Judy Wicks Lecture at the Center

Third Annual Thomas Berry Lecture

Time	Thursday, October 6 · 7:30pm - 9:00pm
$10 Lecture $50 Meet and Greet beforehand with Judy. Includes ticket

In her program entitled "LOCAL LIVING ECONOMIES: GREEN FAIR, & FUN" Judy Wicks founder of the White Dog Cafe and the Sustainable Business Network will lead us in a framework for the continued development of the Green Economy of Camden, and the region.



Pre-order tickets
http://camdencenterfortransformation.org/Publish/donation.html
$10

$50 Meet and Greet

E-mail: camdencfet@gmail.com if you or your business would like to sponsor the event.

Location	The Center for Environmental Transformation Lecture will take place in Sacred Heart Church corner of Broadway and Ferry Camden, NJ

EJ legislation

This is one of the most promising pieces of legislation on the table in New Jersey for environmental justice through cumulative air impact, poverty, and communities of color.

ftp://www.njleg.state.nj.us/20102011/A4000/3751_I1.HTM

ASSEMBLY, No. 3751

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

214th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED JANUARY 24, 2011

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE

District 37 (Bergen)

SYNOPSIS

Concerns environmental permits in low-income, minority communities.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

As introduced.

AN ACT concerning environmental permits in certain areas, and supplementing Title 13 of the Revised Statutes.

BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. As used in this act:

"Burdened community" means an area within a municipality that is designated as such pursuant to the provisions of subsection b. of section 2 of this act.

"Household income" means income as defined for the purposes of determining eligibility for a free or reduced price lunch pursuant to the federal school lunch program.

"Low-income household" means a residence with a household income that does not exceed 2.50 times the official federal poverty level based on family size, established and adjusted under Section 673(2) of Subtitle B, the "Community Services Block Grant Act," Pub. L.97-35 (42 U.S.C. s.9902(2)), for the year preceding the year in which a designation of a burdened community is sought.

"Minority group" means any group enjoying special protection under the civil rights provisions of the Constitution of the United States and the federal "Voting Rights Act of 1965," 42 U.S.C. s.1973 et seq., as amended and supplemented.

"Permit" means any permit, registration or license issued by the Department of Environmental Protection establishing the regulatory and management requirements for an ongoing regulated activity as authorized by federal law or the following State laws: R.S.12:5-1 et seq.; P.L.1975, c.232 (C.13:1D-29 et al.); the "Solid Waste Management Act," P.L.1970, c.39 (C.13:1E-1 et seq.); section 17 of P.L.1975, c.326 (C.13:1E-26); the "Comprehensive Regulated Medical Waste Management Act," P.L.1989, c.34 (C.13:1E-48.1 et al.); P.L.1989, c.151 (C.13:1E-99.21a et al.); the "New Jersey Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act," P.L.1987, c.102 (C.13:1E-99.11 et al.); the "Pesticide Control Act of 1971," P.L.1971, c.176 (C.13:1F-1 et seq.); the "Industrial Site Recovery Act," P.L.1983, c.330 (C.13:1K-6 et al.); the "Toxic Catastrophe Prevention Act," P.L.1985, c.403 (C.13:1K-19 et seq.); "The Wetlands Act of 1970," P.L.1970, c.272 (C.13:9A-1 et seq.); the "Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act," P.L.1987, c.156 (C.13:9B-1 et al.); the "Coastal Area Facility Review Act," P.L.1973, c.185 (C.13:19-1 et seq.); the "Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act," P.L.2004, c.120 (C.13:20-1 et seq.), the "Air Pollution Control Act (1954)," P.L.1954, c.212 (C.26:2C-1 et seq.); the "Water Supply Management Act," P.L.1981, c.262 (C.58:1A-1 et al.); P.L.1947, c.377 (C.58:4A-5 et seq.); the "Water Pollution Control Act," P.L.1977, c.74 (C.58:10A-1 et seq.); P.L.1986, c.102 (C.58:10A-21 et seq.); the "Safe Drinking Water Act," P.L.1977, c.224 (C.58:12A-1 et al.); the "Flood Hazard Area Control Act," P.L.1962, c.19 (C.58:16A-50 et seq.).

"Person" means any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, political subdivision of this State, or State or interstate agency.

