Garrett Calls on DOT and OMB to Finalize Hazardous Materials Rule for DOT-111 Tank Cars
Apr 29, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) yesterday called on Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and OMB Director Shaun Donovan to complete their final review of a rule regarding DOT-111 tank cars by their May 2015 deadline. This rule could protect New Jersey from a potential hazardous materials disaster by ensuring freight cars have adequate safety standards.
Since 2011, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has been working on a proposed rule, the Enhanced Tank Car Standards and Operational Controls for High-Hazard Flammable Trains, to determine the safety of DOT-111 tanks cars. DOT-111 tank cars are used for the transportation of hazardous materials, including crude oil and ethanol. They have been identified by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as having design elements that pose a clear, demonstrated risk that hazardous materials could be released during a rail accident.
“The American public entrusts the DOT with the responsibility of ensuring that hazardous materials are transported safely by rail, making any further delays of this proposed rule completely unacceptable,” said Garrett. “A timely review of the DOT’s final rule will allow the rail industry to begin to make the necessary changes to their existing rail cars, budget for new costs, and protect New Jersey from a potential disaster. My constituents need assurance that adequate protections are in place when hazardous materials are being transported through our communities.”
In 2013, nearly half a million carloads of crude oil were transported by rail in the United States. In New Jersey alone, there are approximately 2,400 miles of rail freight lines. Reps. Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02), Chris Smith (NJ-04), Leonard Lance (NJ-07), and Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) signed Rep. Garrett’s letter.
We are so excited to announce our 4th annual Mary Therese Rose Run. It will be held on Saturday May 9, 2015 at the beautiful Darlington County Park in Mahwah NJ. This will be a morning of family fun activities, 5K, prizes, and food. Online registration is available at
Rep. Scott Garrett with the 2015 United States Service Academy nominees from New Jersey’s Fifth Congressional District , including Christopher Lee , Ridgewood High School
(Please see list below for individual photos of nominees)
Apr 28, 2015
PARAMUS, NJ – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) is proud to announce the nomination of 36 Fifth District students to United States service academies, including the Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point and the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. This year’s nominees were honored by the Congressman at a reception at Bergen County Community College in Paramus on Wednesday, April 8, 2015.
“It’s an honor to nominate this group of talented, intelligent, and dedicated young men and women from New Jersey’s Fifth District to our country’s prestigious service academies,” said Garrett. “One of the United States’ oldest and proudest traditions, our service academies have been training future leaders for a life of service since the late 1700’s. I wish everyone all the best as they move through the final steps of the application process, and I’m proud of their achievements.”
Applications to the Military Academy, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy and the Merchant Marine Academy require a nomination by a Congressman or a Senator, however, the Congressional nomination does not guarantee acceptance. To assist with the nomination process, Congressman Garrett established an esteemed committee of military and civic leaders that interviewed potential nominees, reviewed their applications and made recommendations to the Congressman. Click here for more information about Congressman Garrett’s nomination process.
Below is a complete list of the nominees by academy and links to individual photos of the nominees with Rep. Garrett. Names without a corresponding link were unable to attend the April 8th reception.
**Please note: some candidates were nominated to more than one academy.
United States Military Academy at West Point
Olivia Beattie – River Vale, Pascack Valley High School
Shayne Harrell – Hamburg, Bergen Catholic High School
Christopher Lee – Ridgewood, Ridgewood High School
John Lorenz – Glen Rock, Glen Rock High School
Michael McPherson – Dumont, Bergen Catholic High School
Brady Miller – Glen Rock, Glen Rock High School
Danielle Peck – West Milford, West Milford High School
Haley Ann Steele – West Milford, West Milford High School
Edward Yoon – River Edge, River Dell Regional High School
Gregory Zabrodskiy – Ramsey, Green Meadow Waldorf School
APRIL 29, 2015, 5:13 PM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2015, 5:13 PM
BY KIBRET MARKOS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
Two attorneys were arrested and charged with simple assault on Wednesday after they got into a heated dispute that turned into a fist fight at the Bergen County Courthouse in Hackensack, authorities and witnesses said.
Costantino Fragale, 42, and Jeffrey Mandel, 43, were in a deposition in a room on the fourth floor about 1 p.m. when the dispute erupted, said Anthony Cureton, spokesman for the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department, which is in charge of security at the courthouse.
“There were verbal arguments, and there was a fight,” Cureton said. He said he did not know what caused the dispute.
Witnesses said they heard a commotion in a jury-deliberation room that doubles as an attorney conference room, and later saw one of the attorneys had a bloodied face. More than a dozen sheriff’s officers showed up at the scene and broke up the fight, they said.
