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The goals of the Natural Lands Network include:

1. researching environmental issues affecting our watershed;
2. educating and sharing this information with a wide audience;
3. networking, supporting and advising local citizens, officials, and volunteer committee members; and
4. advocating for local and statewide environmental policies and land use planning measures that protect natural resources.

NLN maintains a database on information requests, important local and state issues, ordinances, regulations, legislation, planning techniques, and development issues. To assist residents address many of these concerns the Association has developed a series of Citizens Guides.  View these guides and other helpful resources in our Resources section.

Some of the recent issues the Association has been involved with are summarized below along with the research and our comment letters.

• Stewardship Workshops and Networking Opportunities
• Cranbury Brick Yard Site, Middlesex County
• Grassland Management Program at the Watershed Reserve
• 3M Belle Mead Quarry
  Hillsborough and Montgomery Townships, Somerset County (June 2006 Update)
• Bristol-Myers Squibb General Development Plan, Hopewell Township, Mercer County
• Water Footprint Project – Groundwater and Surface Water Evaluations in the Watershed
• NJDEP Water Quality Anti-Degradation Proposals
• National Citizen’s Agenda for Rivers
• State Plan Re-Designations in Princeton and West Windsor Townships, Mercer County
• Fast Track Legislation Opposition

For more information on other issues, please see the NLN Archives.

Stewardship Workshops and Networking Opportunities
Issue:Offering education and networking opportunities are key goals of the NLN and Watershed Association.  Workshops are routinely hosted to provide models and best management practices to promote resource conservation, open space preservation, stewardship practices, and address environmental issues requested by NLN members.
Action: The NLN continues to host workshops, and we promote and participate in workshops for the: Princeton Community Works, Greening of Lawrenceville, Land Trust Rally, Watershed Institute Series, the D&R Canal, and the National River Rally.
Result: Through our workshops, news articles, guides, manuals, and work at our reserve, the Association informs the local land trusts, civic groups, municipal open space committees, and municipal and county officials about conservation and preservation strategies, and successful management practices.

For more information:

1.  Caring For Backyard Conservation Buffers: A Guide to Protect Clean Water and Wildlife
   A stewardship guide for residents and officials
2.  Watershed Watch Newsletter Issue 48
   Citizens Can be Heard Before Parklands Change - Page 2 Article on Green Acres Diversions
3.  Watershed Watch Newsletter Issue 46
   Partner to Preserve Local Green Acres - Page 1 Article on the Green Acres Rules
4. The Watershed Reserve’s Rain Garden Slide Show and
    Planting a Rain Garden Brochure
5. The Kingston Greenways Association Profile
6.  Watershed Watch Newsletter Issue 37
   Controlling A Growing Menance on Page 2
7.  Watershed Watch Newsletter Issue 35
   Invasive Plants - A Spreading Menace on Page 1
8. Using Open Space to Educate and Inspire
   A workshop highlighting key strategies to encourage public accessibility and use of these preserved lands and innovative mapping techniques

Cranbury Brick Yard Site
Issue: A short distance north of the Millstone River, a 400-acre wooded parcel is bisected by two streams and contains more than 200 acres of wetlands, some of which have been determined by the state to be of “exceptional resource value.” The tract is designated as “proposed open space” in the Cranbury Township’s Master Plan and “rural-environmentally sensitive PA4” on the State Plan Policy Map, a designation that discourages extensive development and public utilities.  The NJDEP Landscape Project identifies the unfragmented 400 woodlands acres as suitable habitat for several rare species.  A comprehensive bio-inventory of the site is needed.  In 2000, Middlesex County considered purchasing the land as open space, but discovered that the site was used for manufacturing munitions, and an explosion and fire in 1954 closed the facility.  It remained vacant and wooded for 50 years.
Action: In 2005, the NJDEP ordered the property owner, Cranbury Development Corporation (CDC) to cleanup the munitions and hazardous materials that remain on the parcel.  CDC began investigating the extent of the contamination, but sold the property to Veridian in January 2006.  The Veridian-Cranbury Brick Yard LLC is required to cleanup the site, but they also want to develop 2.8 million square feet of warehouses on the property.  Veridian estimates the site acquisition, cleanup, and development will cost approximately $30 million.
Result: Members of the Cranbury Town Council requested assistance from the Watershed Association to help assess the issues, review the documentation, and encourage public participation in this review process.  The Watershed is working with municipal officials and building a local coalition of concerned citizens to address these concerns and decisions. A webpage and listserve have been created to facilitate these efforts.