2. a. The Department of Environmental Protection shall designate an area within any municipality in the State a burdened community pursuant to the provisions of this section. The department may designate an area a burdened community pursuant to a petition filed by any person or upon its own initiative. The department shall grant or deny a petition within 60 days of its receipt. A person who petitions the department to designate an area within the municipality a burdened community shall include in the application:

(1) A map of the area that is the subject of the application;

(2) A list of the facilities in the area for which the department has issued a permit the affect the public health, the environment, and the quality of life in the community;

(3) Any demographic or household information that will assist the department in assessing the income levels in the area;

(4) The name and contact information of a designated representative of the burdened community; and

(5) Any other information the applicant deems relevant concerning the conditions in the area that is the subject of the application.

b. The department shall designate an area a burdened community upon a finding that the area meets the following criteria:

(1) At least one-half of the households in the area qualify as low-income households;

(2) At least one-half of the area's residents are members of a minority group;

(3) There is in the area at least one "major facility" as defined pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1954, c.212 (C.26:2C-2);

(4) There is in the area at least one property that is included on the list of known hazardous discharge sites maintained pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1982, c.202 (C.58:10-23.15 et seq.); and

(5) There is in the area at least one facility:

(a) that has been issued a permit pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1977, c.74 (C.58:10A-1 et seq.);

(b) regulated pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1985, c.403 (C.13:1K-19 et seq.); or

(c) regulated pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1970, c.39 (C.13:1E-1 et seq.).

c. Upon designating an area a burdened community, the department shall notify the governing body of the municipality in which the area is located, the applicant, as applicable, and any community leaders as appropriate. Upon consultation with the governing body of the municipality in which the burdened community is located, and the petitioner if applicable, the department shall designate a representative of the burdened community.

3. a. The Department of Environmental Protection shall not grant a permit for a project located in a burdened community unless the department first:

(1) Prepares a report assessing the environmental impact of the proposed project including any cumulative impacts on the community, any adverse environmental effects that cannot be avoided should the permit be granted, and the public health impact on the burdened community of the proposed project;

(2) Transmits the report required to be prepared pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection at least 30 days in advance of the public hearing required pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection to the governing body and the clerk of the municipality in which the burdened community is located, the permit applicant, and the designated representative of the burdened community. The report shall be made available to the public at least 30 days prior to the public hearing required pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection; and

(3) Conducts a public hearing in a location convenient as much as possible to all interested parties at least 30 days prior to issuing a decision on a permit application. Public notices of the hearing shall be published in at least two newspapers circulating within the burdened community not less than 21 days prior to the hearings. At least 14 days prior to the date set for such hearing, a copy of the public notice shall be sent to the governing body and the clerk of the municipality in which the burdened community is located, the permit applicant, and the designated representative of the burdened community. Following the public hearing, the commissioner shall consider the testimony presented and evaluate any revisions or conditions to the permit that may be necessary to reduce the adverse impact to the public health or to the environment in the burdened community.

b. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, or rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto, to the contrary, the department may deny a permit application in a burdened community upon a finding that the approval of the permit would, together with the cumulative adverse health and environmental impacts posed by the existing conditions, including conditions resulting from permitted activities, in the burdened community, constitute an unreasonable risk to the health of the residents of the burdened community and to the environment in the community.

c. The department shall not approve a permit application for a project in a burdened community unless the governing body of the municipality in which the burdened community is located adopts an ordinance approving the project.

4. The Department of Environmental Protection may adopt, pursuant to the provisions of the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.) rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this act.

5. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill would authorize the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to designate an area within a municipality a "burdened community" and, prior to a DEP determination on a permit application in a burdened community, require an additional environmental evaluation and a public hearing. A burdened community is one in which at least one-half of the households in the area qualify as low-income households, at least one-half of the residents are members of a minority group, and there is at least one "major facility" regulated pursuant to the "Air Pollution Control Act (1954), at least one property that is included on the list of known hazardous discharge sites maintained pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1982, c.202 (C.58:10-23.15 et seq.), and there is one facility regulated pursuant to (1) the "Water Pollution Control Act," (2) the "Toxic Catastrophe Prevention Act," or (3) the "Solid Waste Management Act."

Before any permit is approved in a burdened community, the DEP would be required to prepare a report assessing the environmental impact of the proposed project and conduct a public hearing in a location convenient as much as possible to all interested parties. Following the public hearing, the DEP would be required to consider the testimony presented and evaluate any revisions or conditions to the permit that may be necessary to reduce the adverse impact on the public health or to the environment in the burdened community. The bill authorizes the department to deny a permit application in a burdened community upon a finding that the approval of the permit would, together with the cumulative adverse health and environmental impacts posed by the existing conditions, including conditions resulting from permitted activities, in the burdened community, constitute an unreasonable risk to the health of the residents of the burdened community and to the environment in the community.

Finally, the bill would prohibit the department from approving a permit unless the governing body of the municipality in which the burdened community is located adopts an ordinance approving the project.

September 2011: The Center for Environmental Transformation

September 15, 2011

Hello everyone.