Fragale and Mandel were later released without bail.
APRIL 29, 2015, 10:52 PM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2015, 10:57 PM
BY JIM NORMAN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
WYCKOFF — A police officer investigating a report of a possible burglary went to the wrong home and fatally shot a German shepherd dog that lunged at him and bit him on the boot, Police Chief Benjamin Fox said Wednesday.
Fox said police received the call at 3:45 p.m., reporting the possible break-in at 621 Lawlins Road. Patrolman Kyle Ferreira responded and mistakenly went to 622 Lawlins Road, Fox said.
Ferreira received no answer when he knocked on the front door of the wrong house, Fox said, so he went to the rear of the house and let himself into the back yard through an unlocked fence gate. When he got to the rear of the house, the patrolman saw an open window and believed he had found a possible point of entry for a burglar, Fox said.
Ferreira drew his revolver and approached the window, believing he might encounter a burglar, but “a large, growling German shepherd lunged out the open window, bit the officer on his right foot and latched onto his boot,” Fox said in a statement.
APRIL 30, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY REBECCA GREENE
CORRESPONDENT |
WYCKOFF SUBURBAN NEWS
Wyckoff — Two mayors having difficulty getting hold of each other has resulted in a stalemate when it comes to solving issues residents are having with their Ridgewood Water bills.
Wyckoff Mayor Kevin Rooney and Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn say they have made attempts to speak to each other and both are expressing frustration about the time between returned phone calls and emails.
The Village of Ridgewood operates Ridgewood Water, a utility that serves Wyckoff, Midland Park, Glen Rock and Ridgewood. Wyckoff residents have been complaining about large bills they have recently received that reflect actual use versus estimated use going back several years.
When one resident complained at a recent Township Committee meeting about the $1,071 “surcharge” bill he received, Rooney told the resident he has tried several times to contact Aronsohn to resolve the issue. He said his attempts prior to the committee meeting were unsuccessful.
PARAMUS – More than 100 people attended a fundraiser Tuesday night for Republican Bergen County Freeholder candidate John Mitchell.
The event, held at Biagio’s in Paramus, drew a host of GOP stalwarts from around Bergen County. Those in attendance included Bergen County Republican Organization Chairman Bob Yudin; Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino; state Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi (R-39), 38th Legislative District candidates Anthony Cappola and Mark DiPisa; and former 38th Legislative District candidate Fernando Alonso, an attorney from Oradell who is a senior lecturer and the director of several programs for Hispanic students at Fairleigh Dickinson University. (Bonamo/PolitickerNJ)
April 28,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog ,Bergen County Mosquito Control and County Executive James Tedesco
“This morning, I went with County Public Works and Mosquito Control officials, as well as Freeholder Tom Sullivan, to release Gambusia fish into a marshy area known for mosquito breeding. These fish eat mosquito larvae and help reduce the mosquito population in our county.” County Executive James Tedesco
Ridgewood NJ, Bergen County Mosquito Control Program is based on a system of “Integrated Pest Management” consisting of surveillance source reduction, water management, and biological and chemical control.
Mosquito Control in Bergen County is an ongoing, year round program.
In early spring, the surveillance and application program begins. Surveillance entails looking for larvae and applying materials to prevent hatching. After the pre-season is completed, a regularly scheduled inspection and control program begins in the eleven districts covering the 70 municipalities.
Nearly 4000 specific breeding sites are routinely inspected and larvae is collected and identified. If mosquito larvae is found, Bacillus Thuringiensis (BTI) is applied. BTI is a selected larvicide which affects mosquito and black fly larvae and causes no harm to :
Animals
Beneficial insects
Birds
Humans
Marine life
Pets
Vegetation
Wildlife
During the warmer months, mosquito breeding habitats are stocked with Gambusia, a small fish with a hearty appetite for mosquito larvae. During this time a variety of traps are installed county-wide to monitor the adult mosquito population.
Adulticiding to control the adult population is only done when necessary, from a truck or hand held unit, not by helicopter, in response to adult mosquito surveillance and identification.
The NJ State Mosquito Control Commission funds a Biological Control Program which uses five species of mosquito-eating fish which are raised at the DEP’s Division of Fish, and Wildlife’s Charles O. Hayford Hatchery in Hackettstown.
These fish are distributed at no charge to county mosquito control agencies. Where practical, these fish control mosquito populations and reduce the need for pesticides.
