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(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association June 2000 Newsletter)
As of the printing of this newspaper we have not scheduled the follow-up meeting with Eileen McGinnis, Chief of Policy and Planning. Following is a copy of the letter we sent Governor Whitman when we found out DEP had signed off on allowing toxic materials to be dumped in the ocean.May 4, 2000
Dear Governor Whitman,
This letter is a follow up to our brief interchange at last night’s town meeting in Toms River.
The groups involved in discussing the Raritan River dredge proposal were stunned by the news that the State of New Jersey had already approved ocean disposal of 310,000 tons of toxic mud from the Raritan River even before allowing public comment on this important issue.
On May 2, 2000, members of the Jersey Coast Anglers Association, New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen Clubs and Recreational Fishing Alliance met with high ranking members your staff, including Eileen McGinnis, to discuss this specific project and voice our serious concerns. As a result of statements by your representatives at that meeting, we believed the state had not yet made a decision on this project and that additional discussion and public review would take place before any decision would be made.
Yesterday afternoon, we learned that not only had the State already made its decision, but that the decision was made on April 24, 2000, almost two weeks prior to our meeting with Ms. McGinnis. You did not provide us, or other concerned constituents and members of the public at large, the opportunity to comment and bring important information to your attention before you signed off on this potentially damaging project.
The sediments from the "Reach A" area of the Raritan River simply does not meet the criteria for dumping at HARS and is bad for the ocean and the creatures that live there. It is equally bad for the people who harvest these creatures for consumption and those who purchase them in markets. Mud from the Raritan River will not reduce impacts at the HARS. In fact, these sediments will perpetuate the hotspot of contamination found in this area. Raritan sediments exhibit extremely high levels of contamination and will further degrade the ocean ecosystem. Tests by the USEPA and ACOE found significant levels of toxin bioaccumulation in this area of the Raritan, including PCBs. Their findings were published in their "Memo for the Record" dated February 26, 1999. Therefore, dumping sludge from this area at HARS will take place in direct contradiction of your promise to the people of New Jersey.
There are other serious concerns with this material, especially since it has not been sampled in nearly 3 years. There are serious worries about inputs of radioactivity from nearby remediation sites, which originate from a body of water in which there are strict fish consumption bans. Our complete list of concerns with this material can be found in the comments that were submitted to the ACOE on May 1.
Not too long ago, you stood up and said the USEPA Region 2 was wrong to dump dioxin-laced mud in the ocean. You showed great leadership and pushed for the development of alternatives. We have lauded and supported those efforts. You made a commitment, as Governor, that contaminated dredge spoils would not be dumped in the ocean off New Jersey beaches. The USEPA Region 2 is wrong about dumping Raritan sludge at HARS, or anywhere in the ocean, just like they were when they wanted to dump dioxin-laced sludge.
Governor, you gave your word to the people of New Jersey that you would not allow the dumping of toxins in the ocean. We feel it is incumbent upon you to keep your word throughout your final term and strongly urge you to rescind the State’s consistency determination for this project and provide an opportunity for public review. It is critical to the health of the marine environment and the health of citizens of New Jersey. We look forward to further meetings with Eileen McGinnis, Chief of Policy and Planning, on this issue.
Sincerely,
Thomas P. Fote Legislative Chairman JCAA & NJSFSC
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