This week is the 12th annual Air Quality Awareness Week, and the theme is “Air Quality Where You Are.” DEP and the state of New Jersey have made it a priority to improve air quality and increase air quality awareness. To help celebrate, Frank Steitz sat down with Gladys Giron to talk about air quality, criteria air pollutants, how well New Jersey is meeting federal standards, how to reduce exposure to ozone, and this week’s initiatives both in New Jersey and around the nation.
For New Jersey’s air quality facts, suggested actions for Air Quality Awareness Week and beyond, and other things you can do to help improve air quality, visit www.cleanair.nj.gov
Follow New Jersey’s Air Quality Awareness Week efforts on Facebook: www.facebook.com/NJDEPAQES/
USEPA and partners Air Quality Awareness Week webpage: www.epa.gov/airnow/airaware
Follow USEPA’s Air Quality Awareness Week efforts on Facebook at www.facebook.com/airnow and Twitter at http://twitter.com/airnow
Listen to Discover DEP’s Air Quality Awareness Week podcasts from 2016 and 2017.

Episode 95-Air Quality Awareness Week with Frank Steitz

Trenton was the third city to join DEP’s Community Collaborative Initiative. In this episode, Bob Bostock sits down with Julie Krause, single point of contact for Trenton at DEP, to talk about her work with local government officials, community groups and stakeholders to support environmental improvement projects important to the city. Listen in as she talks about current projects, such as the Assunpink Daylighting, as well as the collaboration necessary to make these projects successful.
Listen to Frank McLaughlin’s episode on the Camden Collaborative Initiative here.
Listen to Bill Lindner’s episode on Perth Amboy here.
To learn more about CCI in Trenton, click here.

Episode 94-Trenton Community Collaborative Initiative with Julie Krause

In Discover DEP’s 6th episode, Frank McLaughlin told us about the Community Collaborative initiative and how it got its start in Camden. Now, the CCI has expanded to three additional cities across the state, which will be featured on the next few episodes. This episode will focus on Perth Amboy, the second city to join the initiative. Listen in as Gladys Giron sits down with Bill Lindner, single point of contact for Perth Amboy, to discuss DEP’s collaboration with this city, brownfield redevelopment projects such as 2nd Street Park, and the importance of partnerships in bringing innovative solutions to complex environmental challenges.
Learn more about CCI’s work in Perth Amboy here: http://www.nj.gov/dep/cci/perth.html
Listen to Frank McLaughlin’s episode on the Camden Collaborative Initiative here: http://njdep.podbean.com/e/episode-6-camden-collaborative-initiative-with-frank-mclaughlin/

Episode 93-Perth Amboy Community Collaborative Initiative with Bill Lindner

Since the first National Women’s History Month in March 1987, every year we take a moment to recognize, honor and celebrate the achievements of American women. This month recognizes the courage and contributions of women everywhere who are breaking down barriers, raising their voices and fighting for what they believe in. There has been a continuous effort to bring and engage women in the STEM and environmental fields – including here at DEP. Women are represented in every leadership category at DEP – from the executive team, assistant commissioners, directors and administrators. Gladys Giron sits down with Deputy Commissioner Debbie Mans to talk about her experience so far at DEP as well as some of her past barriers and accomplishments.
Click the link to read DEP’s press release on Deputy Commissioner Debbie Mans: http://www.nj.gov/dep/newsrel/2018/18_0010.htm
New Jersey Women’s Heritage Trail: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/hpo/WHTrail_Book.pdf

Episode 92-National Women's History Month with Deputy Commissioner Debbie Mans

New Jersey’s state parks are home to about 1,000 miles of official trails and, thanks to the State Park Service, every mile is now available on Trail Tracker. Trail Tracker allows you to track your current location, view trails and points of interest, search for park activities, and download PDF maps of New Jersey’s state parks. This app is helpful in planning for trips to state parks and can also be used in real-time to track your location in any of our state parks, forests or recreation areas. Listen as Heather Merring, one of Trail Tracker’s creators, sits down with Gladys Giron to discuss how this app got its start and the resources it offers.
To get started, visit: www.spstrailtracker.nj.gov or www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/

Episode 91-Trail Tracker with Heather Merring

This week (March 11-17) is AmeriCorps Week, which celebrates AmeriCorps members and alumni for their commitment to educating the public about the environment, stewardship, and the impact their work has around the state and nation. In fact, DEP’s own AmeriCorps New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors are celebrating throughout the state. In this week’s Discover DEP episode, Gladys Giron talks about AmeriCorps Week with Amanda Lotto, current AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassador Program Manager and former Watershed Ambassador, Lauren Cromie, Ambassador for the Mullica River Watershed, and Isabella Castiglioni, Ambassador for the Rancocas Creek Watershed.
To learn more about AmeriCorps Week 2018, visit: https://www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps
For more about the AmeriCorps New Jersey Watershed Ambassadors Program, visit: www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/americorps.htm
To learn more about DEP’s Division of Water Monitoring and Standards program, visit: www.nj.gov/dep.wms
Like the AmeriCorps New Jersey Watershed Ambassador Program on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NJWAP/
Listen to Discover DEP’s previous Watershed Ambassador Program episode here: http://njdep.podbean.com/e/episode-46-americorps-new-jersey-watershed-ambassadors-program-with-ismail-sukkar-and-alexis-bowman/
 
