LINCROFT – Doug O’Malley, interim executive director of Environment New Jersey, will discuss his organization’s recent report on New Jersey’s deteriorating water quality at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 22, at Brookdale Community College’s Warner Student Life Center.
The meeting is open to the public, the college’s students, and members of the N.J. Friends of Clearwater and the Jersey Shore (Monmouth) Group of the Sierra Club.
O’Malley will explain how the state legislature’s actions have contributed to the pollution and what regulatory actions should be taken to reverse this deterioration. In particular, O’Malley will discuss Raritan River and Bay, the Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers, and Barnegat Bay. Only one creek, originating in a northwestern state park, is pollution-free. All of the state’s other bodies of water are polluted.
In the past few years, the state legislature has loosened a number of state Department of Environmental regulations on water quality and pollution controls. In opposition, environmentalists argue that, given the state’s pollution problems, controls should be stricter.
The DEP’s commissioner, Bob Martin, has said he will include economic considerations in addition to environmental rules when assessing developers’ applications. Last month, Gov. Christie vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have blocked the transport and treatment of controversial gas “fracking” wastewater generated from both in-state and out-of-state gas exploration.
O’Malley’s presentation is hosted by Brookdale Community College’s Environmental Club to encourage BCC students to be involved in statewide and national debates on the importance of strong environmental regulations.
During the Lincroft meeting, a cash buffet begins at 6 p.m. and O’Malley’s presentation begins at 6:30 p.m.
