By ANDREW MARTINS

Staff Writer

PLUMSTED A draft permit that would allow for the creation of a surface water discharge system was recently issued by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and is being touted by officials as a milestone for the New Egypt Redevelopment Plan.

The permit, which awaits final approval from the DEP, is one step of many needed by Plumsted in order to begin work on a sewer system that would serve downtown New Egypt and facilitate the construction of about 100 age-restricted homes on Province Line Road.

Municipal officials said the DEP permit will pave the way for the installation of a tertiary waste water treatment plant at 933 Route 537. Plans indicate the plant would release clean, treated water into Crosswicks Creek.

Business Administrator Ronald Dancer has said in the past that a sewer system would not be feasible without a surface water discharge system.

Mayor Jack Trotta said failing waste water systems in the area have caused raw sewage to make its way into Crosswicks Creek and Oakford Lake.

A sewer system will eliminate this from happening, giving us cleaner water in the lake and creek, Trotta said. This benefits not only the water in our area, but all the way downstream.

The draft permit sets limits for the system, including the acceptable amounts of phosphorous, nitrates, total dissolved solids and heavy metals found in the treated water.

A statement released by the Plumsted Municipal Utilities Authority (PMUA) said the township is proposing to employ an advanced membrane filtration process in the treatment plant that would use ultraviolet disinfection processes before releasing the treated water into the creek.

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Plumsted takes a step toward treatment plant

Theres an upside and a downside to extending sewer lines.

The potential benefits of sewer line extensions wastewater problems solved for good, septic system pumping and repairs relegated to history, property values increased brought residents of two neighborhoods, the Soundview area and New Street, to last Thursdays Water Pollution Control Authority meeting.

And potential problems that seem almost certain to come with sewer line extensions pressure for more development, affordable housing projects that brush aside density limits using the states zone-busting statute 8-30g brought out worried members of the Planning and Zoning Commission.

When we get rainfall, we definitely get some sort of odor. Im assuming its septic odor, a Wilton Road West resident said.

We have pumped frequently. I want to say maybe six times last year.

A sewer line extension could be a big help to the area Soundview Road, Wilton Road West, Creamery Lane, and Marcardon Avenue which has smaller lots and a high water table.

But extending sewers to new areas the Soundview neighborhood off south Main Street, or New Street, west of north Main Street could cause headaches for planning and zoning authorities.

From a planning and zoning perspective, once it becomes served, it becomes a potential property for affordable housing, said Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Rebecca Mucchetti.

This is always an issue, said Water Pollution Control Authority Chairman Amy Siebert, the push-me pull-you of development.

In all, 21 people spoke 13 residents, six members of the Planning and Zoning Commission, Town Sanitarian Ed Briggs, and a lawyer for Bennetts Pond developer Eureka V LLC.

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Sewer lines: Extending them solves problems, but creates others

Published: Saturday, December 13, 2014 at 11:12 p.m. Last Modified: Saturday, December 13, 2014 at 11:12 p.m.

Advocates for the referendum say the strong Election Day showing 75 percent support is a statement that voters want officials in Tallahassee to reinstate money for conservation programs that had proven track records for decades before they were largely defunded in the wake of the recession.

Those initiatives include Florida Forever, which once received $300 million annually, the Florida Communities Trust land acquisition fund for local governments and environmental nonprofits, Save Our Rivers and the Surface Water Improvement and Management Program for impaired water bodies.

Will Abberger, the campaign manager of the political committee that launched the voter petition drive to get the referendum on the ballot, said Amendment 1 is intended to put additional wildlife habitat and land near water resources into protection and to meet unfunded needs to manage conservation land through ecological restoration, the removal of invasive plant species and the provision of public access, including trail systems. The cleanup of Indian River Lagoon and the restoration of the Everglades are specific large projects in the mix, he said.

Skeptical conservation advocates, the Alachua County Commission and the Florida Association of Counties have all come out in opposition to the possibility of the Legislature and governor using money set aside by the amendment at least 33 percent of the revenues raised from the state document stamp tax on real estate transactions and loan documents to replace any of what the state currently spends on beach re-nourishment, springs protection or other environmental programs.

Some of the driving forces behind Amendment 1, including Abberger and Alachua County Commissioner Robert Hutch Hutchinson, also do not want to see millions of dollars set aside by the amendment put toward the construction or expansion of sewer systems on the rationale that they protect the springs by taking out nitrate-seeping septic tanks.

It remains to be seen what will happen with Amendment 1 funds next session or over the next 20 years, when projections have the measure generating anywhere from $10 billion to $18 billion.

Two lawmakers representing Alachua County, state Rep. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, and state Sen. Rob Bradley, R-Orange Park, said they want robust discussion and public input before making a decision.

