The Glassboro DEP Logging Story Is A Diversion From DEP’s Statewide Logging Project

NJ Conservation Groups Have Done Little To Oppose DEP Logging

DEP Logging Is Exempt From Wetlands And Other Regulations

Murphy DEP Natural Lands Strategy Calls For Logging 200,000 Acres

When a news story omits this much context and contradictory facts, it is not journalism, it is propaganda. 

NJ Spotlight reported today that DEP took enforcement action against DEP for logging the Glassboro Wildlife Management Area, see:

• State targets its own after regulators slash forest

I sensed this grossly misleading rehabilitation and cover story was coming when Tom Johnson at NJ Spotlight wrote the initial story, which portrayed Emile DeVito and Tom Gilbert of NJ Conservation Foundation in a very favorable light and highlighted potential wetlands violations.

So, let me present the context and facts that were completely ignored, and show how misleading this “story” is. Readers would get a totally FALSE understanding by reading the Spotlight story.

First of all, the DEP has been logging in Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) and forests to create habitat for game birds and deer to appease hunters for years on thousands of acres of land. The Glassboro WMA logging was just 21 acres. DEP has expanded multiple similar sham slogans and scientifically flawed justifications for logging to create habitat, reduce wildfire risk, to provide “carbon defense”, and to improve forest health. It’s all BS, just like Glassboro was.

Second, the DEP’s draft Natural and Working Lands Strategy calls for logging 200,000 acres of forests, 10,000 TIMES the Glassboro WMA logging, see:

• Murphy DEP “Natural And Working Lands Strategy” Targets Logging On 200,000 Acres Of Forests

Third, Spotlight claims that DEP enforced freshwater wetlands regulations. However, “forestry” (logging) is exempt from DEP freshwater wetlands regulations and many other State and local requirements (local land use jurisdiction is preempted). The DEP “Wetlands Forestry BMP” is 30 years old, is weak technically, and voluntary, see:

• Environmental Damage Of DEP Sparta Mountain Logging Plan Largely Unregulated

Fourth, DEP just received Pinelands Commission approval to log 1,400 acres (65 times larger than Glassboro). It was a disguised military defense project. Emile DeVito of NJ Conservation Foundation aggressively and very publicly supported that logging, see:

• ORWELL: Conservationists Conduct Tour To Promote DEP Logging Of Pinelands Forests

Fifth, Tom Gilbert of NJCF served as Co-Chair for Senator Smith’s Forestry Task Force. In that role, he did nothing to hold DEP accountable for their logging programs, he opposed and did little to aggressively advocate to support a moratorium on logging in NJ, and he undermined and sold out more aggressively anti-logging members of the Task Force who sought to preserve NJ forests, see:

• Legislative Forestry Task Force Recommendations Are A Non-Starter (Part Two)

Sixth, DEP has logged over 200 acres at Sparta Mountain WMA (10 times larger than Glassboro) with little effective opposition by NJCF and to hold DEP accountable in the media.

And finally, adding insult to injury, DEP just spent $129,000 to purchase a “forestry excavator” to expand their capacity to log forests (ironically, the machine likely to have logged Glassboro)see:

• Murphy DEP Used Military Funds To Purchase A “Forestry Excavator”

When a news story omits this much context and contradictory facts, it is not journalism, it is propaganda. 

Given these facts, I sent the following request to DeVito and Gilbert, with copies to other conservation groups and media who have failed to work on the above issues I raised.

Gentlemen – would you be so kind as to send me the applicable DEP enforcement documents referenced in today’s NJ Spotlight story?

I am curious about the alleged wetlands violations, because I was operating under the fact that forestry is exempt from DEP freshwater wetlands and other regulations.

I’d like to see how the DEP enforced, because we may be able to pursue enforcement at many other DEP “forestry” sites.

As you know, DEP has logged over 200 acres on Sparta Mt. WMA (10 times more than Glassboro), plans to log over 1,300 acres in the Pinelands (65 times Glassboro), and the DEP Natural and Working Lands Strategy calls for logging on 200,000 acres (10,000 times Glassboro). 

All of these projects impact freshwater wetlands.