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48°
Thursday, may 2
Tag:
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Police & Fire
NEW
Details
: Missing NJ State Park Hiker Found In Rockland, Thanks To Facebook, Ring
𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A 63-year-old hiker from Wayne who'd gone missing in Ringwood State Park was found a few miles away the next day across the state line in Rockland County, authorities said. Police say they can thank Ring and Facebook. Carol Fumiko Heimbach was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern after she was located in Sloatsburg around 1:30 p.m. Monday, March 4, said Caryn Shinske, the senior press officer for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. She was none the worse for wear, although still a bit disoriented from a night in the woods, responders said. Heimback, who r…
News
Whale-Tracking Buoy Aims To Prevent Collisions With Boats Off New Jersey Coast
Marine biologists are using a special buoy to study and protect whales off the coast of New Jersey. According to the state Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution put the buoy about 20 miles off the coast of Atlantic City on Sunday, Feb. 11. The buoy provides real-time monitoring of baleen whales by identifying their distinct calls. NJDEP said tracking the vocalizations of baleen whales can help marine biologists understand how changing ocean conditions could affect seasonal migration patterns. The buoy will monitor whal…
News
Mysterious Tar Balls Found On NJ Beaches Prompts Coast Guard Investigation
The U.S. Coast Guard is investigating the arrival of mysterious tar balls on beaches from Sea Bright south to Asbury Park. Areas affected include Gateway National Park at Sandy Hook and the shoreline at Sea Bright, Monmouth Beach, Long Branch, Deal, Allenhurst and Asbury Park. The Coast Guard received initial reports of tar balls ranging in size from approximately 1-2 inches and smaller near Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park on Tuesday, Nov. 28 and dispatched pollution response personnel to investigate. While the source of the tar balls remained unknown as of Thursday, Nov. 30, the the …
News
NJ Beach Town Forking Over $700K In Battle With Beach Erosion Caused By Storms
North Wildwood has begun $300,000 in emergency work to install a temporary sand dune, officials confirmed. The work follows $400,000 spent last month to install a steel bulkhead after damage by Tropical Storm Ophelia and Hurricane Ian, North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello said, noting the structure surrounds and protects beach patrol headquarters. Near the 15th Avenue section of the beach, a breach stretching about 150 feet wide leaves an open hole at high tide to homes and businesses. Work approved by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection will plug the hole with a t…
News
DEP To Jenkinson's: Open Your Beaches
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has ordered Jenkinson’s Boardwalk to reopen the public access points to its beaches in Point Pleasant Beach. The DEP on Tuesday, Sept. 19 sent a letter to the Ocean Avenue company saying it's not allowed to block the public from entering dry sand areas or keep them from using the areas "for intermittent recreational purposes connected with the ocean and wet sand." Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Paul Kanitra announced the closings in a Tuesday, Sept. 12, post on Facebook, in which he said it was “very unfortunate.” Tuesday's warnin…
Police & Fire
NJ 'Firebomb' Death Of Worker, 69: Long Island Biz Owner Charged With Aggravated Manslaughter
UPDATE: A trucking and warehouse operator from Long Island ignited a “firebomb” at a waste management facility near Newark Airport that killed a 69-year-old worker, New Jersey authorities charged. Mark Cadieux of Lynbrook, NY, dumped more than 9,000 pounds of aerosol cans container pressurized dry shampoo into a rented trash bin, sparking the May 2022 fire, state Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said. The Dumpster had been taken to the Waste Management facility on Julia Street in Elizabeth, where its highly-combustible contents ignited “within minutes” of being dumped out, the attorney g…
News
High Fecal Bacteria Closes Ocean County Beach: DEP
Seaside Heights' bay beach was closed Wednesday, July 19 due to high fecal bacteria levels, authorities said. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection banned swimming at the beach off Hancock Avenue in Seaside Heights Borough after water samples showed high levels of colony forming units of enterococci. The DEP retested the water at the beach on Wednesday and results were expected to be released Thursday afternoon, July 20. Enterococci is a type of bacteria that indicates possible contamination in bathing water that can include human or animal waste. Swimming in or …
News
High Fecal Bacteria Levels Put Three Jersey Shore Beaches Under Swimming Advisories
Three Jersey Shore beaches were placed under swimming advisories by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for high levels of fecal bacteria. The ocean beaches placed under swimming advisories on Tuesday, July 11 were: Albany Avenue beach in Atlantic City Philadelphia Avenue beach in Cape May Hollywood Avenue beach in Wildwood Crest In addition to the ocean beaches, six bay beaches in Cape May, Monmouth and Ocean counties and four river beaches in Ocean County also were placed under swimming advisories for high fecal bacteria levels. Click here for the complete list o…
Lifestyle
Nude Beach Ranked Among NJ's Best Secret Beaches
It's no longer a secret. Three Jersey Shore sites have made a list of the top “100 secret beaches” in the United States, according to the Family Destinations Guide. And you probably won't want to bring children to one of them: It's New Jersey's only nudist beach. The Guide said it surveyed 3,000 families nationwide to compose a list of hidden beaches that people liked the most. Ranked 5th on the list is Sedge Island, which the Guide calls “a truly exclusive destination.” Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, pointed out, however, that there i…
Police & Fire
Mayor To State DEP: Why Is Diesel Fuel Cleanup Taking So Long In South Brunswick?
