Once again, New Jersey has been targeted by Pennsylvania as a dumping ground for area pollution.

Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell's ill-conceived plan to dredge the Delaware River could result in an environmental catastrophe, according to environmental organizations.

According to a recent Associated Press report, a coal-fired power plant north of Easton, Pa., is releasing pollution downwind into the Garden State.

The river dredging project, according to environmental groups, could release pollutants into aquifers, threatening recovering aquatic wildlife species such as the horseshoe crab, and hurting local fisheries and the Delaware Bay economy.

As though that weren't enough, a major polluter of New Jersey is the Reliant Energy power plant in Pennsylvania, which is running on an outmoded Environmental Protection Agency permit, according to the AP report.

New Jersey has announced its intent to sue the EPA for not enforcing pollution controls at the coal-fired power plant, whose emissions have contributed to unhealthy pollutant levels in counties in New Jersey.

I encourage Gov. Corzine and U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews to continue to oppose any river dredging proposal since it threatens the fragile and recovering ecology of the Delaware River and also call upon Gov. Rendell to withdraw his support for the dredging proposal.

Michael Martin, Haddonfield

posted on April 4th, 2007 The Philadelphia Inquirer, South Jersey Commentary
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/nj/6857562.html or http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/nj/20070404_River_dredging_will_add_to_N_J_s_pollution_ills.html