For more information:

           Visit our CranburyWatch homepage http://www.thewatershed.org/cranburywatch.php

Grassland Management Program at the Watershed Reserve
Issue: Grassland bird populations are significantly declining nationally and in NJ.  These grassland birds prefer large, open areas 50-500 acres, which are being lost to forest growth, housing and fragmentation. Flocks of Bobolinks and Meadowlarks were once common during breeding season at our reserve, but we have observed a significant decline from 1985-2005. Today these birds may stop as visitors, but have not been observed as breeding in our meadows. 
Action: Before 1990, hayfields were actively farmed on our reserve lands. In more recent years the meadows became overgrown with invasive plants, including autumn olive trees and multi-floral rose.  In 2005, the Association obtained two grants through the USDA-NRCS programs to convert 45 acres into improved grassland habitats.  The Association is also partnering with other organizations on the Raritan-Piedmont Wildlife Enhancement Program to promote grassland preservation, to improve our stewardship measures, and to teach other local land trusts, open space groups, and landowners about the success and failures of our efforts. 
Result: In 2005, the Watershed Association cleared over 4 acres of autumn olive trees; brush hogged and tilled 40 acres to reduce the woody vegetation and roots, and seeded with winter rye. In 2006, 20 acres will be seeded with warm season grasses and meadow flowers. It will likely take 3-4 years to have robust grassland habitats on these 45 acres.  Since 2005, volunteers are routinely recording the bird populations observed at these fields to document the success of these programs. Education efforts will include workshops, signage, articles and how to guides on our actions.

For more information:

           Slide show (Under Construction)



3M Belle Mead Quarry, Hillsborough and Montgomery Townships, Somerset County
Issue: Due to the persistent vigilance and documentation provided by the Association and NLN members, the NJDEP fined the 3M Belle Mead Quarry over $155,000 for storm runoff violations since 1998. The Association continues to work with local residents, township officials, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to address significant stormwater violations to streams from the 3M Quarry. In May 2003, the NJDEP issued an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) to the 3M Belle Mead Quarry, citing 11 violations for stormwater runoff that impacts three streams, Back Brook, Roaring Brook and Cruser Brook in Montgomery and Hillsborough Townships. The stormwater violations include cloudy, gray, turbid waters that exceed permitted discharge levels and water quality standards for total suspended solids (TSS) and total dissolved solids (TDS).
Action:  3M completed the Phase I stormwater measures from January 2004 to November 2005, which includes:  five stormwater retention basins, connecting channels, and the regrading and capping of the 50-acre mineral fines pile. 2005 was an exceptionally rainy year, which slowed the construction, caused excessive erosion that needed significant repairs, and resulted in several discharge violations.  The Association monitors the streams through our volunteer StreamWatch program, and local residents collect samples as well. The Association continues to participate on a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) working with officials from 3M, Montgomery and Hillsborough Township, the Union-Somerset County Soil Conservation District, and state officials to ensure that stormwater runoff problems are addressed.
Result:  In December 2005, 3M began Phase II of their stormwater measures which includes:  Plans to close the former mineral fines pile; landfill waste fines in the quarry floor; improvements to Basin 5; assessing the need for Basin 6; and benchmark studies to evaluate potential treatment to reduce turbid conditions in the runoff.  Routine air monitoring conducted by 3M, has also shown improvements of fugitive dust emissions.  These grassroots efforts were praised in the Spring 2005 River Network national publication – River Voices.  The Watershed Association also presented our work at a NJDEP sponsored program on Volunteer Monitoring in the Spring 2006.

For more information:

1. DEP Reaches Settlement with Quarry Operator for Water Pollution Violations
   A NJDEP Press Release on 3M’s Water Pollution Violations
2. Slide Show (Under Construction)
3. Pictures of 3M Stockpiles and local discharges to streams
4.  Cruser Brook Water Quality
5. Letters:
    To the Director of the NJDEP Division of Water Quality (June 11, 2003)
   About the 3M Belle Mead Quarry, NJPDES Stormwater Permit
    To the Hillsborough Township Planning Board Chair (Feb 13, 2003)
   About the 3M Quarry Stormwater Management Plans
    To the Montgomery Township Planning Board and Environmental Commission Chairs
   (Jan 6, 2003)
   About the 3M Quarry Stormwater Management Plans

