FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Captain Bill Sheehan

Hackensack, NJ – Responding to a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) request for comments, Hackensack Riverkeeper, the citizen-steward of the Hackensack River Watershed, has called upon the state to both strengthen and expand protections in both the upper and lower sections of the river. In a letter to DEP Commissioner Brad Campbell, Capt. Bill Sheehan, Riverkeeper's Executive Director requested that the state declare the entire Upper Hackensack River as Category One C-1) waters and several miles of the lower river as Saline Estuary One (SE-1) waters. "It's time to give the River the boost it needs."

Regarding the Upper Hackensack, which supplies the drinking water for over 700,000 citizens in Bergen and Hudson Counties, the state has proposed listing only the Oradell Reservoir as C-1 waters. While such a designation would, among other protections, prohibit any development within three hundred linear feet of the reservoir, it would not add protections to the waters that feed into it.. "Upgrading the Oradell Reservoir is certainly a good start," said Capt. Sheehan, "But there are over a dozen feeder streams and lakes that need the same protection." In Hackensack Riverkeeper's official comments which were submitted on January 8, Capt. Sheehan wrote, "To achieve the goal of protecting the water supply, the tributaries that flow into the reservoir must have the same levels of protection as the reservoir itself."

Science plays a pivotal role in determining both if and when waterway reclassifications are warranted. For example, NJDEP has collected data over many years that shows a distinct correlation between increased development and increased water pollution. Known as non-point source pollution, automotive fluids, road salt, pesticides, lawn chemicals and trash are just some of the contaminants that flow daily into the state's drinking water every day. "Protecting the reservoir alone isn't enough if its sourcewater is polluted," remarked Capt. Sheehan.

The section of River below the Oradell Dam cannot be exploited for drinking water due to its brackish nature but it is increasingly utilized as a recreational resource by thousands of people each year. "For this reason," said Capt. Sheehan, "Hackensack Riverkeeper is requesting that the state upgrade the stretch of River between Harmon Cove in Secaucus and the Amtrak Bridge in Kearny to SE-1."

In the lower Hackensack, water quality data collected over a 15-year period by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) has shown a marked decrease in fecal coliform levels and a corresponding increase in dissolved oxygen. Similar testing conducted by the Hudson County Regional Health Commission supports the NJMC's findings and has determined that the lower Hackensack River meets the criteria for "swimmability" approximately 85% of the time. According to the comment letter: "People are in close contact with the water so it is important that the water be protected from contaminants."

Recognized as the leading environmental organization working on Hackensack River issues, Hackensack Riverkeeper advocates for the protection, preservation and restoration of the River and its watershed for the benefit of its people. As such, Capt. Sheehan has made the River's reclassification a priority for 2003. "We're going to fix this river using every means at our disposal," he said, "and for once we're looking forward to doing so with the state on our side."