During the winter months, hand labor and heavy equipment is used to clear and desilt ditches, streams and ponds to allow for free movement of water. Tide-gates and dikes are inspected and repaired to prevent flooding of low-lying areas and water in ditches and brooks are lowered to minimize mosquito breeding.
MOSQUITO PREVENTION TIPS
Bergen County Executive James Tedesco Encourages Residents to Take Simple Precautions
It’s time to take important steps to protect yourself and your family against West Nile Virus (WNV) infection and mosquito annoyance in general.
WNV is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito, so it’s important to take steps to prevent getting mosquito bites and to clean or remove items on your property that can serve as mosquito breeding grounds.
Individuals can take a number of measures around the home to help eliminate mosquito-breeding areas, including:
• Dispose of cans, buckets, plastic containers, ceramic pots or similar containers that hold water on your property.
• Properly dispose of discarded tires that can collect water. Stagnant water is where most mosquitoes breed.
• Drill drainage holes in the bottom of outdoor recycling containers.
• Clean clogged roof gutters every year, particularly if the leaves from surrounding trees tend to plug drains.
• Turn over plastic wading pools when not in use.
• Turn over wheelbarrows and don’t let water stagnate in birdbaths.
• Aerate ornamental pools or stock them with fish.
• Clean and chlorinate swimming pools not in use and remove any water that may collect on pool covers.
For stagnant pools of water, homeowners can buy Bti products at lawn and garden, outdoor supply, home improvement and other stores. This naturally occurring bacteria kills mosquito larva, but is safe for people, pets, aquatic life and plants.
Additionally, these simple precautions can prevent mosquito bites, particularly for people who are most at risk:
• Make sure screens fit tightly over doors and windows to keep mosquitoes out of homes.
• Consider wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks when outdoors, particularly when mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, or in areas known for having large numbers of mosquitoes.
• When possible, reduce outdoor exposure at dawn and dusk during peak mosquito periods, usually April through October.
• Use insect repellants according to the manufacturer’s instructions. An effective repellant will contain DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Consult with a pediatrician or family physician if you have questions about the use of repellent on children, as repellant is not recommended for children under the age of two months.
WNV is an arboviral disease which people can acquire through the bite of a mosquito that has fed on an infected bird. WNV is not directly transmitted from birds to humans. About one in 150 persons, or less than 1 percent of those infected with West Nile virus will develop a more severe form of the disease. Symptoms of more serious illness include severe headache, high fever, neck stiffness, stupor, disorientation, coma, tremors, convulsions, muscle weakness and paralysis.
The elderly are at higher risk of more severe disease. Bergen County’s WNV surveillance, control, and prevention activities involve the coordinated efforts of a number of federal, state and local agencies. These include DHSS, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the State Mosquito Control Commission, the Rutgers Center for Vector Biology, local and Bergen County Health Departments, and of course our Bergen County Department of Public Works Division of Mosquito Control.
For more information about mosquito control in Bergen County,
call the Health Hotline: 201-225-7000 or visit the website:https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/index.aspx?nid=325
To contact the Bergen County Division of Mosquito Control about a mosquito problem, call 201-634-2880.
No rabies found in second coyote killed in Norwood
APRIL 28, 2015, 4:19 PM LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015, 8:14 PM
BY NICHOLAS PUGLIESE
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
NORWOOD — The coyote that was shot by a borough police officer Thursday and was found dead in a trap Sunday has tested negative for rabies, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection said Tuesday.
The coyote was the second to be killed in a scare that gripped Norwood last week after a man was bitten by a coyote while he was walking his dog on April 19.
The day after that incident, a coyote attacked the tires of a police car and was shot dead. That coyote tested positive for rabies, making it only the seventh recorded case of a rabid coyote in New Jersey but the second in Bergen County in less than a month.
While there have been reports of a third coyote in the Norwood area, the state DEP spokesman, Larry Hajna, said that “at this point we don’t have any reports of aggressive coyotes,” adding that the department would continue to respond to reports of aggressive coyotes as necessary.
If you’re ever taking a nighttime drive along New Jersey’s Garden State Parkway, keep your eyes peeled as you approach Exit 82, and with any luck — or maybe lack of it — you’ll see one of New Jersey’s most often seen ghosts, the “Parkway Phantom.”According to Asbury Park Press, many of New Jersey’s “most notable ghosts,” such as the Parkway Phantom, are said to haunt the realms of New Jersey’s roads and highways, likely because that’s where the human vessel the ghost once occupied experienced some dire trauma, leaving its body no longer working or, in other words, dead.
