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New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Debunked! Drones Not Searching For Radioactive Material, NJDEP Confirms Debunked! Drones Not Searching For Radioactive Material, NJDEP Confirms
Debunked! Drones Not Searching For Radioactive Material, Njdep Confirms The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is pushing back on a theory that the mysterious drones in the New Jersey sky were being used to search for missing radioactive waste. Belleville Mayor Michael Melham floated the theory on "Good Day New York," citing a Nuclear Regulatory Commission alert confirming radioactive material was lost in transit in Newfield in Gloucester County on Monday, Dec. 2. In a release, the NJEP said the Ge-68 source was reported lost by the licensee during shipment of the material back to the manufacturer. The radioactive source – about 6 inches in …
Trenton Water Works Employee Falsified Data: Mayor Vows Accountability, Assures Water Safety Trenton Water Works Employee Falsified Data: Mayor Vows Accountability, Assures Water Safety
Trenton Water Works Employee Falsified Data: Mayor Vows Accountability, Assures Water Safety A water sample collector for Trenton Water Works falsified drinking water data, prompting swift action and reassurances to the public about the safety of the city’s water supply, officials said. Trenton Water Works is under scrutiny after officials revealed that a water sample collector tampered with drinking water data, violating public trust and leading to immediate action.  The discovery was made in the fall of 2023, according to Mayor W. Reed Gusciora. "This individual’s actions were a clear violation of public trust and are deeply disturbing," Mayor Gusciora said. "TWW immediatel…
Illegal Shotgun Round Sparked 350-Acre Jackson Wildfire, Brick Man Charged: Officials Illegal Shotgun Round Sparked 350-Acre Jackson Wildfire, Brick Man Charged: Officials
Illegal Shotgun Round Sparked 350-Acre Jackson Wildfire, Brick Man Charged: Officials A massive wildfire that scorched 350 acres in Jackson Township was ignited by an illegal shotgun round that authorities said was fired by a 37-year-old Brick Township man. Authorities charged Richard Shashaty, 37, with arson after an investigation revealed that magnesium shards from a prohibited Dragon’s Breath 12-gauge shotgun round sparked the blaze on Nov. 6, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. The fire, known as the Shotgun Wildfire, erupted shortly after noon on November 6 near the Central Jersey Rifle Range on Stump Tavern Road. Investigators determined that the incendi…
Mercury Found In Some Jersey Shore Wells, NJDEP Offers To Relocate Residents: Mayor Mercury Found In Some Jersey Shore Wells, NJDEP Offers To Relocate Residents: Mayor
Mercury Found In Some Jersey Shore Wells, Njdep Offers To Relocate Residents: Mayor Wells for some homes in Upper Township have tested positive for mercury, officials said. About a dozen wells were found to have "unacceptable levels of contamination" from mercury, Mayor John Newman said in a Facebook post on Monday, Oct. 14. State and county health officials were helping the township identify the affected homes. "It is important to understand that no correlation, blame, cause, or any other finger can be pointed to anyone for causing this contamination at this time," Mayor Newman wrote. "At this time, our goal is to keep testing until the entire contaminatio…
Two West Nile Virus-Related Deaths Among Six New Cases Reported In New Jersey Two West Nile Virus-Related Deaths Among Six New Cases Reported In New Jersey
Two West Nile Virus-Related Deaths Among Six New Cases Reported In New Jersey New Jersey health officials are reporting an additional six cases of West Nile Virus including two deaths, and two presumptive viremic blood donor (PVD) cases in the state.  The six new WNV cases are residents of Bergen, Camden, Cumberland, Hudson, Mercer, and Middlesex counties (one 50+, two 60+, one 70+, two 80+). The two individuals who died were older adults from Cumberland and Mercer counties, the DOH said. Two human cases of WNV were reported earlier this year in Middlesex and Union counties. Seven out of the eight cases were hospitalized with neuroinvasive disease, includi…
High Bacteria Levels Shuts Swimming At NJ Beach For Rest Of Season High Bacteria Levels Shuts Swimming At NJ Beach For Rest Of Season
High Bacteria Levels Shuts Swimming At NJ Beach For Rest Of Season Swimming along one New Jersey beach has been closed for the rest of the season due to high bacteria levels, officials said. The NJ Department of Environmental Protection said only that a water sample from Beachwood Beach West exceeded the water quality standard. In a statement shared to the Beachwood website, the mayor and council said, "you may still sit and take in the lovely view of the scenery but no one will be permitted to swim."
