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

Ribbon Cutting: 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 (left to right)

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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.