I think it is way too premature for any of us in the Legislature to make judgments until we hear from our colleagues and from the citizens of the state of Florida on what is the appropriate use of these funds, Bradley said.

At this point, there are several indications that some of the money could indeed end up going toward sewer projects or other areas that amendment proponents feel have questionable conservation value.

Link:
Conservationists wonder where Amendment 1 funds will go

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Take a few minutes to read through our information section for common concerns regarding septic tank systems.

Know What Not To Flush

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Septic Tank Cleaning Jacksonville, NC | Sewer Cleaning ...

Eden Prairie, Minnesota Birchwood Technologies announces introduction of the new NEAR-ZERO water recycler for use in new and existing TRU TEMP low temperature black oxide finishing lines.

Designed to reduce rinse water consumption up to 99 percent, the NEAR-ZERO system allows the user to recycle and re-use process rinse water by filtering out free and emulsified oil and detergent residues. The system maintains rinse water pH at a near neutral level for continual reuse.

The NEAR-ZERO system provides TRU TEMP black oxide process users a cost-effective way to conserve water, particularly in areas where water use is restricted or where normal water and city sewer services are not easily accessed. For example, a normal TRU TEMP black oxide process line with 100 gallon tanks utilizes three flowing rinse tanks, each requiring a flow rate of about two gallons of water per minute. When operated for one shift per day for a month, the total water consumption is about 63,000 gallons all going to city sewer as non-hazardous discharge. Though the actual cost of this volume of water is usually modest, a flowing rinse system may not be a viable option for all users.

The Near-Zero Water Recycler allows the user to recycle and re-use the water in the rinse tanks for about a month. Then the Near-Zero filter media is changed, and all three rinse tanks are changed and re-filled with clean water, and the monthly cycle starts over. Total water consumption equals 300-500 gallons a 99% reduction.

The NEAR-ZERO water recycling system is designed for TRU TEMP process lines of all sizes and is completely pre-engineered for fast setup. The NEAR-ZERO system has easy to operate controls and has an enclosed cabinet with a spill containment base. The system can be integrated into most TRU TEMP tank lines in only a few minutes.

The NEAR-ZERO Water Recycling System is an important new option for metal finishers in water-restricted areas. These include small shops on septic systems, sewer districts that restrict total water volume, or in plants where the blackening line is located in a warehouse without water/sewer hookups. In all instances, the Near-Zero Water Recycling System can be installed on a new process line, or added to an existing line as a retrofit. The new system can make the difference between successful in-house blackening and no blackening at all.

Want more information? See at: http://www.birchwoodtechnologies.com Email: info@birchwoodtechnologies.com

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Water Recycler works with black oxide process.

Members of the Hiawatha Pageant Park Commission have created a to do list of things they want to accomplish over the next year.

The list includes items that would establish the park, such as the development of the existing wildlife and nature trail; the development of a butterfly habitat, accomplished by not spraying the milkweed that has established; the completion of research on Club House renovation costs versus building something new; and holding a Clean-up the Park day that community members could participate in, while also cleaning-up the lake of sunken debris and exploring what it would take to stock it with fish.

Meanwhile, the commission also wants to promote usage of the park by holding new events, such as a Fall Fest in October 2015, while reviewing entertainment venues they want to continue to promote or expand.

We have endless opportunities, said Greg Carrow, commission member. We just have to figure out how were going to do everything.

The city of Pipestone took ownership of the former Pageant grounds earlier this year, named it Hiawatha Pageant Park, and convened the seven-member commission that serves in an advisory capacity to the City Council on park policies, procedures, usage, maintenance and fundraising.

ome of the changes that have occurred since the commission began meeting has been the approval of signage that would notify the public not to climb on the cliffs, not to hunt in the park and to keep motorized vehicles confined to improved surfaces only. In addition, security lighting has been ordered and the City Council approved funding last month to connect the property to city sewer, instead of the private onsite septic system that currently serves the property. The sewer line was expected to be installed the week of Dec. 1.

Through consensus, the commission also agreed that the Fourth Street entrance would be the parks main entrance, with the more visible Hiawatha Avenue entrance used only for events.

During the commissions latest Nov. 24 meeting, more information was presented on costs for renovating the existing Clubhouse. The commission is considering the best option for the future: a renovation or a tear-down/rebuild.

Scott Swanson, who is also the citys Public Works director, said he had received a ballpark estimate from a contractor that to stud, insulate and sheetrock the Club House, the cost would be under $20,000.

Hell bring prices to a future meeting on different-sized building packages.

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Commission charts future of Hiawatha Pageant Park

NEWS

Citys ultimate goal is to clean up Guadalupe River

Posted YESTERDAY, 5:48 PM Updated YESTERDAY, 6:55 PM

Weather Authority Meteorologist/Reporter

INGRAM, Texas - Infrastructure can often be taken for granted, as many Texas cities have sewers and wastewater systems. Not all, though, have that luxury.

