"See Us First Or Lest... But See US!"

THE PINEl.ANOS DEBATE. iMturing IMnrUndi Commissioner Gary Pallerson. If((, and County Planning Board director Elwood Jarmrr is moderated by Ruth Fisher, president of the sponsoring Cithens Assn, for the Protection of the Environment. Pinelands Plan

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At THE FORUM, sponsored by the Cit|4ens Assn, for the Protection of the Enonment, the commissioner, also ex"pressed his concern that amendments to the plan Reached thru bargaining and compromise have weakened the effectiveness of the original legislation. “It (commission) has become an agency for political acfvocacy,” he said, adding the plan has more leeway than a lot of people — including himself ~ feel is

necessary.

According to Mr. Patterson, those wishing to see changes or initiate input into the manner their communities develop in light of the Pinelands Plan should attend local Planning Board sessions. "The ball is in the local government’s ballpark now," he said, noting the Pinelands Management Plan itself is now more or less "etched in stone." "At the local level you can still change it," he emphasized. CAPE MAY COUNTY communities affected by the state Pinelands Plan and required to comply with its regulations are Dennis Township, Woodbine and Upper

Township.

During the debate, Commissioner Patterson argued that farmers shouldn’t be against the plan because nowhere in the document are they regulated. "The Pinelands Plan has no regulations on farmers," he said. He noted the plan even requires municipalities to exempt any regulations in their ordinances that may inhibit farmers from performing farm related activities. Even pollution levels that influence the amount of development in an area aren't applicable to farmers, Mr. Patterson noted, emphasizing that only recommendations on fertilizers and pesticides coming from Rutgers University have to be complied

with.

"I PERCEIVE THAT farmers who complain (about regulations) have a hidden agenda," the qftmmissioner said, adding they may not really be farmers, but "land speculators." Continuing, he asserted that . some so-called farmers would rather subdivide their land and sell it to developers for building lots. Responding to Mr. Patterson, the county planner indicated that farmers apparently

are concerned primarily with wh6t the plan will do to the value of their land. He noted that many are upset because if pro- > perty is de-valued by the Pinelands Plan, their borrowing power is reduced and they can't obtain the necessary money needed to operate a successful farming operation. MR JARMER ALSO argued the Commission’s nitrate standard for ground-' water is too restrictive and that water quality standards shouldn't, be used to

justify large lot sizes.

The commission is requiring that nitrate levels in groundwater not exceed 2 parts . per million — a figure that will require a 3.2 acre minimum — while the state Dept, of Environmental Protection has a standard of 10 parts per million. Mr. Patterson rebutted by stressing that some 17 factors went into determining lot size, not just water quality. "The Pinelands Commission was entrusted to preserve, protect and enhance the pinelands ecosystem," he pointed'out, adding that the standards are set for Ifcese objectives, not to meet human health stan-

dards.

The standards will, never satisfy everyone he added, pointing out that developers and builders f^el they are too strict, and environmentalist, like himself, consider them too lenient. DURING THE DEBATE, the commissioner pointed to the Cape May County area included in the pinelands and stressed it's important to preserve land outside the preservation area because in some cases this ecosystem is even more "unique" then the core. "You should be glad we're protecting this area (Cape May County)," he said, noting that the area’s environmental conditions — such as water quality — are better than those in the core. What’s trying to be avoided here, he asserted, is what’s happening in state’s such as Idaho and Kansas where there has been little control over application of fertilizers and disposdl of waste. The result he said is that water in most streams is no longer fit for human consumption. "The more we can get out of the ground [fertilizer, solid waste, etc.] the less [of it] we’ll be drinking later,” the commissioner

said.

Bottle Bill Not Clear As Glass-

HARBOR FURNITURE OUTLET Em 6 H.irkwny N Wildwood Blvtl. Burleiyh, N.J.

Dot b Bill 465-3208 - 465-7677

(From Page l) somewhat skeptical of the effectiveness of the pending legislation. “It's probably too much too early," O'Neill said, adding that enough time hasn't been given the MUA’s recycling program to determine if such legislation is warranted. He emphasized, however, that the proposed legislation is better than previous bills because it doesn’t require returned bottles to be cleaned and refilled. Distributors can sell bottles back to manufacturers to be either refilled or recycled. "WE NEED TO recycle all of our wastestream, not just one or two elements," the manager continued, adding that although states currently with bottle bills have reduced litter problems, the bills only deal with glass — a small part of total waste. Pointing to the county's successful recycling program — currently involving six of the sixteen municipalities — Mr. O’Neill noted that "at the moment tools in the county are already in effect that will put the county in the recycling business." He added that a bottle bill may only end up costing store owners, manufacturers, and consumers a high price to reduce litter. ALTHOUGH THE state s existing recycling plan — which the MUA is implementing — doesn’t include a deposit on bottles, it does provide several incentives for recycling — such as rebates on recycled materials and grants for educational and promotional projects.

Planning Board member John MacLeod asked why the problem of litter and bottles can't be handled at the national rather than state level "I don’t think the bill (state) would be as effective (as federal)," he said, adding: "It bothers me, all the litter we see in a county that should be most beautiful." "It seems politically easier to fight in the state," Mr. O’Neill responded. "It's (bottle bill) been in Congress as many times as at the state level," he added.

Nightclub Fined DIAMOND BEACH - A 15-day liquor license suspension (June 1-16) and a $20,000 fine have been levied against the Playpen nightclub herv by the state Div. of Alcoholic Beverage Control as a result of an investigation into corporate holding of entrepreneur Art Stock. Stock last week was reported ordered to divest himself of interest in several nightclubs in New Jersey, including the Playpen. Although reports indicate club owner Robert Gerhart contends Stock doesn’t and never did, own part of the building, property or liquor license — ABC officials say Stock’s association with the club was a beneficial interest that wasn’t disclosed on the club’s license application. ‘