South Brunswick officials are frustrated with delays in cleaning up after a fuel spill Friday, March 10. Mayor Charlie Carley asked the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for an accounting of the efforts being made to clean up after a tanker truck crashed on Davidson Mill Road. “It has been six days since the crash and I want to ensure that the area is completely cleaned up as soon as possible,” Carley said on Wednesday, March 15. A spokesman for the DEP said about 600 to 1,000 gallons of diesel spilled and was removed the day of the crash. "What remains to be done is…
Police & Fire
More Than 100 Vultures Found Dead On North Jersey Trail Due To Bird Flu
More than 100 black vultures were found dead on a North Jersey trail due to bird flu, state officials said. The deaths off the Sussex Branch Trail in Lafayette in Sussex County date back to early August, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Black vultures are seemingly very susceptible to Avian Influenza, and they tend to scavenge the carcasses of dead vultures, which can prolong the duration of a local outbreak such as the one being seen in Sussex County, officials said. The birds have been left to decompose on site due to rough terrain causing accessi…
News
Environmentalists Seeing Red After Dye Dumped Into Waterway Taints South Jersey Creek
Environmental activists were seeing red after a South Jersey company improperly disposed of red dye, tainting a local creek (scroll for photos). TopTop Packaging was responsible for dumping the dye into the waste water system that turned the Pennsauken Creek bright red Tuesday, Aug. 2, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said. "The discoloration was caused by a discharge of food-grade dye from the TopPop Packaging Co. in Evesham that went to the Evesham MUA Woodstream Wastewater Treatment Plant, which discharges to the creek system," NJDEP spokesman Larry Hajna said. The…
News
GO
Free
: Murphy Waives Summer State Park Entrance Fee
As of Memorial Day Weekend, entry to all New Jersey state parks, forests, and recreation areas will be free of charge for the entire summer, according to Gov. Phil Murphy. The one-year state parks fee holiday is one of several fee waivers included in this year's budget, he said. Park entrance fees will be waived for all visitors, regardless of state residency. Anyone who already purchased a 2022 annual State Park Pass will automatically receive a full refund, the governor said in a press statement. Other individual park fees remain in place, including but not limited to camping, int…
News
186K NJ Residents Are Getting Water Delivered Via Lead Service Lines: DEP
More than 186,000 New Jersey property owners will soon be getting letters notifying them that their water is being delivered through lead pipes, which must be replaced by state law. The letters — going out Feb. 22 — are required under the "Lead Service Line Replacement Law," passed last July. The bill package maintains that water systems are required to notify property owners and tenants of lead lines. Those lines — in hundreds of water systems all over New Jersey — must be replaced by 2031. While there are 186,830 known lead service lines, there are 1,084,258 unknown lead service lines, …
News
Update
: Massive Passaic Warehouse Blaze Stopped From Reaching 50 Tons Of Chlorine
UPDATE: Authorities on Saturday said they'd finally gotten a massive industrial complex fire in Passaic under control nearly a dozen hours after it broke out. More than 200 firefighters fought the 11-alarm blaze, which forced evacuations of nearby homes, sent potentially dangerous smoke into the air and prompted officials to urge residents to keep their windows closed. The smoke reportedly was spotted on weather radar. Passaic Mayor Hector Carlos Lora called the fire “the worst that I’ve ever seen.” Fortunately, he said, firefighters were able to keep the flames from releasing toxic fume…
News
Potentially Harmful Chemicals Found In NJ Drinking Water
A New Jersey water company warned customers of potentially toxic chemicals in the drinking water Monday. The level of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) in the water of all its customers in Carteret, Clark, Edison, Metuchen, South Plainfield and Woodbridge had exceeded acceptable regulatory standards, Middlesex Water Company said in a notice. Chemicals in PFOA have been linked to cancer. Middlesex Water in September was notified that PFOA samples were found at the treatment facility in South Plainfield. "Because we exceeded a drinking water standard, we were required to provide notice to custo…
News
5 NJ Beaches Under Swimming Advisories After Fecal Bacteria Tests
Swimming advisories were issued by the NJDEP for five New Jersey beaches after water samples showed high levels of fecal bacteria. The advisories were issued Tuesday afternoon to the following beaches: Brooklyn Avenue beach in Lavallette (Bay) Hancock Avenue beach in Seaside Heights (Bay) L Street beach in Belmar (River) South Bath Avenue beach in Long Branch (Ocean) Stockton Avenue beach in Long Beach Township (Bay) Beaches are placed under swimming advisories when samples exceed 104 colony forming units (cfu) of enterococci. The samples were taken on Monday.
