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May 3, 2007
Revocation of Shellfish Bed Closure
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Land Use Management
Water Monitoring & Standards
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring
Pursuant to statutory authority granted the Department of Environmental Protection appearing at N.J.S.A. 13:1B-4 and 58:24-1 et seq., and to assure that the public health is not imperiled by the consumption of shellfish that may be subject to pollution or to any other conditions which may render shellfish dangerous to health because of degraded water quality resulting from exceptional rainfall in the NY/NJ Harbor area and the resulting impact on the waters of Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Navesink River, and Shrewsbury River in Monmouth County, effective April 16, 2007, the Department condemned and prohibited the harvesting of all shellfish from those State waters previously classified as Seasonally Approved and Special Restricted in the Middlesex County and Monmouth County area.
As provided for in the aforementioned prohibition, having determined through sample monitoring that the waters of the Raritan Bay and a portion of Sandy Hook Bay (specified below) that were previously classified as Special Restricted are now safe for the harvesting of shellfish under New Jersey's Special Permit Program, the closure of these waters has been revoked and will return to their prior classification effective May 4, 2007. Specifically, the revocation applies to the Seasonally Approved waters of the Navesink River and Shrewsbury River and those waters in the Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay that have the following section designations under New Jersey's Special Permit Program:
Sections 11, 12, 13, and 14 (see attached map).
These waters are in addition to the waters covered by the Partial Revocation order that was effective on April 25, 2007. Please be advised that while the Seasonally Approved waters of the Navesink River and Shrewsbury River return to their normal status effective May 4, 2007, these waters will not become harvestable until November 1, 2007 since these Seasonally Approved waters are normally closed to harvest from May through October.
To see the official Revocation Notice (in PDF format) please, click here.
To see the official Revocation Map (in PDF format) please, click here.
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April 25, 2007
Partial Revocation of Shellfish Bed Closure
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Land Use Management
Water Monitoring & Standards
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring
On April 16, 2007, the Department closed the waters of Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, the Navesink River and the Shrewsbury River to shellfish harvesting. This closure was necessary due to degraded water quality resulting from exceptional rainfall and associated water quality problems that occurred on the days prior to April 16th.
Samples collected on April 18th showed all waters of Raritan Bay and Sandy Hook Bay were unacceptable for shellfish harvest. Subsequent samples on April 20th showed significant improvement and additional samples on April 22nd showed that coliform bacteria levels were now acceptable for harvest under the Special Permit Program for depuration harvest. As has been done for some previous spills, coliphage viral samples were collected and analyzed by the Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring. These showed acceptable levels in Sandy Hook Bay and in the Navesink River, but not in Raritan Bay. Based on these results, the Department is now revoking the closure order for a portion Sandy Hook Bay and for the Special Restricted waters of the Navesink River and Shrewsbury River (see attached). The partial revocation will be effective on Wednesday, April 25, 2007.
To see the official Partial Revocation Notice (in PDF format) please, click here.
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April 16, 2007
Closure of Shellfish Bed Closure
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Land Use Management
Water Monitoring & Standards
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring
Pursuant to statutory authority granted the Department of Environmental Protection appearing at N.J.S.A. 13:1B-4 and 58:24-1 et seq., and to assure that the public health is not imperiled by the consumption of shellfish that may be subject to pollution or to any other conditions which may render shellfish dangerous to health because of degraded water quality resulting from exceptional rainfall in the NY/NJ Harbor area and the resulting impact on the waters of Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Navesink River, and Shrewsbury River in Monmouth County, the Department hereby condemns and prohibits the harvesting of all shellfish from those State waters previously classified as Seasonally Approved and Special Restricted in the Middlesex County and Monmouth County area, specifically:
All waters of Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, the Navesink River, and the Shrewsbury River
This prohibition shall take effect immediately and continue until FURTHER NOTICE.
To see the official Closure Notice (in PDF format) please, click here.
To see a map of the closure (in PDF format) please, click here.
Water Monitoring Results for Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Water Monitoring Results for Friday, April 20, 2007 |
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March 19, 2007
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Land Use Management
Water Monitoring & Standards
Notice of Rule Proposal
Shellfish Growing Water Classification, N.J.A.C. 7:12
Public Notice
For the proposal summary document (in PDF format) please, click here.
NOTE: THIS IS A COURTESY COPY OF THIS RULE PROPOSAL. THE OFFICIAL VERSION WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE APRIL 2, 2007 NEW JERSEY REGISTER. SHOULD THERE BE ANY DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN THIS TEXT AND THE OFFICIAL VERSION OF THE PROPOSAL, THE OFFICIAL VERSION WILL GOVERN.
