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The Jersey

Population Report: What women want ....2Editorial: Community solar energy ..........3Chair’s Message: Our next President......3Volunteers needed! .................................3Off-road vehicles need regulation ...........4LTE: Criticizing Chapter energy stand.....4Report from Utah.....................................4Eco-Tip: Fuel efficiency in cars ...............4Pinelands Report: open space purchase 5Report from Trenton: 12 Builders’ bills ....5NJ’s Energy Master Plan in Need of Rescue ..............................................5

Report from Trenton: Highlands power ...5Group and Section News ...................6-10Fall Outings ......................................10-12Leader List, Meetings, Membership Form ...............................12

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• • • • • • • • • • •

Vol. 37, No. 4 Nearly 21,000 Members in New Jersey October-December 2008

SIERRANSIERRAN

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE NEW JERSEY CHAPTER OF THE SIERRA CLUB

The Chapter Executive Committee(ExCom) meets monthly (on Saturdays)for discussion of state and regionalissues, to take policy positions (includ-ing legal action) and make politicalendorsements, hear reports from staffand volunteer issue coordinators, andconsider other matters. It consists ofnine members elected at large (justbelow!) for three-year terms, plus dele-gates from each of our 10 regionalGroups. In addition to Groups, theChapter loosely houses five specialty(optional) Sections: for Singles, Seniors,Young Sierrans, Students, and folk whoprovide Inner City Outings.

Chapter BBallot: Please vote for UP TOFOUR candidates for Chapter ExecutiveCommittee. (All are "NominatingCommittee" candidates, i.e. none are"Petition" candidates.) The top threevote-getters will serve three-year termsand the next one will serve a one-yearterm (as we transition from two-year tothree-year terms). (Those whose termsare expiring are Ken Johanson, BonnieTillery, George Denzer, and Lee Snyder.)100-word candidate-statements are onpage 2. PAIRS of boxes are to enablefamily (joint) members to cast separatevotes. Then please vote your GROUPExCom ballot, below, and SECTION bal-lot if you are active; then clip theENTIRE ballot (retaining your addresslabel, which will be obscured beforecounting!) and return it in your ownenvelope, to arrive by Dec 1, to SierraClub BBallot, 1145 WW HHanover SSt, TTrenton08618.

Vote for UP TO FOUR (Name orderhas been randomized.):

�� Ken Johanson �� Lee Snyder�� Bonnie Tillery �� Robert Johnson�� George Denzer�� Write-in__________________________

Group aand SSection BBallots:Please vote only your own GROUP

ExCom ballot, below, and SECTION bal-lot(s) for sections in which you areactive; then clip the ENTIRE ballot andreturn it in your own envelope, to arriveby Dec 1, to Sierra CClub BBallot, 1145 WWHanover SSt, TTrenton 008618. PAIRs of

SIERRA CLUBBALLOT

2008 Election of Officers ofthe New Jersey Chapter, and its Groups and Sections The Club’s New Jersey Political

Committee, with ratification by thestate Executive Committee and theClub’s national Political Committee,urges your vote for the following candi-dates for US President and Congress –based upon their voting and sponsor-ship records and interview perfor-mances. The election will be held onNov 4th. Rich Isaac, Chapter PoliticalChair ([email protected]) is willing toexplain in more detail the basis for eachendorsement (or non-endorsement) inthe 13 Congressional districts, andexplain how you can contribute yourtime, energy and money to help candi-dates get elected.

President/Vice PPresident:Sens. Barack Obama and Joe Biden

(D) (See neighboring articles)Senate: Sen Frank Lautenberg (D)

Congress:Dist. Candidate

1 Rob Andrews (D)Camden/Gloucester Counties

2 Frank LoBiondo (R)Atl, Cp May, Cumb, Salem

3 John Adler (D, Open seat)Burlington, Ocean

6 Frank Pallone (D)Middlesex, Monmouth

7 *(no endorsement, see below)H’don, Somerset, W. Union

8 William Pascrell (D)N. Essex, Passaic

9 Steven Rothman (D)Bergen, N. Hudson

10 Donald Payne (D)Essex, E. Union

12 Rush Holt (D)H’don, Mercer, M’sex, M’mth

13 Albio Sires (D)

Hudson, N. M’sex, E. Union

* Both Linda Stender (D) andLeonard Lance (R) were endorsed intheir respective primaries; neither wasendorsed in the general election.

Districts 3 and 7 are open seats, andexpected to be extremely competitive.

CandidatesEndorsed ForPolitical Office

(ballot continued on pg. 2)

On July 7th the Sierra Club and otherenvironmental groups joined NewJersey’s Senator Bob Menendez andCongressman Frank Pallone in condemn-ing calls by Senator John McCain andothers to lift the 30-year ban on oildrilling off the eastern seaboard, includ-ing along the coast of New Jersey.

Offshore oil drilling would put beach-

Report from Trenton

Sierra Club Opposes McCain-Bush Drilling PlanBy our Chapter Staff: Becca Glenn and Jeff Tittel

es at risk, and would threaten NewJersey’s $34 billion a year coastal tourismindustry, as well as the fishing and shell-fish-breeding industries. Last year theClub worked to defeat an attempt toallow oil drilling off the coast of Virginiabecause of this risk. With the Virginiacoast less than 100 miles from SouthJersey’s beaches, drilling would have put

beaches from Cape May to Sandy Hookin jeopardy. While Virginia’s Gov. TimKain vetoed that bill, McCain’s new planwould again threaten New Jersey’scoasts and marine waters.

Proponents of lifting the ban claimthat such concerns are unfounded sinceoil drilling installations are made to with-

Hunterdon CCounty GGroup FFormingWe’re pleased to announce formation of a new Group.

Those interested in local issue involvement are cordiallyinvited to a meeting to explore issues, meet your neighbors,and enjoy some free refreshments!

Wednesday, OOct 115, aat 77pm, aat tthe NNorth CCounty LLibraryin CClinton.

This time is tentative. Please call or email Grace Sica([email protected] or 609-656-7612) to confirm thedate and time, or for more information.

New EElectronic NNewsletter ppresenting NNew JJersey IIssues:Our Trenton staff are excited to offer members a bi-weekly

e-newsletter. We want you to be more involved with ourissues.

Each newsletter highlights three to five issues, and offerssuggestions for how you can participate. We promise to keepthem short and sweet, and to the point.

To sign up, email [email protected]. In your subjectline, please put: Chapter Newsletter Sign on

(continued on page 3)

The Sierra Club has official lyendorsed Senator Barack Obama forPresident.

Simply put, we believe Obama sharesour concerns, values and vision for aclean energy future. He agrees with usthat it’s not time for half steps; thatwhat America needs is bold, transforma-tional action that will break the choke-hold Big Oil has on our economy andWashington politics, provide short-termrelief for American families and long-term solutions for our energy and econ-omy problems.

Highlights of Obama’s Energy strate-gy include:

Providing Relief for families strug-gling to pay their energy bills. Hisplan is to provide famil ies with a$1,000 tax credit and stimulus checkspaid for by taxing the oil companies’record profits.

Investing $150 billion over the nextten years in alternative sources of ener-gy — wind and solar power, andadvanced biofuels, in the commercial-ization of plug-in hybrid cars, and devel-opment of a new digital electricity grid.This investment will create up to 5 mil-lion good-paying jobs that cannot beoutsourced and will create the billionsin new economic activity that will putAmerica back on the path to prosperity.

Requiring 25% of US electricity tocome from renewable sources by 2025and increasing energy efficiency in theUS 50% by 2030.

Attacking global warming. Obama haspresented a bold and comprehensiveplan for addressing global warmingwhich includes a “cap and auction” sys-tem that would cut our carbon dioxideemissions 80 percent below 1990 levelsby 2050.

Sierra Club has EndorsedBarack Obama for PresidentBy Tom Valtin, national Sierra Club Staff

Rejecting drilling as the answer toour energy woes. Obama knows thatdrilling off of our beaches and destroy-ing our last special places like theArctic National Wildlife Refuge in orderto pad Big Oil’s bottom line won’t doanything to lower gas prices today,tomorrow, or even a decade from now

This Fall, The Sierra Club hopes toengage as many members in candidatecampaign activities as possible. “TheObama campaign is putting together thelargest and most sophisticated field oper-ation in presidential history, and therewill be meaningful ways for Sierra Clubvolunteers to engage,” said BobBingaman, the National Field Directorfor the Sierra Club.

The Sierra Club will be working torecruit team leaders and volunteers forthe Obama campaign and for a numberof pro-environmental races in seventarget states - Colorado, Minnesota,New Hampshire, New Mexico,Nevada, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.Members from other states will also beencouraged to get involved by travel-ing to our target states to volunteer.Ken Brame, member of the Club’sPolitical Committee, adds, “I hopeClub members will do as much as theycan for the Obama campaign and theClub-endorsed Congressional and statelegislative candidates. Whether youcan contribute a whole month or justan hour a week, volunteer help willmake a big difference.”

For those Club members who are ableto travel to other locations to help withefforts on the ground, or for members intarget states who are able to help byhousing out-of-town volunteers, pleasevisit: http://action.sierraclub.org/site/PageNavigator/Obama2008.

http://www.grist.org/candidate_chart_08.html?source=liveearthhttp://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.energy.htmlhttp://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.environment.htmlhttp://politics.nytimes.com/election-guide/2008/issues/climate.htmlhttp://presidentialprofiles2008.org/Obama/tab1.htmlhttp://presidentialprofiles2008.org/McCain/tab1.html

WEBSITES COMPARING OBAMA AND McCAIN

GEORGE DDENZER: As a member of theClub since 1983, I’ve concentrated ontwo issues, transportation and money.For a transportation activist, these aregreat times: watching the number ofmass transit users climb! But loweringthe number of cars on the road is criti-cal to cleaning NJ’s air and I want tohelp the Chapter do just that. And theChapter does a lot with limited funds,and as treasurer I’ll continue to make sure we use our fundseconomically and efficiently. I continue to work with the fundraising committee to increase those funds. I would appreciateyour vote.

LEE SSNYDER: As a Life Member of theClub, I have served for five years asPinelands Coordinator for both the NewJersey Chapter and West Jersey Group,and served on the ExComm for the pastfour years. I work with the NJ PinelandsCommission, Pinelands PreservationAlliance and others to protect NewJersey’s natural treasures. As avolunteer, my participation in Sierra Club and Pinelands relatedmeetings, hearings and seminars, including the Sierra ClubTraining Academy, have been a great learning experience. Iwas re-elected to the ExComm two years ago, and would likeproudly to continue to represent the interests of the NJChapter. Thank you.

KEN JJOHANSON: The New JerseyChapter of the Sierra Club is making adifference here in New Jersey and acrossthe nation. I’m proud to have been partof this effort. I currently serve asChapter chair and chair of the legisla-tive, litigation oversight and fundraisingcommittees. I also am a member of thefinance and personnel committees. Butdespite our successes, much remains to

Northwest Jersey Group: Candidates for GroupExCom. Please vote for UP TO NINE. The fivehighest vote-getters will serve two-year terms,and the next four will receive one-year terms.�� Susan Rotter �� Pat Mangino�� Toni Zimmer �� Charles Kopp�� Herb Wolff �� Christine Feoranzo�� Sandy Raviv�� Write in:_______________________________�� Write in:_______________________________�� Write in:_______________________________�� Write in:_______________________________�� Write in:_______________________________

North Jersey Group: Candidates for GroupExCom. Please vote for UP TO FOUR.�� Mike Herson �� Tom Thompson�� John Kashwick �� Nancy Wysocki�� Write in:_______________________________�� Write in:_______________________________

Loantaka Group: Candidates for Group ExCom.Please vote for UP TO FIVE.�� Joyce White �� Chris Mills�� Bob Campbell �� Doug Williams�� Stefano Crema�� Write in:_______________________________�� Write in:_______________________________

Central Jersey Group: Candidates for GroupExCom. Please vote for UP TO THREE. Termsexpire December 2010.

�� Teresa Stimpfel �� David Schmetterer�� Write in:_______________________________�� Write in:_______________________________�� Write in:_______________________________

Raritan Valley Group: Candidates for GroupExCom. Please vote for UP TO THREE.�� Sandi Lowich �� Jane Tousman�� Sunil Somalwar�� Write in:_______________________________�� Write in:_______________________________

Jersey Shore Group: Candidates for GroupExCom. Please vote for UP TO FIVE.�� Joellen Lundy �� Bob Grize�� Dennis Anderson �� April Klimley�� Patricia Fuschetto�� Write in:_______________________________�� Write in:_______________________________

Ocean County Group: Candidates for GroupExCom. Please vote for UP TO FIVE.�� Dawn Marie Johns �� Margit Meissner-Jackson�� Richard Washik �� Jocelyn Isaza�� Howard Schwartz�� Write in:_______________________________�� Write in:_______________________________

West Jersey Group: Candidates for GroupExCom. Please vote for UP TO TWO.�� Frank Zinni �� Ellen Zinni�� Write in:_______________________________�� Write in:_______________________________

South Jersey Group: Candidates for SectionExCom. Please vote for UP TO THREE.�� Tom Boghosian �� Dick Colby�� Write in:_______________________________�� Write in:_______________________________�� Write in:_______________________________

Singles Section: Candidates for Singles SectionExCom. Please vote for UP TO SEVEN. To beeligible to vote in the Singles Section ExComelection, you must have attended at least oneSingles general meeting (not other events, onlysecond-Monday-of-the-month meetings at alibrary) within the past year.� Bill Foerster � Joe Testa� Jeff Sovelove � Joyce Haddad� Walt Goldenbaum � Joyce White� Write in:_________________________________� Write in:_________________________________� Write in:_________________________________

The Jersey Sierran: October-December 2008

Please Vote!!! For club officers (this page today), and for federal candidates (on Nov 4).

2

POPULATION ISSUES COORDINATOR’S REPORT:

What Women WantBy Bonnie Tillery ([email protected])

YOU HAVE MORE TOGIVE THAN YOU KNOW

Maybe you can’t make a gift to protect the environ-ment during your lifetime, but you can become afinancial hero by remembering the Sierra Club in

your will. You can even direct your gift to a specialClub program or to the New Jersey Chapter.

For information about making a bequest to the New Jersey Chapter call George Denzer

at 609-799-5839.

BALLOT (Continued from page 1)

boxes are to enable two members of fam-ily memberships to cast separate votes.Club rules require two more candidatesthan the number of openings; when aninsufficient number of candidates is onoffer, write-in slots are provided.

What do women want? This is a ques-tion men have probably been asking foreons, and one that Robert Engelmanaddresses in his recent book, More:Population, Nature, and What WomenWant. His book is a compendium of exten-sive research and personal experiencesfrom his world travels. He is currently aVice President at Worldwatch Institute,was formerly with Population ActionInternational, and has contributed to sever-al publications including Nature and TheWashington Post. He helped found theSociety of Environmental Journalists.

Engleman looks at reproductive histo-ry from prehistoric times to the present– from women who, in all likelihood,were the first communicators in order toseek assistance with birthing; throughEgyptian hieroglyphs showing use ofcontraception; through Margaret Sanger;to “Rubbers” Bush who championedfamily planning until he became RonaldReagan’s Vice President (both politicizedfamily planning), and to his son who hastaken the fight against women’s repro-ductive rights to new heights.

Packed with footnoted informationand anecdotes from Engelman’s worldtravels, I went through three highlightersreading this book; each sentence, para-graph, chapter seemed more relevantthan the last. Here I share with you someof his words:

“Human beings alter nature for ourown ends and only learn later that wehave unleashed forces that undermineour own survival.”

“Mayor Michael Bloomberg recentlyurged his fellow New Yorkers to ‘face upto the fact’ that overcrowding under-mined environmental stability.”

“The 373,000 human babies born onthe day you read these words will out-

number all the world’s existing gorillas,chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans,our closest animal relatives.”

“By using the atmosphere as a dumpfor waste gases, human beings are heat-ing up the planet...There’s not enoughwater for those alive today in the Hornof Africa, not enough atmosphere forthose alive on earth to use fossil fuels theway we do in the United States.”

“Some see the genocidal war ofRwanda as an example of what can hap-pen when population densities reachintolerable levels in countries that lackdecent government and decent econom-ic options for their citizens.”

“Anywhere from a quarter to a half ofall pregnancies world-wide are not wel-comed at the time they occur...The mag-nitude of unwelcome pregnancy is wellindicated by the roughly 46 million abor-tions that occur each year, roughly 1 forevery 3 births. More than 40 percent ofthese abortions are illegal and most ofthese are performed in unsafe circum-stances. More than 1 in 270 of the illegalones end in a woman’s death – not thesort of odds anyone would take lightly ifshe could avoid it – and many of the restrender women disabled or infertile orboth...Botched abortions are among thereasons half a million women die frompregnancy-related causes each year...InBolivia...women face nearly a 1-in-50 life-time chance of dying in pregnancy orchildbirth. In Afghanistan, the risk is 1 in6. Not many wars force combatants toface such dismal odds...As access to safeand effective contraceptive methodsimproves, rates of abortion go down.”

“One way to reduce climatedangers...is to disperse the risk of unin-tended consequences by diversifying thealternative sources of energy

used..Another stretegy...is simply to useless energy of all kinds through improvingefficiency...For long-term reductions inenergy consumption, population declinecounterbalances this problem nicely.”

