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(22/P024) TRENTON – Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette says New Jersey is ready for a stellar summer season following review of water quality monitoring and visits to both the Jersey Shore and North Jersey lakeshores ahead of Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of the outdoor summer season.

Coastal monitoring flights and preseason sampling confirmed that beaches and water quality are in great shape, Commissioner LaTourette announced today during the annual State of the Shore event in Asbury Park, which followed the Commissioner’s visits to Greenwood Lake, Lake Musconetcong and Lake Hopatcong Tuesday.

“Our coastal beaches and lakeshores look great and our water quality is in good shape for swimming and recreating,” Commissioner LaTourette said. “Understanding that the summer season is the backbone of New Jersey’s tourism economy, our DEP team helps monitor the safety of our beaches so that our residents and visitors can relax and have peace of mind while enjoying a beach or lakeshore getaway. It’s shaping up to be a fantastic summer, so let’s get outside and have a great time.”

During the event, Commissioner LaTourette noted that Governor Murphy today announced that entrance to all state parks, forests and recreation areas will be free this summer for all visitors, regardless of state residency. Anyone who already purchased a 2022 annual State Park Pass will automatically receive a full refund. Other individual park fees remain in place, including but not limited to camping, interpretive programs, and mobile sport fishing permits.

The State of the Shore address is held every year heading into Memorial Day weekend to update the public on the status of beach readiness and water quality monitoring. The annual event is sponsored by the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, which is made up of academic institutions and organizations dedicated to coastal and marine research, education and outreach. State of the Shore has taken on even more importance as New Jersey grapples with the adverse impacts of climate change, including coastal erosion and increasingly hot summers.

Overall, New Jersey’s beaches are healthy due to a combination of relatively mild winter storm seasons the past four years and continued efforts by federal, state and local governments to bolster state beaches through beach renourishment projects, according to findings by the Sea Grant Consortium.

“New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium is honored to release the State of the Shore report once again,” said Dr. Peter Rowe, Executive Director. “Our beaches are what defines our beautiful coastal state and this report is integral in examining their condition. As you will read in the report, New Jersey’s sandy shores are in good shape and ready for the

2022 summer season.”

"In spite of two back-to back late season Nor’easters, state and federal investments in beach nourishment in the decade since Superstorm Sandy, along with a mild winter have left the majority of New Jersey’s beaches in good condition heading into the Memorial Day weekend,” said Dr. Jon K. Miller, the Coastal Processes Specialist for New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium and aResearch Associate Professor, as well as Director of the Coastal Engineering Research Group at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, Hudson County.

The Murphy Administration has also made support for New Jersey’s inland lake communities a priority, and Commissioner LaTourette kicked off the summer season along New Jersey’s lakeshores with a visit to Greenwood Lake, Lake Musconetcong and Lake Hopatcong. These lake communities are go-to destinations for summer recreation and key drivers of local economies.

“We were extremely pleased to welcome Commissioner LaTourette back to Lake Hopatcong,” said Martin ‘Marty’ Kane, Chairman of the Lake Hopatcong Foundation. “It is wonderful that the Commissioner visited three of our public lakes to see for himself the many challenges they are confronting. Through collaboration with the DEP staff and our local officials, we are starting to see real progress with many important projects to ensure Lake Hopatcong remains one of the state’s real treasures.”

“The Lake Musconetcong Regional Planning Board, the municipal representatives, Assembly members and state Senators are extremely pleased with the genuine concern and interest shown by the Commissioner,” said Earl Riley, Lake Musconetcong Regional Planning Board Chairman. “We all look forward to a growing positive relationship between the local lake communities and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.”

About Coastal Monitoring

The Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program is one aspect of the comprehensive New Jersey Beach Monitoring Program which evaluates water quality; conducts aerial visual assessments of coastal waters and shoreline conditions; tracks chronic water quality problems in partnership with DEP’s Bureau of Marine Water Monitoring and local health authorities; and uses prison inmates to remove floatables and other debris from tidal shorelines. Debris removal enhances the beauty of natural resources, protects wildlife habitats and provides safer navigation in state waterways.