Take notice that the NJ Department of Environmental Protection is proposing amendments of N.J.A.C. 7:12. A statement of the substance of the proposal follows:
These regulations affect the classification of New Jersey waters concerning acceptability for harvesting shellfish.
The proposed amendments will result in the downgrade of approximately 1,829 acres of shellfish waters from Approved to Special Restricted and 29 acres from Approved to Seasonally Approved for a total of 1,858 acres total to be downgraded. A summary of the specific proposed amendments follows. The proposed amendments will include two locations, one in Jarvis Sound, the other in the Maurice River Cove, where the regulations are being amended to include additional Department maintained markers. These markers have been placed in locations along the boundary lines separating different classifications of shellfish waters. With the additional markers there will be no change in shellfish water classification, it will just be a more efficient means of distinguishing the boundary lines between classifications.
The proposed amendments will result in a change to the Transplant Program located in the Special Permits section of the Regulations, 7:12-9.10. The following changes have been added to the Transplant Program listed as 7:12-9.10 Transplant Program, in the Shellfish regulations, to include seed clams as a part of the program.
The Department is proposing to amend N.J.A.C. 7:12-1.5 Emergency harvest suspension, by adding new language to clarify that the Department will immediately suspend harvest in any waters that at the time of sampling, do not meet the standards for the particular waters' classification, pending the establishment by rulemaking of the appropriate classification and boundaries of waters as prohibited, special restricted, seasonal special restricted, or approved under this chapter.
The proposal is scheduled to be published in the New Jersey Register dated April 2, 2007. A copy of the proposal is available from:
The web site of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring at:
www.nj.gov/dep/bmw/news.htm
or by contacting:
Deborah Watkins, Supervising Environmental Specialist
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 405 Stoney Hill Road
Leeds Point, NJ 08220
(609) 748-2000
Copies can also be obtained from LexisNexis Customer Service at (800) 833-9844 or www.lexisnexis.com/bookstore. Be advised that there may be a fee for obtaining a copy of the proposal from some sources.
Written comments may be submitted by June 1, 2007 to:
NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Oneida Cuevas, Esq.
ATTN: DEP Docket No. 06-07-03/629
Office of Legal Affairs
PO Box 402
Trenton, New Jersey 08625
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July 31, 2006
Revocation of Shellfish Bed Closure
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Land Use Management
Water Monitoring & Standards
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson revoked the shellfish bed closure in the Barnegat Bay that was made on April 19, 2006. Effective July 31, 2006, the waters of the Barnegat Bay that are 'east of the line beginning at Barnegat Pier, then bearing approximately 215 degrees T to Quick Green “38” north of Berkley Shores, then bearing approximately 221 degrees T to the most easterly point of land on the south bank of Potter Creek, then bearing approximately 182 degrees T to the northernmost point on the pier located on the northernmost point of land at Berkeley Island Park, then bearing approximately 18 degrees T in a northeasterly direction to the point of origin and terminating' return to their prior classification. See the notice of Revocation below. |
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June 23, 2006
Clarification of Coordinates for the Shellfish Closure Line and the New York/New Jersey Boundary Line
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Land Use Management
Water Monitoring & Standards
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring
The New Jersey Shellfish Growing Area Classification regulations describe a line that separates Special Restricted waters from Prohibited waters in the western end of the Raritan Bay. In two locations within the New Jersey regulations, coordinates for the point of intersection of this line with the New Jersey/New York state line are provided. It has been determined that one description in the regulations is correct and the other is incorrect. To clarify this coordinate, a memorandum was sent out to all 2006 hard clam depuration permit holders and all depuration plants. To see a copy of this memorandum, click here.