This month is a time of remembrance.  10 years ago this country suffered a major shock to its system in the terrorist attacks in NYC, Washington, DC and the field in southwestern Pennsylvania.  That day changed us in fundamental ways.  God’s blessing on all of us as we seek a world that is at peace!

This past month we also experienced mother nature at her most challenging, and some of us continue to suffer from the hurricanes, tornadoes and wild fires.  It is terrifying to some degree because we have created for ourselves a way of life that sometimes seems as if it moves along independent of mother nature.  So, when wild fires destroy our homes, rivers overflowing their banks consume our possessions, or tornadoes rip a path of destruction through our towns, we are confronted by a fact that will not go away.  We are part of nature; we are “citizens” of nature, regardless of how much we do to try to insulate ourselves from it.  Whether one concedes that our recent run of violent weather is a part of the climate-change phenomenon, or one considers these events as simply part of the cycle of nature, the point stands that these momentous weather events shock us out of the normal way of life that we have come to depend on. 

A colleague of mine was without power for several days after the hurricane. It disrupted her entire way of life.  She sought ways to reassert her control of her life, but found them all wanting to some degree.  I read of another family, without power for days, who chose to enter into the “powerlessness” of the situation, and live a “more natural” life.  What does it mean to live “more naturally?”  There is a vigorous debate about that, but I would say that to live “more naturally” means to live more attentively, particularly about how the way we live impacts the world we live in.  How do my choices at the supermarket support or undermine food production systems that are dependent on fossil fuels for their existence?  How does my choice of automobile and decisions on how to use that automobile impact the emission of greenhouse gases?  How does the temperature at which I set my air conditioner and/or furnace impact the need to produce electricity through coal-fired power plants that emit toxic chemicals into the atmosphere?  How much waste am I creating in my daily life?  How do I manage that waste?  Do I participate in the unsustainable filling of landfills or do I participate in recycling programs that decrease my waste footprint?  Do I seek to have the picture perfect lawn, without any weeds, and perfectly green, thereby necessitating the use of hydrocarbons in fertilizers and pesticides, demonstrating increasing dependence on a non-sustainable resource like petroleum?  Or do I work with nature, to grow a lawn, a vegetable garden, or flower garden, the settles into the ecosystem that is here, rather than one I’d rather be in?

I raise these concerns as part of the art of remembering, of reconnecting with mother nature by whom we are all nurtured.  It all begins with remembering that our life unfolds within the life of this planet, and in this universe.  It unfolds precisely because this planet is the way that it is.  It is proper for us to honor this earth of ours by attending to how our activities impact it, for good or for not so good.  We are all called to honor the reality of mother nature supporting the lives that we live, out of gratitude, and out of respect for the bountiful diversity and beauty that characterize this amazing place.  That commitment to honor can begin with recognizing our connection.  Perhaps such thoughts are not helpful in the process of cleaning up our homes destroyed by fire, wind and water.  If so, set them aside, but I hope at some time down the road, they might invite you back into a place where the beauty and bounty of mother nature can evoke once again your wonder and thankfulness.

Remember us here in Camden.  We need you!

Peace,

Mark Doorley

President, Board of Trustees

www.camdencenterfortransformation.org

NEWS AND NOTES

1.       WATERFRONT SOUTH FARMER’S MARKET:  Each Thursday, through the end of October, from 4-7PM the Waterfront South Farmer’s Market is open for business.  There are fresh vegetables from the gardens the Center tends, as well as produce provided by Philadelphia-based GreensGrow.  The farmer’s market sets up shop at 1729 Ferry Ave.  Stop by!

2.      FIRST SATURDAY WORK DAY:  On October 1^st, we are gathering once again to work in the gardens.  If you can join us, please contact Andrea at aferich@gmail.com.  We gather at 9AM and work til Noon.  If you come, bring work gloves and a bottle of water.

3.      OCTOBER 6^th   The third annual Thomas Berry Lecture takes place at 7:30PM at Sacred Heart Church, on the corner of S. Broadway & Ferry Ave.  Tickets for the event are $10 and can be purchased at the door or on our website.  Our speaker is Judy Wicks, the founder and now previous owner of the White Dog Café in Philadelphia that operates almost entirely off the grid and makes use of only local produce and grass fed, free range animal products.  She also started the Sustainable Business Network, a group of businesses that seeks to pool their resources in order to lessen their impact on the environment.  Her talk is entitled:  “Local Living Economies:  Green, Fair and Fun.”  All proceeds benefit the Center.  The door prize, for which everyone is eligible, is a gift certificate to the White Dog Café, a wonderful eatery.   Prior to the lecture, there is a meet and greet with Judy Wicks at the Center.  For $50 a person can secure a spot at the meet and greet when he or she can have a chance to chat with Judy, enjoy delicious food, and receive a ticket to the lecture.  We would love to have you join us for this special event.  Please contact us at Camden.cfet@gmail.com for more information, or visit our website to purchase a ticket to the meet and greet.