Last year, the Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program collected and analyzed 3,753 ocean, bay and river water

quality samples. New Jersey in the last three years has had zero ocean beach closures as a result of exceedances of the primary recreation bacterial standard. Several ocean closures last summer stemmed from heavy rains that led to Combined Sewer Overflows from the New York / New Jersey Harbor. A combination of wind direction, surface currents and tides pushed floatable materials onto New Jersey beaches after the heavy storms.

Advisories and closures are rare, generally occurring after heavy rainstorms that can carry nutrients and bacteria in runoff from pet waste and wildlife such as gulls, geese and other warm-blooded animals into recreational waters. Bay and river beaches that do not have good natural circulation are more likely to experience closures.

The most significant impact on water quality at recreational bathing beaches continues to be nonpoint source pollution transported by stormwater and discharging through outfalls to waterways which can increase bacteria concentrations near stormwater outfall pipes. The Beach Monitoring Program will continue Source Tracking Projects to find and eliminate nonpoint source pollution impacting recreational bathing beaches. In addition, the DEP’s efforts to combat non-point source pollution include the state rules and guidance for stormwater management, development and implementation of Long Term Control Plans to address CSOs, and 319(h) Water Quality Restoration Grants to mitigate Nonpoint Source Pollution.

Visitors can get up-to-date information on all water sampling results and beach notifications by visiting https://njbeaches.org/. The public can use this website to get beach status information (open, under advisory or closed), reports, and fact sheets, as well as a link to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission website to purchase a Shore to Please license plate. Proceeds from the sale of these plates fund the work of the New Jersey Beach Monitoring Program.

Follow Commissioner LaTourette on Twitter and Instagram @shawnlatur and follow the DEP on Twitter @NewJerseyDEP, Facebook @newjerseydep, Instagram @nj.dep and LinkedIn @newjerseydep

New Jersey environmental officials renewed their vow to protect the state's lakes ahead of the Memorial Day weekend with visits to three area lakes.

The state officials, including state Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette and its associate commissioner for science and policy, Katrina Angarone, met with local government and community leaders Tuesday at Hopatcong State Park on the shores of Lake Hopatcong after they made similar stops at Lake Musconetcong and Greenwood Lake earlier in the day.

Lake Hopatcong and Greenwood Lake have been heavily affected in recent years by harmful algal blooms (HABs), which are caused by excess cyanobacteria cells in the water. The two lakes were forced to close their beaches for much of the summer in 2019, and testing discovered more toxic algae the following year.

"We've committed a lot of time and resources to partnering with lake communities and the communities that boost our state parks, like this one," LaTourette said. There are many challenges, he said, to making sure the quality of the "water body or any other is both maintained and improved upon." Without getting out and seeing what needs fixing, he said, "how do you prioritize among the things that need investment or attention?"

The group took an hourlong tour on Lake Hopatcong, the state's largest. They boarded the Floating Classroom, a 40-foot pontoon boat owned by the Lake Hopatcong Foundation. Out on the water, the group discussed the ongoing battle to keep the state's lakes environmentally healthy.

LaTourette cited the "economic imperative" of keeping lakes and other aspects of nature clean for residents to use safely.

"Our natural resources — our air, our land, our water, our fish and wildlife, our natural and historical assets — they are all doing something for the public for free," he said. "But because our environment never sends a bill, our underinvestment in its good care can too easily become the deficit spending that we all just forget."

What causes algae blooms?

The kind of weather New Jersey gets in the coming days and weeks will determine whether the dangerous algae blooms that affected the state's lakes in the last few years will return.

A stretch of sunny days could help cause the blooms to crash, Fred Lubnow, an aquatic and watershed management expert with Princeton Hydro, has said. Or a major storm with lots of rain could help flush the lakes clean.

But a continued pattern of short, intense storms followed by warm days could set the lakes up for persistent algae blooms through the summer, he said.

Rain will also send nutrients — mainly phosphorous — into waterways. They provided an abundance of food for the algae. The blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria, prefer three conditions to bloom: warmer water, still water and elevated nutrient concentrations.

Economy killer

Hopatcong Mayor Mike Francis, whose borough is one of four municipalities that border Lake Hopatcong, called maintaining the lake "a chore we have to pay attention to." He echoed LaTourette's comments about protecting the lake, having seen for himself how the surrounding community suffers when it is closed for long stretches of the summer.

"When we get hit with problems like weeds or cyanobacteria, it kills our economy from the little mom-and-pop delis to the big marinas," Francis said. "They all get hit because people just don't come."