Ingram, a small town located just outside Kerrville, was without a wastewater system for many years.

Now, the town has spent the better part of a decade transitioning from septic systems to community sewer lines.

"It has been a long journey to get here and there's going to be more to come, said Ingram Mayor James Salter.

A long journey may be an understatement. The city first delved into the process in 2002, after receiving a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture. From there, Ingram has faced more than a decades worth of bureaucratic minutiae in a fight to find funding and support.

"Our city secretary is deluged with paperwork, said Salter.

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Ingram in midst of decade-long wastewater struggle

The West River Watershed Coalition wants its namesake to be designated a state greenwayand members are trying to get all the cities in the watershed on board before it makes its case to the state.

At recent meetings of the Board of Alders City Services and Environmental Policy Committee and the City Plan Commission, New Haven moved a step closer toward authorizing Mayor Toni Harp to sign the West River Watershed Compact that would be a formal agreement of cooperation. The coalition also wants the citys support in asking the state to designate the West River a regional greenway. Both the committee and the commission gave favorable reports in support of signing such a compact. The proposal is now in the hands of the full board for approval.

The coalition is making similar appeals to officials in Bethany, Hamden, Woodbridge, and West Haven. They are all a part of the West River Watershed, which is the land through which all water in the region drains through to the New Haven Harbor. The West River Watershed is 34 square miles; it stretches 25 miles from Lake Bethany to the New Haven Harbor, according to information provided by the coalition. For years now environmentalists have pursued improvement projects along the West River, from revamping the Edgewood Park duck pond and installing self-regulating tide gates to removing the Pond Lily dam.

Martha Smith, a member of the West River Watershed Coalition (pictured addressing alders), said the coalition is seeking the compact and the designation for the river as a greenway as one more symbol that the members of the coalition work together. It also might help the watershed secure state grant funding for projects related to clean water, access, economic development and transportation, she said.

It depends on the type of greenway, but for our greenway along the West River it will be helpful applying for watershed and community grants, she said in a follow-up email. In many of these grant proposal requirements, there is a desire to see that project efforts are being performed in partnership with other organizations. Funders want to know that a project has broad support and when its evident that there has been enough of the broad organizing presence to obtain the greenway designation, it gives stronger credence that partners are working together.

Smith, along with coalition members Stacy Spell (pictured center in the top photo next to Smith) of the West River Neighborhoods Services Corporation and Joel Tolman (pictured left of Spell) of Common Ground High School, represented the coalition at the City Services and Environmental Policy Committee meeting.

The coalition is in the early stages of developing a watershed management plan. The plan is focused on issues of water quality, which can be caused by including combined sewer overflows, pet and animal waste, and even leaky septic systems.

Spell said the coalition has brought together organizations and individuals that might not normally work together and given them an opportunity to speak with one voice. Spell said the coalition has also been instrumental in educating the public, including children about the history and the ecology of a natural resource in their neighborhood.

They see the children every day, but never had a chance to be out there on it, he said of the children. It changes their mindset toward the river.

The impact on children caught the attention of Morris Cove Alder Sal DeCola said, That is a great thing, particularly for our inner city children.

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Greenway Designation Pursued For West River

A long-awaited project is about to come to fruition as Symphony Animal Foundation is hoping to be open by Christmas.

Founder Laraine Harper said if Wulfenstein Construction paves the parking lot this week, as is scheduled, shell be ready for the final inspections and getting her certificate of occupancy.

The project began five years ago when Harper filed for a nonprofit status. The idea for a no-kill shelter is a result of the loss of her two beloved St. Bernards.

Im so thankful to have had them in my life and I want this shelter to be a tribute to them, Harper said. I loved them so much.

She said age and illness catches up quickly to larger breeds and if they live eight to 10 years, they have lived a long life.

After her nonprofit status was approved, Harper went before the County Commission to ask for a parcel of land the foundation could lease. Commissioners offered her two acres off of Siri Lane on a two-year lease but were going to require approximately two blocks of street to be paved.

There were other issues, including the astronomical cost of bringing water, sewer and power to the property.

I dont have that kind of money, Harper said.

She consulted with whom she calls the smartest man alive and her mentor, Ray Wulfenstein. Ray told me it was impossible.

Harper had three 24 x 60 double-wide trailer shells donated to her by Nye County Emergency Services several years ago when the project seemed to be spinning its wheels. The original buildings were donated to the emergency services by the Nye County School District to use as offices. It donated the remaining three to her foundation.

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No-kill shelter hoping for an early Christmas

Conservation issues are one area where the governor and state legislators could bring Michiganders back together.