Bristol-Myers Squibb General Development Plan, Hopewell Township, Mercer County
Issue:  Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) operates a pharmaceutical research campus in Hopewell Township adjacent to the Watershed Association Reserve.  Currently one million square feet of office and research space exists; however they are permitted to expand to 2.8 million square feet and 6,000 employees.  The Association was very involved in the review process of these development plans in 1999/2001, in which BMS proposed to be self-reliant by using on site ground water resources, performing wastewater treatment on site, and recycling/reclaiming water.  In June 2005, BMS submitted revised plans that greatly improved the site design, but proposed the option to extend public water lines to their campus. 
Action:  The Association spoke out to oppose the extension of public utilities to the site, because the potential impacts to the environment and the rural setting were not adequately studied.  The Association worked with residents, town officials, committee members, and BMS to address the potential impacts to groundwater and surface water resources, traffic impacts, and the preservation of floodplains, wetlands, critical habitats, and farmland on the BMS campus.  The hearings continued from June to December 2005, and members of the community expressed gratitude that the Association was involved. 
Result:  Hopewell Township approved the General Development Plan in December 2005; and signed a Developer’s Agreement in January 2006, that excluded any reference to the potential extension of public utilities to the BMS campus.  In addition, BMS agreed to continue to monitor impacts to groundwater and surface water resources, and place over 200 acres of farmland, woods and wetlands under a Conservation Easement, which restricts future development on these parcels.

For more information:

1.  Comment Letter to the Mayor of Hopewell Township (Sep 26, 2005)
   About Proposed 2005 General Development Plan for the BMS Hopewell Campus
2.  Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Hopewell Campus Master Plan 2005-2025
3.  Report by Hill Environmental Group, Inc. to the Chairman of the Pennington Borough Planning & Zoning Board (Oct 20, 2005)
   About Bristol-Myers Squibb Future Water Use, Potential for Impacts to Borough Water Supply

Water Footprint Project – Groundwater and Surface Water Evaluations in the Watershed
Issue: From 2004-2005, the Association worked with M2 Associates to publish a highly technical hydrogeological evaluation of the groundwater resources in our watershed region, and evaluate the demands and impacts on groundwater resources (M2 Associates Ground Water Report).  This information is critical to address community planning actions and decisions on future growth. 
Action:  Based on this report, the Watershed staff and GIS Center created distinct maps and summaries for each of our municipalities, which were distributed in February 2005, entitled, The Raritan Report - Groundwater Addendums.  Examples of this work were also posted to our website.  Workshops were held in November 2004 and March 2006, to help convey this information, and discuss how to incorporate it into planning efforts. The information was also summarized in our newsletter articles.
Results:  The Association continues to utilize these reports and work with municipal leaders to improve planning efforts.  This information has been incorporated into evaluations of water supplies, septic density, zoning density, wellhead protection, and open space preservation of critical recharge areas. 

For more information:

1. Water Resource Protection - Millstone Watershed
2. Got Recharge Slide Show (Under Construction)
3.  Watershed Watch Newsletter Issue 51
   Maintaining Groundwater Recharge on Page 2

NJDEP Water Quality Anti-Degradation Proposals
Issue:  In the fall 2005, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Campbell published several proposals regarding water quality.  Some aspects of the proposals would have increased protection of water quality in more rural areas; however, they also included aspects that would make urban streams more vulnerable to fast tracked permits and water degradation. 
Action:  The Watershed submitted comment letters and endorsed the position of other environmental groups that these proposed rules need more thoughtful deliberation, and should not be rushed through in the waning days of Governor Codey’s Administration. 
Result:  These proposals were withdrawal and repealed by Governor Codey in December. New proposals to address floodplain encroachments, improvements to the Water Quality Management Plans, and Stream Buffers may be proposed in the Fall 2006.

For more information:

1.  Comment Letter to NJDEP Office of Legal Affairs (Oct 19 2005)
   About NJDEP Riparian Zone (Stream Corridor) Anti-degradation Policies
2.  Watershed Watch Newsletter Issue 48
   Sewer Service Areas Under Scrutiny on Page 1
3.  Watershed Watch Newsletter Issue 47
   Proposal Leaves Local Waterways Vulnerable on Page 1