4.      SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:  For the Thomas Berry Lecture, there are opportunities for individuals and/or businesses to be a sponsor.  Consider supporting the Center in this way.  Our work is only possible through the generosity of people like you who so faithfully provide us the support we need.  Contact us at camden.cfet@gmail.com

5.      Please pass along the name and email address of people in your networks who would be interested in receiving this monthly email.

6.      Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/76348055377/

7.      The Politics of Food:  In Cape May Point, from September 22-25, the Cape May Forum is hosting a series of discussions on the politics of food. This portends to be a very vigorous conversation, but one that we need to have with each other.  For more information, go to www.capemayforum.org.

8.      There are very important policy conversations going on in New Jersey and the area.  One has to do with Governor Christie’s desire to waive over 100 regulatory statutes that address clean air in the state.  The other is over the use of hydraulic fracturing, also called ‘fracking,” in the Delaware River Basin.  It is very important that citizens be part of this discussion.  It is critically important that policy decisions that impact the environment be the result of a debate in which all citizens are involved.  If you are a citizen in the Delaware River Valley, or a citizen of the state of New Jersey, get involved.  Click here to begin learning about the regulation issue, and here to begin learning about the hydraulic fracturing issue.

workday schedule

please join us on September 24 this month for our monthly workday.

Growing out native plants this week in Camden (openhouse nursery)

This week we will be repotting 1,000 native plants at our Camden Native Plant Nursery on Tuesday and Wednesday. If you would like to come and meet these plants that will be diverting thousands of gallons of combined stormwater from the CSO system here beside the CCMUA (Camden County's sewage treatment facility) face to face, please e-mail camdencfet@gmail.com Or meet us at the Eve's Garden (the Greenhouse)

412 Jasper Street Camden

9 AM

Here's a list of what we are growing with this initiative round 1:

Blue Lobelia – 50

Blueflag Iris – 50

Brown-eyed Susan – 200

Canadian Goldenrod – 50

Cardinal Flower – 50

False Sunflower – 50

Foxglove Beardtongue – 50

New England Aster – 100

Purple Coneflower – 200

Swamp Milkweed – 100

Wild Bergamont – 100

This initiative is with the Rutgers Water Resource Deparment (really amazing website. check out the free rain garden manual) through the Camden SMART initiative.

Great Rain garden coverage in the news! http://www.camdencounty.com/county-news/camden’s-waterfront-south-rain-gardens

August 2011 Center for Environmental Transformation

The Center for Environmental Transformation

August 21, 2011*

Hello all!

Last week at Sacred Heart Church we celebrated the feast of the Assumption.  In the Roman Catholic tradition, this feast day celebrates the fact that when Mary, the mother of Jesus, died, she was taken directly into heaven.  It is a feast day that reminds us of the destiny that awaits all those who remain on the side of hope in the journey of life and death.  This feast day, as Sacred Heart, coincides with the annual Women’s Rising Retreat, a day long event at which women gather to share faith and hope and strength on their journeys of the spirit.  At the Eucharistic celebration on this weekend, everyone and everything, receives garlands, boutonnieres, bracelets and necklaces made of marigolds.  Why marigolds?  Well, marigolds are also known as Mary’s Gold.  Many of the marigolds that graced the throats, wrists, heads and hearts of those who gathered last Sunday were grown in Eve’s Garden, the heart of the Center for Environmental Transformation.  The seeds for the marigolds that grew this summer were harvested from last year’s marigolds, and they were blessed on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8^th, another feast day in honor of Mary, the mother of Jesus.  It all comes full circle.  On the day that Mary made her entrance into her mother’s womb, we bless seeds that will come to fruition on the day when we celebrate the culmination of Mary’s fidelity to her God, her entrance into everlasting peace.

Why this talk about marigolds, and Mary, and Eve’s Garden?  I’ve been thinking of rituals.  What occurs with the seeds for the marigolds that are used on the feast of the Assumption is a ritual, and it has repeated itself for a good 15 years now.  The ritual gathers distinct moments in time, distinct places, and weaves them together into a story that shapes how we understand ourselves and our place in life.  Nature has always been the source of most of our rituals.  The rising of the sun, and its setting, provide a framework, and a repetitive one at that, for each day.  The seasons in this hemisphere, and at this latitude, provide another framework, around which farmers, in particular, have shaped their lives.  August always marks a time when the days are noticeably shorter, with sunset coming far too soon for the liking.  The harvest begins to come in with great abundance, signally the approach of autumn and the cold of winter.  It happens each year, that the earth brings forth its abundance, that children are born and people die, that summer comes to an end, and Mary’s Gold once again adorns the bodies of those who gather in Waterfront South in Camden, NJ on or about the 15^th of August.

