Photo: Nov. 8,2006 rainstorm flooding on Liongate.







GREAT and STUPENDOUS NEWS: The Fefferman Crew has withdrawn the application submitted to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) for a storm water/land use permit at Liongate Drive.







The NJDEP had until the end of December, 2006 to decide up or down. Thanks to grants and all the donations from supporters, our guru, hydrologist Joe Skupien, presented a long list of problems with the proposed application--however, science is one thing, politics and deep pockets are something else. Thus, while Joe couldn't imagine NJDEP would give an approval, this is, after all New Jersey.







When we learned, quite by accident, that (in spite of Joe's problems with the science at the site) the go-to law firm Scarinci and Hollenbeck had a closed-door meeting with the NJDEP, (Joe was dis-invited and chased away) we were concerned that, once again, New Jersey's true colors (forget blue or red) would reign and the developer would get the go-ahead.







Man with a Mission, Nick Joanow, has been sending packets of information to every politician having anything to do with New Jersey, enduring endless chicken dinners and whatever else he could do to move any political influence on the decision to a thumbs down. At the same time, Greg Remaud from NYNJ Baykeepers, Bob Spiegel from Edison Wetlands, Bill Sheehan from the Hackensack Riverkeepers and Tom Gilmore from the New Jersey Audubon Society weighed in with a letter to the NJDEP supporting a denial. Not to mention all the input from Bloomfield residents and BTRA supporters!







We also submitted a request for a public hearing with the NJDEP.







Since the tougher storm water and flood hazard regulations should soon be approved by Trenton, Fefferman will find his project needs to be redesigned and perhaps only a shadow of its former self.







We have no idea what the future holds and we haven't had an update on the remediation side of the project. But, for the holiday, this is a VERY MERRY XMAS!











Thanks and Merry Christmas!