55-Year-Old Dad Drowns In NJ Reservoir: 'Giving Heart, Crazy Antics' 55-Year-Old Dad Drowns In NJ Reservoir: 'Giving Heart, Crazy Antics'
55-Year-Old Dad Drowns In NJ Reservoir: 'Giving Heart, Crazy Antics' A 55-year-old New Jersey father who drowned over the weekend in a Burlington County reservoir is being remembered for his good humor and good nature. Frank Guadagnini, of Point Pleasant Borough, was pulled by divers from the water in the Whitesbog section of Pemberton Township, according to Caryn Shinske, a spokeswoman with the state Department of Environmental Protection. Firefighters, EMS units, and dive teams responded to the water used for local cranberry operations within the Brendan T. Byrne State Forest around 7:35 p.m., Saturday, June 22, where Guadagnini's body was recovered by Man…
Air Quality Alert Issued Across These NJ, PA Counties Air Quality Alert Issued Across These NJ, PA Counties
Air Quality Alert Issued Across These NJ, PA Counties An air quality alert has been issued for several areas across New Jersey and Pennsylvania  through late Friday, June 14. The most serious alert, an Air Quality Action Day, has been issued from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. across Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, Essex, and Union counties. An Air Quality Action Day means that Ground Level Ozone within the region may approach or exceed unhealthy standards. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has issued a code orange air quality alert Friday for North Central and Southwestern, NJ, along with Middlesex, Mercer, Camden, and G…
44-Foot Dead Whale Caught On Cruise Ship's Bow Towed To Jersey Shore: NOAA 44-Foot Dead Whale Caught On Cruise Ship's Bow Towed To Jersey Shore: NOAA
44-Foot Dead Whale Caught On Cruise Ship's Bow Towed To Jersey Shore: NOAA A dead whale was towed to the Jersey Shore after it was caught on the bow of a cruise ship, officials said. The cruise ship in the Port of Brooklyn, New York, reported the sei whale was caught on the front of the vessel on the morning of Saturday, May 4. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries service for New England and the mid-Atlantic issued a news release about the incident on Wednesday, May 8. The roughly 44-foot-long whale was brought to shore in Sandy Hook to give better access to heavy equipment. A necropsy was performed on Tuesday, May 7 and t…
Jersey Shore City To Get Emergency Beach Erosion Fix As Summer Approaches Jersey Shore City To Get Emergency Beach Erosion Fix As Summer Approaches
Jersey Shore City To Get Emergency Beach Erosion Fix As Summer Approaches A Cape May County beach desperate for more sand will get some emergency help for this summer, officials said. The state has authorized a short-term beach renourishment project along the coast of North Wildwood. Gov. Phil Murphy and Mayor Patrick Rosenello announced the plan in a brief joint statement at night on Thursday, Apr. 26. The Democratic governor and Republican mayor said they worked "through collaboration and bipartisan partnership" to find a temporary solution to erosion concerns in North Wildwood. "The New Jersey Department of Transportation's Office of Maritime Resources is cur…
Search For Missing Transgender Man Suspended: NJDEP Search For Missing Transgender Man Suspended: NJDEP
Search For Missing Transgender Man Suspended: Njdep A search involving multiple law enforcement agencies is under way for a 32-year-old transgender man has been suspended, officials said. A spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said the search for Northfield resident Elliot Ganiel was halted Tuesday, March 5 at 5 p.m. He did not say why. State Park Police were notified that Ganiel was missing early Sunday, March 3, after his car was found at the Mullica River canoe launch within Wharton State Forest.  "Exhaustive search efforts, including the use of K-9 units, conducted by multiple agencies foc…
NEW DETAILS: Missing NJ State Park Hiker Found In Rockland, Thanks To Facebook, Ring NEW DETAILS: Missing NJ State Park Hiker Found In Rockland, Thanks To Facebook, Ring
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…
Whale-Tracking Buoy Aims To Prevent Collisions With Boats Off New Jersey Coast Whale-Tracking Buoy Aims To Prevent Collisions With Boats Off New Jersey Coast
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…
Futuristic Map Would Guide Wharton State Forest Visitors In 'Real-Time': NJ DEP Futuristic Map Would Guide Wharton State Forest Visitors In 'Real-Time': NJ DEP
Futuristic Map Would Guide Wharton State Forest Visitors In 'Real-Time': NJ DEP The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is developing a digital visitors vehicle map that can be used to navigate the 124,350-acre Wharton State Forest. The state DEP is seeking public comments on the proposed map through March 9 by clicking here or here. The final Wharton Visiting Vehicle Use Map will be made available for download as a georeferenced PDF. Visitors driving through the state forest will be able to determine their location on the map in real-time on their mobile devices, even in areas with limited or no cellular service. Proposed Wharton State Forest V…
Mysterious Tar Balls Found On NJ Beaches Prompts Coast Guard Investigation Mysterious Tar Balls Found On NJ Beaches Prompts Coast Guard Investigation
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 …
NJ Beach Town Forking Over $700K In Battle With Beach Erosion Caused By Storms NJ Beach Town Forking Over $700K In Battle With Beach Erosion Caused By Storms
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…
NJ Boosts Wildfire Budget Amid String Of Large Blazes, Long Season NJ Boosts Wildfire Budget Amid String Of Large Blazes, Long Season