We do need to tend to our rituals, particularly those that are rooted in nature.  In some places on this earth, for thousands of years the earth produced its abundance in food.  Now, today, that same earth produces nothing, and its potential has been destroyed:  Ethiopia and Nigeria are losing productive land to famine and the creep of the Sahara Desert, respectively; the countries of the Middle East are depleting their aquifers, and now must import most of their grain; as the polar ice caps melt, the lowlands of Southeast Asia, source of the world’s largest supply of rice, will increasingly disappear; and in China, the Gobi Desert continues to encroach on the western lands of that, the world’s most populous country, robbing them of fertile soil.

We do well to attend to nature’s rituals, and to the quality of our own cooperation in the unfolding of those rituals.  Fidelity to nature’s rhythms/rituals/cycles may well be the marker of those who share in the wealth of Mary’s Gold.

May God bless you all!

Mark Doorley, Ph.D.

President, Board of Trustees

www.camdencenterfortransformation.org

 

News and Notes

1.       September Work Day:  Join us on Saturday, September 3, 2011 from 9AM til Noon.  We will be working in the garden, harvesting some of the earth’s abundance.  If you can join us, bring some drinking water, gloves if you have them, and your energy.  Meet Andrea at 912 Jasper Street, the entrance to Eve’s Garden.  Let her know if you’re coming.  aferich@gmail.com

2.      SAVE THE DATE!  On Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 7:30PM, Judy Wicks, founder of the White Dog Café in Philadelphia, and of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia, will give the third annual Thomas Berry Lecture at Sacred Heart Church in Camden, NJ.  The title of Judy’s talk is “Local Living Economies:  Green, Fair & Fun.”  Tickets are $10.  Please put this date on your calendar and plan to join us.  At 6PM in the Center, there will be a Meet & Greet with Judy  Wicks, with refreshments.  The cost of this additional event is $50 (a ticket to the lecture included). Space is limited!  There are opportunities for individuals and businesses to sponsor this event at various levels.  For more information on the event and/or sponsorships, write to camdencfet@gmail.com.  You can purchase tickets on our website.  There is a flyer for the event attached to this email.  Please forward it to people you think might be interested in joining Judy for what will be an enjoyable evening.

3.      The Center, through Andrea Ferich’s guidance, has created a Native Plant Nursery, in partnership with the  Camden County Municipal Authority.  On a plot on the CCMUA campus in Waterfront South, Andrea has planted over 1,000 plugs of plants native to Southern New Jersey.  These plants will be used in the many rain water gardens that will be created throughout Camden.  This is part of the Camden SMART Initiative that began in earnest this past summer.  A significant fruit of these efforts is the large rain water garden created on the corner of S. Broadway and Chelten Ave., in Waterfront South.  An abandoned gasoline station was demolished, the land cleaned up, and a beautiful rain garden established.  To read about the July 27^th dedication, visit this site.

4.      On Thursday, September 15^th, from 7-9PM, at the Cherry Hill Library on King’s Highway, there will be a screening of the film:  “CRUDE:  The Real Price of Oil.”  This event is co-sponsored by the library, Sustainable Cherry Hill and the NJ Council for the Humanities.  Put this on your calendar.  The film will be followed by a discussion facilitated by a local scholar.  FYI:  Chevron is using the US courts to shut down the director of this movie, Joe Berlinger.  Makes one wonder…

Farmers Markets thousands of Jobs

Supporting Farmers Markets Creates Thousands of Jobs: Union of Concerned Scientists

by Rachel Cernansky, Boulder, Colorado on 08. 4.11

BUSINESS & POLITICS

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Image: Chris Schrier via flickr

"What's holding farmers markets back?" That's the question behind a new report from the Union of Concerned Scientists, which determined the culprit to be federal policies that favor industrial agriculture over small and local farms. Change those policies, though, and you get a quick turnaround.

According to the report, just a little public funding for 100 to 500 farmers markets a year could create up to 13,500 jobs within five years.

"On the whole, farmers markets have seen exceptional growth, providing local communities with fresh food direct from the farm," said Jeffrey O'Hara, a UCS economist and author of the report, Market Forces: Creating Jobs through Public Investment in Local and Regional Food Systems. "If the U.S. government diverted just a small amount of the massive subsidies it lavishes on industrial agriculture to support these markets and small local farmers, it would not only improve American diets, it would generate tens of thousands of new jobs."

An example of how, from the report:

when greater consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables draws on produce supplied locally or regionally. Studies have suggested that this phenomenon could lead to thousands more jobs in the Midwest alone, even if land allocated to fruits and vegetables displaced some production of corn and soybeans.