“Lower birth rates can’t completelystop climate change or solve all theworlds’ other environmental problems.We’ll still have to learn how to moderateour consumption of materials and ener-gy and to jumpstart new technologiesthat conserve them.”

Talking with Time Magazine,Engleman noted that the best way toprotect our environment and stabilizepopulation was to provide foreign aid tomake contraception safe, reliable andaccessible in every country.

“...Societies should work to makeunintended pregnancy as rare as possi-ble. Contraception doesn’t need the‘help’ of coercion or incentives or pro-paganda. It just needs to be well adver-tised, inexpensive, safe and there. Thatand the real recognition of women’sequality are all we need to put humanpopulation on a sustainable path.”

“Reproductive health care for all willbecome a reality when it becomes apublic and political priority.”

Our New Jersey representatives inWashington, D.C., who have supportedwomen’s reproductive health, include:Senators Lautenberg and Menendez,Congressmen Andrews, Pallone,Pascrel l , Rothman, Payne,Frelinghuysen, Holt and Sires. As goodas these legislators have been, unfor-tunately, NJ Congressman Chris Smithhas been a leader in opposingwomen’s reproductive health careworldwide, going so far as to callbirth control pills “baby pesticide” onthe floor of the House.

Statements by Candidates for ChapterExecutive Committee(name order has been randomized):

be done. As a member of the executive committee I hope tocontinue to contribute to our ongoing efforts to protect andpreserve our natural environment and to deal effectively withthe challenges that lie ahead.

ROBERT JJOHNSON: Member since1993. Life member, Issue Coordinatorfor Transportation, Loantaka GroupOutreach Chair, NERCC alternate,Singles Section Chair, outing leader.Sprawl, driven by automobiles andtrucks, is the most serious environmen-tal issue facing New Jersey today.Transportation planning can significant-ly improve land use patterns and airquality. I continue to explore ways thatenvironmentally efficient transportation (of people and goods)can improve the quality of life in New Jersey. I practice what Ipreach by bicycling to work and to Sierra Club meetings andfunctions. As a life-long Republican, I believe the environmentshould be a non-partisan issue and the Sierra Club should bereaching out to both political parties to promote our agenda.The Sierra Club is the best organization to spearhead positiveenvironmental changes and I am proud to be part of it.

BONNIE TTILLERY: For over eight years Ihave served as secretary to the ChapterExecutive Committee, and as theChapter’s Population IssuesCoordinator. In the latter capacity I wenton study trips to Ecuador andMadagascar to see how family planningprograms are helping save the environ-ment, then gave numerous presentationsabout these trips. I am a member of thenational Global Population andEnvironment Program Committee, and recipient of the Club’sEnvironmental Alliance Award for working with non-Sierra Clubgroups to help further environmental goals. I am committed tothe Sierra Club’s mission and would appreciate your vote.


Is there an environmental issue that we’re MISSING? If so, please call or write to Club officers.

3

Our NextPresidentBy Ken Johanson ([email protected])

Chair’s Message

If you’re a regular reader of this col-umn you know how important I consid-er the upcoming presidential election tobe. I believe that the country in whichwe live is in danger of losing its soul.Values such as fairness, a willingness toaccept those whose beliefs differ fromour own and a concern for the wellbeingof others that traditionally have definedour national identity increasingly arebeing eclipsed by the forces of greed,intolerance and indifference.

We need a president who can fill themoral vacuum that exists at the top andprovide the integrity, ingenuity and lead-ership that will be required if we are toeffectively deal with conditions thatthreaten to destroy our economy, ourquality of life and the natural environ-ment upon which we all depend.

So who will it be, McCain or Obama?The Sierra Club has thrown its supportbehind Senator Obama. But some whocare deeply about the future of this planetare not so sure. After all, Senator McCainclaims to be an environmentalist and hasdistanced himself from some of the mostegregious Bush anti-environmental posi-tions. But let’s take a closer look.

Each year the League of ConservationVoters prepares a scorecard for everymember of Congress. Senators and repre-sentatives are rated based upon howthey voted on a number of environmen-tal measures. For the 2005-2006 sessionObama achieved a score of 96%, whileMcCain’s score was a disappointing 41%.Obama’s score dropped to 67% in 2007,due largely to absences (which arecounted as votes against the environ-ment), while McCain’s score dropped toan abysmal 0%.

While I recognize that campaign com-mitments prevented both candidatesfrom spending as much time on theSenate floor as they might otherwisehave liked, McCain’s failure to vote onany of the 15 measures considered bythe League to be of particular signifi-cance to the environment is, at a mini-mum, disappointing.

Both candidates have taken positionson a number of environmental issues.McCain proposes a 60 percent reductionin greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.Obama proposes an 80 percent reduc-tion. The numbers may sound close, butthey’re not. Most scientists have con-cluded that an 80 percent reduction ingreenhouse gas emissions will berequired in order to deal effectively withthe problem of global warming. A 60percent reduction will not do the trick.

Both candidates advocate a cap andtrade system, but while Obama proposes

an auction of pollution allowances,McCain proposes that some allowancesbe provided to polluters without cost, aproposal that further weakens the effec-tiveness of his program.

And while Obama opposes lifting themoratorium on drilling in the outerContinental shelf, McCain supports theBush drilling initiative. The Bush initia-tive raises serious concerns for NewJersey and its environment and, even ifimplemented, will do nothing to pro-mote energy efficiency and conservationand little or nothing to increase supply.

And then there’s the economy. SenatorMcCain, after initially opposing the Bushtax cuts, now embraces them and vowsto keep them in place. He also is commit-ted to staying the course in Iraq, a disas-trous episode in our nation’s history that,in addition to the human suffering, hashad and continues to have a debilitatingeffect upon the nation’s economy.

The war in Iraq has been a huge cashdrain on the country at a time when rev-enues have been significantly reduced asa result of tax breaks for the rich.Environmental programs, as well as othercritical social programs, have suffered.There is little doubt that these programswill continue to suffer under a McCainadministration and that environmentalprograms will continue to be impactedby so-called budgetary constraints.

And finally, let’s consider the SupremeCourt and the federal judiciary. In recentyears federal courts have undergone analarming shift to the right. This past July theUnited States Court of Appeals for the DCCircuit invalidated controls on major pollu-tants emitted by industry. Earlier in the yeara federal court struck down an EPA rulecontrolling mercury emissions from powerplants. And while it is true that the SupremeCourt provided environmentalists with arare victory when it ruled last year that car-bon dioxide and other greenhouse gassesare pollutants under the Clean Air Act, fourof the Court’s nine members, including theCourt’s two Bush appointees, dissented.

Senator McCain has been supportive ofBush appointments to the federal courts,including the Supreme Court, and haspromised to name Supreme Court jus-tices who share the perspectives of ChiefJustice Roberts and Justices Alito, Scaliaand Thomas, the four dissenters in theClean Air Act decision. If McCain is ableto make good on his promise, the conse-quences to the nation and to the naturalenvironment could be disastrous.

So who should you vote for onNovember 4? That’s your decision tomake, not mine. But I think you knowwhere I stand.

by Dick Colby ([email protected])

Additional Measures toReduce Greenhouse Gas(Carbon) Emissions

Editorial

Most of the responses to my previouseditorial — urging the reduction of car-bon emissions by abandonment of pri-vate automobiles — were sympathetic ifnot supportive, although one correspon-dent thought I was “absolutely frighten-ing . . .[, guilty of] the type of thinkingthat accompanied the very early days ofthe Bolshevik Revolution.”

I’ve since had the satisfaction of discov-ering Kurt Vonnegut’s far better way ofexpressing it. He describes fossil fuels as, “.. .the most abused, addictive and destruc-tive drugs of all . . . We are all addicts in astate of denial. And like so many addictsabout to face cold turkey, our leaders arenow committing violent crimes to getwhat little is left of what we’re hookedon.” Vonnegut says much more about theenvironment (and many other topics) inone of his final testimonies, the 2005 book,A Man without a Country.

I’ve also been enjoying life without myown car, especially the opportunity towalk with my backpack to a pick-your-ownfarm, loading up on strawberries and rasp-berries, beans of all kinds, spinach, corn,and many other vegetables and fruits.Much of what I pick gets home-made intoa year’s worth of jams and preserves, justas I remember my mother doing duringand after the Second World War. Back tothe future! Or is it on to the past?

To those unable to dispose of theircars immediately, I’d like to offer hopeand an opportunity. It’s the prospect formuch wider availability of renewableelectricity, both from photovoltaic(solar) panels and from wind. The ideaoriginated when I toured the sewagetreatment plant operated by the AtlanticCounty Utilities Authority, which con-tains a solar “farm” alongside its fivegiant wind turbines. The idea is for com-munity ssolar (and wind where feasible):local non-profit cooperatives of resi-dents, businesses and municipal govern-ments, contributing the capital to buildcommunity solar farms on retired land-fills or above large parking lots (etc.),supplying power to the regional grid,and recovering the investment slowly byproviding a reduced cost of electricalpower to investor-participants.

The idea is certainly compatible withthe Club’s “Cool Cities” initiative forpromoting sustainable energy sourcesfor municipalities, county governments,school systems and colleges. I’ve sug-gested that our Cool Cities activists takethe initiative of identifying possible sitesfor community solar farms in each ofNew Jersey’s municipalities!

The idea also implies that subscribersshould convert their gas and oil heating,cooking and air conditioning fuels toelectricity. It also offers the ultimate solu-tion to the transportation problem, ascars with carbon-emitting engines cangradually be replaced by electric models.

The construction and “disruption”

costs of community solar farms wouldbe less, per investor, than separatehome solar arrays, due to economies ofscale, and maintenance would also bemore efficient.

The main problem is a political one:large electricity generators are currentlyprotected by laws which prohibit “terri-torial” infringement from communityassociations. Lobbyists have succeededin convincing legislators to allow privatesolar arrays to be connected to the grid,but not community arrays.

New Jersey is currently developing anEnergy Master Plan. Along with many otherpeople, I’ve testified and sent written com-ments urging the promotion of communitysolar, and I await patiently each new draftof the Plan. (A hearing on community solarwas scheduled for Sept 11- after this editori-al went to press!) I’ve urged the idea on mycounty freeholders - I serve on theEnvironmental Advisory Commission inAtlantic County - and been directed to uti-lize the County Utilities Authority’s plan-ning and engineering staff, but we arestymied until the law is changed.

So I’m ready to go public, in this edi-torial, and urge a crusade that startswith lobbying. The Energy Master Planis being developed by the New JerseyBoard of Public Utilities. GovernorCorzine will have to approve it. Yourlobbying voice should please be broughtto bear firstly on the BPU’s staff: logonto www.nj.gov/emp and click “sub-mit comments online.” Simply requestthat the plan and the law should enablecommunity ssolar pphotovoltaic ffarms.Then contact Gov. Corzine and yourstate legislators with a similar message.

If the crusade is successful, there will bea need for lawyers, businessmen, accoun-tants and others to organize the local non-profit organizations. They will need staff todevelop publicity, sign up investors, setfees, maintain accounts, contract for con-struction, and operate the generating sys-tem. We already have one good example ofsuch an organization here in New Jersey:Sustainable Lawrence (Mercer County).

In the end, it always comes down tomoney. At current prices, coal-electrici-ty can’t be beat. But the threat of globalwarming demands that coal be phasedout, and that alternatives be subsidized.The best alternative is conservation: giv-ing up cars, reducing domestic energyconsumption (perhaps, most effectively,compressive air conditioning!), andreducing commercial and industrial con-sumption, including transportation. Thenext-best alternative is renewable-elec-tric: solar, wind, tidal and hydro. All suf-fer from inconstancy, so the greater thevariety of sources, the better the chancethat one or more will be productive atany particular time of day or night! Ifthere must be backup by more reliableenergy sources, the least carbon-emit-ting is nuclear!

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Although the NJ Chapter employsthree staff, the Sierra Club takes pride inbeing America’s largest grass-roots (vol-unteer) environmental organization. Thefollowing volunteer positions are vacantand available! We’ll provide free training,and “flex-time.” To find out more, simplycall our Group Effectiveness Chair,Richard Isaac at 973-716-0297, or e-mailhim at [email protected].

State ((Chapter) LLevel OOpportunities:Membership CChair – Welcome new

members; respond to inquiries aboutprograms and activities; access our mem-ber-database.

Transportation CCoordinator – Pursuetransportation issues.

Inner CCity OOutings VVolunteers ––Conduct wilderness adventure outings

Volunteer Job Opportunitieson weekends, generally day trips onSaturdays.

Advertising EEditor – Manage the JerseySierran’s advertising base.

Outing LLeadership TTraining CChair –Schedule training for required first aidcertifications to hike leaders.

C h a p t e r PP r o g r a m CC h a i r –Maintain a list of recent Group pro-g r a m s s o t h a t o t h e r G r o u p s c a nlearn about them.

Environmentaal EEducation CChair –– Helpbuild an environmentally literate citizen-ry by working with local teachers, youthleaders, state government agencies, issueactivists, and others.

Environmental JJustice CCoordinator –Work with the Chapter and a national-level committee to restore natural andhuman rights to a safe environment.

stand even a hurricane, but theDepartment of the Interior reports thatat least 113 spills occurred in the Gulf ofMexico as a result of Hurricane Katrina.With scientists predicting that globalwarming will cause more severe weath-er, clearly oil spills are a likely conse-quence of offshore drilling. The only oilwe should ever see on our beaches issuntan oil.

McCain’s drilling plan is yet anotherexample of his empty global warmingrhetoric. While touting the fact that hewas among the first to offer comprehen-

sive global warming legislation on thenational level, his proposals promotecoal, other fossil fuels, and unsafenuclear power, as well as ethanol, whichis not only bad for the environment, butis causing a dramatic increase in theprice of food worldwide.

While protecting outdated technolo-gies, Big Oil, and other polluting indus-tries, McCain’s policies fail to invest inclean, renewable energy and energy effi-ciency, which numerous studies haveshown is the quickest, most cost-effectiveway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Ocean Drilling (Continued from page 1)


A variety of Club books, notecards, badges and clothing is available from www.sierraclub.org/store

4

It is illegal to operate off-road motorvehicles on public land in New Jersey,but with “no-chase” law enforcementpolicies, low fines that are barely a slapon the wrist, no requirements for licenseplates or registration, and helmets andsuits that disguise their identity, it ischeaper and easier for ATV and dirt-bikeriders to ride illegally than go to legalORV parks. The experiment atChatsworth, where the NJ ConservationFoundation (NJCF: a conservationgroup!) created a beautiful ORV parkthat saw fewer than 3,000 riders peryear for 10 years out of a population of300,000 ORVs in the state, is clear proofthat legal parks offer little incentive toprevent illegal riding.

For at least the last 10 years, instead oforganizing and joining together to raisetheir own funds and apply for stategrants to create legal trails and tracks,the ORV riding community has increas-ingly trespassed on and damaged state,county, municipal and private lands.This includes illegal riding on publicroads that puts the public at risk, andhas put a serious burden on local emer-gency management services whichrespond to the increasing deaths andserious injuries characteristic of this dan-gerous sport.

To accommodate the people who canafford thousands of dollars to buyORVs, and the people who profit fromtheir manufacture and sales, the statehas offered, since 2001, over a million

End the Free Ride for Off-Road Vehicles By Fred Akers ([email protected]), Administrator of the Great Egg HarborWatershed Association and member of our South Jersey Group

dollars in Recreational Trail Grants toORV organizations that would buildlegal riding areas. But there have beenfew takers, and illegal riding has sub-stantially increased.

Consider the case of the NJ-ORV Parkat Chatsworth, which is in the PinelandsPreservation Area. The Park has operatedfor more than 12 years, under the condi-tion that it be closed and restored in2008. But instead of organizing, promot-ing, fund raising, and actively working tofind another place to ride, all the opera-tors have done is beg the state to givethem another site. This is in stark con-trast to the operators of other recreationvenues such as skiing, golfing, motor-sports racing, and horseback riding, whodevelop new recreational facilities.

State, county, and local park adminis-trations should not cater to extremesports enthusiasts. It is time for the StateLegislature to end the free ride for illegalORV riders by enacting strict legislation.Assembly Bill A823, which was unani-mously passed by the Assembly’sTransportation Committee last June, willdo just that. Companion Senate BillS2055 will be introduced in the SenateTransportation Committee in September.I hope the Legislature will pass both billsthis year. They would require registra-tion and license plates, and imposestricter penalties against illegal riding, inthe expectation that riders will be moti-vated to develop private legal parks, anduse them.

I was dismayed by opinions expressedin the July-Sept issue of the JerseySierran concerning energy, especiallythe unreasonable criticism of GovernorCorzine; I also disagree with the strongopposition to nuclear power.

Governor Corzine’s draft New JerseyEnergy Master Plan was represented aspromoting “nuclear power and fossilfuels instead of the clean renewableenergy we need”. In fact, the draft plancalls for 22.5% of electricity to be gener-ated by renewables by 2020. This is a far-seeing and indeed very ambitious target.

The draft plan also includes a wellspelled out policy of conservation sothat electricity use will be reduced 20%below a business-as-usual scenario, alsoan ambitious goal. The criticism ofGovernor Corzine is very distorted; onemight suspect it to be motivated by parti-san politics.

Opposition to nuclear power wasexpressed in a letter to the editor thatgave bizarrely distorted and exaggerated“facts” about the dangers of nuclearpower accidents and the safety of nor-mal operations. The opinions seemed tobe culled from the more sensationalistcolumns of popular journalism ratherthan from any of the impartial recentstudies of nuclear plant operation.

