I y. . ■ 37 Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 1 January '-85 ^

Mandatory Recycling This Year? — —

(From Page 1) And that. Jarmer said, would be followed by "a phase-in period." THAT MAKES 1987 the more likely potential deadline for local residents to separate recyclables — certainly paper and possibly glass and metals — or face * penalties. Those penalties could run the gamut from fines to the odorous onus of trash not being picked up because it failed to conform. Although the MUA had announced Nov. 22 it was again looking at recycling, and although O'Neill was present at the Planning Board meeting, "to answer questions," Jarmer said the request for the freeholders to act was his own. ••I HAVE BEEN CONCERNED for several years about putting recyclables into our landfill," Jarmer told this ; newspaper last week. "I've followed the ups and downs of the individual towns with interest. "Recycling ought to be done and the fact a that there is no market for it or one can'L/ make money at it are poor excuses. The'" object is not to make money. The object is not to put recyclables in the landfill, but into a useful production cycle. Recycling is a better way to do it even if it costs just as much to recycle as to put it into the landfillAssuming freeholder approval — and freeholder vice-director James S. Kilpatrick Jr. was one of the seven Planning Board members who voted in favor — the legal steps required would be amendaments to the county's Solid Waste Mangement Plan, Jarmer said. JARMER SAID the MUA and Planning Department probably would work out the "strategy" together and that would be the subject of public hearings. The strategy would include which items would be

recycled, any options local municipalities would have, how to enforce it, whether the "carrot or stick" should be emphasized, Jarmer said. He told the Planning Board that the county currently recycles less than 2 per cent of its trash, one of the v/orst records in the state. The goal, the MUA paper said, is 15 to 25 percent "I'm not here to sell you mandatory recycling," O'Neill told the board, "but countywide leadership is needed. We have proposed a partnership — public enter prise. For recycling to succeed we need participation by the MUA. communities, and county, to make it stable and efficient." "HOW DO WE GET the weekend people on the island communities to comply0" asked board member William Diller of Stone Harbor. "They leave on Sunday night and put out their trash in plastic bags. What would stop somebody? A "Many come from communities with ' recycling programs." said O'Neill. "Also, a great deal (of trash) comes not out of the household but from the bars and restaurants. Business people have an important stake in this because they pay the cost of having the garbage taken away. We can make it work here," he said. "Would you advocate refusing to pick up (unsorted) trash?" asked Diller. "That's done some places in the state," said O'Neill, "but I'd rather emphasize the positive aspects. The great majority of our citizens are law-abiding. If that's the law, they will participate. "WHAT IS THE ML VS position on mandatory?" asked board member Frederick J. Long Jr. of Cape May. "The board has not taken a position," said O'Neill. "It has a number of questions. But there is a strong sense that we

need to make a real commitment, financially and legislatively. "Voluntary (recycling). " he added, "is one reason why the rate is so low." "The only way for mandatory is by the freeholders or state legislative action," said Jarmer. "Implementation is up to whomever the freeholders designate." "MUNICIPALITIES can adopt it," agreed O'Neill.. Six New Jersey counties have it and 160 municipalities in the state have some kind. Stone Harbor is the only one in Cape May County. (Stone Harbor, according to borough Manager Edwin F. Pain, requires separate collection of paper and glass and is doing "reasonably well." The program 1 is three-four years old. he said, and the borough has issued warnings for noncompliance, but no arrests. "It costs money," conceded Pain, "but it is not a moneymaking proposition ; we are lpoktqg for a means of loss avoidance." > , "Our board is not suggesting we have to\ beat people into submission." O'Neill told the Planning Board. "Marketing is the key challenge. It is especially difficult with 16 ^municipalities competing in the same 4 _

market place. That's why we feel the regional program is the best way. guaranteeing quantities and high quality ." O'Neill reiterated the goal of keeping recyclables out of the MUA's landfill whose permit runs to 1990. "It's not very long to 1990." commented Long. JARMER'S MEMO to the board said municipalities "are not necessarily at fault" for the county's less than 2 percent participation. "Direction and leadership at the county level are netessary to deal with this prqblem," he wrote. ) Other points in his memo: ( •The multi-million-dollor landfill should J not be filled up with materials that can be recycled. This will require more taxpayer dollars to build another landfill to hold more of what should be recycled. •Proper operation of a planned "waste to energy" facility "requires certain levels of source separation, not only for efficient operations, but to minimize undesirable solid and airborne residuals." That facility, which will burn trash to create steam and electricity, is expected to be in operation by 1989 at the earliest.

