NJEF: Accomplishments 1999

Accomplishments in 1999

Led and won the fight to improve New Jersey's Source Water Assessment Plan (SWAP) through public education and coalition building. Plan was accepted by EPA in June.

Did extensive public education regarding Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR) which provide water suppliers customers with information on the quality of their drinking water.

Passed S.978/A.2965 (R-Sinagra, D-Vitale, R-Gregg) which expanded distribution of CCRs and increased right to know enforcement.

Passed A.677 (R-Gibson) which provided financial assistance to owners of private, contaminated wells.

Worked to pass A.2635, "The Private Well Testing Act" (Geist-R), which would require testing of private wells, remediation when necessary, and disclosure of the results before property is sold or leased. Passed the Assembly.

Vote Environment Committee endorsees won 17 out of 24 Assembly races, including the 14th District where 2 of the worst Assembly members on the environment were defeated.

Added 7 towns, counties, and school districts to our list of 77 communities that have reduced pesticide use through Integrated Pest Management (IPM) resolutions. This includes East Amwell which passed a golf course IPM and water monitoring resolution.

Helped get IPM language inserted into Middlesex County s proposed acquifer protection plan.

NJEF staff served on state task force which studied pesticide contamination. This work resulted in an agreement by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to survey selected school properties for possible historical pesticide contamination.

Worked with Monroe Township (Gloucester) residents with contaminated private wells to force the DEP to provide them with municipal water and research the cause of the contamination.

Co-produced (with Sierra Club and NJPIRG) a major report, New Jersey's Waters At Risk: An Examination of the State s Clean Water Program, outlining the DEP s failure to implement state and federal mandates to protect NJ s waterways and the resulting water pollution which threatens public health.

Launched, in coalition with other lead environmental groups, a massive CLEAN WATER NOW! Campaign, calling on the state to immediately reduce discharges into NJ waterways by 30%, protect pristine waterways from development, and ban the most dangerous chemicals such as carcinogens and those causing reproductive problems.

Added approximately 11,700 new individual members from around the state through our canvass education efforts. Our list member groups grew to 87.

You may also view accomplishments of
2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, and 1999.