Of course nuclear power has its dan-

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Energy for New Jersey’s Futuregers. But the record of the nuclearpower industry in this country has beenexcellent, particularly when comparedwith oil and coal production which havetaken many lives in the last few years.

I believe the Sierra Club should adopta more realistic attitude toward the haz-ards of power generation, especiallywith respect to carbon dioxide emis-sions. Nuclear power, solar energy withextended transmission line construction(underground in places), carbon seques-tration, and electric cars from non-car-bon electricity will all be needed to miti-gate carbon emissions. The prospect ofhighly carbon-emissive coal-to-oil shouldbe strongly opposed.

The Sierra Club is of course an advoca-cy organization rather than a generatorof compromise policies. But even allow-ing for this, I believe that the opinionsexpressed in the Jersey Sierran shouldgive more recognition to general socialand economic realities. Distortion weak-ens the credibility of the Sierra Club.

David Southgate([email protected])

David Southgate is a retired researchscientist, formerly with a major NewJersey R&D corporation, and a long-time Sierra Club member.

We are used to quoting miles per gal-lon (MPG) to measure a car’s energy effi-ciency. And we all know that a 9 mile-per-gallon suburban assault vehicle con-tributes far more to global warming thana new gasoline-electric hybrid that gets50 miles to the gallon.

But which of these theoretical situa-tions does more to curb global warming:switching from an 18 MPG SUV to a 28MPG model; or trading in a 42 MPGhybrid for a 48 MPG hybrid upgrade?

Most of us would answer that the lat-ter is correct, and we’d be wrong.

In the 20 June 2008 issue of the jour-nal Science, authors Richard P. Larrickand Jack B. Soll of Duke University dis-cuss the results of a study they conduct-ed on perception of fuel efficiency. Theyconcluded that if we were to view auto-mobile efficiency in gallons per mile(GPM) instead of MPG we’d have a muchclearer view of how much gasoline a par-ticular car uses.

What trips us up, it turns out, is thatwe assume that gasoline consumptiondecreases linearly as MPG increases. Inreality the relationship is a curve. Theleast efficient engines use the most gaso-line per hundred miles. As MPG increas-es, the gasoline used per hundred milescurves downwards so that the change inGPM from 15 to 25 MPG is greater thanthe change in GPM from 40 to 50 MPG.

Gallons per MileBy Laura Lynch, Chapter Conservation Chairwith thanks to Sustainable Lawrence for permission to republish.

CONSERVATION ECO-TIP

In the theoretical examples above,improving MPG from 18 to 28 reducesgasoline consumption by 1.984 gallonsover 100 miles, whereas going from 42to 48 MPG saves only 0.298 gallons over100 miles. The consumption reduction is6.66 times more in the first examplethan in the second.

To make the differences clearer, let’scompare two pairs of cars. Within eachpair there is only a 5 MPG difference,but in the second pair are higher MPGcars:

An old pick-up that gets 10 MPG uses10 gallons per 100 miles. A 15 MPG SUVuses 6.67 gallons over the same distance.The difference between the two is 3.33gallons per hundred miles.

A reasonably efficient sedan that gets30 MPG uses 3.33 gallons per 100 miles.A more efficient sedan that gets 35 MPGuses 2.86 gallons per 100 miles. The sav-ings in gas consumption here is 0.47 gal-lons per hundred miles.

So, while the more efficient cars con-sume far less gasoline over 100 miles,there is a greater benefit in removing theleast efficient cars from the road andreplacing them with moderately efficientones than there is in trading an efficientcar in for a super-efficient one.

Ideally, of course, we’d all be drivingcars that would use 2 gallons or less per100 miles. That’s 50 MPG, by the way.

Recently, the Pinelands ConservationFund was created as part of an agree-ment with New Jersey’s Board of PublicUtilities to allow the construction of apower transmission line along the edgeof the Pinelands, near the Garden StateParkway. The utility, Conectiv/AtlanticCity Electric, put $13 million into theFund. With NJ Green Acres and otherfunding sources drying up, this ‘offset’funding will go a long way to purchasecritical areas of Pine Barrens.

The first purchase, in Medford,Burlington County, was completed onJuly 31; the Fund contributed$100,000. It is a 10 acre tract describedas a “critical greenway connector linkingthe Woodford Cedar Run WildlifeRefuge with the Rancocas Conservancy’sWurst Preserve.” Additional funding forthis Medford parcel came from NJDEPGreen Acres and the Rancocas

Pinelands Commission ObtainsFunds to Purchase and ProtectEnvironmentally Sensitive LandsBy Lee Snyder, our Pinelands Issues Coordinator ([email protected])

ISSUE COORDINATOR’S REPORT:

Conservancy. “This property containsvaluable natural resources such asknown habitat for endangered timberrattlesnakes, and it will serve as a criticalconnection that will link the WhartonState Forest with the forested areas ofsouthern Medford and EveshamTownships,” said John Stokes, ExecutiveDirector of the Pinelands Commission.

In May, the Commission authorizedfunding for 450 acres in Atlantic,Burlington, Gloucester and OceanCounties. Twelve other properties hadbeen approved last September, andthree others wil l be funded thisSummer. New Jersey still needs a stablesource of funding for programs such asGreen Acres, to continue removinglarge tracts of environmentally sensitivelands from the builder’s sights. ThePinelands Conservation Fund is a smallstep in that direction.

“This is the most beautiful place onearth,” the great writer Edward Abbeywrote in his classic work, DesertSolitaire. In May, from all corners of ourcountry, I joined 24 other grassrootsleaders at a retreat in Moab to help pro-tect Utah’s spectacular Redrock wilder-ness. This event was organized by the

Wild About UtahBy John Kashwick, our Utah Issues Coordinator ([email protected])

ISSUE COORDINATOR’S REPORT:

Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance(SUWA) to support America’s RedrockWilderness Act (HR-1919/S-1170).

The proposal, based on an exhaustivefield inventory conducted by citizen vol-unteers, would protect nine million acresof Utah wilderness. These lands, whichare administered exclusively by the

Bureau of Land Management, are underconstant threat from ATVs and the min-ing, oil, and gas industries.

We spent three days sharing ideas anddiscussing new ways to garner supportfor Utah wilderness. Some of our topicsincluded engaging faith-based groups,including the LDS church; reaching outto other non-traditional allies such asresponsible ATV riders; creative ways tocoordinate visits with our federal legisla-tors; and recruiting more volunteers thatare passionate about the issue and will-ing to take action.

In an effort to gain support for finalpassage in the next Congress, we agreedon the importance of in-district meetingswith Senators and Representatives. Thisis different from a traditional wildernessweek where activists visit the Capitol tolobby, in that more constituents fromhome districts can be available for themeetings. We are fortunate here in New

Jersey because our delegation is mostlysupportive of the Act. Both SenatorsLautenberg and Menendez and 10 of our13 Congressmen have co-sponsored thelegislation. The exceptions are ScottGarrett (CD-5), Rodney Frelinghuysen(CD-11), and Jim Saxton (CD-4). If youare in one of their districts, please makea call and ask your Congressman to sup-port HR-1919.

We are also fortunate here in NewJersey to have dedicated activists whosupport Utah wilderness. Joanne Faberof the Ocean County group spent aweek in Washington, DC earlier thisyear meeting with representatives andstaff members stressing the importanceof this legislation.

For more information about Utah’sRedrock Wilderness and what you canto become more involved, please con-tact him at [email protected] orvisit www.suwa.org.

ENERGY FACTOIDS courtesy of Sunil Somalwar, our Energy Issues Coordinator


Inner City Outings could really use some additional outing leaders. Contact Marty Cohen: 201-670-8383

5

On June 4th the Builders Associationand their allies delivered to theLegislature a package of bills they call aneconomic stimulus package. In fact,what the bills would do is overturn envi-ronmental laws, undermine good plan-ning, promote Sprawlfare, and give taxbreaks and public subsidies to wealthydevelopers at a time when the state ofNew Jersey is going broke. This packageof bills will put sprawl on steroids andallow for the paving over of half of NewJersey’s open spaces.

The bills were taken from theDepartment of Community Affairs’(DCA) Housing Task Force reports,which were written in secret, and with-out input from the public or environ-mental or citizens’ groups. They include:

1) The Permit Extension Act – Thiswould extend all permits for six yearsand revive those that have expired with-in the past two years, undermining theability of the state to implement newenvironmental regulations, buildingcodes, or local zoning ordinances andindiscriminately promoting building,regardless of whether the project is agood one or a bad one.

2) Changes to the State PlanningCommission – This bill would create anew cabinet position for the head of theState Planning Commission, and makethat cabinet member more powerfulthan the governor or any other memberof the cabinet. It would give the State

In August PSE&G selected a route fora new – and unnecessary – power linethrough New Jersey ’s Highlandsregion. The new line will be used tobring cheap, dirty coal power fromPennsylvania into New Jersey, under-mining our efforts to deal with globalwarming and protect ourenvironment. PSE&G says that they area green company, but the only thinggreen about this deal is the moneyPSE&G wil l be making from NewJersey ratepayers.

PSE&G wants this new line so that itcan sell the clean power it produces in-state to New York City at a rate 50%higher than it could charge in NewJersey. As a result of a lawsuit by theSierra Club and the State of New Jerseyseveral years ago, PSE&G was forced toclean up its Ridgefield Generating Stationin Bergen County, converting it to muchcleaner natural gas. Now that New Jerseyrate payers have paid for this conversion,PSE&G wants to ship the power from thisplant to New York, replacing it with dirtypower brought in from the Pennsylvaniathrough the new line.

PSE&G has proposed three differentroutes for the line, playing one commu-nity against another in a fight over whowould have to bear the new powerline. The chosen route, “Plan B,” crossesthe Delaware Water Gap National

By our Chapter Staff: Jeff Tittel and Becca GlennPlanning Commission the ability to vetoGreen Acres acquisitions, stopDepartment of Environmental Protection(DEP) rules and regulations from beingadopted, and even reach into municipali-ties and force them to change their zon-ing. Basically the State PlanningCommission would become the enforce-ment mechanism for the builders tooverturn environmental regulations andlocal zoning and planning.

3) Amendments to the RevenueAllocation District Financing Act – Thisbill would give tax subsidies to large-scaledevelopers and have the public pay forthings like parking decks, buying proper-ty, and environmental remediation.

4) Expansion of the BrownfieldsProgram to Smart Growth Areas –Instead of brownfield monies being usedsolely to clean up contaminated sites,they could now also be used for buildinga shopping center next to Round ValleyReservoir, promoting sprawl, undermin-ing environmental clean up, etc.

5) Amendments to the Urban TransitHub Tax Credit Program – This bill wouldgive builders up to a $50 million tax creditfor creating 250 jobs near a train station;building a Wal-Mart within a half mile of astation would qualify. This will cost thetreasury billions of dollars, raising taxes forthe rest of us.

6) The New Jersey Closing Fund – Thisbill would give money to businesses con-sidering leaving New Jersey, or out-of-

state businesses contemplating expand-ing into New Jersey. I.e. if a developersays another state is offering him moneyto leave, then New Jersey would givehim the same amount to stay. This is ataxpayer ripoff and would cost us hun-dreds of millions of dollars.

7) Amendments to the OmbudsmanAct – This bill would bring back FastTrack, the law that even the BushAdministration, not known for strongenvironmental policies, said underminedenvironmental protection. It wouldundermine public participation in thepermit process and make it virtuallyimpossible for the DEP to deny apermit. It would also create a lobbyist forthe developers in the Governor’s officewhose job would be to push through per-mits for development projects.

8) Creation of Science and PolicyReview Boards – With this measure, thebuilders would be able to prevent theDEP from adopting any new regulations.

9) Streamlining of Brownfield ReviewProcess – This bill calls for outsourcingthe oversight of environmental cleanups,taking it away from the DEP, and insteadallowing polluters to hire their own con-sultants to certify that their sites areclean. This would weaken protectionsthat keep toxics out of our communitiesand away from the citizens of New Jersey.

10) “Vertical” General DevelopmentPlan Approvals – This bill would allowbuilders 20 years to build general devel-

opment plans of five acres or more,grandfathering these projects againstany changes in state or local law, andgiving developers a huge tax break untiltheir projects are completed.

11) Elimination of “Time of Decision”Rule – This bill would freeze local ordi-nances at the time a developer makes anapplication, undermining home rule,good planning, and citizens’ rights tohave a say in development that impactstheir lives.

12) Smart Growth Liquor Licenses –This bill would subsidize developmentprojects by allowing developers to get asmany as three free liquor licenses forbeer and wine. It’s as if the Legislaturehas considered that, once developers getthrough paving over New Jersey and rais-ing our taxes through tax breaks and sub-sidies, they’re all going to need a drink.

The builders’ package would under-mine citizens’ rights when it comes todevelopment, local planning and theenvironment, and how these thingsimpact their lives and property. It wouldcreate a system of vast public subsidiesfor developers and allow them to con-trol New Jersey both politically and envi-ronmentally. At a time when the state ishas no money for schools and is closinghospitals and possibly parks, it wouldgive billions of dollars to the largestdevelopers. It would replace JonCorzine as Governor with the NewJersey Builders Association.

Report from Trenton

Builders Gone Wild: the Developers’ Dirty DozenReport from Trenton

Report from TrentonReport from Trenton

A Dirty Deal for Dirty Power: SierraClub Condemns PSE&G for NewPower Line Through the HighlandsBy our Chapter Staff

Recreation Area, the Delaware River’sWild and Scenic Area, Kittatinny Ridge,the Appalachian Trail, the HighlandsPreservation Area, more than a dozenparks and open space areas includingTourne Mountain, dozens of areas withendangered species, and numerous wet-lands and Category 1 streams. It willreplace an existing line of 85-foot poleswith 250-foot towers.

This power line is part of the BushAdministration’s giveaway to the utili-ties, in which the entire state of NewJersey was designated as a NationalInterest Electric TransmissionCorridor. This designation allows theDepartment of Energy to run powerlines through any part of New Jerseywithout proper environmental analysisand without demonstrating any actualneed for the power line. TheDepartment of Energy will have powerof eminent domain within the corridor,trumping the rights of property owners,and usurping the rights of state and localgovernments to apply planning criteriabased on local interests and values.

The Sierra Club, along with the statesof Pennsylvania and New Jersey, are infederal court to oppose thisdesignation. The Club has also support-ed bills introduced by Senator Menendezand Congressman Hinchey to overturnthe designation.

Prius more than 1200 miles a year usingthe wasted energy from its share ofstate’s unrecycled aluminum cans.

Sources: www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/waste/downloads/Energy%20Savings.pdf. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dshw/recy-cle/stats.htm

(Assumes 45mpg for a Prius.)

NJ wastes 54 million gallons of gaso-line equivalent energy every year inunrecycled aluminum cans.

You can drive Toyota Prius morethan a mile from the energy wasted inmanufacturing an aluminum can that isnot recycled.

A family of four could drive a Toyota

With the public comment period end-ing on July 25th, the New Jersey Boardof Public Utilities (BPU) has now begunrevising the state’s draft Energy MasterPlan (EMP). The EMP is intended toguide energy production and consump-tion in New Jersey over the next decade,making it a major factor in the imple-mentation of the 2007 Global WarmingResponse Act. This is the first real test ofthe Corzine Administration’s commit-ment to reduce global warming.

The old draft EMP focuses on outdatedtechnologies like coal and nuclear, andseriously neglects the emerging tech-nologies of wind, solar, and wave power.It also fails to urge energy efficiency,which is the cheapest and easiest way toreduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Sierra Club’s suggestions forimproving the EMP include:

• raising the goal for wind genera-tion from 1,000 megawatts (MW) to3,500 MW, a goal that could easily bemet given technological advances inwind and existing public support forwind power

• raising the goal for solar by at leasthalf, based on the fact that decliningprices for photovoltaics and rising fossilfuel prices are making solar much morecompetitive than it has been in the past,as well as the fact that New Jersey hasvast untapped potential for solar in itsthousands of square miles of warehouseroofs, highway noise barriers, and park-ing decks

• adding a provision for wave power,an energy source for which the statealready has a pilot project

• adding an assessment of the potentialfor low-impact hydro power using exist-ing turbines that are not in use, state-owned dams, and microhydro projectswherever water flows downhill: fromsewer plants to dams on lakes

• adding methane collected fromsewer plants and landfills as an energysource

• dramatically increasing the focus onenergy efficiency through projects such

as burying new power lines andinstalling better insulation on existinglines, developing energy storage systemsand battery systems, strengthening greenbuilding standards, increasing the use ofLED lighting and compact fluorescents,enacting strong appliance efficiency stan-dards, preheating water with solar orgeothermal energy and expanding theuse of heat pumps, and boosting thestate’s recycling rate

• including plans to convert NewJersey’s existing coal plants to natural gas,a much cleaner form of power that notonly lowers mercury and NOx and SOxemissions, but also emits only half thegreenhouse gasses compared with coal

• addressing the exportation of rela-tively clean electricity from New Jersey,especially the proposal by PSE&G tosend power from its RidgefieldGenerating Station to New York City,and the construction of new power linesfrom Pennsylvania to replace that energywith dirty coal power

• encouraging more cogeneration• including a plan for transportation,

which is one of the largest uses of energyin New Jersey, but is completely ignoredby the draft EMP

• assessing the need for natural gas asa gap fuel until renewable energy capaci-ty is built, and outlining how best tobring it into the state

• using the funds set aside for “strand-ed assets” to fund these projects andmitigate the cost to ratepayers of thetransition

The Energy Master Plan needs muchstronger renewable energy and energyefficiency provisions if we are to haveany chance of reaching the targets set inthe Global Warming Response Act.Historically, New Jersey has been aleader on environment and energyissues, but now we are falling furtherand further behind other states, whichhave set much more ambitious targetsfor clean energy. Without significantstrengthening of the EMP, we will con-tinue to be left behind.