Francis has been among the most dedicated researchers of ways to improve the lake's water quality in recent years. He has advocated for introducing the triploid grass carp, a species of fish that can eat large amounts of aquatic plants, and has promoted aeration by implementing air diffusers into the Crescent Cove section of the lake.

Mike Stanzilis, the mayor of Mount Arlington, made reference to the borough's Green Infrastructure Committee, which focuses on strategies to keep stormwater runoff out of the lake.

Grants and funds to help lakes

LaTourette noted several grant opportunities, including a $10 million program signed by Gov. Phil Murphy last year allocating funds to North Jersey lakes, with applications open until Saturday. The DEP, the commissioner said, is trying to get $10 million more in the coming weeks, to facilitate water quality improvements.

LaTourette also talked of the state's recently launched "Outside, Together!" initiative designed to invest in recreational opportunities and help grow ecotourism in the area. The initiative, part of the state's Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, includes the creation of an advisory committee to help guide and recommend various features to help the community.

In last year's visit to Hopatcong State Park, LaTourette stressed the importance of rebounding from HABs and the COVID-19 shutdown in the previous two years. One year later, he said, he's optimistic about the strides the lake communities have taken and is determined to keep building on that progress.

"Environmental problems, they take a long time to build up and materialize. And once you're at the point of really experiencing the harm of an environmental problem, you're facing down a long path to making it better," LaTourette said. "We've built some traction on the issue. We have to maintain that or else it could easily devolve."

An NJ nursing home has lost its license and must hand over the facility to the state following significant health and safety violations.

NEW JERSEY - A nursing home in Andover has lost its license and must hand over the facility to the state following significant health and safety violations, a New Jersey Superior Court Judge ruled Friday.

With assistance from Atlantic Health System - a major North Jersey health care provider — to monitor Woodland after the state cited the nursing home for health and safety violations, the state is slated to control the finances and operations of Woodland Behavioral and Nursing Center until Aug. 15, the deadline for the facility to transfer all its 366 residents.

"The judge's decision recognizes the unprecedented gravity of this situation," New Jersey Human Services Commissioner Sarah Adelman said. "We look forward to working with the Receiver to ensure the best possible care for Woodland residents."

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service will seize the nursing facility's funding starting June 25, a move that will slash 92 percent of the facility's funds, according to the New Jersey Herald.

In accordance with the state's recommendations, the court appointed Allen Wilen, a partner at the EisnerAmper and National Financial Advisory Services practice leader, as temporary receiver. EisnerAmper is one of the largest accounting, tax, and business advisory firms in the U.S. known for its expertise in healthcare restructuring.

"Ensuring the health, safety and dignity of the residents of this nursing home is the Department's highest priority," said Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli. "The Department appreciates the dedication and commitment of Woodland employees during this transition period."

The nursing home has faced numerous compliance challenges, with a laundry list of troubling deaths and abuse at the facility with reports of caregivers failing to use proper lifesaving measures.

All eyes were on the facility after 17 bodies were discovered crammed into a makeshift morgue in April 2020 during the early portion of the COVID-19 pandemic. Members of the national guard were sent to the facility in January and have remained since. Read more: National Guard Aids Sussex County Nursing Homes Amid COVID Spike

Nearly 30 percent of New Jersey's confirmed COVID deaths are linked to nursing homes and longterm-care facilities, with 9,108 deaths — including 139 staff members — since the pandemic began. Murphy's administration has received scrutiny for its handling of COVID in nursing homes, especially after the state agreed to pay $52.9 million to the families of 119 nursing-home residents whose early-pandemic deaths were attributed to the virus.

The Herald also reports a negative cash flow for the facility, projected necessary capital expenditures and risk for filing for bankruptcy protection noted in state court filings.

But Woodland representatives called the state's assumption of the facility an "obscene overreach" in court filings, according to the Herald, with representatives noting the center's unique population that "presents its own challenges above and beyond those that present themselves in more tradition[al] long-term care facilities."

"In reality, Woodland's dedicated leadership and staff moved mountains to attempt to care for their residents, pleading with every available state and federal resource to provide them critical aid during the height of the pandemic only to be turned down because no one was in a position to assist," Peter Slocum, whose firm represents Woodland's parent company, told the publication.

With reporting by Josh Bakan.

