawsuit with the 45 days or risk
losing the opportunity to do so in the future.
www.nj.com
City
Leaders Seek Revival of 'the Other' Asbury Park
By Mary Ann Spoto, The Star-Ledger, Monday, February 25, 2008
Growing up in Asbury Park, Laura Henry remembers the vitality of the city's
West Side, with working-class residents taking pride in their mom-and-pop
businesses. Also burned into her memories are four days of rioting that in
1970 left the area's commercial district in smoldering ruin, causing an exodus
of homeowners and the beginning of the city's downturn.
www.nj.com
How
Green is My City? Elizabeth Gets National Notice
Popular science cites recycling, access to mass transit, clean nonprofits
By Jonathan Casiano, The Star-Ledger, Friday, February 22, 2008
Elizabeth is named one of America's 50 Greenest Cities in the new issue of
Popular Science magazine, which recognized the city for its recycling program,
access to mass transit and partnerships with environmentally focused nonprofits.
Historically known more for its heavy industry than its environmental conscience,
Elizabeth was the only New Jersey city to make the magazine's first green
list. The city was ranked No. 45, between Fremont, Calif., and Livonia, Mich.
Portland, Ore., was ranked No. 1, followed by San Francisco, Boston, Oakland
and Eugene, Ore.
www.nj.com
THE STONY BROOK-MILLSTONE WATERSHED ASSOCIATION
Communications
Manager
The Communications Manager will serve as a main conduit for information about
the Watershed Association and its mission, goals and programs to the organization's
membership, the media, and the general public. The Communications Manager
will help develop and implement a public communications strategy, manage a
program to solicit and retain membership support, and help coordinate the
Watershed Association's newsletter and website. The Communications Manager
will also assist the organization's Director of Membership and Development
with special events, and other activities as may be necessary.
The ideal candidate will have a college degree, strong written and oral communications
and organizational skills, proficiency with Microsoft Office and database
management, the highest professional standards for accuracy and reliability,
and enthusiasm for the conservation mission of the organization.
Office Manager
The Office Manager will provide centralized services for the organization,
including purchasing and equipment maintenance, answering phones, and greeting
visitors; provide administrative support for the Executive Director; serve
as a conduit for communications with the Board of Trustees; and help coordinate
the activities of volunteers. The Office Manager will also assist the organization's
Director of Membership and Development with special events, mailings, and
other activities as may be necessary.
The ideal candidate will have a college degree with experience in office administration
and/or executive secretarial work; strong communications and organizational
skills; proficiency with Microsoft Office and graphics programs; experience
working with volunteers; the highest professional standards for accuracy and
reliability; and enthusiasm for the conservation mission of the organization.
Send resume and salary requirements to
Betsy Grimes
Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association.
31 Titus Mill Rd., Pennington, NJ O8534
egrimes@thewatershed.org
(609)737-3075 (fax)
The Stony-Brook Millstone Watershed Association is central New Jersey's first
environmental group.
For more information visit their website at www.thewatershed.org
DREW UNIVERSITY
Campus
Sustainability Coordinator
Drew University seeks a full-time staff person to serve as coordinator of
university sustainability programs and initiatives. The Campus Sustainability
Coordinator will work under the direction of the University Sustainability
Committee with various campus groups to help create, develop and enhance sustainability
programs across the University to reduce the campus impact on the environment.
Responsibilities will include
Inquiries
about the position may be sent to Mike Kopas at: mkopas@drew.edu
SUPPORT
US
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.
CONTACT
US
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.