NJ’s Energy Master Plan in Need of RescueBy our Chapter Staff, Becca Glenn and Jeff Tiffel


2008 is an election year for all 13 NJ Congresspersons, one Senator (Lautenberg), US President, and many local officials. Our Political Committee can help you to provide support for endorsed candidates.

6

HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR GROUP (BY COUNTY)Northwest JJersey GGroup: Hunterdon, Sussex & WarrenNorth JJersey GGroup: Passaic & most of BergenEssex CCounty GGroup: EssexHudson-MMeadowlands GGroup: Hudson & SE BergenLoantaka GGroup: Morris & UnionCentral JJersey GGroup: MercerOcean CCounty GGroup: OceanRaritan VValley GGroup: Somerset & MiddlesexJersey SShore GGroup: MonmouthWest JJersey GGroup: Gloucester, Camden & BurlingtonSouth JJersey GGroup: Atlantic,Cape May,Cumberland & Salem

These designations are approximate: members are welcome to

participate in whichever Group(s) they find convenient

GroupNews• • • • • • • • • • • • •GroupNews

FROMAROUND

THE STATE

Northwest Jersey Group(Sussex, WWarren aand HHunterdon CCounties)

OFFICERS:Chair, PPolitical CChair: Christine Feoranzo [email protected]: Susan Rotter 973-347-8849 [email protected] CChair: Open PPosition!

Secretary: Open PPosition!

Treaasurer: Charles Kopp 973-770-7718 [email protected]: Toni Zimmer [email protected] CChair: Pat Mangino 862-432-7552 [email protected] Outings && EEvents CChair: Sandy Raviv and Herb Wolff [email protected] tto CChapt. EExCom: Open PPosittion!

Cool CCities DDelegate: Open PPosition!

WEBSITE: hhttp://newjersey.sierraclub.org/northwest/

Our Group will continue to focus on the following goals: (1) Building a more active and vibrant Group. (2) Scheduling more guest speakers and hosting more frequent outings that are relatedto the issues and interests that concern our members and the general public. (3) Our Group will work to change the view our municipal governments have of us,so that we can help motivate the preservation of our region’s wilderness.

These goals can not be achieved without the help and commitment of our members.We need to fill our open positions to build a new team. We need members to keep usinformed of environmental concerns in their communities. So please come out andmeet with us during the next few months. If you can’t attend our meetings then try toattend your town’s planning/zoning board or land use board meetings.

GENNERAL MMEETINGS: Held on the FIRST WEDNESDAY of every month, at 7pm, at theGrist Mill Café, located in the Andover Post Office Shopping Plaza on Rte 206 (Rte 517intersection) in Andover. Phone: 973-786-6400.

Meetings include general discussions regarding growth in our area. If you are aware ofany large development proposals in your town that may have a negative environmen-tal impact PLEASE come to a meeting and tell us about it. We rely on our members tokeep us informed and strongly encourage members to attend their town Land Use orPlanning/Zoning meetings. When we do not have a guest speaker scheduled we willbe viewing various environmental programs/movies.

UPCOMING MMEETINGS:Oct 33: General discussion and viewing of informative video.Nov 55: General discussion and viewing of acclaimed documentary.

North Jersey Group(Bergen aand PPassaic CCounties, aapproximately)

OFFICERS:Group CCo-CChairs: Betsy Kohn 201-461-4534 [email protected]

and Mike Herson 201-262-9472 [email protected] Co-CChairs: Tom Thompson 201-848-1080 [email protected]

and Mike Herson 201-262-9472 [email protected] QQuality: Laura Tracey Coll [email protected] CChair: Ellen Blumenkrantz [email protected] IIssues: Tricia Aspinwall [email protected] CChair: Greg Tondi [email protected] CChair: Open PPosition!

Treasurer: Tom Thompson 201-848-1080 [email protected] PPublic LLands: John Kashwick 201-660-8820 [email protected]: Mary Ellen Shaw 201-489-1588

WEBSITE: http://newjersey.sierraclub.org/North

EXECUTIVE CCOMMITTEE MMEETINGS: Held at least four times a year. For more infor-mation or date and location, please contact Betsy or Mike (see above).

EXECUTIVE CCOMMITTEE MMEETINGS: Held at least four times a year. For more infor-mation or date and location, please contact Betsy or Mike (see above).

GENERAL MMEETINGS: Begin at 7:30 pm; dates and locations below. To find out more,please call Betsy (see above) or sign up for e-mail notices athttp://lists.sierraclub.org/archives/NJ-NORTH-JERSEY-NEWS.html.

Oct 221: at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, 113 Cottage Place, Ridgewood, NJ:Program TBA.

Nov 117: at Clifton Public Library, 292 Piaget Avenue, Clifton, NJ: Program TBA.

CONSEERVATION IISSUES: Below are issue updates. To find out more or help, pleasecontact Mike, Tom or Betsy (above).

(1) On July 19, the Highlands Council, in a 9-5 vote, approved a weak Regional MMasterPlan that does not adequately protect the water supply for over 5.4 million NewJerseyans. The main flaws include allowing new and expanded water extraction inareas of current water deficit even though 60 per cent of the Highlands’ 183 sub-watersheds already don’t have enough water; permitting clustered housing complexeson operating farmland; relaxing current DEP nitrate standards to allow for pollution ofwell water with septic; and allowing Category 1 and 2 stream buffers to be reduced inredevelopment areas.

(2) We oppose the NJ Transit plan to destroy parkland in Overpeck CCounty PPark for alarge park-and-ride lot for the Northern Branch Rail Line. Parkland must be preserved!We don’t need more parking lots; we need an integrated public transit system linkingrail, light rail, bus, and ferry so commuters can leave their cars at home.

(3) Over 200 trees at the foot of Stag HHill RRoad iin MMahwah, near the Ramapo River, areto be cleared to make way for a 760-space parking lot. Habitat will be lost and theriver and groundwater further polluted. We need evidence that the wood turtle,known to be in the area, is on this site. To help, contact Mary Ellen (see above).

(4) The Ramappo RRiver aand wwatershed, a sole source aquifer straddling the NY/NJ bor-der, supplies water to over two million New Jerseyans. Upstream in NY, its forestedslopes are under threat by plans for 2,000 housing units in Ramapo and Tuxedo.Contact Betsy (see above) to join the letter campaign urging Governors Paterson andCorzine to protect these watershed lands.

(5) Continuing issues: Clifton’s LLatteri PPark, Elmwood PPark air quality, theHackensack’s vegetative riparian corridors, and the fragile ecosystem of Van BuskirkIsland.

VOLUNTEER OOPPORTUNITIEES. Help with grassroots organizing to save open space,lead hikes or work on an environmental issue of your own choosing. For more infor-mation, contact a group officer (see above).

RECYCLE PPRINTER CCARTRIDGES. Leave your used printer cartridges in the windowbox by the exit door at Whole Foods Market, 905 River Road, Edgewater (8am to10pm daily). No remanufactured cartridges, please. Thanks for recycling and support-ing the North Jersey Group!

Hudson-Meadowlands Group(Hudson CCounty aand ssouthern BBergen CCounty: LLyndhurst, RRutherford, EEastRutherford, CCarlstadt, RRidgefield, EEdgewater, CCliffside PPark aand FFairview)

OFFICERS:Chair: Louise Taylor 201-886-9320 [email protected]: Helen Manogue 201-963-3511 Secretary: Connie Ftera 201-869-7950 [email protected]: Brane Zivkovic 201-758-0398 [email protected] CChair: Mariana Zivkovic 201-758-8390 [email protected] CChair: Brane Zivkovic 201-758-0398 [email protected]: Jodi Jamieson 917-804-8390 [email protected] CChair: Rosemary Arena 201-861-6222 [email protected] CCities CChair: Helen Manogue 201-963-3511 Singles CChair: Marlene Rost 201-766-8982 [email protected] CChair: Scotte Perry 201-320-1758 [email protected] LLandmark Status CCommittee:Chair: Rosemary Arena 201-861-6222 [email protected] CChair: David Kronick 201-869-6218 [email protected] EExCom Members: Gil Hawkins 201-944-5799 [email protected]

Donald Kopczynski 201-224-2641 [email protected]

Meetings: The Hudson-Meadowlands Group holds four General Meetings per year.Please contact Louise Taylor for information about the next meeting.

We are working hard to save open space on the Hudson RRiver sshore, and to protectthe New JJersey PPalisades south of the George Washington Bridge from further destruc-tion. We need your help. Please contact Louise Taylor to volunteer.

About a year and a half ago, members of several ad hoc residents’ associations inHudson County came to us for help fighting two proposed developments. We beganto attend Planning Board and Board of Adjustment meetings regularly and the activistswho had come to us joined the Sierra Club and have since taken on several Officerpositions. The two proposed developments:• an oversized residential plan intended for the last open spot on the HudsonRiverfront in North Bergen, and • an exceedingly dangerous proposal for residential development requiring cuttinginto the Palisades; encroaching upon a high-pressured gas pipeline (that suppliesabout half of the natural gas for New York City); and excessively adding to traffic con-gestion. In mid July the developer withdrew his application from the North BergenBoard of Adjustment. Due to community pressure, he is likely to resize the project andsubmit revised plans in the near future.

While we’ve waited for Board decisions on the two projects, many others on the Palisades(south of the George Washington Bridge—not protected) have gotten in the queue.


Members living near Trenton are invited to volunteer time to help run our state office: Call Becca Glenn

7

(Continued on page 8)

Recently a 9-story high rise project which would have dug out up to 80 ft. into the cliffscame before the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Incredibly, the Board turned it down flat inone session! We were so surprised we could hardly adjust to victory. Of course, thedeveloper will come back, but it was great to see a Zoning Board doing its job.

Now comes the North Bergen Reporter to tell us that saving the Palisades is a top pri-ority for Mayor Nicholas Sacco and the North Bergen Council. We can’t help but thinkwe’ve had an impact! All together the Planning and Zoning Board attendance has beengoing on for three years quite consistently

Essex County Group“web-ssite: hhttp://newjersey.sierraclub.org/Essex/. Or click from the NJ Chapter’s web-site.

ACTIVITIES: Presently working with land conservation groups to preserve 120 acresatop the Second WWatchung MMountain (known as the West Essex Highlands) in WestOrange as open space. Also working to preserve a five-acre forested tract in WestOrange and an ancient forest on Gov. MMcCClellan’s fformer eestate. Contact Sally Malanga at973-736-7397 or [email protected] or Linda Stiles at 973-736-2224 or [email protected] if you want to get involved.

GENERAL MMEETINGS: are free and open to the public. They take place on TUESDAYS,from 7 to 9pm, at the Essex County Environmental Center, 621 Eagle Rock Ave, inRoseland. Contact Walt Goldenbaum ([email protected] or 973-925-8662) forgeneral information.

Loantaka Group(Morris aand UUnion CCounties, aapproximately)

There is a new website address for the Loantaka group: http://newjersey.sierraclub.org/loantaka/

OFFICERS:Group CCo-CChairs: Eric Hausker 732-669-0719 [email protected] and Paul Sanderson 908-233-2414 [email protected] Treasurer: Joyce White [email protected]: Open PPosition!

Conservation CChairs:Morris CCounty: Chris Mills 973-377-1742 [email protected] CCoounty: Eric Hausker 732-669-0719 [email protected]

Cool CCities CChair: Stefano Crema 973-627-4354 [email protected] CChair: Open PPosition!

Programs CChair: Open PPosition!

Education CCoord: Jeff Huppert 973-263-0344 [email protected] CChair: Eric Hausker 732-669-0719 [email protected],Events: Bob Johnson [email protected] CChair: Wynn Johanson 908-464-0442 [email protected]: Doug Williams 973-263-8404 [email protected] QQuality CCoord: Bob Campbell 973-761-4461 [email protected]: Bob Johnson [email protected]: Bob Muska 908-665-2296 [email protected]

If you might be interested in getting involved, come to one of our ExecutiveCommittee Meetings on the FIRST TUESDAY of the month and get to know us. Thereare no obligations and there will be no pressure.

To find out our activities, go to: http://newjersey.sierraclub.org/loantaka/

To join our e-mailing list, go to: http://lists.sierraclub.org/archives/nj-loantaka-news.html

EXECUTIVE CCOMMITTEE MMEETINGS: Meetings are held on the FIRST TUESDAY of themonth at 7:30 pm at Library of the Chathams, 214 Main St., Chatham.

All members are welcome at Executive Committee meetings. Right now, we haveopen positions on it! If you would like to find out more, please contact PaulSanderson.

GENERAL MMEETINGS: are held on the SECOND WEDNESDAY of the month at 7:30pm at the Library of the Chathams, 214 Main St., Chatham.

Come learn something new and make some new friends. We’d welcome the chanceto meet you and to introduce ourselves. Please see the schedule, below, and join us!

DIRECTIONS: Directions are posted on our Website: http://newjersey.sierraclub.org/loantaka/.

MEEETING SSCHEDULE:Oct 88: Current Events – Jeff Huppert of the Loantaka Group will present a programon current eenvironmental cconcerns iin NNew JJersey, the USA and the world community.An interactive format will allow for participation by all attendees. Topics will includeenergy myths, ocean resources, the politization of science in the US, and environmen-tal unprotection.

Nov 112: Communal Living – Eric Hausker will present a DVD film entitled “Visions oofUtopia”, which shows various communal living arrangements in different parts of thecountry, followed by a discussion of. the environmental goal of reducing the carbonfootprint of the individual and finding a sustainable way of life.

Dec 110: We will show the video Who KKilled tthe EElectric CCar – Jeff Huppert will moderate.

ACTIVITIES: (Consult our website (http://newjersey.sierraclub.org/loantaka/) formore information.)

The Loantaka Group is working with concerned citizens and local environmental orga-nizations to protect open space and wildlife habitat in Morris and Union Counties, andto safeguard the water resources on which we all depend. We are also organizing vol-unteers to help maintain and improve trails in the Morris and Union County ParkSystems. In addition, the Group is actively involved in State-wide initiatives involvingair quality, transportation, and environmental legislation. Volunteers are always wel-come. Call Paul (908-233-2414) or Chris (973-377-1742).

We raised $465 in our recent auction, thanks to gift certificates contributed bythe following donors: Whole Foods (Millburn), Sages Pages Book Store, (Madison),North Jersey School of Dog Grooming (Chatham), Community Theater atMayoCenter for Performing Arts (formerly Morristown Community Theater),Westfield Symphony Orchestra, and Colonial Symphony (Morristown). Pleasepatronize them!

Central Jersey Group(Mercer CCounty, aand tthe aadjoining ttowns iin BBurlington, MMiddlesex, MMonmouthand SSomerset CCounties)

http://newjersey.sierraclub.org/central Please check the site for activity details, meet-ing locations (we move around the Mercer Co. area); directions, last minuteannouncements, and conservation news.

OFFICERS:Chair: Terry Stimpfel* 609-731-7016 [email protected] Chair: David Schmetterer * 914-522-6642 [email protected]

Outings CChair: Leona Fluck* 609-259-3734 [email protected] CChair: Terry Stimpfel* 609-731-7016 [email protected]* AAt-llarge: Malcolm McFarland 609-448-8699 [email protected]

Harold Rapp 609-671-0435 [email protected] Ann Mitchell [email protected]

We nneeed yyou. Open positions: Publicity Chair, Membership Chair, Secretary,Treasurer. Volunteer for a month or an event!! Have knowledge or special interest in aparticular species, water ways, land use or other topic? Let’s talk.

EXECUTIVE CCOMMITTEE MMEETINGS: All Sierra Club members are invited to attend,learn what’s happening in Central, and help things happen too! Please contact Terry(above) for details.

GENERAL MMEETINGS: Our general meetings are free and open to all - members andpublic alike. Come join us, make new friends and share conservation ideas! No generalmeetings in July, August and December.

Sept. 110 ((Wed) 7:30 pm, Princeton MarketFair Mall, Rte 1 South, Princeton: Wild UUtah:America’s RRedrock WWilderness. Jackie Feinberg, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance,brings a multi media show on one of this nation’s most magnificent wild landscapes, aland of spectacular beauty dominated by towering buttes, red sandstone plateaus anddeep, winding canyons. Meeting will be held in the Eastern Mountain Sports store inMarketFair Mall.

6:45 pm Pre meeting Social. Purchase your own dinner and join us after the summerto chat, catch up on conservation issues, and learn about the Central Group. Look forthe Sierra signs in the Food Court of the MarketFair Mall.

IMPORTANT Please note the permanent change in general meeting day and location.


Please share this newsletter with a non-member friend, inviting use of the coupon on p. 12.

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Going forward the Central Group will meet on the third Tuesday of each month in theWisk and Spoon meeting room of Whole Foods Market, Windsor Green ShoppingCenter, Rte 1 South, Princeton. We thank Whole Foods for making this location avail-able for us.