The report highlights the importance of developing direct marketing channels. So many farmers markets right now are community-based and rely on volunteer labor, which almost inevitably stunts their growth. But, says the report, "modest public funding for 100 to 500 otherwise-unsuccessful farmers markets a year could create as many as 13,500 jobs over a five-year period."

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, direct agricultural product sales amounted to a $1.2 billion-a-year business in 2007 (the most recent USDA figure), and most of that money recirculates locally. "The fact that farmers are selling directly to the people who live nearby means that sales revenue stays local," O'Hara said. "That helps stabilize local economies."

If you don't believe it, the report provides a few examples:

• 34 farmers markets in West Virginia led to a gross increase of 119 jobs (net increase of 82 jobs), a gross increase of $2.4 million in output (net increase of $1.1 million), and a gross increase in personal income of $0.7 million (net increase of $0.2 million).

• 21 farmers markets in Oklahoma led to a gross increase of 113 jobs, $5.9 million in output (with a multiplier of 1.78), and a $2.2 million increase in income.

• 152 farmers markets in Iowa led to a gross increase of 576 jobs, a $59.4 million increase in output (with a multiplier of 1.55), and a $17.8 million increase in income.

• 26 farmers markets in Mississippi led to a gross increase of 16 jobs, a $1.6 million increase in output (with a multiplier of 1.7), and a $0.2 million increase in income.

Some Progress Has Been Made, But There's Plenty More to Do
Local food systems have no doubt seen a boost in recent years: the number of farmers markets has jumped nationwide from 2,863 in 2000 to 6,132 in 2010.That might lead some people to question why farmers markets need public support. But there are major economic and political barriers that stump the growth of these markets and food systems. And the government helps agricultural giants that have already surpassedtheir potential, while in comparison almost ignores the little folks.

The USDA gave $13.725 billion last year in commodity, crop insurance, and supplemental disaster assistance to primarily large industrial farms. In the same year, the same agency spent less than $100 million to support local and regional food system farmers.

The Way Forward
To address these barriers, the report calls on Congress to:

• support the development of local food markets, including farmers markets and farm-to-school programs, which can stabilize community-supported markets and create permanent jobs. For example, the report found that the Farmers Market Promotion Program could create as many as 13,500 jobs nationally over a five-year period, if reauthorized, by providing modest funding for 100 to 500 farmers markets per year.

• level the playing field for farmers in rural regions by investing in infrastructure, such as meat-processing or dairy-bottling facilities, which would help meat, dairy and other farmers produce and market their products to consumers more efficiently. These investments could foster competition in food markets, increase product choice for consumers, and generate jobs in the community.

• allow low-income residents to redeem food nutrition subsidies at local food markets to help them afford fresh fruits and vegetables. Currently, not all markets are able to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

"Farmers at local markets are a new variety of innovative entrepreneurs, and we need to nurture them," said O'Hara. "Supporting these farmers should be a Farm Bill priority."

The report was released just a few days ahead of the USDA's 12th annual National Farmers Market Week, which starts this Sunday, August 7.

NYC People's Garden in front of City Hall

This Saturday

Come this Saturday August 6, nine to noon in our native plant nursery. Meet at 412 Jasper Street. Email aferich@gmail.com with any questions!

July 2011 Newsletter

The Center for Environmental Transformation

July 19, 2011

Hello everyone!  Greetings on this beautiful hot day in southern New Jersey!*

There is a lot happening in Waterfront South and Camden these days.  One of the great things is the continued work of the Waterfront South Environmental Network (WSEN).  This group conducts research on the impact of polluting industries on the water, air and soil of Waterfront South.  The group includes community activists, governmental officials and scientists.   The focus of much of their energies recently is on the idea of cumulative impact of polluting industries, and an effort to work for regulatory change that reflects the reality of cumulative impact.  This is a reality that is detrimental to the health of people living in urban settings, yet it is overlooked in the current regulatory framework.  That needs to change!

To get a sense of what cumulative impact means, let me describe for you the environmental reality of Waterfront South.  On the northern border of our neighborhood is a concrete crushing facility as well as two incredibly large metal recycling facilities.  On the southern border of our neighborhood is the trash-to-steam facility that burns the trash of most of Camden County as well as neighboring Gloucester County.  In the middle of the neighborhood is a chemical company.  In addition, there is a port on the north side and the south side of the neighborhood between which diesel trucks move day and night, often sitting at stop lights, their exhausts filling the air.  What I’m describing here is a relatively small land area which is home to several industries that emit harmful contaminants into the air.  While each of them passes muster with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, together they represent a significant threat to the health of the inhabitants of this neighborhood.  Our regulatory framework deals with each polluting industry as an individual, which makes a certain amount of sense in this country where we hold dear the rights of the individual.  However, when it comes to the environment, focusing on an individual’s actions, which on their own might contribute an acceptable burden to the environment, is problematic, and flies in the face of reality.  The environmental is threatened by the cumulative impact of human behavior.

