Text Box: Text Box: Page # Text Box: Volume 9, issue 1 Text Box: On December 18, 2009 Michael Glaab the PAERAB’s Community Co-chmn. received the following e-mail (provided below) from U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg who is one of New Jersey’s two currently serving federal senators. Senator Lautenberg has assisted the ongoing environmental remediation effort at Text Box: Picatinny Arsenal several times. In this e-mail Sen. Lautenberg provided a brief description of the status of the collaborative effort to address the issue posed by the possible continuation of open air burning to dispose of that hazardous waste which can not be incinerated in the Arsenal’s existing incinerator. Text Box: The long standing issue of permitting open burning had initially been deemed to be resolved by the installation of an incinerator at the Arsenal. However, this issue was once again brought to the forefront of the public’s attention when the Army proposed during a

OFFICIALS AID SEARCH for  TECH ALTERNATIVE to OPEN BURNING     by   Michael Glaab

CONT’D ON P. 12

Technical Assistance for public participation   (cont’d from p. 10)

environmental issues at the base, and discussions at technical environmental “partnering” meetings. Notices about training sessions and new or revised relevant federal or state

 

 

regulations are also included. Newsletters are displayed on the PAERAB's website, distributed to all of the communities immediately adjacent to Picatinny Arsenal and they are also

 

 

distributed to local elected representatives and to individuals who have expressed an interest in receiving information about the PAERAB's activities.

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Dear Mr. Glaab:

Thank you for contacting me regarding the open-air burning of waste at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue and I apologize for the delay in my response.

As you know, Picatinny Arsenal has worked to eliminate the open-air burning of energetically contaminated waste generated through research and development activities conducted at the base through the use of an explosive waste incinerator. The Army has determined that certain waste materials cannot be disposed of utilizing this incinerator and has requested the use of a new open-air burning ground located on the base from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. As required by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, the Army held a public hearing regarding this request in August 2009.

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I requested $4.9 million for the funding of a static detonation chamber at Picatinny Arsenal as a possible environmentally sound alternative to the open-air burning of waste in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations bill. Unfortunately, the FY 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations bill, which was approved by the Senate on October 6, 2009, did not contain this funding.

Please be assured that I share your concerns regarding the environmental security of New Jersey and will keep your views in mind should this issue be considered by the Senate in the future. Thank you again for contacting me.

 

Sincerely,

Frank R. Lautenberg

From:   

"Senator Frank R. Lautenberg" <senator@lautenberg.senate.gov>

To:   

michaelglaab@worldnet.att.net

Subject:   

In Response to Your Message

Date:   

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:29:24 +0000