Oct 220 ((Tues) 7:30–9pm: Environmental nnight!!! Videos and key topics by CentralGroup officers. Get the scoop before the election. Wisk and Spoon meeting room,Whole Foods Market, Windsor Green Shopping Center, Rte 1 South, Princeton.

Nov 118 ((Tues) 7:30–9pm: Wild aand SScenic LLower DDelaware RRiver. Gregg Rackin, RiverAdministrator, will discuss this beautiful treasure and natural resource running fromthe Gap to Washington Crossing. Its recent inclusion in Special Protection Watersgives the Delaware the longest stretch of anti-degradation policy on any river in thenation. Wisk and Spoon meeting room, Whole Foods Market, Windsor GreenShopping Center, Rte 1 South, Princeton.

SPECCIAL OOUTDOORS EEVENTS: For more information see the Chapter Outings listed inthis Sierran and our website. ALWAYS check with leaders to confirm event details.ALL paddling trips require pre registration with leaders.

Oct 112 ((Sun) Canoe/Kayak the Crosswicks Creek/Hamilton-Trenton-Bordentown Marsh Oct 115 ((Wed) Double Trouble State Park Hike (Ocean Co)Oct. 118 ((Sat) NJAS Plainsboro Preserve Hike (Mercer/Middlesex Cos)Oct 119 ((Sun) Canoe/Kayak the D&R Canal From Lambertville To Cadwalader Park Oct 119 ((Sun) RiverLINE Ramble (Burlington Co)Oct 2255 ((Sat) Roebling Park Marsh Cleanup (Mercer Co)Oct 226 ((Sun) Paddle the D&R Canal from Lawrenceville to Kingston (Mercer Co)Nov 22 ((Sat) Canoe/Kayak the D&R Canal (Mercer/Middlesex Co)Nov 99 ((Sun) Canoe/Kayak Crosswicks Creek (Burlington/Mercer Cos)Nov 115 ((Sat) Assunpink Creek Trail Building (Mercer Co)Nov 115 ((Sat) Canoe/Kayak the D&R Canal (Middlesex Co)Nov 119 ((Wed) Clayton Park Hike (Monmouth Co)Dec 110 ((Wed) Paddle With The Tide On The Crosswicks Creek/HTB Marsh Dec 117 ((Wed) Historic Smithville Park Hike and Holiday Mansion Tour (Burlington Co)

SOME LLOCAL IISSUES and ACTIONS: Princeton NNurseries (Mercer and Monmouth Co.),Klockner WWoods (Hamilton Twp), C&A RRail TTrail (Hamilton, Robbinsville Twp),Assunpink CCreek TTrail (Robbinsville), NJ TTurnpike EExits 66-88 EExpansion, Rte 333 BBy-ppass,and Princeton RRidge.

CONCERNED? WWANT TTO TTAKE AACTION? HHAVE AA FFEW HHOURS? WWILLING TTO HHELP?Please e-mail Terry. To receive up-to-the-minute Central Group meeting reminders andnotices of local events, please e-mail Terry.

THE HHIGH PPOINT TTO CCAPE MMAY PPOINT HHIKING TTRAIL AAND GGRREENWAYThere are many trails in New Jersey – some on-road and many off on protectedlands – but they do not connect the state from end to end. There is a potential tounite and extend a number of existing long range trails to cover the length of thestate. The component trails include the Appalachian Trail (complete), the HighlandsTrail (being extended by the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference), Patriots Path(being extended by the Morris County Park Commission), the Delaware and RaritanCanal State Park (planned extension by DEP), the Batona Trail (complete), and theleast known long distance trail in the State, the Cedar Creek Trail (utilized by theSouth Jersey Outdoor Club).

The newly designated four-mile Assunpink Creek Trail in Robbinsville on NJ DEPFish and Wildlife lands is part of a segment across heavily developed MercerCounty, which will form a critical link in the state-wide trail plan.

Join us on Sat, Nov 15, at 9am as we begin construction on the four-mile uplandAssunpink CCreek TTrail iin RRobbinsville: cutting bushes and removing downedbranches on dry land.

There’s work for all skill levels and dogs are welcome. So bring gloves and clippersand some water and snacks. Meet us at the Assunpink Creek parking lot on Route130 northbound in Robbinsville. Rain date, Nov 16. Leader / Contact David Mattek609-737-1342 or [email protected].

Raritan Valley Group(Middlesex aand SSomerset CCounties, aapproximately)

WEBSITE: http://newjersey.sierraclub.org/RaritanValley/

OFFICERS AAND CCONTACTS:Chair: Sandi Lowich [email protected]: Open PPosition!

Conservation CChair: Jane Tousman 908-561-5504 [email protected] Membership: Sunil Somalwar [email protected]: Open PPosition!

Politiccal CChair: Randy Gill 732-525-2612 [email protected]: Open PPosition!

Treasurer, WWebmaster: Don McBride 732-560-0369 [email protected]: Sandi Lowich [email protected]: Open PPosition!

Chappter DDelegate: Sunil Somalwar [email protected] EExCom: Dan Aronson

ISSUES: We are fighting development along streams, wetlands, flood plains and steepslopes. We are pro-farmland preservation. Group members are involved in local issues,answering questions for concerned citizens regarding development andmonitoring/reviewing all township/regional land use master plans in our area. Thisincludes working to protect threatened and endangered species in these areas. We arealso focusing on addressing global warming at the local level.

Calling AAll VVolunteers: The Raritan Valley Group is looking for volunteers to help getthe group back on its feet. We are also considering different meeting locations anddates. It takes a minimal amount of time and is usually not difficult to find speakers for

GROUP NEWS(Continued from page 7)

meetings and send e-mail in interested members. If you are interested in filling anopen position or have suggestions on how the group could be more effective, contactDon McBride.

GENERAL MMEETINGS: The group is not holding regular meetings until we can get a newprogram chair and more participation. Held at 7:30 pm on the SECOND MONDAY of themonth except for July and August. Meetings are held at the Unitarian Society of NewBrunswick, 176 Tices Lane, East Brunswick. Take the Ryders Lane exit off Rte 1 towardsEast Brunswick. Make a left turn at the first four-way intersection onto Tices Lane, and thechurch is the second driveway on the right. The public is invited and refreshments areserved. For further directions and information, visit our website.

PROGRAM SSCHEDULE: Unavailable at press time. Please contact officers above, or website.

EXECUTIVE CCOMMITTEE MMEETINGS: Held at before the regular meetings in October,January, April and July (at the same location). All Sierra Club members are invited toattend.

Jersey Shore Group (Monmouth CCounty, aapproximately)

Web SSite: hhttp://NewJersey.SierraClub.org/JerseyShore/OFFICERS:Group CChair: Dennis Anderson 732-970-4327 [email protected]

6 Maple Ave, Matawan NJ 07747Vice-CChair: Open PPosition!

Secretary: Joe DeLuca 732-389-1835 [email protected] CChair: Faith Teitelbaum 732-229-0553 [email protected] Webmaster: George Newsome [email protected]: Pat Fuschetto 732-308-4588 [email protected] CChair: Laura Bagwell 732-741-8678 [email protected] CChair: Mike Verange 908-902-0718 [email protected] Membership Co-CChairs: Alan Roseman 732-780-1308 [email protected] April Klimley 917-626-4838 [email protected]

Program CChair: Open PPosition!

Fund-rraising CChhair: Marinel Mukherjee 732-780-8678 [email protected]

GENERAL MMEETINGS:Held at 8pm on the FOURTH MONDAY of each month - except in July, August andDecember - at a NEW location: the Unitarian Universalist Meetinghouse at 1475 WestFront Street in Lincroft (please check the congregation’s website for directions, athttp://www.uucmc.org/where-we-are.htm). Come early to socialize and enjoy refresh-ments. For additional directions or information, please contact Dennis Anderson orFaith Teitelbaum (see list of officers, above), or visit our web site.

Oct 117, 77pm: Coffee HHouse at the Women’s Club Mansion at 164 Broad St. in RedBank. Dianne Doolittle and her many musical friends will supply the live music.

Oct 227: Jim Peck, Director of Education for the American Littoral Society, will give atalk on Discovering NNatural NNew JJersey. He will take you on a virtual tour of easilyaccessible natural places throughout the state. He’ll let you know where to touch bil-lion-year-old rock, scoop diamonds off the beach, view orchids and carnivorous plantsor stroll through the world’s highest Atlantic white cedar bog.

Nov 224: Tami Heffner and her husband Bill McCurdy run Earthen Harvest Organics, asmall oorganic ffarm in New Jersey. They will talk about their experiences as localorganic farmers, their newly created CSA, and the importance of eating locally grownfood. They will be happy to give us tips for our own home gardens.

Dec 114, 33pm: Holiday pparty at Joellen’s. Please contact Joellen at [email protected] tolet her know what you are bringing to the Potluck, and for directions.

Ocean County GroupWebsite: www.newjersey.sierraclub.org/ocean

OFFICERS:Chair: A. Gregory Auriemma, Esq. 732-451-9220 [email protected], OOutings: Dawn Marie Johns 732-644-6340 [email protected] Conserv’n CChair: Margit Meissner-Jackson 609-296-4367 [email protected]: Richard Washik 732-616-2775 [email protected] Political CChair:: Nancy Brown 732-892-6089Publicity CChair: Howard Schwartz 609-242-9304 [email protected]: Joyce M. Isaza 732-920-9270 [email protected] Chair: Sandy Brown 609-242-9304 [email protected]

ExCom MMember: Jocelyn Isaza 732-581-0130 [email protected] MMember: Helen Henderson 908-278-9807 [email protected]

EXECUTIVE CCOOMMITTEE MMEETINGS: Generally held on the SECOND MONDAY ofeach month at the home of one of our ExCom members.

GENERAL MMEETINGS AAND EEVENTS: Meetings are held bi-monthly (i.e., in alternatemonths) usually on the FOURTH MONDAY at 7pm at the “Skywalk Cafe” in the OceanCounty Administration Building, 129 Hooper Avenue (2nd Floor), Toms River. See ourWebsite for directions. We’ve recently purchased a new computer projector and largescreen, which has made our meetings even more dynamic, interactive and interesting.We will not have a July meeting, but our next meeting will be in September.

ACTIVITIES && IISSUES: We’re involved in the campaigns to create a new park at“Anchor RReef” oon BBarnegat BBaay and to stop “nitrogen pollution” of the Bay. We’re alsofighting to defend both the Toms RRiver aand CCedar CCreek against more development andprotect Ocean County’s newest park in Lacey against “Big Box” money’s demand fornew roads. Volunteers are needed to help with these all issues, membership outreach,tabling at local events, fund-raising, and a computer-based voter education program.

FOR MMORE IINFORMATION about our activities and events, please visit our WEBSITE:www.newjersey.sierraclub.org/ocean. Special thanks go to our Web-Master, Rick Washik!


Become active in one of your Group’s conservation campaigns! Attend a Group meeting! Meetings offer interesting speakers and topics, nice fellow-members, and usually food!

9


Oct 55 ((Sun): Please stop by our table at the Cattus IIsland NNature FFestival in TomsRiver. There will be fun for all ages. Show up early to sign up for a kayak or pontoonboat ride. For more details, please contact our Chair Greg Auriemma at 732-451-2770.

Oct 111 ((Sat): Come down and visit us at the Pinelands JJamboree at the Wells MillsPark in Waretown. We will be having 2 hikes within the park. For more time of hikesand more details, please call our Outings Chair Dawn Marie Johns at 732-644-6340.

Oct 118 ((Sat): Please join us for our Foliage HHike. Enjoy the beautiful colors andscenery of the changing of the season. For details on the hiking location, please callour Outings Chair Dawn Marie Johns at 732-644-6340.

Nov 44 ((Tues): Election DDay! Please go out and vote and remember every vote counts!

Dec 119 ((Fri): We will be having our 4th AAnnual HHoliday PParty and Silent Auction at7pm at the “Skywalk Cafe” in the Ocean County Administration Building, 129 HooperAvenue (2nd Floor), Toms River. Join us for food, fun and a chance to get a start onyour holiday gift shopping. If you would like to help out or for more details pleasecontact our Fund Raising Chair Joyce Isaza at 732-604-4583.

We would like to give a special thanks to Domenic Russo of Dusk Till Dawn DJService for donating their entertainment services at our 3rd Annual BBQ FundRaiser on July 19th. For more information of their services please contact Domenicat 732-206-1715 or check out their web site at www.dusktilldawndj.com.

West Jersey Group(Camden, GGloucester aand BBurlington CCounties, aapproximately)

Web ssite: http://mysite.verizon.net/vzev1ujt/

OFFICERS:Group CChair: Gina Carola 856-848-8831 [email protected]: Frank Zinni [email protected]: Ellen Zinni [email protected]: Trish Clements 856-768-5639 [email protected] CChair: Bud Kaliss 856-428-8071 [email protected] Political CChair: Open ppositioon!

Pinelands RRep: Lee Snyder [email protected] CCoord’s: Frank and Ellen Zinni [email protected] CChair: Stacey Ayala [email protected] CChair: Mike Brown 856-547-9221 [email protected] CChair: Reiss Tiffany 856-829-6405 [email protected] GGrowth CChair: Open pposition!

Programs CChair: Open pposition!

Outings CChair: Open pposition!

GENERAAL MMEETINGS: are held at 7:30 pm on the SECOND TUESDAY of each month,at the Unitarian Church, 401 N. Kings Highway (Rte 41), Cherry Hill (located betweenRte 70 and the convergence of Rtes 38 and 73, just north of a traffic light at ChapelAvenue). Handicap accessible parking and entrance in rear of building.

Oct 114: Larissa Smith of the Conserve Wildlife Foundation will present the Bald EEagleMonitoring PProgram.

Nov 111: Dr. Karen O'Neill of Rutgers University will present "Climate CChange aand oourAbility tto MManage WWater.”

Dec 99: HHoliday PPot LLuck SSocial and Year-end Wrap Up. Bring your favorite munchie toshare and join us as we review the progress made in 2008 to protect the environmentand plan for next year’s efforts.

South Jersey Group(Atlantic, CCape MMay, CCumberland aand SSalem CCounties, aapproximately)

OFFICERS:Group, OOutings CChair: Tom Boghosian 609-625-0878 [email protected]: Open PPosition!

Conservation CChair: Open PPosition!

Pol. CChair, CCalendars: Dick Colby 609-965-4453 [email protected] CChair: Gary Roman 609-625-3438Secretary/Treasurer: Julie Akers 856-697-3479 [email protected]

We have a new Cape MMay CCounty CConservation CCommittee, with about 40 folkholding bi-monthly meetings at the Arc of Cape May administrative building: 822Rte 47 in South Dennis. Our meetings are 7-9pm, each with a guest speaker. Thefinal meeting in 2008 will take place on Wed, Nov 12. The Chair is Douglas Jewell,5 Timber Lane, Swainton 08210-1462 (e-mail [email protected], cell phone609-780-7129). Look for our meeting notices in the CMC Herald.

The central conservation issue, for which the South Jersey Group was founded in the1970s, continues to be protection of the Great Egg Harbor Wild & Scenic River, andcontinues to consume the energies of those few officers who remain active both with-in the Sierra Club and in the Watershed Association (GEHWA) that “spun off” from theSouth Jersey Group. Very few of our local members seem interested in the meetingswe’ve scheduled in the past few years; most have been cancelled for lack of interest.For the present, we’ll continue to be listed in this Newsletter, and offer a point of con-tact for Club members in South Jersey who want help with local issues. We stronglyrecommend GEHWA’s website for keeping up with local issues, and for links to manyother local, regional, state and national environmental organizations:www.gehwa.org. If you have topics (and places) for meetings, please let the officersknow about them. We welcome general comments from Club members in SouthJersey. To be placed on a carefully guarded distribution list for local issues and meet-ings, please e-mail [email protected].

Some PPosssibly RRelevant MMeetings oof AAllied OOrganizations:Oct 99: Fall HHistorical RRecollections CCampfire of Citizens United to Protect the MauriceRiver and its Tributaries: Location TBA. (Oct 10 raindate.) For more information con-tact Renee Brecht at 856 305-3238 or [email protected].

Oct 115 (Wed) 77pm: Great Egg Harbor Scenic and Recreational River Council: Bi-monthly meeting, open to the public. Contact Julie Akers, 856-697-6114. Warren FoxNature Center (WFNC*): Atlantic County Park in Estell Manor: Milepost 15 on NJ Rte50, 3 ½ miles south of Mays Landing.

Oct 116 (Thurs) 77pm: Atlantic County Friends of the Parks: Monthly meeting of Friendsof the Parks, a group which works to improve and promote the Atlantic County ParksSystem. A focal point is preservation of historic resources in the parks, along withadvocacy for environmental attributes of parklands in fast-growing Atlantic County. Allare welcome. Contact Julie Akers, 856-697-6114. WFNC*.

Oct 228 (Tues) 77pm: Great Egg Harbor River Watershed Association: Trustees’ meeting,open to the public. Contact Julie Akers, 856-697-6114. WFNC*.

Nov 112 ((Wed) 66:30 ppm: Bi-monthly meeting of Citizens United to Protect the MauriceRiver and its Tributaries: Meeting place: Gant Room, Millville Public Library, 210 BuckStreet. Cumberland CCounty ddevvelopment iissues are commonly discussed, includingart, historical and recreational attributes of the area. Contact Renee Brecht (CU) at856-305-3238 or [email protected].

Nov 220 ((Thurs) 77pm: Atl. County Friends of the Parks: Monthly meeting (See Oct 16).