From l-r: Lauren Cromie, Amanda Lotto, Isabella Castiglioni

Episode 90-Americorps Week

With spectacular views of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York, as well as many superb trails, High Point State Park is one you shouldn’t miss. As its name suggests, High Point is nearly at the northern-most point of our state. It is also home to the highest point of elevation in the state. Listen in as Gladys Giron talks with Rebecca Fitzgerald, Superintendent of High Point State Park, about this park’s unique amenities, opportunities, programs and natural areas.
Learn more about High Point State Park here: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/highpoint.html
Want to know more about High Point State Park’s nature programs and events? Click here: http://www.nj.gov/dep/seeds/hpcal.htm
Like High Point State Park on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HighPointStatePark/
 
 

Episode 89-Highpoint State Park with Rebecca Fitzgerald

Last year, the lobby in DEP’s main building in Trenton featured a display highlighting the connection between baseball and New Jersey’s geology. Now, this latest display features a new aspect of New Jersey’s geology – fluorescent minerals. Under ultraviolet light, certain minerals glow with an amazing array of vibrant colors. This is known as fluorescence. Bob Bostock sits down with Chris Adair, part time assistant geologist in DEP’s Division of Water Supply & Geoscience, to discuss this new display and these intriguing rocks.
Click the following links to learn more about fluorescent minerals:
https://geology.com/articles/fluorescent-minerals/
https://uvminerals.org/fms/minerals
https://www.naturesrainbows.com/

Learn about Sterling Hill Mining Museum here.
Learn about Franklin Mineral Museum here.

Episode 88-Fluorescent Minerals with Chris Adair

Resource Interpretive Specialists tell the story of New Jersey’s history, nature and our world, helping people connect to their environment through public programs, hikes, exhibits, recreation, ecotourism and education. Bob Bostock sits down with Diane Hewlett-Lowrie, a Resource Interpretive Specialist for New Jersey’s State Park Service, to discuss her experiences as a naturalist at DEP and programs she has spearheaded.
Visit http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/parkindex.html to learn about New Jersey’s state parks, forests, recreation areas and marinas.
Visit www.spstrailtracker.nj.gov to use the Trail Tracker web app, and stay tuned for an upcoming podcast about it.
Visit http://www.nj.gov/dep/docs/monarch-guide.pdf to view DEP’s Monarch Butterfly Conservation Guide.

Episode 87-Resource Interpretive Specialists with Diane Hewlett-Lowrie

Maple sugaring is a tradition in the Northeast that began centuries ago with Native Americans and colonists. Now, organizations around the country have maple sugaring programs to bring this tradition to life for people of all ages to see and enjoy. Wayne Henderek, Resource Interpretive Specialist at the Washington Crossing State Park Nature Center, sits down with Bob Bostock to discuss the processes of sap collecting and syrup making, as well as the maple sugaring program at Washington Crossing State Park, a participatory demonstration of the procedures of home maple sugar production.
To reserve a group demonstration or to reserve a spot in the public weekend programs, call the park nature center at (609) 737-0609.
For directions, a map and other information on Washington Crossing State Park, visit: www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/washcros.html

Episode 86-Maple Sugaring with Wayne Henderek

With more than 160 federal and state laws passed over the past 20 years dealing with the environment and permits, things can become enormously complex. The Office of Permit Coordination and Environmental Review was established to coordinate and facilitate the permitting of large complex projects across multiple DEP programs. John Gray, Director of the Office of Permit Coordination and Environmental Review and Deputy Chief of Staff, sits down with Bob Bostock to discuss how this office helps to enable timely, predictable and positive permit decisions.
Click the link to find out more about DEP’s Office of Permit Coordination and Environmental Review: http://www.nj.gov/dep/pcer/

Episode 85-Permit Coordination with John Gray

The mission of Air Quality, Energy & Sustainability (AQES) is to ensure that  New Jersey’s air is clean and safe to breathe, evaluate and support the development and implementation of secure and resilient energy systems, and promote sustainable environmental practices. Bob Bostock sits down with Paul Baldauf, Assistant Commissioner of AQES, to discuss his program’s accomplishments in areas such as emissions from out-of-state sources, electric vehicles, and recycling.
Learn more about AQES here: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/aqes/

Episode 84-Air Quality, Energy and Sustainability with Assistant Commissioner Paul Baldauf

Site Remediation and Waste Management Program (SRWMP) is the DEP’s program area that administers laws and regulations concerning contaminated sites, recycling and disposal of solid wastes in the state. Mark Pedersen, Assistant Commissioner of the Site Remediation and Waste Management Program, sits down with Bob Bostock to discuss the changes set forth by the Site Remediation Reform Act, the LSRP program and regulatory reform.
Learn more about Site Remediation and Waste Management in New Jersey here: http://nj.gov/dep/srp/