Police & Fire
Authorities: Off-Duty North Jersey Officer Shot, Killed By Juvenile In Deer Hunting Accident
A 38-year-old off-duty police officer was shot and killed Tuesday when a juvenile accidentally fired off a weapon while the pair were hunting in Sussex County, Daily Voice has learned. Hamburg police officer Jason Franco, of Montague, was deer hunting near Havens and Lott roads in Wantage around 12:30 p.m. when the incident occurred, according to local and state police. Franco was pronounced dead at the scene, "after an unintentional discharge of a weapon held by a juvenile while deer hunting in a group," said Lawrence Hajna, of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Prot…
News
NJ Sues Honeywell Over Contamination From Notorious Hudson River Superfund Site
Decades of toxic pollution continues to contaminate not just a notorious Superfund site along the Hudson River in Edgewater but also the surrounding area, New Jersey state officials charged in a lawsuit against Honeywell International. Found in the groundwater, surface water, soil, wetlands and “well outside the physical boundaries” of the 15-acre of the Quanta Resources site are "vast quantities of contaminants" that include arsenic, asbestos, benzene, chromium, lead, PCBs, total petroleum hydrocarbons and other volatile organic compounds, the state alleges in its suit against the multi-na…
News
2 West Nile Virus Cases Reported In NJ
Two New Jersey residents were infected with West Nile Virus, state health officials said. The first was a man in his forties from Essex County, who tested positive earlier this month, and the other a man in his seventies from Monmouth County, the New Jersey Health Department said in a release. “While WNV activity in mosquitoes has been much lower than what we have seen in previous seasons, it is important that residents continue to take precautions to prevent mosquito bites especially since most WNV human cases occur in early September,” Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said. Meanwhi…
News
Barnegat PD: Fireworks Blast Above Township Like 'Magic Kingdom'
Most town-sponsored Fourth of July fireworks were canceled or postponed this summer due to coronavirus concerns. But residents of Barnegat Township were treated -- or to some residents mistreated -- by 10 times the usual number of amateur pyrotechnic displays, police estimated. At least five people were charged with illegal fireworks possession or use, Barnegat police said. There were so many fireworks complaints in the Ocean County township that its police department posted a heat-sensory map of the displays on Sunday. Fireworks had “the greater Ocean County area looking like M…
Police & Fire
Store Owner Charged With Selling Homemade Sanitizer That Burned Boy
Authorities on Tuesday charged the owner of a Bergen County 7-Eleven with child endangerment for selling a sanitizer she mixed herself using a commercial cleanser that ended up burning four local boys. Manisha Bharade, 47, Wood-Ridge also was charged with deceptive business practices before being released on a summons pending court action. Bharade mixed "commercially available foaming sanitizer, which was not meant for resale," with water in pump bottles -- unwittingly causing a harmful chemical reaction -- then sold them for $2.50 each at her store in River Vale, authorities said. “She w…
Police & Fire
Bergen County Mom: Homemade Hand Sanitizer Sold At Store Burned My Son
UPDATE: Authorities on Tuesday charged the owner of a Bergen County 7-Eleven with child endangerment for selling a sanitizer she mixed herself using a commercial cleanser that ended up burning four local boys. Manisha Bharade, 47, Wood-Ridge also was charged with deceptive business practices before being released on a summons pending court action. Bharade mixed "commercially available foaming sanitizer, which was not meant for resale," with water in pump bottles -- unwittingly causing a harmful chemical reaction -- then sold them for $2.50 each at her store in River Vale, authorities said.…
Police & Fire
Massive Christmas Morning Fire Destroys Mahwah Building Supply Company
UPDATE: Authorities reported no casualties in a massive pre-dawn Christmas fire that ripped through a commercial building in Mahwah and continued burning hours after it broke out. What became a five-alarm blaze broke out around 4:40 a.m. at Arzee Building Supply on Franklin Turnpike next to the Ramapo River. Members of all five Mahwah fire companies were assisted by nearly 20 others from surrounding Bergen and Rockland county towns, along with police and EMS units, Police Chief Stephen Jaffe said. Seven elevated streams were in operation in the building, which began to collapse within an …
News
Lawsuit
: Leaked Shell Station Toxins Caused Cancer That Killed Northvale Girl
The family of a late Northvale girl has filed a lawsuit alleging her deadly brain cancer was caused by a contaminant leak from a nearby gas station. Vivienne Knopp, 7, had been living at one of the homes in which toxic chemicals had seeped into the garden soil from an underground Shell station tank, NorthJersey.com reports. The lawsuit was filed last Thursday in Superior Court -- exactly two years after Vivienne's death - and names Shell Oil Co. and the station's owner, Tappan Realty. The Tappan Road gas station is one of the thousands of contaminated New Jersey sites on a list by the…
Police & Fire
Update
: Fire Destroys Wayne Truck Repair Shop, Leaks Oil Into Ramapo River
Flames ravaged a Wayne truck repair shop Monday night, responders said. Responders reported explosions at Vander Wiele Truck Service in the Hamburg Turnpike shop between two self-storage facilities. “It appeared that the fire was ignited by sparks created during metal grinding work” in the shop, Wayne Police Detective Capt. Dan Daly said early Tuesday. The blaze quickly went to four alarms after breaking out shortly before 7 p.m., collapsing a roof and walls The main body of the fire was knocked down in about a half hour, with a trio of aerial ladders being used to contin…