Nov 225 ((Tues) 77pm: Members’ Meeting of the Great Egg Harbor WatershedAssociation: conservation planning. For more information or to confirm, call JulieAkers, 856-697-6114. WFNC*.

Singles Section(A CChapter-wwide, sspecial iinterest ssection ooffering hhikes/cleanups, ssocial gatherings, mmovies, mmeetings, eetc.)

Please join us! The NJ Singles Section was specifically created to offer a variety of singles-ori-ented activities to NJ Sierra Club members and those who would like to know more aboutus. We are not a local group; we are a statewide additional “layer” of Club involvement.Everyone is welcome to attend our events. Come out and meet fellow Club members andothers who care about the environment. We can only offer as many activities as we havevolunteers to run them – if you have the slightest urge to get involved, please give in to it!Webpage aaddress: hhttp://newjersey.sierraclub.org/Singles/email: [email protected] ((mention ““Sierra CCllub” iin yyour ssubject lline)

The BEST way to be notified of upcoming events is to join our free listserv. Anyonemay subscribe by going to: http://lists.sierraclub.org/archives/NJ-SINGLES-NEWS.htmland clicking on “Join or leave the list”. You may subscribe and unsubscribe at will;directions on how to unsubscribe are at the bottom of each announcement. We rec-ommend joining the listserv as some events are advertised only by email. If you prefernot to receive email, you may view an archive of all prior messages at http://lists.sierr-aclub.org/archives/NJ-SINGLES-NEWS.html.

OFFICERS:Chair: Bob Johnson [email protected] CChair: Joyce Haddad [email protected] CChair: Joe Testa [email protected]: Joyce White [email protected] ddesigner: Tom Miller [email protected] CChair: Joe Prebish [email protected] SSociaal CChair: Jeff Sovelove [email protected]: Open PPosition! Contact us! We need you!Publicity: Open PPosition! Contact us! We need you!Cool CCities CCoordinator: Terry Stimpfel [email protected]: Walter Goldenbaum [email protected]

Volunteer OOpportunities: We need volunteers in all areas of the state to run events.Volunteers needed for the positions of: hike leaders, members of all committees,including social event planners. Please attend an executive committee meeting oremail any of the officers if you are interested. You may co-chair any position with afriend, if desired. We’re happy to help you learn the ropes.

GENERAL MMEETINGS: Casual pizza gathering, introduction to club issues and activi-ties, and letter-writing. SECOND MONDAY of each month (except July/Aug) startingat 7pm with optional pizza, at the Chatham Library (214 Main St). Guest speakers ateach meeting at 7:30 pm. $5 donation at door and RSVP (required for pizza only) tojoycewhite(at)netzero.net or 973-364-7573, ext. 3, by noon the day before. (Pleaseleave name and specify plain or veggie-topping pizza.) Free (and no RSVP required) ifyou’re not having pizza.

Oct 113, NNov 110, aand DDec 88: speakers to be announced.

Directions tto tthe CChatham LLibrary: From I-287 take Rte 24 East to Exit 8 (Summit Ave). Turnleft at the top of the ramp and then left again so you go back onto Rte 24 headed West.Take exit 7A for Chatham and bear right onto Rte 124 (Main St). Follow Main St. through 2lights. The Library is to your right about 1/2 block past the 2nd light. From Parkway take I-78 West to Rte 24 West. Take exit 7A for Chatham and follow above directions.

ExCom MMEETINGS take place once a month at various locations. All welcome. Contactany officer for location.

SOCIAL GGATHERINGS:SOCIAL DDINNER: FIRST WEDNESDAY of each month at 6:30 pm. Join us for dinner inMorristown at the Famished Frog. RSVP required; join our listserv for further details.

SOCIAL DDINNER: THIRD TUESDAY of each month at 7pm. Join us for dinner in aMontclair restaurant. Location will be announced 2 weeks before the social. RSVP isrequired to [email protected] or 973-364-7573 option # 4.

Consider volunteering with the Cool Cities Campaign. The message and method ofempowering groups to manage carbon dioxide emissions are relevant for public andprivate school systems, nonprofit community operations, etc. in New Jersey.Volunteers with diverse skills and contacts are important for environmental success.Sign on now. Want to promote the Cool Cities goals but have limited free time?Contact Terry Stimpfel at [email protected] with your ideas and to learn aboutshort duration assignments.


OCTOBEROct 44 ((Sat): CCoppermine TTrail tto tthe AAT iin tthe DDelaware WWater GGap NNational PPark, WWarren/Sussex CCos:10am. Hike 6 miles. We will ascend along a brook cascade and falls. Then at the Appalachian Trail, nearCamp Rd, we will eat lunch at the AMC’s Camp Mohican. Note: they have indoor rest rooms. Then northon the AT to the Hiller Plaque, with views of the Delaware River and Smithfield Beach. Then descent onthe Kaiser Rd Trail. The hike takes three to four hours plus the visit to Camp Mohican. The elevationranges from 400 ft to 1400 ft. Meet at the Coppermine Trail parking lot on Mine Road. No pets. Hikingboots highly recommended. Bring a day bag with lunch, water and personal first aid, a compass and raingear. Registration is recommended in case of updates: e-mail the leader, Jimi Oleksiak,[email protected]. Directions: I-80 west to the last exit in New Jersey. Stay to the right and look forMine Rd, which runs north along the river. Near the beginning of Mine Rd there is a half-mile-long one-lane section with a traffic light that meters the direction. After the end of the one-lane section go sevenmiles and look for the Coppermine Trail parking lot on the left.

Oct 44 ((Sat): HHolmdel PPark, MMonmouth CCo: 4 pm. Have errands to do on Saturday morning? Let’s go for alate afternoon hike instead. Enjoy a moderately fast, 2.5-mile hike in 564-acre Holmdel Park, close towhere you live and work. Bring water. Hiking boots not required. From Northern/Central NJ head southon the GSP to exit 117A (Aberdeen). Turn right off the ramp and briefly head south on Lloyd Rd beforemaking left on Line Rd. Go 3.1 miles on Line Rd to end. Right on Holmdel Rd for 1.1 miles until first light.Left on Roberts Rd for 0.5 miles. Then another left, pass Longstreet Farm buildings, then left intoHolmdel Park, following signs for Hilltop. Park in Lot 3, near tennis. Rainy weather cancels. Call: JimDavoust for directions, 203-214-9305, or [email protected]. (JS).

Oct 55 ((Sun): SSocial KKayak TTrip, AAtlantic CCo: 9:30 am. We will do the Egg Harbor River and view the bril-liant fall colors along the river. Easy paddle. Wear proper paddling clothes and bring a change of clothes.Pizza party after the trip with volleyball game. Call leader to reserve a kayak, space limited. Meet atPalace Restaurant, 6924 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing. Leader: Paul Serdiuk, 609-462-3593 evenings [email protected].

Oct 66 ((Mon): CCanoe/Kayak oon CCedar CCreek ((Ocean CCo): 9am. We’ll stop to pick cranberries at old bogsas we paddle 10 miles from Dover Forge to Dudley Park. Geo-caching is always an activity on our trips sobring your GPS!! This is a trip for experienced Pinelands paddlers. Contact leaders to confirm trip partici-pation, time and meeting location. Leaders: George & Leona F, 609-259-3734 [email protected]. (W)

Oct 88 ((Wed): CCanoe/Kayak tthe MMullica RRiver ((Burlington CCo.): 9am. We’ll paddle 14 miles from Atsion toPleasant Mills. This is a trip for experienced Pinelands paddlers. Contact leaders to confirm trip participa-tion and logistics. Leaders: George & Leona F, 609-259-3734 or [email protected]. (W)

Oct 110-113 ((Fri-MMon): FFall FFoliage HHiking && CCamping WWeekend ((NY): 10am. Hike and camp at North-SouthLake State Campground at Haines Falls, in the Catskill Mts.. Several hikes are planned, as well as campingin spectacular fall settings. We will visit Sunset Rock, Alligator Rock, and Kaaterskill Falls. The camp-ground is a 2.5-3 hour drive from South Jersey. If you cannot camp out, join us for the hikes either day.Contact leader to reserve a space, or for additional information and directions: Paul Serdiuk, 609-462-3593 eve. Or [email protected].

Oct 111 ((Sat): SSterling FForest FFire TTower RRamble ((NY): 10am. 5 miles, moderate to slow pace. We will dothe Fire Tower Ramble with the option to extend if the group desires. This is a moderately strenuoushike with a considerable amount of climbing. Bring water, lunch, and wear hiking boots. No sneakers.Meet at the Visitors’ Center. See the Sterling Forest website for information and directions: http://nys-parks.state.ny.us/parks/info.asp?parkID=81 . No pets please. Steady/heavy rain cancels. Joint ADK/SierraClub hike. Leaders: Jeffrey Sovelove, [email protected] and Lee Ousley,[email protected] .

Oct 111 ((Sat): MMinisink OOuting - CCrater LLake aand HHemlock PPond ((Sussex CCounty) 9:30 am. Crater Lake is abeautiful, high-elevation Kittatinny lake; nearby Hemlock Pond is isolated and man-made. Finishes by1pm. Bring appropriate supplies of water and snacks. Rain date is the following day. Participants must

Learn more about your environment…take a Sierra Club educational hike!

OutingsOutingsOutingsOutingsGROUP OUTINGS COORDINATORSCentral Jersey: Leona Fluck 609-259-3734 (H)

[email protected] County: David Ogens 973-226-0748 (H)

64 Elm Rd, Caldwell 07003Hudson-Meadowlands: VacantHunterdon: Susan Schirmer 908-996-7722 (H)Jersey Shore: Mike Verange 908-732-8364 (H)

1497 W Front St, Lincroft, NJ 07738 Loantaka: Joyce White 908-272-4478 (H)

[email protected] Jersey: Ellen Blumenkrantz 201-784-8417

[email protected] Jersey: Pat Mangino, [email protected] Valley: VacantSouth Jersey: Tom Boghosian 609-625-0878 (H)

4794 Andorea Drive, Mays Landing, [email protected]

West Jersey: VacantRiver Touring: Fred Tocce 908-453-2205 (H)

Rd 1 Box 277, Washington, NJ 07882 Inner City Outings: Anne Dyjak 732-560-0953 (H)

NJ-ICO, 17 Mt. Horeb Rd, Warren, 07059Chapter Outings: Ellen Blumenkrantz 201-784-8417

[email protected]

Outing Leaders: Please send Jan-Mar 2009 write-ups toyour Group Outings Coordinator before Oct. 30. If you areplanning to lead an outing close to the beginning of one ofour quarterly publication periods, please submit it for theprevious Sierran, due to the occasional lag in mailing. Also,please send outing rosters or sign-up sheets to the ChapterOffice as soon as possible after each outing.

Note: If possible, leaders should send their trip descriptionsto the Group Outings Coordinator instead of directly to theChapter Outings Coordinator. This is particularly importantfor occasional leaders.

Group Outings Coordinators: Please submit your Jan.-Mar., trip write-ups by November 4th.

NOTES ON OUTINGS: All Outings are open to Club mem-bers, guests and anyone interested in outings. Unless oth-erwise specified, the events are free and open to the pub-lic. ALL participants must sign liability waivers on ALL out-ings sponsored by Sierra Club. This is a new policy. Pleasecheck with the leader before bringing small children on anouting. A parent or other responsible adult must accompa-ny persons under 18. At their discretion, leaders may per-mit pets on outings if the event description specificallyincludes bringing pets. Sierra Club outings are arranged by volunteer leaders

who are in charge of the trip and responsible for the safe-ty, welfare and enjoyment of all participants. Leaders

determine qualifications to participate, adequacy ofequipment, routes to be followed, and special precautionsto be taken. Please arrive adequately prepared andequipped. If you have any allergies, please remember tobring your medication. The leader has the final word inthe conduct of the trip. Your cooperation will help assurea safe and pleasant outing.Please arrive early at the meeting place so that the out-

ing can start on time. For day hikes, lunch, water (at leasta liter), extra clothing, rain gear, and emergency equip-ment should be carried in a small daypack. For all excepteasy hikes, sturdy over-the-ankle shoes or boots shouldbe worn. For most trips, you are expected to have yourown equipment. In some cases, it may be rented fromoutdoor/camping suppliers -check the yellow pages orcall the trip leader. If the weather is questionable on thedate of the outing, you may assume that it will take place,unless the schedule indicates otherwise.

Unless registration is required, such as for weekendtrips or river tours, or if you have a question about theouting, it is not necessary to contact the leader beforethe trip. Do not call to join a trip after the posted dead-line date. When phoning a leader, please honor his orher requested calling times and call 3 to 5 days beforethe outing. Please include a self-addressed, stampedenvelope (SASE) when writing to a leader. On populartrips, Sierra Club members will be given preference.

Watercraft trips let you experience the unspoiled parts ofour region, but water safety does impose special require-ments. The size and skill of each party must be appropriate toeach river, so participation in each trip must be at the discretionof the leader. We ask you to register at least one week inadvance. Unless a phone number is provided, please send aSASE with an honest assessment of your paddling experi-ence, whether you need or can offer a ride, your phone num-ber, and any questions you may have. You will receive adescription of the trip, with directions, where you can rent acanoe, and what you will need to bring. Almost all trip leaderscan arrange for partners to share a canoe if you will be comingby yourself. Unless stated otherwise: rental canoes are avail-able, trips do not require advanced paddling skill or exceptionalphysical conditioning, public transportation is not available,non-members may participate, and responsible smokers arewelcome.

If you are a Sierra Club member interested in becoming anOuting Leader or have suggestions for new outings, con-tact your Group Outings Chair or the Chapter OutingsChair for assistance and further information. The SierraGroup contributing each outing is given at the end of thewrite-up, as follows:

(C) Central Jersey (JS) - Jersey Shore (L) - Loantaka (N) - North Jersey (NW) - Northwest Jersey (S) - South Jersey (W) - West Jersey (NJ) - NJ Chapter (H) - Hudson (RV) - Raritan Valley (IC) - Inner City Outings (RT) - River Touring (E) - Essex County (ACOC) - Atlantic Chapter

Outings Comm.

GROUP NEWS(Continued from page 9)

HIKES:Please join our listserver to receive notification of our outings See above for instruc-tions on how to subscribe to the listserver.

Senior Section/Fifty-Plus Section(A cchapter-wwide sspecial iinterest ssection wwhich ooffers aa mmonthly ccalendar oofactivities aand eevents, iincluding hhikes, cclean uups, ssocial ggatherings, aand ootherfunctions wwhich mmight bbe oof iinterest tto tthose mmembers oover ffifty)

The mission of this section is to support Sierra Club goals, and to promote activismthrough letter writing, phone calls, and other active support for environmental issues.

We work through a “List Serve,” by which members learn about current environmen-tal issues, and how they can be supported.

Arline Zatz, who has been active in the Sierra Club, as well as running her own groupcalled “Fun Travels,” has taken over as editor of the Senior Section/Fifty-Plus Section. .She can be reached at [email protected]. and invites members to check her website at www.funtravels.com.for more trips and travel information.

Young Sierrans(A sspecial iinterest ssection ffor SSierra CClub MMembers iin ttheir 220’s && 330’s, pprovid-ing SSocials aand OOutings tto iinspire aa ssense oof ccommunity, aappreciation ffor ttheenvironment, aand iinvolvement iin ppreserving oour ffuture. Many eevents aare oopento aall YYoung SSierrans rregardless oof mmarital sstatus, sso wwhether yyou aare ssingle,dating oor mmarried, pplease ccome jjoin uus!)

Young SSierran wweb ssite: http://newjersey.sierraclub.org/YoungSierrans/

YOUNG SSIERRAN CCOMMITTEE PPOSITIONSHead CChair && CCoordinator: Diana Christine Eichholz [email protected] Vice CChair: William Sevchuk [email protected] Coonservation CChair: Steve Timmerman [email protected] Webmaster: Julie Garber [email protected] Ex-CCom/YS NNational Rep. ((CA) Jackie Enfield [email protected] Northern JJersey YYS RRep. Jim DeSantis [email protected] Outings CChair(Northern JJersey): Open PPosition! Please Contact Us!

Outings CChair (Central JJersey): Leon Yerenburg [email protected]

Outings CChair (South JJersey):: Open PPosition! Please Contact Us!

We need Young Sierran Outing Leaders for all areas, but extra especially for theNorthern and South Jersey areas. We will help you step-by-step through the trainingprocess to properly lead hikes and outdoor activities. Reimbursement, insurance andguidance are provided under the Sierra Club’s membership. If interested contact Chairor Young Sierran Coordinator at [email protected]

EVENTS: Volunteers for events throughout New Jersey wanted. Meet great people inyour area! Publicity provided. Contact Coordinator at [email protected] forinformation.

All Events will be announced via The Young Sierrans’ E-Mail List Serve. To be put onit, send an e-mail to [email protected] with subject heading “Young SierransE-Mail List” — or to subscribe directly go to http://lists.sierraclub.org/archives/NJ-YOUNG-SIERRANS-NEWS.html. Events for 20’s only are available for those wanting tovolunteer to host 20’s only events. Young Sierran Event Volunteers always needed andwelcomed.