New Jersey motorists have been reporting roadside apparitions and highway ghosts like the Parkway Phantom for decades, the ghosts apparently having no choice but to wander the area of road where their death occurred. Perhaps they don’t realize, or understand, that their turn at life has come to a traumatic halt, and no matter how much they wave and try to flag down the help of passing New Jersey motorists, their transition to ghost has put hope out of reach.
APRIL 23, 2015, 8:57 PM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015, 9:02 PM
BY TODD SOUTH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
HACKENSACK — Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco presented his budget to the freeholders Thursday afternoon, showing that a combination of mandated expenses and debt coming due would mean a $17 million increase to the tax levy.
For the owner of the average home in the county, assessed at $324,000, that translates to a property tax increase of $12.73.
Tedesco illustrated that figure as the cost of two foam-topped Starbuck’s specialty coffee drinks with extra expresso shots and caramel — drinks that he placed on the freeholders’ round table.
Under Tedesco’s $531 million spending plan, the total $387 million tax levy would mean the county portion of the tax bill on an average home would be $762.28, up 1.7 percent from 2014.
APRIL 22, 2015, 5:18 PM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2015, 5:20 PM
BY STEVE JANOSKI
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
MIDLAND PARK — A December 2014 state inspection of Midland Park’s three schools did not find evidence of fraudulent markings in the buildings’ boiler logbooks, a claim made in a recent lawsuit by two former custodians who contend they were fired after pointing out inconsistencies in those logbooks.
Kerri H. Gatling, public information officer for the Department of Labor & Workforce Development, said that the department found no violations during its Dec. 30 visit, only “minor issues” with the logbooks that were not cited.
“Under state law, a licensed operator is needed in the building when the building is occupied and the boiler is operating,” Gatling said, adding that the boilers were shut down during the inspection because school was not in session. As a normal course of action, she said, inspectors will return once more when the boilers are operating.
APRIL 22, 2015, 11:45 AM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015, 12:01 AM
BY SCOTT FALLON AND LINDY WASHBURN
STAFF WRITERS |
THE RECORD
A coyote that was killed by a state wildlife officer this week after it attacked the tires of a police car in Norwood has tested positive for rabies — and the hunt continues for another coyote that could also have the disease, state officials said on Wednesday.
Officials say the coyote with rabies may be the same animal that bit a man in the borough on Sunday, but they noted they can’t be sure.
“There is no guarantee that we got the right coyote, which is why we’re still out here,” David Chanda, director of the state Division of Fish and Wildlife, said at a news conference in Norwood.
It is only the seventh time that rabies has been confirmed in a coyote since 1989, when the variant of the disease that spreads through raccoons first entered the state from Pennsylvania, said Colin T. Campbell, the state public health veterinarian.
APRIL 23, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY REBECCA GREENE
CORRESPONDENT |
WYCKOFF SUBURBAN NEWS
Wyckoff — Dozens of residents have complained to the Township Committee after receiving bills from Ridgewood Water containing surcharges for what are alleged to be under-paid quarterly billing cycles going back several years.
Paul Coppola of Birchwood Drive told the governing body on April 14 that he was “shocked” when he received a bill labeled as a “surcharge” for $1,071.
“Ridgewood Water has been less than forthcoming, have operated in less than good faith, and have participated in what I would call questionable business practices,” Coppola said.
Coppola said he failed to get an explanation of why he received the extra bill, although Ridgewood Water said it may have been that he changed over his telephone service.
“I have not changed my phone lines, I have not upgraded to FIOS and I have not done any construction,” Coppola said. “They could not explain why they were not reading my meter.”
The surcharge is for four years and Coppola said Ridgewood Water offered him four years with no interest to pay the debt.
APRIL 21, 2015, 8:59 AM LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015, 9:59 PM
BY SCOTT FALLON AND STEFANIE DAZIO
STAFF WRITERS |
THE RECORD
State wildlife staffers armed with guns patrolled a Norwood neighborhood in search of at least one coyote that may be rabid as reported sightings of the animals across Bergen County on Tuesday forced some schools to keep children indoors and animal control officers to set traps.
The heightened attention on coyotes comes as two men in the county were attacked by the animals in separate incidents this month — a rare occurrence that state officials say is likely due to a rabies infection.
“They typically would not be approaching people unless they are sick,” said Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection.
A coyote that bit a Saddle River man on April 6 has tested positive for rabies, only the sixth coyote identified as rabid in New Jersey in the last 25 years, according to state records. Another coyote that bit a Norwood man Sunday is being tested for rabies. Results are due back today.
State wildlife officials believe that another aggressive and possibly sick coyote is on the loose in the wooded Fox Hill section of Norwood.