Michiganders are in love with their state. We love our Great Lakes, dunes, forests, rivers, fields and inland lakes. Our sense of identity is tied to our favorite natural places. With that spirit in mind, here are few issues that together would constitute a strong conservation agenda, grow the economy, and unite Michiganders behind a shared sense of place and love for Michigans outdoors.

(1) Increase recycling, reduce littering and waste. Michiganders pay to bury and burn an estimated $435 million of recyclable materials every year, and then we pay to manage landfills after theyre closed. We recycle only about 14.5 percent of our solid waste stream, and only 25 of Michigans 83 counties have convenient access to recycling. The governor wants all Michiganders to gain access to recycling by 2018 and for Michigan to double its recycling rate to about 30 percent. That would represent a significant achievement and would represent a great start. Michigan should shoot to match or surpass high-performing states like Missouri, California, Washington and Oregon, which recycle 50 percent of their solid waste.

(2) Improve local infrastructure and water quality. Leaky septic tanks, municipal and agricultural stormwater runoff, and combined, overflowing and degraded sewer systems are just a few of the major infrastructure issues plaguing Michigans water quality. These problems reached a very visible climax last summer as algal blooms in Lake Erie grew so bad that citizens in Canada and Ohio, including the City of Toledo, were instructed not to drink or recreate in the water. Agricultural phosphorous is the likely culprit in that case, but nutrient sources and stormwater pollution precipitate from cities and suburbs as well.

(3) Learn more about micro-plastics and marine debris in the Great Lakes. An emerging water quality issue that would draw broad, statewide support is reducing marine debris and micro-plastics in the Great Lakes. A recent study published in Marine Pollution Bulletin revealed tiny plastic particles floating throughout the surface water of the Great Lakes, and early evidence points to its consumption by fish. Right now, there are more questions than answers. How does plastic enter the Great Lakes? What types of plastic products are of greatest concern? How does it move around? To what extent does it naturally degrade and what ecological harms does it pose? Michigan has an opportunity to take regional leadership on this issue. Working with local and regional stakeholders, NOAA has outlined a Marine Debris Action Plan for the Great Lakes. With minimal investment, the state could help fund scientific research outlined in this plan to fill critical knowledge gaps. The governor can also support and collaborate with planning efforts coordinating policy and programming responses to prevent and reduce marine debris.

(4) Increase utilization of clean, renewable and efficient energy. Energy efficiency is the cleanest, cheapest and most quickly deployed source of energy available to Michiganders. Everyone from the Christian Coalition to the Sierra Club to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce agrees. In fact, the chamber wrote a letter to President Obama and Congress saying, The best source of new energy is the energy we can save every day. We must expand the suite of voluntary programs, mandates and fiscal incentives for greater benefits of energy efficiency. The governor agrees, calling energy efficiency the best example of a no-regrets policy Michigan can have. It makes (energy) more reliable, more affordable and protects our environment. According to the Michigan Public Service Commission, the cost of energy efficiency is about $11 per megawatt-hour. For context, the price of new coal is estimated at $107 per megawatt-hour, and renewables average about $78 per megawatt-hour in Michigan. Unfortunately, Michigans renewable energy and energy-efficiency laws are set to lose their punch as they plateau in 2015. The laws were enacted with bipartisan support in 2008, and there is bipartisan support to extend and strengthen them. Accomplishing this will bring leaders and citizens together in forging a clean, affordable and reliable energy future for Michigan.

(5) Protect and restore public lands and natural spaces. The DNR recently awarded Deer Habitat Improvement Grants for projects designed to produce tangible deer habitat improvement. The DNR knows that deer and herd health improve with more and higher quality habitat. Hunters complain of increasingly limited quality habitat for game species a stunning development given Michigans once mighty forests and natural spaces. Of course, its not just game species that are suffering. Michigans natural areas and public lands are under pressure from climate change, exotic species, sprawling development, mineral, oil and gas, and timber extraction.

Extractive interests represent a real economic good for many Michiganders, but these uses must be balanced with hunting, fishing, recreational and ecosystem services. The DNRs Public Land Management Strategy recognizes that public lands play a critical role in providing ecosystem goods and services such as air pollution removal, water quality protection and storm water management.

And the strategy cites an analysis from the State of New York that, for every $1 invested in securing public ownership of lands, $7 was returned in goods and services. Unfortunately, the strategy does not offer a concrete strategy for incorporating these values into decision-making.

Its easy to understand how much revenue a barrel of oil generates; its much more difficult to value the damages avoided by flood water retention of the local wetland but that value isnt any less real. Elected officials and citizens alike need to better understand these economic values, and the state needs tools to evaluate and include them. The governor should work to establish administrative processes that quantify the value that ecosystem services in order to more fairly weigh and balance them with other uses.

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OCCHIPINTI: A conservation agenda for Michigans governor