Sierra Student Coalition(a ssemi-aautonomous oorganization oof ccollege aand hhigh-sschool sstudents)

National WWebsite: http://www.ssc.org/

Inner City Outings Section(another CChapter-wwide sspecial iinterest aactivity)

OFFICERS:Chair: Marty Cohen 201-670-8383 [email protected] Treasurer: Anne Dyjak 732-560-0953 [email protected]

Inner City Outings is a community outreach program, providing wilderness adven-tures for city youth of New Jersey. Volunteer certified outings leaders conduct outings(generally day-trips) mostly on weekends. If you would like to experience the rewardsof introducing inner-city youth to the wonders of nature, your involvement is encour-aged and you are requested to contact us at [email protected] or theabove e-mail addresses. To learn more, visit our webpage athttp://www.sierraclub.org/ico/newjersey/.

The Sierra Club will be holding an Outings LLeader TTraining WWorkshop, October 10-12, 2008 in Crownsville, MD. The fee is $45, which includes meals, lodging (5-starbunkhouse), training materials, and t-shirt. If you are at all interested in leading forICO now or in the future, this should be a great training opportunity. (The NJICOChair will be in attendance; moreover, NJICO will reimburse the $45 registrationfee to any current or new NJICO-ers who so request). To learn more and to register,surf your way to: http://www.sierraclub.org/outings/training/

Care for more Club involvement? You can sample (and subscribe to) several specialist Club electronic newsletters by logging on to: [email protected], [email protected], www.sierraclub.org/population, and www.sierraclub.org/globalwarming.

The Jersey Sierran: October-December 2008 11


tact leader for information. Leader: Paul Serdiuk: 609-462-3593 eve. or [email protected] . Inclement weath-er cancels.

Nov 22 ((Sun): BBlack CCreek MMountain ((Sussex CCo): 9:30 am. A 10,000-year-old Native American site in theVernon Valley of Black Creek Mountain is home to artifacts of ancient peoples. Jessie Paladino, educatorand former newspaper editor, will speak about the site. Sign up at least 2 days before outing: call HerbWolff at 845-544-2371 or email him at [email protected]. (NW)

Nov 22 ((Sun): CCanoe/Kayak tthe DD&R CCanal ((Mercer/Middlesex CCo): 9am. We’ll paddle 11 miles in a spec-tacular section for fall foliage - Kingston to Amwell Rd. There is one canal lock portage, bring portagewheels if you have them. Meet in Kingston at the D&R Canal State Park, Rte 27. Please contact leaders toconfirm trip and participation. Rentals are not available. Leaders: George & Leona F., 609-259-3734 [email protected]. (C)

Nov 55 ((Wed): CCanoe/Kayak CCedar CCreek ((Ocean CCo): 9am. We voted yesterday and we’ll float today!Water level and weather permitting we’ll paddle from Cedar’s headwaters at Bamber Lake to Dudley Park– 13 miles. This is a trip for experienced Pinelands paddlers. Please contact leaders to confirm trip partici-pation and meeting logistics. Leaders: George & Leona F, 609-259-3734 or [email protected] (W)

Nov 88 ((Sat): PPrinceton ttown aand ccanal 10:30 am. Easy 9-10 mile walk along the canal near Princeton withlunch stop in town, and walk through the campus. Hikers must preregister. Group limit 12people. Contact leader, Ellen Blumenkrantz: [email protected] to preregister. Rain will can-cel. (N)

Nov 88 ((Sat): JJockey HHollow GGrand LLoop, MMorris CCo: 10am. 5 miles, moderate to slow pace. We will do theGrand Loop at Jockey Hollow National Park in Morristown. See http://www.nps.gov/morr/planyourvis-it/directions.htm for directions and information. Bring lots of water, a light snack, and wear hiking boots.Meet at the visitors’ center. Heavy/steady rain cancels. Optional lunch at a local eatery if we get done intime. No pets please. Leaders: Jeffrey Sovelove: [email protected], and Lee Ousley:[email protected]. Joint ADK/Sierra Club hike.

Nov 9 ((Sun): IIsland PPond/Harriman SState PPark ((NY): 10:10 am, meeting in Sloatsburg, NY Moderate hikeincludes a few small hills to/from Island Pond. Hikers must preregister, Group limit 12 people. Contactleader, Ellen Blumenkrantz: [email protected] to preregister. Rain will cancel. (N)

Nov 99 ((Sun): CCanoe/Kayak CCrosswicks CCreek ((Burlington/Mercer CCos): 9am. Fall foliage will be lovely onthe Crosswicks. This is a 14-mile shuttleless trip on the Crosswicks Creek Canoe Trail. We paddle withthe tide from Bordentown to Anchor Thread Park in Groveville. Kayaks must be 12ft or longer. Bringlunch and beverage. At Anchor Thread Park we will again have an interesting presentation about thetown and old mills by Groveville historian Gary Lippincott (www.grovevillememories.blogspot.com/ ).Please contact leaders to confirm trip and participation. Leaders: George & Leona F, 609-259-3734 [email protected]. (C)

Nov 115 ((Sat): SSocial HHike aat TTulip SSprings, EEssex CCo: 10am. Hike 6-7 miles at a moderate pace in the SouthMountain Reservation and see some of the many highlights this 2000-acre tract has to offer including a25-foot waterfall and a spectacular views of New York City and South Jersey. Children 12 years or olderand friendly dogs are welcome. Bring water and light snack and wear hiking boots. After the hike therewill be a optional lunch/hot chocolate at the local diner. Meet in the Tulip Springs parking lot just offCherry Lane (between Northfield Av and South Orange Av in South Orange). A $3 fee will be charged tononmembers. All participants must sign a liability waiver. Rain Cancels. For further information call 973-364-7573 press 2. Leader: Ron Pate: [email protected].

Nov 115 ((Sat): MMoonlight HHike CCampfire& CCampout, BBurl CCo: 7pm. 6 miles at moderate pace. Hike underthe Beaver Moon on moonlit sand roads and return to a roaring fire. Camping is available; call to reservespace. Bring picnic-type food to share at tailgate social after hike. NP/NC. Meet at Bryne State Forestgroup campsite. Enter on Rte 72 1/2 mile from junction of Rtes 70 & 72 . Leader: Paul Serdiuk, 609-462-3593 evenings or [email protected] . Inclement weather cancels.

Nov 115 ((Sat): MMinisink OOuting - WWalpack CCenter ((Sussex CCo): 9:30 am. Walpack Center is a preservedfarming village, a bit smaller than Millbrook, and more recently occupied. The outing will conclude by1pm. We urge participants to bring appropriate supplies of water and snacks. Rain date will be the fol-lowing day. All participants will be required to sign standard Sierra Club waivers. Register at least 2 daysbefore outing by email: [email protected] . (NW)

Nov 115 (Sat): MMuckshaw PPonds PPreserve && oother NNature CConservancy pproperty: FFredon TTwp, SSussexCo: 10am. We’ll visit two different preserves in western NJ that have been purchased/saved by theNature Conservancy. Total walk about 9 miles at a moderate pace. Hikers must preregister, Group limit12 people. Leader: Ellen Blumenkrantz Contact: [email protected] to preregister forhike. Rain will cancel. (N)

Nov 115 ((Sat): AAssunpink CCreek TTrail BBuilding ((Mercer CCo): Rain date – Sunday, Nov 16) see descriptionboxed in Central Jersey Group News. Leader: Dave Mattek: 609-737-1342 or [email protected]. (C)

Nov 115 ((Sat): CCanoe/Kayak tthe DD&R CCanal ((Middlesex CCo): 10am. There may still be fall foliage to enjoyalong the canal as we paddle 9 miles from Amwell Rd to Demott Lane. There are 3 canal lock portages, sobring portage wheels if you have them. This is the 5th and last of the D&R Canal trips; dinner option.Rentals are not available. Contact leaders to confirm trip participation and logistics. Leaders: George &Leona F 609-259-3734 or [email protected]. (C)

Nov 119 ((Wed): CClayton PPark HHike ((Monmouth CCo): 10am. 5 miles, easy/moderate pace. We’ll geo-cachetoo! Dogs are welcome! This rustic 421-acre site in rural Upper Freehold is located amidst the rollingfarmland of western Monmouth County. Bring lunch and beverages. We’ll have lunch after the hike.Directions: I-195 to exit 11 (Imlaystown/Cox’s Corner). Eastbound, turn right and follow to end; west-bound, turn left and follow to end. Turn left onto Rte 526 and make immediate right onto Imlaystown-Davis Station Rd. Follow to Emley’s Hill Rd, turn left. Follow to Park on left. Leaders: Leona and George F.609-259-3734 or [email protected]. (C)

Nov 223 (Sun): MManasquan RRiver RReservoir, MMonmouth CCounty ((Special IInterest: bbirds): 9am. Enjoy an easy 5mile circular hike on one of the largest reservoirs in the area. We may observe water fowl. Bring snacks,drinks, bird books or binoculars. Hiking shoes are not required. This is a great family hike. Meet at the mainentrance to the reservoir on Windeller Rd. Take the GSP to exit 98. Head west on I-195 to exit 28 (Rte 9.) Gonorth on Rte 9. Make first right onto Windeller Rd. The main entrance is 1.5 miles on your left. Meet in theparking area at the far left toward the back. Bad weather cancels. Confirmation/questions please call or text.Leader Mike Verange, 908-902-0718 or [email protected] . (JS)

Nov 330 ((Sun): CCanoe/Kayak WWading RRiver ((Burlington CCo): 10am. Too much turkey and trimmings? Thenwork off that Thanksgiving dinner with this 10-mile paddle from Hawkin Bridge to Beaver Branch, optionfor Evans Bridge takeout at 6 miles. Meeting at Hawkin Bridge. Contact leaders to confirm trip and partici-pation. Leaders: George & Leona F, 609-259-3734 or [email protected] . (W)

Nov 330 ((Sun): HHike WWissahickon GGorge ((PA) 8:30 am. 8 miles at moderate pace over hills and valleys.Hike the Gorge in late fall with its spectacular views. Bring picnic-type food to share at tailgate socialafter hike. Proper hiking shoes required. Meet at 8:30 am in the rear parking lot of Crown Plaza Hotel(formerly Hilton Hotel) on Rte 70, to carpool/caravan to site or meet 9:30am at Valley Green parking lotin park. NP/NC. Leader Paul Serdiuk: 609-462-3593 eve or [email protected] . Inclement weather cancels.

DECEMBERDec. 66 ((Sat): MMeet aat tthe EEssex CCounty EEnvironmental CCenter 10 am. 621B Eagle Rock Av, Roseland.Moderate 4-5 mile hike. Wear water-proof boots & bring a lunch and binoculars. A $5 fee will be chargedto non-members. Rain cancels. Leader: Ron Pate: [email protected]. Directions: I-280 E or W to exit4A. This will put you on Eisenhower Parkway. Make a Right at the first light onto Eagle Rock Ave. TheCenter is 1/2 mile on the left. Plenty of parking before the building.

Dec 77 ((Sun): CCanoe/Kayak CCedar CCreek ((Ocean CCo.): 10am. Cedar is a lovely waterway in the winter;especially with the riverbanks covered in snow. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for an early snowfall. Thetrip is 7 miles from Ore Pond to Dudley Park. Meeting at Double Trouble Park headquarters. Contact lead-ers to confirm trip and participation. Leaders: George & Leona F, 609-259-3734 [email protected]. (W)

Dec 110 ((Wed): PPaddle wwith tthe TTide oon tthe CCrosswicks CCreek/Hamilton-TTrenton-BBordentown MMarsh(Burlington/Mercer CCos): 10:30 am. Paddle from Bordentown Beach to Roebling Park (8 miles roundtrip). Bring lunch and beverage. Optional walk to Spring Lake! Contact leaders to confirm trip and partici-pation. Meet at Bordentown Beach, Park St., Bordentown. Joint with OCSJ. Leaders: George & Leona F609-259-3734 or [email protected]. (C)

Dec 113 (Sat): LLambertville CCanal/town wwalk, HHunterdon CCo: 10am. Easy 10 miles along the canal andDelaware River. Optional dinner stop in/near Lambertville after walk. 12-person limit; hikers must pre-register: leader: Ellen Blumenkrantz: [email protected]. Rain will cancel. (N)

Dec 113 ((Sat): SSherman HHoffman SSanctuary tto JJockey HHollow NNational PPark, SSomerset CCo: 10am. About 6miles in less than 3 hours plus lunch. Some vigorous uphill stretches. Includes sections of the Dogwood,Passaic River and Encampment Trails and the Patriot’s Path. Near the Wick Farm we’ll eat a box lunchthen head back. No pets. Hiking boots recommended. Bring a day bag with lunch, water and personalfirst aid, a compass and rain gear. Registration recommended in case of updates: leader: Jimi Oleksiak,

Our Action Alerts (bulletins on New Jersey environmental issues) are on our website (www.newjersey.sierraclub.org). Click “Take Action.”

sign standard Sierra Club waivers. Sign up at least 2 days before outing: call Herb Wolff at 845-544-2371 oremail [email protected]. (NW)

Oct 112 (Sun): SSouthern AAllaire SState PPark, MMonmouth CCo: (Special Interest: Geology) 9am. 4.5-mile moder-ate hike in the northern fringes of the Pine Barrens. Bring drink and snack. Hiking shoes preferred. Meetat the large dirt parking lot on the right, off Hospital Rd, in Wall Township. Take GPS to exit 98, turn righton to Allenwood Rd. At “T” intersection (Ramhorn Rd) turn right. Make next left (Hospital Rd); the park-ing area is approximately 1 mile on the right. Bad weather cancels. Confirmation/questions call or textleader: Mike Verange, 908-902-0718 or [email protected]. (JS)

Oct 112 ((Sun): CCanoe/Kayak tthe CCrosswicks CCreek/Hamilton-TTrenton-BBordentown MMarsh(Burlington/Mercer CCos): 10:30 am. This is a shuttleless, 8-mile round trip through the Marsh. We’ll pad-dle from Bordentown Beach to Roebling Park where we’ll have our lunch break. After lunch there will bea guided tree walk by Jim Consolloy, the Grounds Manager for Princeton University, who is responsiblefor maintaining the University’s 2300 acres and over 400 species of trees. This is your chance to learnabout the trees of Roebling Park from an expert! Bring lunch, snacks and beverage. Contact leaders toconfirm trip and participation. Joint with OCSJ. Leaders: George & Leona F, 609-259-3734 [email protected]. (C)

Oct 113 ((Mon): CCanoe/Kayak tthe DD&R CCanal ffrom BBulls IIsland tto LLambertville ((Hunterdon/Mercer CCos):10am. We will paddle 8 miles from Bulls Island State Park to Firemen’s Eddy, stopping for lunch atPrallsville Mill and Lock. There are 2 canal lock portages; bring portage wheels if you have them. Contactleaders to confirm trip participation and logistics. Rentals are not available. Leaders: George & Leona F,609-259-3734 or [email protected]. (C)

Oct 115 ((Wed): DDouble TTrouble SState PPark HHike ((Ocean CCo): 10am. 5 miles, easy pace. Join us for a guidedinterpretive walk through Double Trouble Park. Bring lunch and beverage. After hiking we’ll have lunchalong Cedar Creek, option to geo-cache. Dogs are welcome! Meet at Double Trouble Park, Pinewald-Keswick and Double Trouble Rds. Leaders: Leona and George F. 609-259-3734 [email protected]. (C)

Oct 118 ((Sat): NNJAS PPlainsboro PPreserve HHike ((Mercer/Middlesex CCos): 9:30 am. Easy, moderate pace.Enjoy over five miles of trails through mature beech woods, wet meadows, and shoreline of scenic 50-acre McCormack Lake. Bring water & lunch to eat afterwards on outside deck overlooking lake. For direc-tions: www.njaudubon.org/Centers/Plainsboro/Index.html Limited to 10. Preregister with co-leader:Nancy O. 609-275-0737 (no calls after 8pm) or [email protected]. (C)

Oct 118 ((Sat): CCanoe TTrip oon tthe PPassaic RRiver, EEssex CCo: 9:30 am. Canoe 4 hours at a steady pace observ-ing the wildlife and natural settings. Not for beginners. Bring water, picnic lunch and comfortable clothes.Meet promptly at the Canoe garage next to the Environmental Center on Eagle Rock Ave in Roseland, 1/2mile west of the intersection of Eisenhower Pkwy and Eagle Rock Av. RESERVATIONS REQUIRED. A limit-ed number of canoes are available at $15 per seat ($20 for non-members). Older children are welcomeand can sit in the middle. Rain cancels. For further information call 973-364-7573 press 2. Leaders: RonPate, [email protected], and Walter Goldenbaum, [email protected]. Reply [email protected] for reservations/additional info.