If I’m the only person throwing my trash out on to the street as I drive through the neighborhood, this isn’t a problem.  However, if most people do throw their trash out onto the street as they drive by, then we have a significant problem.  We have seen something similar with the fisheries of the planet.  It is not a problem if one fishing boat takes a boat load of fish home with them.  But if every fishing boat takes home a boat load of fish, soon there won’t be any more fish!  Similarly, although each industry in Waterfront South meets the standards set by government regulation, taken together these industries create a significant health threat to the children, elderly and those with pre-existing conditions like asthma.  It is time that our regulatory framework be broadened to take into account the cumulative impact of polluting industries on the air, water and soil of our urban centers.

The WSEN is inviting people to address this very issue by letter to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.  They hope to send a flock of letters to the NJDEP by the beginning of August.  The Center for Environmental Transformation supports this effort.  It is based on solid science and common sense.  Write a letter and send it via email to Andrea Ferich at aferich@gmail.com.  For your convenience,I’ve attached my letter, below.  Feel free to use it as a basis for yours, with the appropriate edits.

We are all on this planet together, and we have a responsibility to the earth and to our brothers and sisters.  Asking our governmental officials to broaden their understanding of the impact of pollution on the lives of people is a very specific way in which to meet that responsibility.

Thank you.

Mark Doorley

President, Board of Trustees

The Center for Environmental Transformation

www.camdencenterfortransformation.org

NEWS AND NOTES

1.       Every Thursday until the end of October, from 4 – 7PM at 1729 Ferry Ave. (The Center) there will be a farmer’s market, featuring the produce from the community gardens as well as produce supplied by Philadelphia-based GreensGrow.  Join us to hang out, meet old and new friends, and purchase some fruit and vegetables for your table.  To hear about a fruit dear to the heart of one of Junior Farmers, Marco Cubrera, watch this video.

2.      First Saturday work day:  On August 6, 2011 we will gather at 9AM at the garden to harvest, weed, etc.  Please consider joining us.  Bring along some water and gloves.  It is very helpful to know if you are coming, so please email Andrea at aferich@gmail.com or call her at 856-283-1338.

3.      We have a phone number!  The Center now has a number you can call to get more information on our work or to schedule a retreat.  The number is 856-365-8111. 

4.      JOIN US!  Tomorrow, Wednesday July 20^th,  please join us to take over the Northgate Park in Camden, NJ with nearly 2,000 native plants. These plants were selected by students from Molina School and Senior Citizens from Respond for their beauty, attracting butterflies, and cut flower potential. This program is the first of its kind through Rutgers University’s new Art Garden program. Andrea Ferich, or CFET, has been paired with a phenomenal mural artist, and they're going to cover this park with color while reclaiming this entire city block  growing beauty and healthy communities  in Camden. Native plants are from our area, don't need as much water once they are established, and attract local birds and insects.  This project, in addition to our involvement with the Camden SMART initiative, has led to the establishment of the Camden Native Plant Nursery. Check it out. 

If you are interested in participating, the meeting place is Northgate Park at 6th and Elm Streets in Camden. . .9 AM-3pm.  Some things to bring if you have them: trowels, scissors, gloves, hoses, movie camera, youth, drinking water, your lunch, (Andrea will be wearing a bright yellow shirt)  Contact her at aferich@gmail.com with questions or to RSVP.

5.      Retreat News:  Last week a group from Loyola-Blakefield HS in Baltimore spent time with us, working in the greenhouse, gardens and new native plant nursery.  There were 10 young men, rising seniors, and two chaperones.  They worked hard, learning about Camden, and indentifying ways to bring what they are learning back to their communities in Baltimore.  They left on Saturday, the 16^th, and another group from this high school arrived for a week’s stay on Sunday, the 17^th .  Pray for them all.  It is this kind of experiential learning event that we hope to sponsor throughout the year.  If you are involved with a group on the high school level, college level or with a group focused on justice, please consider spending time with us at the Center, for a weekend or week experience.

6.      Speaking of retreats, attached is the brochure for our retreats.  The one I attached last time had some mistaken identifications in it.

