Will The Murphy DEP Issue A Rubber Stamp Approval Of Another Warehouse Sprawl Project?

Massive 2.7 Million Square Foot Warehouse On Rural Farmland Pending DEP Review

Murphy DEP Has Gotten A Pass In Warehouse Controversy

I’ve been writing for a long time about how the media coverage and environmental groups are ignoring DEP’s role in review and regulatory approvals of the explosion of warehouse developments in NJ.

For example, last year, I flagged 6 warehouse projects seeking DEP regulatory approvals, see:

• The (Largely Ignored And UnRegulated) Implications Of Warehouse Development

Some were egregious abuses, see:

• Mansfield NJ – Corruption In Plain Sight

I even urged environmental groups to mount a statewide campaign to focus on DEP, see:

• The Final Frontier In NJ’s Long Running Land Use War

Media coverage has mis-portrayed the warehouse issue as primarily a “local home rule” concern.

But, perhaps in response to my strong criticism, some more recent media coverage has noted the State’s land use planning role, but not the DEP regulatory role, see:

• NJ Warehouse Sprawl News Coverage Finally Correctly Frames The “Home Rule” Issue

That lack of focus on DEP’s regulatory role could change as a result of a controversial proposed 2.7 million square foot warehouse on farmland in rural White Township (Warren County).

Finally, it looks like the environmental groups have woken up.

Maybe some intrepid reporter will do a deep dive into all the prior and current warehouses (and other major developments and new sources of greenhouse gas emissions) have been issued by the Murphy DEP under the radar, as the public was blinded by DEP press releases and environmental group cheerleading. 

(A recent critical news story suggests that the tide could be turning, however, and the Gov and his DEP may no longer receive a pass).

Here is the NJ Highlands Coalition’s action alert I just received:

A 2.7 million square foot warehouse project proposed by Jaindl is a huge threat to our environment and to the quality of life of residents of White Township and of this region of Warren County.

These warehouses will discharge over 40,000 gallons of wastewater directly into the ground every day, polluting the ground water of White Township and surrounding areas (where homes and businesses depend on wells for their drinking water), including the immediately adjacent Delaware River. The proposed site for the warehouses, entirely located on karst limestone, is also proven to be prone to sinkholes, and the traffic from the massive project would congest Route 519 and surrounding areas with over 1,200 tractor trailer trips and 2,800 employee vehicles generated every day, coming and going at all hours of the day and night, creating further polluted stormwater runoff and degrading the region’s air quality.

The White Township Committee has passed a resolution voting to deny the amendment to the Water Quality Management Plan being sought by the applicant, yet the developer, Jaindl, continues to pursue the project before the Planning Board and NJDEP.

YOUR VOICE COUNTS! MAKE IT HEARD!

You can help us tell DEP that these warehouses are a terrible idea and will destroy the region’s ground water quality and vulnerable environmental resources.  PLEASE ATTEND the upcoming virtual public information meeting that the New Jersey Highlands Coalition, Delaware Riverkeeper Network and Citizens for Sustainable Development will conduct in a webinar by zoom on July 27, starting at 6:00.  Learn how to comment and what to say to DEP at the virtual Public Hearing they will conduct to take place August 5, 2022:

Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82804969482?pwd=bld5bVRJSEJOMGN4eE5FSmp4ODg1dz09

Webinar ID: 828 0496 9482
Passcode: 812244
Or One tap mobile : +16468769923,,82804969482#,,,,*812244#
Or by phone: 646 876 9923

Let’s hope it’s not another case of too little, too late.

We’ll keep you posted.