Tag: bridgewater

Invite to Public Comment – Bridgewater, NJ American Cyanamid Superfund Site

May 6, 2016

Received today from Carl Alderson, NOAA Federal

To All Interested Government Agencies and Public Groups:

Under the National Environmental Policy Act, an environmental review has been performed on the following action.

TITLE:  Restoration Plan/ Environmental Assessment Draft (RP/EA) for the American Cyanamid Co. Superfund Site, Bridgewater Township, Somerset County, New Jersey

LOCATION:       The Millstone and Raritan Rivers, Somerset and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey.

SUMMARY:    The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is the lead federal agency for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance for projects brought forth to restore injured habitat for fish and other trust resources resulting from long-term hazardous substance releases from the American Cyanamid Co. Superfund Site in Bridgewater Township, New Jersey.   Projects identified in the RP/EA are compensatory for lost resources and fulfill an obligation to serve the public as required under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), also known as Superfund Law.  Superfund is a United States federal law designed to clean up sites contaminated with hazardous substances and pollutants. The Draft RP/EA proposes removal of the Weston Mill Dam on the Millstone River as well as feasibility analysis and design of technical fish passage at the Island Farm Weir, located on the Raritan River.

As documented in the RP/EA, the selected projects are expected to have an overall beneficial impact on ecosystem function and species biodiversity.  The project’s goals include benefits to various species, improvement of habitat function, and protection of existing habitat.  Because the project is intended to restore natural resources, it is expected to cause a net increase to habitat productivity and improve ecosystem function.

INVITATION TO PUBLIC COMMENT:  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration, the Department of Interior, and the State of New Jersey invite public comment on a proposed plan.

The Draft RP/EA is available at the following website: https://darrp.noaa.gov/hazardous-waste/american-cyanamid

The public comment period on this plan ends June 10, 2016.

One hard copy of the RP/EA will be available in each of the following public library locations:

Manville Public Library

Address: 100 S 10th Ave, Manville, NJ 08835

Phone: (908) 722-9722

Hours: Mon-Thurs 9:30AM–9PM

Friday-Sat  9:30AM–5PM

 

Franklin Township Public Library

Address: 485 Demott Ln, Franklin Township, NJ 08873

Phone: (732) 873-8700

Hours: Mon-Thurs 10AM–9PM

Fri-Sat 10AM–5PM

To request further information or an additional hard copy of this document or to submit your comments, please contact Carl Alderson at (732)371-0848, NOAA Restoration Center – Sandy Hook Office, JJ Howard National Marine Fisheries Science Center, 74 Magruder Rd, Highlands, NJ 07732 or by email at Carl.Alderson@noaa.gov.  Please put “American Cyanamid Draft RP/EA” in the subject line.

Rainbarrel Rebates Available for Bridgewater, Somerville, Raritan

May 2, 2016

From: www.nj.com “Community Bulletin”

The Somerset County Regional Center Partnership, utilizing a grant from the New Jersey Water Supply Authority (NJWSA), has announced that the 2016 Raritan River Rain Barrel Rebate Program for homeowners in Bridgewater, Raritan, and Somerville is accepting applications for the sixth year of the program.

The Rebate Program in intended to encourage residents to purchase and install rain barrels by offering rebates up to $200. Rebates are available in the amount of $50 for rain barrels that hold 40 to 70 gallons and $100 for those that hold more than 70 gallons. Rebates are available for multiple rain barrels that meet all criteria.

Residential homeowners within the Peters Brook Watershed who purchased and installed rain barrels after July 1, 2011 remain eligible for a rebate providing documentation is available. Residents outside the Watershed but within the boundaries of the three municipalities must have purchased the rain barrel after January 1, 2014. Sufficient documentation including proof of purchase and installation is required.

Rain barrels provide homeowners with financial and ecological advantages by conserving water, easing stream erosion by reducing the volume of runoff entering to streams and rivers during storms, and reducing pollutants accumulated from impervious surfaces, particularly roofs. In established urban areas like the Regional Center, rainwater runoff from hard surfaces flows directly into streams, depositing these pollutants.

Rain barrels must have a closed design or screen top; have a system to direct excess water away from the home’s foundation; have a spigot not higher that 3″ from the bottom of the barrel; and must be made of a sturdy material and installed on a solid level base. Homeowners must pledge to maintain the rain barrel for at least two years to be eligible for the rebate.

“A rain barrel is a simple and effective way of practicing environmental responsibility,” commented Troy Fischer, Chair of the Somerset County Regional Center Partnership. “Homeowners in the Regional Center communities have a unique opportunity to recoup their investment twice, once through the rebate and multiple times through re-use of rain water.”

Rebates will be awarded on a first come, first served basis, and funding is limited. Detailed information can be found on the Regional Center Partnership’s website at www.regionalcenterpartnership.org, by calling 908-730-0270 x223 or sending an email to rainbarrel@raritanbasin.org.

The Somerset County Park Commission is supporting the 2016 Rebate Program by including information on the web site, www.somersetcountyparks.org, and in kiosks and at special events throughout the County park system.