NJ Boosts Wildfire Budget Amid String Of Large Blazes, Long Season An extra $3 million in state money will go to the Department of Environmental Protection’s Forest Fire Service to assist in fighting wildfires, authorities said. New Jersey Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette, at a Thursday, Sept. 21 news conference, said funding for new firefighting equipment and staff is vital as climate change heightens and lengthens wildfire seasons in the Garden State. This year was among the busiest and longest wildfire season in a decade, state officials said. Forest Fire Service Administrator and Chief Greg McLaughlin said there is a high pr…
DEP To Jenkinson's: Open Your Beaches DEP To Jenkinson's: Open Your Beaches
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…
NJ 'Firebomb' Death Of Worker, 69: Long Island Biz Owner Charged With Aggravated Manslaughter NJ 'Firebomb' Death Of Worker, 69: Long Island Biz Owner Charged With Aggravated Manslaughter
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…
High Fecal Bacteria Closes Ocean County Beach: DEP High Fecal Bacteria Closes Ocean County Beach: DEP
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 …
High Fecal Bacteria Levels Put Three Jersey Shore Beaches Under Swimming Advisories High Fecal Bacteria Levels Put Three Jersey Shore Beaches Under Swimming Advisories
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…
Air Quality Alert For South Jersey, Pennsylvania Fueled By Wildfire Air Quality Alert For South Jersey, Pennsylvania Fueled By Wildfire
Air Quality Alert For South Jersey, Pennsylvania Fueled By Wildfire A massive 5,000-acre wildfire raging across Burlington and Ocean counties has contributed to an air quality alert in South Jersey and parts of Pennsylvania, authorities said. Levels of fine particulates and ozone also will rise into the unhealthy zone for sensitive groups, according to the National Weather Service and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.  If you have been outside Thursday, June 1 in southeast New Jersey or southern Delaware, you may have noticed extra smoke and the smell of fire in the air.  While there is decreased air quality due to fires in Nova Scotia, C…
Nude Beach Ranked Among NJ's Best Secret Beaches Nude Beach Ranked Among NJ's Best Secret Beaches
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…
Mayor To State DEP: Why Is Diesel Fuel Cleanup Taking So Long In South Brunswick? Mayor To State DEP: Why Is Diesel Fuel Cleanup Taking So Long In South Brunswick?
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…
$1M Grant Awarded For Wildfire Prevention Near NJ Military Bases $1M Grant Awarded For Wildfire Prevention Near NJ Military Bases
$1M Grant Awarded For Wildfire Prevention Near NJ Military Bases The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is set to receive $995,000 from the U.S. Department of Defense to reduce wildfire risk near military facilities, the DEP announced. The federal grant targets areas surrounding Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Warren Grove Gunnery Range in Bass River State Forest, Naval Weapons Station Earle and Sea Girt National Guard Training Facility, the DEP said in a press statement. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service responded to 1,175 wildfires that burned 12,664 acres last year, according to the DEP. When a wildfire encroaches a military instal…
Jersey Shore Park Where Rabid Fox Was Reopens Jersey Shore Park Where Rabid Fox Was Reopens
Jersey Shore Park Where Rabid Fox Was Reopens A state park closed the past week due to a rabid fox has reopened, officials said. Double Trouble State Park in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township had been closed since Monday, Aug. 29 due to the rabid fox's "encounters" with park visitors, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. Animals live only about a week after contracting rabies,, the DEP said. New Jersey Fish and Wildlife was taking steps to address the situation, the DEP said in a statement last week, saying the park was closed out of an "abundance of caution." Animals infected with rabies will displa…
Rabid Fox Wreaks 'Double Trouble' At NJ State Park Rabid Fox Wreaks 'Double Trouble' At NJ State Park
Rabid Fox Wreaks 'Double Trouble' At NJ State Park New Jersey officials tried to remove a potentially rabid fox that had unspecified encounters with visitors at Double Trouble State Park. The state park remained closed to the public for a second day on Tuesday, Aug. 30. The fox was behaving erratically, the state Department of Environmental Protection said. Double Trouble State Park remains closedNJ State Parks Service “New Jersey Fish and Wildlife is taking steps to address the situation, the DEP said in a statement, saying the park was closed out of an "abundance of caution." The park is located in Lacey and Berkeley townships in Oc…
More Than 100 Vultures Found Dead On North Jersey Trail Due To Bird Flu More Than 100 Vultures Found Dead On North Jersey Trail Due To Bird Flu
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…
Environmentalists Seeing Red After Dye Dumped Into Waterway Taints South Jersey Creek Environmentalists Seeing Red After Dye Dumped Into Waterway Taints South Jersey Creek
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…
Swimming Advisories Lifted At NJ Beaches After Ocean Water Is Retested For Fecal Bacteria: DEP Swimming Advisories Lifted At NJ Beaches After Ocean Water Is Retested For Fecal Bacteria: DEP
Swimming Advisories Lifted At NJ Beaches After Ocean Water Is Retested For Fecal Bacteria: DEP Swimming advisories at four South Jersey beaches have been lifted after ocean water was retested, authorities said. The initial samples found fecal bacteria was "a little over the standard,''' said Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.  Per protocol, they were resampled, Hajna said on Wednesday, July 13.  "They were well within standard and the advisories were lifted," Hajna said. The beaches that had been briefly placed under swimming advisories were: Forget-Me-Not Road beach in Wildwood Crest  Miami Avenue beach in Wildwood …
GO FREE: Murphy Waives Summer State Park Entrance Fee GO FREE: Murphy Waives Summer State Park Entrance Fee
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…