Oct 118 ((Sat): FFall FFoliage HHike - tto BBear PPond, nnear LLake HHopatcong ((Sussex CCounty): 11am. 5-mile roundtrip, moderate difficulty, on section of new Highlands Trail to a beautiful body of water in autumn splen-dor. Bring lunch and water. Group limit of 12. Rain date following day (Sun). Leader: Herb Wolff. Registerby e-mail: [email protected] ; 845-544-2371. (NW)

Oct 118 ((Sat): CCanoe/Kayak TThe OOswego RRiver ((Burlington CCo.): 9am. This is the Chatsworth CranberryFestival weekend – check their website www.cranfest.org. We’ll paddle the “Jewel of the Pinelands,” floatingthrough the extensive white cedar and pitch pine forests that border the Oswego River. Rentals availablefrom Pine Barrens Canoe Rental: 609-726-1515 or www.pinebarrenscanoe.com. Contact leaders to confirmtrip participation and logistics: George & Leona F, 609-259-3734 or [email protected] . (W)

Oct 119 ((Sun): RRiverline RRamble ((Burlington CCo): Meet 11:30 am at the Bordentown RiverLINE train sta-tion. We’ll take the 11:55 am train to Riverton, for a walk to the Delaware River, passing the historicRiverton Yacht Club as we continue to Palmyra. We’ll stop at the Broad Street Pub for lunch and refresh-ments. After lunch we’ll board the RiverLINE and return to Bordentown. We can also continue on thetrain through the Marsh to Trenton and see the new Trenton Train Station. Train tickets are $1.35 for atwo hour period and a new ticket will need to be purchased in Palmyra. Parking is free at theBordentown Train Station. (Rain cancels.) Leader: Don Carlo, 609-586-4357 or [email protected]. (C)

Oct 119 ((Sun): CCanoe/Kayak tthe DD&R CCanal ffrom LLambertville tto CCadwalader PPark ((Mercer CCo): 9am. Join usfor our inaugural trip from Firemen’s Eddy to historic Cadwalader Park in Trenton. Cadwalader Park wasdesigned by the famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, whose most famous work is New YorkCity’s Central Park. As we paddle into Cadwalader Park we will be greeted by a member of the CadwaladerPark Alliance for a guided tour. Check their website, www.cadwaladerpark.com. The trip is 11 ½ miles with alunch stop at Washington Crossing Park. Bring lunch, snacks and beverage. There are 2 portages; bringportage wheels if you have them Contact leaders to confirm trip participation and logistics. Rentals are notavailable. Leaders: George & Leona F, 609-259-3734 or [email protected]. (C)

Oct 222 ((Wed): CCanoe/Kayak oon tthe NN. BBranch RRancocas CCreek ((Burlington CCo.): 9am. October isPinelands Month and the Rancocas will have beautiful foliage on this trip. We’ll paddle the 14-mile CanoeTrail from BCCC to Mount Holly. Meet at the Vincentown Diner on Rte 206 – arrive early for breakfast.Contact leaders for trip participation and logistics. Leaders: George & Leona F, 609-259-3734 [email protected]. (W)

Oct 224-226 ((Fri-SSun): AAlpine IInn, CCatskill MMts, NNY. Fall Hiking Weekend: Hikers can explore and photo-graph the scenic mountain beauty of the miles of spectacular state maintained trail system covering thisnotable mountain range. Our several hiking trips offered each day are rated from easy to difficult. In theevening by fireside we plan a great mountaineering color slide program and/or a magic show. Excellentaccommodations and gourmet food! Cost for 2 nights lodging, 2 breakfasts, 1 dinner and one trail lunchincluding taxes & gratuities: $240. This is a joint trip of the AMC, and Sierra Club. Leader: Al Tatyrek (eve:973-763- 2303 - no calls after 10pm); Dara Sullivan, co-leader: 718-343-1063. Send transportation info,activities planned and other info with $100 deposit per person and SASE to our co-leader andregistrar: Peter Beck, 201-274-4471, or 212 Perry St, Dover NJ 07054. Balance of payment is due on arrivalat the Alpine Inn. Complete info is at www.geocities.com/petebeck_00/catskills.

Oct 224-226. ((Fri-SSun): HHiking && CCamping WWeekend, LLehigh GGorge SSP, PPA: 10am. 6 miles, mod-strenuous.Hike Mt. Pisah on Sat with beautiful views of the Lehigh River and the town of Jim Thorpe. Sunday: hikeor mountain bike the Switchback Trail along the River. Contact leader for meeting place and time forboth hikes. Camping Fri & Sat nights at Mauch Chunk Lake SP. Or just come up for hike or bike portion.NP/NC. Great time to be in the Pocono Mts. Contact leader for additional info. Leader: Paul Serdiuk: 609-462-3593 eve. or [email protected].

Oct 225 ((Sat): LLakota WWolf PPreserve ((Sussex CCo): 9:30 am. In what is becoming an annual visit, the groupwill observe Tundra, Timber, and Arctic wolves as well as foxes and bobcats in a natural setting. Forsignup, call Herb Wolff at 845-544-2371 or email [email protected]. (NW)

Oct 225 ((Sat): RRoebling PPark MMarsh CCleanup ((Mercer CCo): 9am–12noon. Bring gloves if you have them,water to drink; wear long sleeves, long pants. Meet at Spring Lake - Roebling Park (end of Sewell Av.,Hamilton (Rain cancels.) Leader: Terry Stimpfel, [email protected] or 609-731-7016. (C)

Oct 226 ((Sun): PPaddle tthe DD&R CCanal ffrom LLawrenceville tto KKingston ((Mercer CCo): 9am. 11 miles on the maincanal from Cherry Tree Lane to Kingston. Our trip has no portages. This is a very pretty section to enjoy fallfoliage. Bring lunch, snacks and beverage. Contact leaders to confirm trip participation and logistics. Rentalsare not available. Leaders: George & Leona F, 609-259-3734 or [email protected]. (C)

Oct 226 (Sun): PPine MMeadow Lake/Harriman SState PPark ((NY): 10:10 am. Meet in Sloatsburg, NY. Beautiful 8-9-mile moderately paced loop along streams and up to a great viewpoint and Pine Meadow Lake for thelast of the Fall colors. Hikers must preregister, Group limit 12 people. Contact leader: Ellen Blumenkrantz:[email protected] to preregister. Rain will cancel. (N)

NOVEMBERNov 11 ((Sat): NNorvin GGreen SState FForest oon tthe HHighlands TTrail, PPassaic CCo: 10am. Hike 7 miles, beginningat the Highlands Pool near the Weis Ecology Center. We will ascend High Point on the Blue Trail, then fol-low the Highlands Trail south to Yoo-Point, Carris Hill, Chikahoki Falls, and the Otter Hole. Then back onthe Otter Hole (Green) trail to the Weis Ecology Center. The trail is very rocky and strenuous with greatviews. Meet at the Highlands Pool parking lot. No pets. Hiking boots highly recommended: Bring a daybag with lunch, water and personal first aid, a compass and rain gear. Registration is recommended incase of updates: e-mail the leader, Jimi Oleksiak: [email protected] . Directions: I-287 North to exit 57,Skyline Drive. Turn left and go 5.2 miles north on Skyline Drive to Greenwood Lake Turnpike and make aleft. Go 1.9 miles and make a right onto West Brook Rd, which takes you across and along the WanaqueReservoir. Go 1.5 on West Brook and stay left (avoiding Stonetown Rd on the right), go another .5 mileand turn left on Snake Den Rd. Go .5 mile on Snake Den Rd just past the entrance to the Weis EcologyCenter, to the Highlands Pool parking lot on the right.

Nov 11 ((Sat): SSunset HHike, SStar GGaze aand CCamp iin BBurl CCo: 4pm. 6 miles at moderate pace. Hike betweentwo rivers as we watch the sun set over the pines. We come back to our tailgate social and then meetwith the Willingboro Astronomical Society to view Uranus, Neptune, stars and galaxies. NP/NC. Bring pic-nic-type food to share, blanket or chair to sit on. Dress for the weather. Meet at the northern parking lotBatsto Village, Rte 542, 8 miles east of Hammonton, Overnight camping is available at Bass River SP; con-

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Visit our Website: www.newjersey.sierraclub.org. The “Committees/Initiatives” menu includes a list of legislative bills we’ve evaluated, and an introduction to our Cool Cities Program.

12

OUTINGS(Continued from page 11)

Chapter Office 609-656-7612145 West Hanover Street, Trenton 08618

fax: 609-656-7618

Chapter Director: Jeff [email protected]

Program Assistant: Becca [email protected]

Outreach Coordinator: Grace [email protected]

If no one is in the office to take your call, pleaseleave a message on the answering machine.Please SPELL YOUR LAST NAME, and statewhether the phone number you leave is for daytimeor evening.

Upcoming ExCom Meetings:All members are welcome to attend thesemonthly statewide policy deliberations, heldon SECOND SATURDAYS. Details, includ-ing agendas and travel instructions, areavailable from Ken Johanson, the ChapterChair. (Best confirm!)

Oct 11 and Nov 8 at the New Brunswick PublicLibrary (60 Livingston Ave.)

Conservation and/or Political Committee meet-ings usually start at 10am. Lunch is shared atnoon. The main meeting starts at 1pm. Wesometimes continue discussions informallyover dinner at a nearby restaurant, at 5pm.

NEW JERSEY CHAPTERLEADERSHIP

* Indicates Chapter-wide elected ExCom members.** Indicates committee chair or co-chair

Chair* Ken Johanson (908) [email protected] Laurel Drive, New Providence NJ 07974-2421

Vice-Chair and Vice-TreasurerSunil Somalwar [email protected] S Park Av, Highland Park NJ 08904-2954

Conservation Chair*Laura Lynch (609) [email protected] Lumar Rd., Trenton, NJ 08648-3127

Political Chair* Rich Isaac (973) [email protected] Fellswood Dr., Livingston NJ 07039-2235

Political Vice-ChairRandy Gill (732) [email protected]

Secretary* Bonnie Tillery (609) [email protected] Sawmill Rd, Hamilton NJ 08620

Treasurer*George Denzer (609) [email protected] Dey Road, Cranbury NJ 08512-5418

Outings ChairEllen Blumenkrantz (201) [email protected] Carlson Court, Closter NJ 07624

Newsletter EditorDick Colby (609) [email protected] Liverpool Av, Egg Harbor City NJ 08215-1319

WebmasterGeorge Newsome (732) [email protected]

Membership ChairChris Mills (973) [email protected]

Group Effectiveness ChairRich Isaac (see above)

Council Delegate*Jane Tousman (908) [email protected] Butler Rd., Edison NJ 08820-1007Alternate: Rich Isaac - (see above)

Student Outreach CoordinatorJeff Huppert (973) [email protected]

Atlantic Coast Ecoregion DelegateGreg Auriemma (732-451-9220)[email protected]

NY-NJ Trail Conference Delegate*Mike Herson (201-262-9472)[email protected]

Legal ChairBill Singer, Esq. (908) [email protected]

Other ExCom members at large* Laura Bagwell (732) [email protected]

* Lee Snyder (609) [email protected]

Regional Issues CommitteeJoan Denzer** (see George Denzer, above),Bob Johnson, George Denzer

Fundraising CommitteeKen Johanson**, Joan and George Denzer,Sunil Somalwar

Personnel CommitteeJoan Denzer**, Sunil Somalwar, KenJohanson, Laura Bagwell, George Denzer

Legislative CommitteeKen Johanson**, Dave Mattek, Carolyn Freeman,Carey Huff, Tim Palmer

Litigation Oversight CommitteeKen Johanson**, Carolyn Freeman

Finance CommitteeGeorge Denzer**, Sunil Somalwar, Ken Johanson

Information Technology CommitteeSunil Somalwar**, George NewsomeBob Johnson, Laura Lynch

Facilities (office, meeting sites)George Denzer**, Joan Denzer, BobJohnson, Sunil Somalwar, Bonnie Tillery

Issue CoordinatorsClean Air IssuesBob Campbell (973) [email protected]

Delaware River IssuesGina Carola (856) [email protected] Elberne Av, Westville NJ 08093-1715

Environmental JusticeZoe Kellman (201) [email protected]

Global Warming Sunil Somalwar (see left column)

Cool CitiesFaith Teitelbaum (732-229-0553)[email protected]

Stefano Crema [email protected]

Highlands IssuesMike Herson (see left column)

Marine Issues Greg Auriemma (see left column)

Passaic RiverDavid Yennior (973) [email protected]

Pinelands IssuesLee Snyder (see left column)

Population IssuesBonnie Tillery (see left column)

Recycling IssuesDavid Yennior (see above)

Sprawl IssuesJane Tousman (see left column)

Tiger Conservation IssuesSunil Somalwar (see left column)

Trail IssuesDave Mattek (609) [email protected] 1/2 Park Av, Pennington NJ 08534-2313

Transportation IssuesBob [email protected] Summit Ave #32, Summit NJ 07901

Utah IssuesJohn Kashwick (201) [email protected]

Dick Colby ([email protected]) .............EditorKaren Brown ([email protected]) .........Designer

Editorial Board: George and Joan Denzer, Rich Isaac, Ken Johanson, Laura Lynch,

Paul Sanderson, Sunil Somalwar, Bonnie Tillery and Jeff Tittel.

The Jersey Sierran appears in January, April, July and October.

The deadline for copy is on the 10th of the month, two months before appearance.

Members are cordially invited to propose articles, essays, letters, poetry and artwork.

(Group/Section News columns are prepared byGroup/Section Chairs; Outings are vetted by the Chapter

Outings Chair, Ellen Blumenkrantz.)

Opinions, unless otherwise attributed, are of the writer only.Advertised products and services carry no Club endorsement.

The JerseySIERRANSIERRAN Members please send address changes:To [email protected], orSierra Club Membership85 Second St, 2nd FloorSan Francisco CA 94105,or 415-977-5653, andNJ Sierra Club, 145 West Hanover St.Trenton NJ 08618

Prospective advertisers:see instructions:http://newjersey.sierraclub.org/njs_sierran/njs_advertise.asp

Printed by Redmond Press, Denville, NJPeriodical postage paid at Princeton NJ.

The Jersey Sierran is published quarterly bythe Sierra Club’s New Jersey Chapter, 145 West Hanover St, Trenton NJ 08618

Copyright 2008

Permission to reprint (with sourceacknowledgement) is granted to other Sierra Club entities.

Vol. 37, No. 4 • Fall, 2008

Thank you to all who contributed to this issue!This newsletter is produced mostly by volunteers.

4000

[email protected] . Directions: I-287 exit 30B, N Maple Av. At the traffic light go across Rte 202 pastthe Van Dorans Mill; then the road turns left and go about .5 mile. Veer right at the intersection withChilds Rd. Go one mile on Hardscrabble Rd where the road turns left near the Audubon Society entranceon the right. Don’t take the Audubon entrance road but continue 200 yards to the “visitors parking lot”on the right, a gravel lot with a bulletin board. 51 Hardscrabble Rd, Bernardsville.

Dec 113 ((Sat): MMoonlight HHike, CCampfire aand CCampout, BBurl. CCo: 7pm. 7 miles at moderate pace. Enjoy aspring moonlight hike in the Pines under the Cold Moon on a new route and return to a roaring camp-fire. Bring picnic-type food to share at tailgate social after hike. NC/NP. Meet at Atsion Lake: from Rte 206take Atsion Rd. west 1 mile to Goshen Pond Group site sign, turn left, go to camping area. Camping isavailable; call to reserve space. Leader: Paul Serdiuk, 609-463-3593 evenings or [email protected]. Inclementweather cancels.

Dec 114 ((Sun): VValley FForge NNational PPark ((PA): 8 am. 6 miles at moderate pace. Hike the National Parkand experience the hardships of our forefathers. Revolutionary re-enactors will be present to portray lifein the early days. We will go to Manayunk Brewery for their breakfast buffet after hike. Meet in rear park-ing lot of Crown Plaza Hotel on Rte 70, Cherry Hill (former Hilton Hotel) to carpool/caravan at 8am ormeet at upper level parking lot at park’s visitors center by restroom entrance at 9am. Leader PaulSerdiuk, 609-462-3593 evenings or [email protected]. Inclement weather cancels.

Dec 117 ((Wed): HHistoric SSmithville PPark HHike aand HHoliday MMansion TTour ((Burlington CCo): 10am. 5 miles,easy/ moderate pace. Dogs are welcome! Hike the grounds of this historic Smithville, known for theSmithville-Mount Holly Bicycle Railroad. The 290-acre park features a diverse collection of habitats andterrain, upland forests and meadows. Bring lunch and beverage. Option for guided tour of SmithvilleMansion after the hike (small fee). Meet at the Smith’s Woods access parking lot. Take Rte 38 toSmithville Rd in Easthampton Twp. Follow signage along Smithville Rd to East Railroad Av. Leaders:George & Leona F 609-259-3734 or [email protected]. (C)

Dec 221 ((Sun): CCelebrate tthe WWinter SSolstice oon tthe WWading RRiver ((Burlington CCo.) 10am. We’ll paddle 6miles from Hawkin Bridge to Evans Bridge. Join us for our annual solstice celebration as the sun beginsanew its journey to longer days. Meet at Hawkin Bridge. Contact leaders to confirm trip and participa-tion. Leaders: George & Leona F, 609-259-3734 or [email protected]. (W)

Dec 224 ((Wed): SSearch ffor SSanta OOn TThe NN. BBranch RRancocas CCreek ((Burlington CCo.) 9am. Wear yourSanta hat as we look for Santa on the 10-mile Rancocas Canoe Trail from Burlington County CommunityCollege to Smithville. Meet at the Vincentown Diner (Rte 206) – arrive early for breakfast. Contact lead-ers to confirm trip participation and logistics. Leaders: George & Leona F, 609-259-3734 or [email protected]. (W)

JANUARY 2009Jan 11, 22009 ((Thur): CClayton PPark UUpper FFreehold TTownship, MMonmouth CCo. (Special Interest:History) 9am. Ring in the New Year. A moderate 6-mile hike in one of Monmouth County ParkSystem’s best kept secrets. Moderate elevation gains. Hiking shoes not required. Bring snack anddrink. Meet at the Wawa store near the intersection of County Rte 537 and I-195. Bad weather orsnow cover cancels. Confirmation/questions call or text Leader: Mike Verange, 908-902-0718 [email protected]. (JS)

All CCreatures GGreat aand SSmall

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