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
December 2008
In the Spotlight
In the News
Newly Released Report
Congratulations
New Blog on Urban Parks
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.
GOVERNOR CORZINE PICKS MARK MAURIELLO TO LEAD DEP
Governor Corzine selected Mark Mauriello as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. A 28 year veteran of the DEP, Mauriello served as the Assistant Commissioner for land use management, where he was responsible for land use regulation, water supply, watershed management, water monitoring and standards, and the New Jersey Geological Survey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/2008/approved/20081118b.html
Below are summaries of recent news stories about the environment in New Jersey. If article is a major daily paper the link to NJ.Com is provided, to obtain full article you'll need to search for the specific newspaper and the article and may have to pay a fee.
JERSEY CITY NATIVE TAKES LEAD OF STATE ENVIRONMENT DEPT.
By Judy Peet, The Jersey Journal, Monday, December 8, 2008
No one ever accused Jersey City native Mark Mauriello of being flighty.
One employer in 28 years. Married to his high school sweetheart for 27 years. Still goes to the same Lavallette vacation house where he summered as a child.
So when Gov. Jon Corzine recently announced the inside promotion of geologist and Department of Environmental Protection lifer Mauriello, 51, to head of the department, even critics conceded they couldn't question Mauriello's commitment to the job.
www.nj.com
NEWARK SEES THE FUTURE, AND IT'S SOLAR
By Katie Wang, The Star Ledger, Sunday, December 7, 2008
After 35 years in the home retail market, Joe and Pier Pimentel, the owners of a store in Newark, were looking for ways to be more environmentally conscious.
They started researching solar panels, an increasingly popular and efficient way to generate energy using the sun.
"We realized this is the future," said Pier Pimentel. "This is the way to go."
Jennifer Brown/The Star-Ledger Co-owner Pier Pimentel stands among 2,100 new solar panels on the roof of Continental Trading and Hardware in Newark.
The problem was the price tag. It would cost more than $5 million to install 2,100 solar panels on the roof of Continental Trading and Hardware. So the Pimentels applied for part of a $100 million PSE&G fund that helps businesses and residents install solar panels. The Pimentels put up $3.7 million and PSE&G helped out with $1.5 million.
www.nj.comPLAN WATER RULES IN CONCERT
By Jim Waltman, The Times of Trenton, Monday, December 8, 2008
As the old saying goes, it doesn't make sense to put the cart before the horse. But towns all across New Jersey are being required to do just that by submitting plans for affordable housing by Dec. 31 before having to submit their plans for wastewater management by April 7, 2009.
www.nj.comFOES AIM TO SINK EXPANDED SHORE ACCESS
DEP'S WATERFRONT PROPOSAL CHALLENGEDBy Kirk Moore, The Asbury Park Press, Monday, December 1, 2008
Two years into its effort to widen public access to the waterfront, the state Department of Environmental Protection is besieged on three fronts, with industrial waterfront owners following the lead of marina operators and seaside towns in seeking dispensation from access requirements.
Full Article
PUBLIC ADVOCATE RELEASES REPORT: "EVICTED FROM THE AMERICAN DREAM: THE REDEVELOPMENT OF MOUNT HOLLY GARDENS"
Calls for changes in state laws governing redevelopment and relocation assistance
New Jersey redevelopment laws need to be changed to better protect and adequately compensate low- and moderate-income people who are displaced by municipal redevelopment programs, New Jersey Public Advocate Ronald K. Chen.
The investigation reveals that the redevelopment has proceeded without adequate regard for the welfare of the families who lived in the area the Township had deemed blighted and who should by rights have been the first to benefit from its planned revitalization. Instead, the residents tended to become collateral damage of the redevelopment process.
For more information, or to see the video accompanying the report click here.
To the Winners of the 2008 Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards
How successful are music festivals in city parks? How do you find room for playing fields in a built-out city? How does access to green space relate to health? These are just a few of the questions addressed in recent posts on a new web log from TPL's Center for City Park Excellence and the City Parks Alliance. With content drawn from the experience and resources of its sponsors, City Parks Blog seeks to become a timely source of urban park information for park professionals and park advocates.
City Parks Blog
Challenges to the environment don't take ever take a break. We need your help. A click on our Secure Donation Page enables you to make a secure contribution using PayPal (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.