Date : Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:24:03 -0400
Threat to NJ Drinking Water
For Immediate Release:
Contact:
June 18, 2013
Jim Walsh, Food & Water Watch 732.979.6883
Tracy Carluccio, Delaware Riverkeeper Network 215.692.2329
Sister Joan E. Carey, SSJ, WATERSPIRIT 732.923.9788
Jeff Tittel, NJ Sierra Club 609.588.9100
Lucia Stout Huebner, Northeast Organic Farming Association 609.466.0277
Dave Pringle, NJ Environmental Federation732.996.4288
Harriet Shugarman, ClimateMama 201.906.2675
Toxicology Reports on Frack Waste Shipments Show Threat to NJ Drinking Water
/In light of critical data and potential vote, 160+ orgs call on legislature to override Governor Christie's Veto of NJ Fracking Waste Ban/
Download Letter: http://bit.ly/OverrideSupportLetter
<http://bit.ly/OverrideSupportLetter>
Download Memo and Data on Frack Waste: http://bit.ly/FrackWasteData
<http://bit.ly/FrackWasteData>
Trenton, NJ: Leaders of the movement to ban fracking waste dumping released data showing fracking waste shipments sent to New Jersey facilities contained numerous toxins and radioactive elements.Advocates also released a letter from over 160 organizations, businesses, farmers, and faith leaders calling for an override of Governor Christie's Veto of NJ Fracking Waste Ban, which could be held for a vote as early as Thursday.
"This data shows what people and organizations all over New Jersey have been saying all along, fracking waste has no place in the garden state and should be banned. Now it is up to the legislature to protect New Jersey where Governor Christie has failed by voting to override his veto," said Jim Walsh, NJ Director of Food & Water Watch.
Three New Jersey facilities have received frack waste from Pennsylvania shale gas wells. PA and NJ records reveal that drilling waste that was accepted at one site in Kearney exceeded the limit they were allowed to take for Radium-226 and Radium-228. The facility was issued a Notice of Violation by NJDEP.
"New Jersey is being used as a dumping ground for frack waste, which contains some of the most toxic materials known. We know from recently obtained records that the radioactivity level in some waste received was found by NJDEP to be so high it violated the company's permit. New Jersey urgently needs protection from this highly toxic frack waste and we urge the Legislature to override the Governor's veto of the popularly supported Frack Waste Ban Bill now," said Tracy Carluccio, Deputy Director, Delaware Riverkeeper Network.
Another facility in Carteret received frack waste that contained dozens of pollutants including m,p-Xylene, Molybdenum, Barium, Strontium, Napthalene, and 1,2,4Trimthylbenzene. Also found were radioactive substances Radium-226 and 228. The levels of radioactivity reported in the Pennsylvania lab analysis of the shipment were higher than that found at the Kearney site. No routine sampling for radiologicals is required by NJDEP at these facilities because they are not permitted and their facility is not designed to process this level of radioactivity. This loophole in monitoring has allowed dangerous radioactive materials to come to New Jersey as well as many other highly toxic substances known to be contained in the frack waste stream. This waste could still be shipped here through this loophole since the waste is not banned in New Jersey.
"People and organizations all across NJ demand clean water and want fracking waste banned in our state. Fracking waste has hundreds of toxic chemicals and is a threat to our drinking water and our environment. The discharge and dumping of this waste is a threat to public health as is transport of this waste into our state. NJ has enough pollution we do not need to import more. We are united in calling the legislature to protect our water and over ride the Governors veto. This the most important clean water vote in decades. Do not dump on NJ ban fracking waste now," said Jeff Tittel Director NJ Sierra Club
Many New Jersey families are just realizing the "bullet" that was dodged last year when the legislature passed a ban on the treatment and disposal of radioactive and hazardous fracking waste in New Jersey.It seems incredulous to all that this common sense protection needs to be re-confirmed. With New Jersey elections only a few months away, New Jersey families are expecting and demanding that our representatives, elected to look out for and protect our health and welfare, do their JOB. Our Garden State is NOT a dumping ground for hazardous, radioactive fracking waste," said Harriet Shugarman, ClimateMama and The Mother's Project NJ
"We are seeing a renaissance in New Jersey farming. Farmers are growing high quality food and the farm markets are thriving. This is a huge economic boon to the state economy and far outweighs any money we could receive by accepting fracking waste.We need do everything possible to protect the key ingredients for healthy farms in our Garden State. It makes no sense to accept material and allow practices that would irretrievably harm the soil, water and beneficial insects that makes it possible to produce organic food,"said Lucia Stout Huebner, NOFANJ Board Member, Grassfed Beef Farmer
After discovery of fracking waste shipments coming to NJ, the legislature passed a strong bi-partisan bill - with a veto proof majority - to ban the dumping of fracking waste in New Jersey.Governor Christie vetoed that legislation in September, erroneously claiming the legislation is unconstitutional, despite a legal brief from the New Jersey Non-Partisan Office of Legislative Services showing this was not the case.
"The data shows that frack waste is even more of a problem now than just a short few months ago when the Legislature passed and the Governor vetoed the bill. Legislators now have the chance to protect our drinking water, avoid enabling worse climate disruption in a post-Sandy New Jersey, and restore citizens' confidence in their representative. They just have to be true to their word and vote on the override as they did on initial passage," said Dave Pringle, Campaigns Director, NJ Environmental Federation.
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- Download full text: memo_to_NJ_Leg__frack_waste_6_13-1.pdf