National Citizen’s Agenda for Rivers
Issue:  Seventy percent of the streams throughout New Jersey are impaired from water pollutants including fecal coliform resulting from wastewater, geese or pets; nutrients and pesticides from over fertilizing lawns and farm practices; metals and oils from car road runoff; and eroded sediments.  In addition, there seems to be an astonishing “frequency” of hundred year floods in our region.  State programs that address these concerns for water supply, wastewater treatment, water quality, and stormwater are dependent on strong regulations and federal assistance to be effective, but federal rules and funding are being weakened and reduced.  In 2005, federal funding under the Clean Water Act was reduced by one third from $1.3 billion to $850 million, yet sewage overflows, beach closings, and fishing restrictions continue in New Jersey, and the nation
Action:  While most of the efforts of the NLN program address local, regional or state issues, the Association joined the national effort of the American Rivers to promote the Citizen’s Agenda for Rivers.  Through use of our listserv, website and newsletter, the Association spearheaded this effort in New Jersey and gained endorsements from 36 NJ grassroots organizations who support the goals to educate, promote and ensure appropriate local and federal programs that protect our water supplies.  California is the only state with more endorsements.
Result:  In July 2005, the Association attended Lobby Day in Washington, and invited American Rivers to speak with local watershed associations, land trust groups, and civic organizations to share their knowledge and expertise on how to use the media more effectively to publicize local concerns.  The Association was also invited to present our watershed management programs at the national River Rally in the Spring 2005 and 2006.

For more information:

           Citizen’s Agenda for Rivers

Please endorse the Citizen Agenda for Rivers by visiting the American Rivers website at www.healthyrivers.org

State Plan Re-Designations in Princeton and West Windsor Townships, Mercer County
Issue:  In two separate incidents, Princeton and West Windsor Townships proposed to reduce the protection afforded to environmentally sensitive areas, designated as Planning Areas 4 and 5 in the State Plan, by degrading their status to suburban growth areas or Planning Areas 2.  In both instances, the areas contain habitat for threatened and endangered species, which would be placed at greater risk from development pressures, loss of habitat, and habitat fragmentation that curtails the vitality of the species.  These re-designation proposals did not comply with the State Plan procedures and were not consistent with local Master Plans. In addition, neither Township provided sufficient opportunities for the public to comment on these proposals. 
Action: The Association, the GIS Center, and NLN members submitted detailed comments, GIS maps, and testified to county and state officials opposing proposals by Princeton and West Windsor Townships regarding the State Plan re-designation process. 
Result:  Before these decisions can be resolved through the State Plan Cross-Acceptance Process, Princeton Township is reviewing development applications in the Princeton Ridge, an environmentally sensitive area.  Despite significant public outcry by residents and members of township committees against these proposals, one project was approved in fall 2005.  Hearings are underway on a second application, and the Association is preparing testimony on the second project. 

For more information:

1.  Comment Letter to Mercer County Planning Director (Dec 9 2004)
   About Mercer County – State Plan Cross Acceptance Report
2. Maps of Threatened and Endangered Species in the Millstone Watershed (Under Construction)

Fast Track Legislation Opposition
Issue:  On July 9, 2004, after very little public review, Governor McGreevey signed legislation know as Fast Track that would allow expedited approval of development permits in more urbanized regions of the state.  Many residents, elected officials and environmental groups expressed concerns that the expedited permit process will reduce public involvement in the decisions and significantly impact the limited water resources, open space, and wildlife habitat that remain in our communities. 
Action:  The Association determined that developing areas, where Fast Track applies, are NJ’s most populated, most congested, most polluted areas with little remaining open spaces.  State Permits in these areas need more detailed review, not less. NLN members and the Association joined 50 other civic groups in the Save NJ Coalition to provide comprehensive comments and oppose the potential impacts of Fast Track on environmental and public health. The Save NJ Coalition ultimately recommended to the Governor that the Fast Track legislation be repealed, or at minimum, be substantially amended. NLN members submitted letters, spoke at public meetings, and published articles to garner support for the repeal of Fast Track.  Our GIS Center launched a Fast Track Map to help citizens identify areas affected by the law. 
Result:  Governor McGreevey, prior to leaving office in November 2004, issued a moratorium on Fast Track so that concerns could be evaluated. The Save NJ Coalition obtained endorsements from 54 legislators in support of legislation to repeal Fast Track (S2157/A3650).  In July 2005, Acting Governor Codey agreed to extend the moratorium on the law, in response to the persistent and statewide pressures raised in opposition to this legislation.  Governor Corzine and NJDEP Commissioner, Lisa Jackson, have not supported the legislation.

For more information:

1.  Areas of New Jersey Covered by the “Fast Track” Law
2.  Watershed Watch Newsletter Issue 36
   Will Fast Track Impair Communities and Resource? on Page 1
3. Visit the Save NJ Coalition website at www.savenj.net
4. Save NJ’s Recommendations for Actions
5. View Fast Track Bill Details
   Search for Senate Bill s1368