7.      JOIN US!  On Tuesday, July 26^th, at 11AM a very special event is taking place in Waterfront South.  On the corner of Chelten and Broadway an old gas station which was an eyesore has been turned into a beautiful rain garden.  This amazing turn of events on this piece of land is due to the efforts of Andy Kricun and the  Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority.  One step at a time, we are turning Waterfront South into a beautiful place, particularly for the children.  On top of that, rain gardens are an essential tool for assisting the Camden city sewer system to deal with the runoff from rain storms.  Every gallon of water that can be diverted through a rain garden is one less gallon that the aging sewer system has to handle.  That is a good thing for the residents of Camden!  Come celebrate with us!  To read more about rain gardens, visit this site. 

8.      Donor and grant news

a.      Jonathan Newcomb and Valerie Spino Newcomb made a significant contribution to the Center on the occasion of their wedding on June 4, 2011.  In lieu of favors for their guests, they made this contribution to support the Center’s work.  Thank you Jonathan and Valerie!  God bless you abundantly in your married life!

b.      McKella280 of Pennsauken, NJ contributed the printing of the retreat brochure.  Thank you so much to McKella 280 for its generous support of our work.

c.       We received a $10,000 grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.  This grant will go toward programming that seeks to integrate art, gardening and education on environmental justice for young people in the city of Camden and the region.  We are grateful to the Dodge Foundation for valuing the work we are doing, and for giving us an opportunity to develop that work more fully.

9.      SAVE THE DATE!  On Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 7:30PM, Judy Wicks, founder of the White Dog Café in Philadelphia, and of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia, will give the third annual Thomas Berry Lecture at Sacred Heart Church in Camden, NJ.  Tickets are $10.  Please put this date on your calendar and plan to join us.  Tickets will be available on September 1^st.  For more information, call 856-365-8111 or write to info@camdencenterfortransformation.org. 

10.  Please remember the Center as you make plans for charitable contributions.  There is a capital fund that will be used to reconstruct the porch on the side of the Center, renovate the front entrance of the Center, and complete the replacement of all the windows on the Center so that we are more sustainable in our energy use.  Your assistance in completing these capital projects is needed and appreciated.  For more information on this, contact Mark Doorley at info@camdencenterfortransformation.org.

 

July 15, 2011

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing about a topic that has become more and more critical for me, and for the way in which we approach regulation as it pertains to protecting the environment.

As you know, our legal framework for environmental protection focuses on individual industrial sites that emit harmful chemicals and particulate into our water, our air and our soil.  Since our entire legal structure is based on protecting the rights of the individual citizen, it makes sense that when applied to corporations and businesses, we treat them as “individuals.”  While this makes sense given our country’s commitment to individual rights, it doesn’t make sense in light of solid science and, indeed, in light of common sense.  It is time we rethink our regulatory framework, and I write to urge you to do just that.  I write in support of a reform of our environmental regulatory framework so that the cumulative impact of individual business, otherwise treated as individuals, is subject to regulation. 

If I pour paint down my drain at home in Cherry Hill, it will go in to the sewer system, and eventually reach a waste water treatment plant, be treated, and the water that carried my paint will be recirculated for use by citizens in this area.  If I am the only one pouring paint into the system, that isn’t a problem.  However, if my fellow citizens get into this habit, the waste water treatment system will, at some point, be unable to filter out the contaminants from the increasingly high volume of paint poured into our common waste water stream.  The result is water used for consumption that isn’t free of harmful contaminants.

If a lone fishing boat is filled to capacity with fish, this isn’t a problem.  But if every fishing boat is filled to capacity with fish, the day will come, and come quickly (as it has with certain species in various parts throughout the world), when there will be no more fish.

In Waterfront South, in Camden, NJ, a community with which I have been actively involved since 2000, there are numerous polluting industries, each of which has passed the New Jersey DEP’s regulations on air and water pollution.  However, the cumulative impact of all of these industries on this one relatively small neighborhood of 1700 people far surpasses the impact of any one of them as individuals.  So, while each industry meets regulatory standards, taken together they seriously threaten the health and welfare of the children, elderly and people with pre-existing conditions, like asthma, who live in this neighborhood.  This situation is repeated all over urban America, since it is urban America which tends to attract the polluting industries that no suburban neighborhood wants in their area.

This is America.  Justice for each individual is a guarantee in our founding documents.  It is time that our way of regulating the industries that pollute our air, water and soil be reformed to include the cumulative impact of individual industrial actions.  This makes sense of the science which provides evidence of the cumulative impact.  More importantly, it passes the ultimate test of common sense:  if several industries are polluting the same neighborhood, it is beyond doubt that together they are causing harm more severe than any of them could cause individually.

I call on the NJDEP to begin a legislative process that will end in reform of our regulatory framework, and join the vanguard of a movement for change whose day has come.

Thank you.

Mark Doorley, Ph.D.

Resident of Cherry Hill, NJ/Friend and advocate of Waterfront South, Camden, NJ