NJ.com has a blog entry by Bill Wolfe offers up a list of Top 10 priorities for the NJ Environment that he hoped to hear in NJ DEP Commissioner Lisa Jackson's 2008 comments to the legislature. While there are several intriguing items on his list, I saw his inclusion of Green Infrastructure on #8 as particularly interesting. I just wish he had elaborated on the idea more. Great list.(The photo is of the Pequest River as Green Infrastructure in/near Buttzville)
11 comments:
Mr. Wolfe writes on January 27, 2008 that "DEP has several important regulatory proposals in the hopper that have yet to be adopted, including the... the stream encroachment rules (flood prevention)."
The new stream encroachment rules were adopted on November 5, 2007. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/landuse/announce.html#110507
Mr. Wolfe's lack of background research on this issue casts doubt on other the issues he has raised.
I should have been more precise on what DEP rules were in the hopper -
1) the following DEP Administrative Order, was adopted on January 24, 2008 (and not posted on DEP website until after I drafted mu summary):
http://www.nj.gov/dep/stormwater/docs/fva080124.pdf
Read that Oder and note that it imports loopholes from the stream encroachment regulations (e.g hardship waivers) to weaken protections of the 300 foot buffers around Category One streams and waters.
2) The DEP proposed 910 miles of C1 stream upgrades and has yet to adopt those rules.
Sorry I failed to be precise here. I was not drafting a legal brief or legislative tertimony - I was posting a blog entry designed for the general public.
Please don't try to play "gotcha" to undermine what I have to say. Call or email at any time to clarify.
Bill Wolfe (not anonymous)
I should have been more precise on whyt rules wer in the hopper -
1) the following CEP Administrative Order, was adopted on January 24, 2008 (and not posted until after I drafted mu summary):
http://www.nj.gov/dep/stormwater/docs/fva080124.pdf
Read it an note that it imports loopholes from the stream encroachment regulations (e.g hardship waivers) to weaken protections of the 300 foot buffers around Category One streams and waters.
2) The DEP proposed 910 miles of C1 stream upgrades and has yet to adopt them -
I failed to be precise here. I was not drafting a legal brief or legisaltive terstimony - I was posting a blog entry designed for the general publc.
Please don't try to play "gotcha" to undermine what I have to say. Call or email at any time to clarify.
Bill Wolfe (not anonymous)
Hi again - I would love to have elaborated on Green Infrastructure - but it was a survey post.
I had to compress an awful lot of stuff into a set of priorities.
Plus. virtually the entire NJ environmental community (well funded and staffed) is working on GSPT renewal and green infrastructure.
Virtually all the issues I metnioned get very little attetnion from envrionmental advocates.
So, because I am a one man operation, I thought I'd talk about the neglected issues.
David - what do you think of this approach - In this NJ Voices post, I tried to show the landscape reality behind the bureaucracy
DEP weakens protections of stream buffers
http://blog.nj.com/njv_bill_wolfe/
I get concerned with attacks on my credibility. So if folks here really are interested in the technical issues of the DEP adopted stream encroachment regulations alluded to by "anonymous", please read the following:
1) my comments on the DEP proposed stream encroachment rules
http://www.peer.org/docs/nj/stream_encroac_%20rules.pdf
2) the DEP rule adoption document (which responds to all my comments, I am #17)
http://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/adoptions/adopt_071105a.pdf
I am a former policy advisor to the DEP Commissioner and follow DEP very closely. Here is my website:
http://www.peer.org/
click on NJ chapter
I don't even know where to start, so I should mention how nice it is to see a discussion/disagreement over NJ DEP policies instead of Britney Spears' power of attorney. (OK, weak example)
I hope my students follow the links and make up their own minds. But I think that Bill's recent post on his blog about the changing rules shows that he was thinking about the issue beyond the short description in his list. And since I never worked for the DEP, who am I to weigh in anyway.
I certainly understand that the nature of a top 10 list like this is that it isn't a formally vetted state of thee DEP address but a relatively quickly assembled wishlist. I must admit that I also took it less as a practical critique of Commissioner Jackson's politically constrained day-to-day decisions, and more as a in-a-perfect-world sort of list, which can include a glitch or two.
All in all, its more than I imagined when I linked to the post.
Mr. Wolfe, you present an outstanding argument and demonstrate great familiarity with the issue I referred to. Do not interpret my discussion as an attack on your credibility, it was never intended as such. I look forward to reading your postings in the future.
David - I'm always glad to stir the pot!
I just checked out your blog posts and am very impressed - it came to my attention via a google tool that tracks blogs that lnik to minbe.
Your students are provided a rich opportunity to engage - a virtual feast, visual and intellectual.
I wish I were back in the classroom instead in the political trenches.
The Highland RMP is an excellent opportunity for your students to observe a real world design, planning and policy experience. The next public hearing is right next door at Passaic County College in Paterson on Monday, beginning 6:00 p.m. There are 400 parking spaces at the public parking lot on Van Houten Street next to the College have been provided for the hearing.
The last is February 13, 2008 from 6:30 p.m. to end of public comment
Voorhees High School, 256 County Rt. 513, Glen Gardner, NJ.
Since critical thinking is such a central lesson, stirring the pot is welcome.
As an aside, I love the photos on Bill's blog. They really capture the richness of the developing landscapes of New Jersey.
Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!
Post a Comment