Environmentalists Enraged by 'Unauthorized' Dumping of Truckloads of Soil from North Jersey on Property in Pemberton Twp. Wetlands - and Delay in Halt

[Teegate]

This is an interesting line from the article.

“It could be somebody bought it not knowing the rules, thinking it’s OK to dump there,” DeVito said. “But you would think that if somebody is going to buy (so many) acres, they’d look up what the rules are first.”

“You cannot destroy a mature forest to create agriculture in the Pinelands.”

Environmentalists Enraged by 'Unauthorized' Dumping of Truckloads of Soil from North Jersey on Property in Pemberton Twp. Wetlands - and Delay in Halting It

Also critical of the township’s failure to step in immediately and order a halt to the dumping operation was Rick Brown, president of the Rancocas Conservancy.

pinebarrenstribune.com

 

[dragoncjo]

Emile is a dog on a bone, good to see someone enforcing the rules.

 

[Teegate]

Emile is a dog on a bone, good to see someone enforcing the rules.

Yea, I have to agree with him in this matter.

 

[bobpbx]

....."The dirt they carried was a rich, dark reddish-brown color that does not exist in southern New Jersey, south of New Brunswick, and that had to have come from “at least 70 or 80 miles away,” in addition to being mixed with what appeared to be construction debris."

That looks like somebody was glad to get rid of that dirt. But all in all, the poor guy just didn't do his due diligence.

 

[dragoncjo]

Agree probably an honest mistake.

 

[Teegate]

I believe this is the property. At least one portion of it.

And this appears to be the road in question.

I edited this post because the first photo only mentions the one lot selling price. I am not sure of the total cost as of yet.

 

[rc911]

Illegal dumping also occurred on Holmes Mill Road in Cream Ridge on property owned by the Monmouth County Park System. The dump profile is similar to that described in the article above. Plenty of red shale and soil with a generous mix of construction debris including concrete, bricks, rusted pipes (not rebar) and lumber. I'm also aware of two other illegal dump sites with the same stuff. One in a wetlands next to Colliers Mills WMA and the other just out side of New Egypt.

 

[Teegate]

We get to see one of Emile's drone photos.

I would suggest you read the complete article even though it is long as usual.

From the Pine Barrens Tribune.


When asked by a reporter for this newspaper whether that soil had been found to contain anything of a toxic nature, Larry Hajna, press director for the NJDEP, replied via email on March 13 that it was “considered non-hazardous,” an evaluation that might well influence the outcome of any such review.

However, in response to a request the following day that this newspaper be provided with a copy of the soil analysis the agency used in arriving at that determination, Hajna revealed that “it is based on visual observation,” adding, “The NJDEP’s experience with the type of debris observed is that this is typically non-hazardous.”


That assertion, when conveyed to representatives of area environmental organizations, left them somewhat aghast, with Emile DeVito, manager of science and stewardship for the New Jersey Conservation Foundation that owns the Ong’s Hat Preserve adjacent to the property involved, saying he was “flabbergasted” by the disclosure that the NJDEP had not required testing, and declaring that he would be seeking to meet with NJDEP officials and insist that an actual soil analysis be performed.

Soil Dumped in a Pemberton Wetland to Improve an Access Road Is Said by the NJDEP to Violate Two Regulations, But It Is Also Termed ‘Non-Hazardous’ Based Strictly on Observation

A press director for the NJDEP, replied via email on March 13 that it was “considered non-hazardous.”

pinebarrenstribune.com

 

[stiltzkin]

A good example of an issue where I am fully in agreement with Emile and Jason. Every aspect of this situation sounds shady, and for DEP to just completely abdicate responsibility for actual soil testing and hand wave away any concerns really is ridiculous.

Who normally pays for testing as part of a permit review - I imagine it's supposed to be the applicant? Why are they not doing this?

 

[Teegate]

It does seem shady. But it is the DEP so that is normal behavior.

 

[enormiss]

No time for that, they have a map to push!