For Immediate Release
December 13, 2010 Contact Jeff Tittel, 609-558-9100
Legislature Passes Major Clean Water Bill Today Both Houses Pass Important Fertilizer Legislation
The legislature just passed a major legislation to protect our water ways. This bill is an important step forward in protecting New Jersey's waterways. This important legislation passed both houses today for the future of New Jersey's waterways, especially Barnegat Bay. A2290/S1411 (McKeon/Smith) regulates fertilizer both the application and the content. This bill is a compromise that has been a product of a series of negotiation between stakeholders from the environment and the industry. We believe this is the best bill possible.
"This is the strongest and most comprehensive fertilizer bill in nation. This bill goes a long way in helping to protect our vital water ways including Barnegat Bay. This is a great victory for clean water," Jeff Tittel Director of New Jersey Sierra Club.
This bill is a landmark of legislation and the toughest bill in the nation in regulating fertilizer. This piece of legislation will not only will help protect Barnegat Bay and coastal waters, but will also help protect all of our water resources. This is especially critical in areas where waterways are already polluted or where we need to protect important water supply streams and reservoirs. Governor Christie has said he supports fertilizer legislation, but has not endorsed the 20% slow release. He is looking to weaken enforcement and delay of compliance.
We have seen our bays dying because of too much fertilizer and other nutrients getting into our water ways. The sea nettles are in the bay making it impossible for people to swim. Oxygen levels are dropping in our bays and coastal waters literally sucking the life out of these waterways. Inland waterways are dying and streams are becoming too polluted in the summer time to get water from because of too much nutrients coming from fertilizer. This legislation will go a long way to protect and clean our water.
"This bill will help prevent a lot of crap from going in to our waterways and will help protect New Jersey's waterways for years to come," said Jeff Tittel.
The overuse and misuse of fertilizer is a major culprit in causing water pollution in New Jersey. This bill is critical to help protect and preserve New Jersey's vital water ways. The bill has established application guidelines with no fertilizer application after certain dates or when the ground is frozen. Buffers have been put in place for the application process. This bill has banned the use of phosphorous fertilizer, which is a major source of pollution, polluting 65% of our streams and rivers. This bill limits the amount of nitrogen fertilizer per application to 20% slow release. Nitrogen is one of the major sources of pollution to coastal water ways and in drinking water can have a major impact on public health.
"This was an important victory because it was not just the environmentalist, but the golf association and Green Business Council that helped to pass this comprehensive legislation regulating the content and use of fertilizer," said Jeff Tittel
- Download full text: 1213_FertilizerBillPasses.doc