County Nixfis Ponderosa

(From Page 1) county 's denial, based on a lot size too small to assimilate anticipated sewage effluent. The proposed restaurant would have a sewage flow of 5,625 gallons a day. For that, the Planning Board said, it would need a site of more than 11 acres. It has 1.4 acres. KENNETH SCHELLENGER of the Court House engineering firm Van Note-Harvey Associates raised the Ponderosa as an example of his firm's problems with the county's proposed Water Quality Management Plan amendments at a public meeting Dec. 19. "Couldn't a temporary exemption be granted for certain areas in Middle Township where sewerage is intended?" suggested Schellenger. 4 He warned that current and proposed regulations "would prohibit significant commercial development; any sizable restaurant would need a large lot." THE COUNTY PLANNERS went back to the drawing board because of that and other questions raised that day. County Planning Director Elwood Jarmer told this newspaper last week that he would recommend to the freeholders, "as a response to the issue, some way to handle these areas on an interim basis." The answer includes a number of "ifs." The permit could be granted if the area

is definitely to be sewered, it if can be proven that there are plans to have a sewer line in place within a year of the completion of the MUA's Wildwoods/Lov/er regional sewage treatment plant (with r, July 1988 estimated completion), and if the interim treatment will not pollute. •OUR OBJECTIVE is to be fair with the applicants while at the same time protecting the environment, the water quality," said Jarmer. As now designed, the restaurant's septic tanks could not meet the state water quality standard of 10 parts per million of nitrates (generated by human waste) at the lot line. A typical three-bedroom home produces r 400 gallons of waste water a day. Jarmer said, and needs a little less than an acre. The restaurant would produce more than 10 times that flow on little more than an acre.\ JARMER POINTED OUT that even if the Ponderosa submitted plans for a different septic system, a monitoring v/ell would be necessary and a state DEP ( Department of Environmental Protection) permit might be required. Jarmer said an alternative :o an interim treatment plant would be "building, but not occupying until it can be connected to the sewer lines, as the county is doing with its courts facility." The county's denial also recommended "acceleration and declaration lanes" based on the traffic the restaurant probably^ , would generate.

License (From Page I) said he has been interviewing administra-vj tion, mayors and enforcing agencies in municipalities as far away as Cherry Hill "to get a feel for what their licenses accomplished." Middle is one of the few municipalities of its size without a mercantile license, he said. Meetings with other local civic groups are planned, and a report will be presented to township committee for action sometime this spring, he said. The management report was the result of several months of study by a committee that consisted of community representatives and township department heads. Developed under a model provided by the Office of the Governor, with the assistance of a state coordinator, the report is the result of dozens of interviews with township employes and community residents. It was initiated at the request of township committee and Mayor Michael J. Voll.

9 Happy Ending (From Page 1) get around, "the dog feels rJjat he's the mother now." Neither dog, cat nor their owner was available for comment over the holidays, but Clark said last week Cory seems to be doing just fine. And people are still "interested in whatever happened to Cory," she said. "They like to know the outcome on these animals when they're injured. "As soon as you say 'Cory'" Clark noted, "people ask 'What happened'" "I wish they all had happy endings like that," she sighed.

Fishing Loans Lure Party Boats j

( From Page 1 > must leverage some private funds. Now the party boat operators feel they should have an opportunity to get some of the money. AT THIS MOMENT, the question is academic since the fund has loaned its entire $465,000 ($35,000 went\for administrative costs). In the process1 it retained or created 55 jobs. But, economic development Director Walters S. Sachs Jr. told the commission, repayments should run about $100,000 a year, so it's only a matter of time before funds are once again available. The party boat operators have formed a Cape Island Party Boat Association and Written the New Jersey Economic Development Authority in Trenton to make their case. LAWS PRESENTED a copy of their letter, giveii— to him by Capt. Robert Schumahn of Cold Spring, in supporting their position. Schumann. Laws said, owns the Miss Cape May and Sea Star 2 at South Jersey Marina at Schellenger's Landing. His letter said that party boats supply food for those who wish to catch their own, pay commercial loan rates and insurance r~\ rates, bring tourist revenue, abide by the same laws and restrictions as commercial fisherman, and employ people. ACTUALLY, concluded the letter, "the \ only difference between party boats and the commercial fishing boat is that the commercial fishing boat brings in fish to sell to the people and the party boat gives the individual the opportunity to catch their (sic) own fish." "These people buy gas," said Laws,

"and kpep their boats nicer than commercial fishermen. They have the same license and they bring in people. They feel they should^be included." "Didn't we appeal this'tq the state once before?" asked Jack Q. Hefti. "and weren't we turned down?" "THE COMMERCIAL fishermen have a lobby," said Laws, "and the party boat people don't. I told him (Schumann) to form an organization and get a hold of their legislators and present their case." Schumann told this newspaper the association was started in October and has a dozen members. He said he estimated there are 20 party boats "plus some charters." And he said he doubles as a commercial fishing boat in the off-season "MOST LAWS consider us the same as a commercial boat," he said. "The Coast Guard registration considers us commercial. Our inspections are even more strict because we carry passengers And our insurance rates are affected by commercial boating." "We've spent the state money, '^said Laws. "Now it's coming back in. Can't we spend it the way we want to?" "The commercial fishermen feel the sports fishermen are hurting them," observed administrative secretary Pat Currens, "That's a lot of hogwash," said Laws. "They (party boats captains) feel the commercial are hurting them. There's a real battle going on." Schumann said most recreational fishermen either "take their catch home or they give it to the mate who sells it to a restaurant or the commercial dock." 1

■ -r H m W I e my m ■ v ik 8JH % fe \ j fcJ Don. Word TUNING UP — Cape May Elementary fifth grade music students get ready to present the "Holiday Happening" held at the school last Thursdav From left is Heather Gryning. Roxanne Rothwell. Prudence Powell and A.J. Briant. All are from Cape May except Roxanne. who is from Cape May Point. The young musicians are instructed bv Mrs. Cynthia Scully.