JT. ASSEMBLY & SENATE ENVIRONMENT PANEL TAKES TESTIMONY ON THREAT TO BARNEGAT BAY FROM POLLUTION RUNOFF (LACEY TOWNSHIP) - A joint panel of the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee and  the Senate Environment Committee chaired by Assemblyman John F. McKeon and Senator Bob Smith today heard testimony from stakeholders and members of the public on the environmental degradation of the Barnegat Bay and Little Egg Harbor estuarine system.   Increases in pollution runoff has caused elevated levels of phosphorus and nitrogen in the 660 square mile watershed leading to reduced levels of oxygen which threaten the diverse plant and sea life of the Bay. A 2007 report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ranked the Bay as having one of the nation's highest concentrations of chemicals for a watershed."Rising levels of contamination threaten the Barnegat Bay and pose a potential hazard to the estimated half a million area residents and an additional 500,000 tourists that arrive here every summer," said McKeon (D-Essex). "As responsible stewards of the environment, we must take action to preserve our state's pristine watersheds and safeguard both public health and the economies of Ocean and Monmouth Counties." According to the Association of National Estuary Programs, the Bay generates an estimated $4.4 million in annual revenue from tourism and commercial fisheries. The Barnegat Bay encompasses all the land and water in Ocean and parts of Monmouth County including 42 miles of shoreline. Spanning 38 municipalities, it includes fresh water from nine streams and rivers that flow into the Bay. It stretches as far as Barrier islands to the east and Plumsted Township to the west and is bound by Point Pleasant Canal in the north and Little Egg Harbor to the south. Witnesses at today's hearing testified that more than fifty percent of the contamination of the Bay's waters is from fertilizer runoff. Rain laced with chemicals from cars and factories and groundwater contamination from development are also factors. Some of the recommended measures to slow down the contamination include: - directing storm water runoff into groundwater systems to improve filtration;- using slow-release fertilizer to limit nitrogen emissions; - limiting the use of fertilizers during the winter months and before rains; - setting total maximum daily loads of fertilizers; "Today's hearing fostered a productive exchange on how to preserve and protect the Barnegat Bay estuary, an environmental treasure and one of New Jersey's premiere eco-tourism destinations," McKeon said. "I look forward to working with fellow lawmakers and other stakeholders to implement measures that will advance that goal." The panel heard testimony from witnesses and members of the public including representatives from the following: - NJ DEP - EPA - NJ Watershed Management Section - Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program - Save Barnegat Bay - Trust for Public Land - Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve - Ocean County Soil Conservation District - Jersey Coast Anglers Association - Rutgers University - Pinelands Preservation Alliance - Garden State Seafood Association - Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility - Clean Ocean Action Today's joint hearing was held in Lacey Township Municipal Building's Community hall located at 101 North Main Street in Forked River, New Jersey. ###Contact: Gita Bajaj (973) 224-4851 cellular