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TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy announced today that, as of Memorial Day Weekend, entry to all New Jersey state parks, forests, and recreation areas will be free of charge this summer. Presented in the FY 2023 budget proposal, the one-year state parks fee holiday is one of several fee waivers and programs designed to advance affordability and opportunity in New Jersey.

Park entrance fees will be waived for all visitors, regardless of state residency. Anyone who already purchased a 2022 annual State Park Pass will automatically receive a full refund. Other individual park fees remain in place, including but not limited to camping, interpretive programs, and mobile sport fishing permits.

“Presented in our FY2023 budget, the bold steps we have taken toward a more affordable Garden State will ensure access to our state parks for everyone – residents and visitors alike,” said Governor Murphy. “While incentivizing tourism and economic activity in our local communities, the fee holiday also promotes access to green, open space; thriving waterways; and the many natural wonders that make us proud to call New Jersey our home. We thank the Department of Environmental Protection for its devoted environmental stewardship, which enables each and every New Jerseyan to enjoy the physical and mental health benefits that safe outdoor activities provide.”

Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette also shared news of the state parks fee holiday during the annual State of the Shore event in Asbury Park today. With the arrival of the Memorial Day weekend, Commissioner LaTourette kicked off the summer outdoor season this week with visits to the Jersey shore and lakeshores, including Hopatcong State Park.

“From High Point State Park in Sussex County to Cape May Point State Park in Cape May County, the state park system provides endless opportunities for recreation – from swimming, hiking and kayaking, to picnicking, exploring nature and experiencing our rich history,” said Commissioner LaTourette. “Whatever your passion or interest, there is a state park in New Jersey for you. We look forward to a great season.”

The New Jersey State Park System, comprised of more than 50 sites and 453,000 acres, draws millions of visitors each year and is a key contributor to the state’s summer tourism economy.

Lifeguards at Island Beach State Park, the only oceanfront swimming beach under the State Park Service’s administration, will go on duty at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 28.

Lakefront lifeguards are anticipated to be on duty in mid-June at nine swimming areas throughout the state park system. Park users may check the current operating status of their favorite swimming area at State Park Service’s website.

The State Park Service continues to recruit lifeguards at all swimming areas throughout New Jersey. Salaries start at $17.50 per hour at lakefront beaches, while oceanfront guards at Island Beach State Park start at $18.50 per hour. Prior experience is not necessary, but candidates must pass running and swim tests prior to employment. Apply today by visiting nj.gov/dep/workinparks

LAKE HOPATCONG, New Jersey (WABC) -- New Jersey may be known for its beaches and boardwalks, but the Garden State has much more to offer in terms of water activities, and officials on Tuesday launched their inaugural Kicking Off Summer Lakes Tour.

Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette and Associate Commissioner for Science and Policy Katrina Angarone joined local officials for a news conference and boat tour at Lake Hopatcong State Park.

They discussed ongoing efforts to reduce harmful algal blooms in New Jersey's lakes, as well as ways the DEP is working with local partners can protect water quality.

"It's one of our jobs to make sure that the quality of this water body is maintained and constantly improved upon for the public," LaTourette said. "Because our natural resources, our air, our land, our water, our fish and wildlife, are natural and historic assets."

The algae blooms that are devastating to the health of the water and the economy remain a constant fear.

"The temperature, the water chemistry, the amount of light, all of these things come together, but really what feeds the harmful algae blooms are the nutrients," Angarone said. "We call it harmful algae, but it's really cyanobacteria, and it's harmful to humans. It can cause skin irritation at pretty low level, but if it's ingested, even accidentally, by humans or by wildlife, it can be a neurotoxin."

Officials who love and live in or around the area are considering many solutions, including rain gardens at homes that would filter rainwater runoff before it hits the lake. carp that eat the algae and weeds, and even taking old septic tanks offline.

"We want to make our lake healthy," Hopatcong Mayor Michael Francis said. "We want to make our lake vibrant. We want to make our lake somewhere you want to take your boat on."

The DEP has been working closely with local officials and various stakeholders on innovative projects to improve water quality and educate the public about ways to keep the lakes ecologically healthy, providing $20 million in grants to help lake communities fight off threats to their well-being.

ALSO READ | Why a New Jersey teacher has kept an empty chair in his classroom for 52 years

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