ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION No. 164

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 5, 1997

 

 

By Assemblymen CORODEMUS, WOLFE, T. Smith, Blee, LeFevre, Arnone and Azzolina

 

 

An Assembly Resolution memorializing the Interstate Sanitation Commission to develop and adopt regulations on notification procedures between states regarding planned discharges into the waters of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York.

 

Whereas, The Interstate Sanitation Commission is a tri-state environmental agency, established by the Tri-State Compact between the States of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York, with regulatory and enforcement powers in the area of water quality; and

Whereas, Article XVII of the Tri-State Compact, approved by the United States Congress, authorizes the Interstate Sanitation Commission to adopt, after public hearings, regulations establishing water quality standards and procedures to address water quality; and

Whereas, Regulations adopted by the Interstate Sanitation Commission are binding on all three states in the Tri-State Compact; and

Whereas, The water quality in the State of New Jersey was recently seriously threatened by a proposed discharge of 140 million gallons of raw sewage per day for four days into the East River by New York City, from February 15 through February 19, 1997; and

Whereas, Upon being notified of the planned discharge, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection closed the harvesting of approximately 25,000 acres of shellfish beds in the Raritan and Sandy Hook Bays and the Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers; and

Whereas, If New York City had proceeded with its proposed discharge, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection would have been compelled to halt shellfish harvesting for raw consumption in the Navesink River and very likely halt relay and depuration clamming activity in the rest of northern Monmouth County, including Sandy Hook and Raritan Bays; and

Whereas, The relay and depuration programs centered in Monmouth County represent about $4.7 million per year in commercial dockside value and as much as $15 million per year in retail value to the New Jersey economy, and the shellfish industry overall in New Jersey is estimated to be a $30 million industry, and halting harvesting and production, even for a short period, would have significant economic impact on the State and the families that depend on this income; and

Whereas, Despite the huge impact the four days of discharges would have on the State of New Jersey, the Interstate Sanitation Commission and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection were not informed of the discharge until 12 hours before the discharge was to begin; and

Whereas, Advanced notice could have easily been provided because the discharge proposed by New York City had been planned for some time because of needed repairs at a pumping station at East 13th Street and Avenue C in New York City; and

Whereas, Similar actions taken by any of the three member states of the Interstate Sanitation Commission could have significant and lasting environmental and economic impacts on the three member states; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1. The Interstate Sanitation Commission is memorialized to develop and adopt regulations establishing notification procedures for Connecticut, New Jersey and New York that require ample warning of planned discharges into the waters of Connecticut, New Jersey or New York.

 

     2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to the Interstate Sanitation Commission and the New Jersey Commissioner of Environmental Protection.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This resolution memorializes the Interstate Sanitation Commission to develop and adopt regulations establishing notification procedures for Connecticut, New Jersey and New York that require ample warning of planned discharges into the waters of Connecticut, New Jersey or New York.

 

 

                             

 

Memorializes the Interstate Sanitation Commission to develop and adopt regulations establishing notification procedures for planned discharges into the waters of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York.