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May 24, 2006
Advanced Microbiology Laboratory Opening
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Land Use Management
Water Monitoring & Standards
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring
On May 22, 2006 the Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring celebrated the opening of the new Advanced Microbiology Laboratory. Lisa Jackson, NJDEP Commissioner was among those present to welcome the new lab to the existing facilities at Leeds Point, NJ. The analytical capabilities of the Advanced Microbiology Laboratory include:
- Multiple Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) - used to assess sources of microbial contamination
- Viral Indicator Analysis - using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to distinguish human vs. animal bacterial contamination
- Gene Probe Techniques - used to both assess the sanitary quality of oyster beds in the Delaware Bay and in tracking sources of bacterial contamination
- Conventional and new EPA methods for monitoring and improving NJ's fresh and marine water and recreational bathing waters
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Ribbon Cutting: (left to right) Leslie McGeorge, Administrator - Water Monitoring and Standards, Bob Connell, Bureau Chief - Marine Water Monitoring, Lisa Jackson, Commissioner - NJDEP, William Watkins, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Eric Feerst, Section Chief - Marine Water Monitoring, John Kushwara, USEPA, Region 2, Monitoring and Assessment |
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May 2, 2006
Revocation of Shellfish Bed Closure
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
LAND USE MANAGEMENT
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson revoked the shellfish bed closure in the Delaware Bay that was made on April 25, 2006. Effective May 2, 2006, the waters of the Delaware Bay that are 'northwest of a line from the Egg Island Point bearing approximately 227 degrees T through Miah Maull Shoal Lightnow' return to their prior classification. See the notice of Revocation below.
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April 26, 2006
DEP ORDERS CLOSURE OF OYSTER BEDS IN DELAWARE BAY
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
LAND USE MANAGEMENT
Public Notice of the Closure of Shellfish Beds Dangerous to Health
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa P. Jackson this afternoon ordered the immediate closure of 110 square miles of Delaware Bay oyster beds, as state and federal authorities worked to clean up oil contamination that stretched from the Cohansey River to Egg Island.
Commissioner Jackson closed the 70,400-acre area to safeguard the public from consuming potentially tainted shellfish.
The prohibition on all shellfish harvesting applies specifically to all of New Jersey’s waters in the Delaware Bay that are northwest of a line from the Egg Island Point bearing approximately 227 degrees T through Miah Maull Shoal Light.
Commissioner Jackson's order will remain in effect until further notice.
Earlier, the U.S. Coast Guard responded to a 6:45 a.m. report that oil was spotted in the upper Delaware Bay. Late this afternoon, DEP crews and Delaware state environmental officials were on the water, working with the Coast Guard to clean up the six-mile narrow band of oil near the center of the bay in the mail shipping channel, east of Port Mahon in Kent County, Del.
Oil-skimming vessels were deployed to conduct recovery and cleanup operations.
Following is a map of the affected area.
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April 24, 2006
CLOSURE OF SHELLFISH BEDS
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
LAND USE MANAGEMENT
Public Notice of the Closure of Shellfish Beds Dangerous to Health
Pursuant to statutory authority granted the Department of Environmental Protection appearing at N.J.S.A 13:1B-4 and 58:24-1 et seq., and to assure that the public health is not imperiled by the consumption of shellfish that may be subject to pollution or to any other conditions which may render shellfish dangerous to health because of degraded water quality resulting from the release of treated sewage from a broken main into the waters of Barnegat Bay in Ocean County, the Department hereby condemns and prohibits the harvesting of all shellfish from those State waters previously classified as Approved in the Barnegat Bay area, specifically:
Those waters of Barnegat Bay east of the line beginning at Barnegat Pier, then bearing approximately 215 degrees T to Quick Green “38” north of Berkley Shores, then bearing approximately 221 degrees T to the most easterly point of land on the south bank of Potter Creek, then bearing approximately 182 degrees T to the northernmost point on the pier located on the northernmost point of land at Berkeley Island Park, then bearing approximately 18 degrees T in a northeasterly direction to the point of origin and terminating (see map below).
This prohibition shall take effect immediately and continue until FURTHER NOTICE.
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March 29, 2006
NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Land Use Management
Water Monitoring & Standards
Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring
Shellfish Growing Water Classification - Prohibited
Adopted Amendment: N.J.A.C. 7:12-2.1
Take
notice that the NJ Department of Environmental Protection
adopted the amendment to N.J.A.C. 7:12-2.1. The
adopted amendment was published in the New Jersey
Register on February 21, 2006.
These
regulations affect the classification of New Jersey waters
concerning acceptability for harvesting shellfish.
The adopted amendment downgraded a portion of the Atlantic
coastal area east of the effluent outfall for the Township
of Neptune Sewage Authority in Monmouth County (66 acres)
from Approved to Prohibited. The change in classification
was a result of the need for a precautionary buffer around
the Neptune Sewage effluent outfall pipe. This buffer
was necessary to maintain public health and safety practices.
Copies
can be obtained from LexisNexis Customer Service
at (800) 833-9844 or www.lexisnexis.com/bookstore.
Be advised that there may be a fee for obtaining a copy. |
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