December, 2011      NOTICE OF GREEN ACRES PUBLIC MEETING

Please take notice that the Passaic River Coalition ("PRC") will hold a public meeting on January 26, 2012 at 7:00 p.m. at the Borough of Ringwood Municipal offices, 60 Margaret King Avenue, Ringwood, New Jersey 07456. The purpose of the meeting will be to receive public comment as to the proposed diversion of a portion of PRC-owned lands located at Block 311, Lots 1.01 and 1.03 in the Borough of Ringwood, County of Passaic. As to said lands, a permanent right of way and easement (totaling 2.292 acres) and temporary workspace (totaling 4.475 acres) is proposed to be acquired from the PRC by Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, LLC ("Tennessee") for the expansion of Tennessee's existing underground natural gas pipeline transmission system and easement. The lands in question are encumbered by State of New Jersey Green Acres restrictions, and the PRC has submitted a final application for the major diversion of said lands to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Green Acres Program, for approval by the Department's Commissioner and by the State House Commission. As compensation to the PRC for the diversion of the PRC-owned lands described above, Tennessee proposes to pay PRC $400,000 towards the purchase of a parcel identified as Block 7701, Lots 7 & 8 in the Township of West Milford, New Jersey.

You may appear in person at the public hearing in order to comment on the proposed diversion or, in the alternative, you may submit written comments by February 9, 2012 to Ella Filippone, Executive Director, Passaic River Coalition, 330 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, New Jersey 07960. A copy of any written comments must also be provided by you to Kevin Koslosky, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Green Acres Program, Bureau of Legal Services and Stewardship, Mail Code 501-01, P.O. Box 420, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0420.

Copies of the final application will be available to the public for inspection during regular business hours at Ringwood Borough Hall, located at 60 Margaret King Avenue in Ringwood, New Jersey, at the Ringwood Public Library, located at 30 Cannici Drive in Ringwood, New Jersey, and at the offices of the Passaic River Coalition, located at 330 Speedwell Avenue in Morristown, New Jersey. The final Green Acres application may also be inspected at the Green Acres Program Offices located at 501 E. State Street, 1st Floor, in Trenton, New Jersey.

Please take further notice that, during this hearing, the proposed diversion of a portion of Borough of Ringwood-owned property will also be discussed and has been noticed separately.

By: Passaic River Coalition, 330 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, New Jersey 07960

October, 2011      House at Highlands Meadow in Ringwood for rent

The Passaic River Coalition's House at Highlands Meadow on Greenwood Lake Turnpike in Ringwood, NJ is available for rent as office space. To learn more, please contact our office at (973) 532-9830..

October, 2011      New! Course Materials from Road Salt Alternatives Course

Presentations and materials from the Ground Water Protection Committee's September 15 "Alternatives for Snow and Ice Management Course" are now available at: www.passaicriver.org/salt.html.

September 20, 2011      DEP Press Release urges residents to take precautions against mosquitos

TRENTON - The Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Health and Senior Services are urging State residents to take precautions to protect themselves from mosquito-borne West Nile virus by taking some simple steps to reduce populations of the insect on their own properties.

Late summer and early fall are typically the most critical times of the year to be aware of the potential for the dangers of contracting West Nile virus from mosquito bites. Mosquito activity can continue until late October. Mosquitoes also can become more active throughout the entire day at this time of year.

Concerns are elevated this year because many areas of the State are still wet as a result of excessive rainfall over the late summer resulting largely from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. Wet areas serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Learn more at: www.nj.gov/dep/mosquito

August 18, 2011      Removal of Dioxin from Lower Passaic River to Begin

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that work has begun on removing 200,000 cubic yards of contaminated sediment from an area of the Passaic River near the Diamond Alkali Superfund site located at 80 Lister Avenue in Newark, NJ.

Read the rest of EPA's press release here.