Episode  83-Site Remediation and Waste Management with Assistant Commissioner Mark Pedersen

The Office of Local Government Assistance plays a crucial role as a liaison between local governments and DEP. This office makes sure that the lines of communication are open between New Jersey’s county and municipal leaders and DEP, and that local issues are heard and addressed. Bob Bostock sits down with Kerry Kirk Pflugh, the director of Local Government Assistance, to discuss the role DEP plays in local government as well as her experiences and accomplishments as a part of this program.
For more information about the Office of Local Government Assistance, click here: http://www.nj.gov/dep/lga/

Episode 82 - Local Government Assistance with Kerry Kirk Pflugh

DEP’s core mission is to protect the air, water, land, and natural and historic resources in the state of New Jersey. At the same time, DEP plays a key role in positively impacting the economic growth of the state. While DEP’s goals have remained the same, this agency has undergone a significant transformation since Commissioner Martin took office in 2010. Commissioner Martin helped kick off Discover DEP’s inaugural podcast in April 2016, and we’re happy to have him back to reflect on his 8 years at DEP. Listen in as Bob Bostock sits down with Commissioner Martin to talk about his experience at DEP and the positive changes that he has encouraged.
 

Episode 81-Commissioner Bob Martin

As Deputy Commissioner, Dave Glass serves as second in command for DEP under Commissioner Bob Martin. He is responsible for continuing the agency’s successes in developing and implementing policies that balance strong environmental protection, economic growth, and common sense solutions to environmental issues. Listen in as Dave sits down with Gladys Giron to talk about his role at DEP, offices he oversees, and initiatives he has spearheaded over the past 8 years.
Listed to our podcast on Environmental Trends here: https://njdep.podbean.com/e/episode-66-environmental-trends-and-key-performance-indicators-with-dr-sandra-goodrow-and-jennifer-feltis-cortese/
Check out the Warn DEP App here: http://www.nj.gov/dep/warndep.htm
Download the attached PDF for a full list of DEP’s Social Media pages.

Episode 80-Deputy Commissioner David Glass

Over the last several decades, DEP has been ensuring that all New Jerseyans have safe water to drink and all the necessary information. Since the presence of lead in drinking water has become a national matter of concern, DEP’s efforts to ensure that New Jersey’s drinking water is clean and safe are more important than ever. Bob Bostock sits down with Leronda Aviles and Kristin Hansen to discuss lead in drinking water and DEP’s new lead website.
Click here to check out DEP’s new web page on lead in drinking water: http://www.nj.gov/dep/watersupply/dwc-lead.html

Photo (l-r): Kristin Hansen, Leronda Aviles

Episode 79-Get the Lead Out Leronda Aviles and Kristin Hansen

Although New Jersey is far from the largest state in the Union, it is the most densely populated, making it a challenge to protect our land. Our 8,729 square miles of land encompass many diverse uses. Land Use Management is a group of programs that protect and enhance New Jersey's environment through implementation of State land use regulations, regional land use planning, coastal resource management and funding projects that result in improvements to the quality of the State's environment. Bob Bostock sits down with Assistant Commissioner of Land Use Management Ginger Kopkash to discuss DEP’s role in ensuring that New Jersey’s land remains diverse and well protected.
Click here to learn more about DEP’s Land Use Management: http://www.nj.gov/dep/lum/        

Episode 78-Land Use Management with Ginger Kopkash

To help address environmental inequities, DEP launched the Environmental Justice Program to ensure fair treatment for people of all races, cultures, and incomes, in the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies. The Environmental Justice Program aims to empower citizens who are disproportionately impacted by environmental pollution and often outside of the decision-making process of government. Riché Outlaw and Joseph Donald sit down with Gladys Giron to discuss how DEP’s Environmental Justice Program strives to improve the quality of life in New Jersey’s urban communities that are overburdened by environmental stressors.
Click here to learn more about Environmental Justice at DEP.
Click here to listen to the Discover DEP episode on Groundwork Elizabeth with Jackie Albaum and Jonathan Phillips.
Click here to read about DEP’s Fall 2017 volunteer day with Groundwork Elizabeth.
Click here to learn more about volunteering for the New Jersey Tree Foundation in Newark.

Episode 77-Environmental Justice with Riché Outlaw and Joseph Donald

DEP’s  Natural and Historic Resources office is charged with preserving and protecting New Jersey’s natural, ecological and cultural resources, including state parks and forests, wildlife management areas, our fish and wildlife, and state historic sites that are so valued by our residents and visitors to the Garden State. From mountains to beaches, woodlands to rivers, battlefields and open spaces, the professionals at NHR are there to promote the responsible use of these special areas and to safeguard them for this and for future generations. Bob Bostock sits down with Rich Boornazian, Assistant Commissioner of Natural and Historic Resources, to discusses the accomplishments of this dynamic group within DEP.
Click the highlighted links to learn about New Jersey’s parks and forests, fish and wildlife, historic resources and open space.

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