Subject:  Local environmental control......
Date:     Thu, 10 Sep 1998 034417 -0500 (CDT)
From:     "Roy L. Beavers" <rbeavers@llion.org>
To:       emfguru@hotmail.com
--------------------------------------------------



......The following VERY INTERESTING New Jersey legislation was
forwarded by Peter DePippo (from E=-

***************************************************************************
       E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE E-WIRE PRESS RELEASE
***************************************************************************

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nation's First "Right to Act" Law to Prevent Neighborhood  Environmental
Hazards Enacted in New Jersey

     Paterson, N.J.  September 9 -/E-Wire/--  After a toxic release from a
chemical plant that sent school students to hospitals in this densely
populated New Jersey county, the Passaic Board of Chosen Freeholders have
unanimously enacted the nation's first neighborhood "right to act" law to
prevent environmental hazards.

       The law allows neighbors and/or employees to petition the county
Health Officer for creation of Neighborhood Hazard Prevention Advisory
Committees (NHPACs) for specific facilities.  NHPACs could include
management and employees, neighbors, and a municipal representative.  They
would meet to discuss potential hazards and would make recommendations to
management for prevention.  The precedent-setting law gives NHPACs authority
to do on-site surveys, accompanied by independent experts.

       Deputy Director Freeholder Lois Cuccinello, said "We got tired of
swat teams descending on toxic crime scenes after exposures, injuries, or
deaths.  That is why we enacted this law - to prevent dangers in the first
place."

     Rick Engler, Director of the New Jersey Work Environment Council, who
helped draft the ordinance, said "This law sets a national precedent by
being the first to empower citizens to establish Neighborhood Hazard
Prevention Committees with authority to survey potentially hazardous
facilities."

       The Freeholders passed the resolution on September 8 after three
toxic releases in the city of Paterson.  A chemical fire and explosion on
April 8 at Morton International caused nine employees to be hospitalized.  A
chemical release on June 12 at Heterene Chemical caused  evacuation of a
school.  Fifty-three children were sent to hospitals.  A fire on August 9 at
Daicolor-Pope caused a chemical release and required medical testing of fire
fighters.

      According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, 54
Passaic County facilities release large quantities of hazardous substances.

       Key elements of the law include a process whereby 25 or more
neighborhood residents and/or facility employees can petition the County
Health Officer to create a Neighborhood Hazard Prevention Advisory Committee
(NHPAC) for a facility.  The NHPAC's will provide recommendations to
management concerning actual and potential environmental and public health
hazards.  The NHPAC can survey the facility with its own technical experts.
The law goes into effect on January 1, 1999.

     Passaic County is the state's fifth most densely populated county and
has 484,000 residents.  The seven-member freeholder board, composed of four
Democrats and three Republicans, is the county governing body.

     The New Jersey Work Environment Council (WEC) is an alliance of labor,
community, and environment organizations working for good jobs, safe
workplaces, and a healthy environment.  For over a decade, WEC has promoted
a "right to act" strategy for preventing occupational and environmental
hazards.  In 1991, industry contributions to legislators defeated statewide
"right to act" legislation.

     Contact: Rick Engler, Director, N.J. Work Environment Council, 198 West
State Street, Third Floor, Trenton, New Jersey 08608 (609) 695-7100 FAX
(609) 695-4200; E Mail RickEngler@aol.com.
***************************************************************************
      To Find Out How To Transmit Your News On E-Wire Call 1-888-764-NEWS
                 E-Wire Is Broadcast To Millions Of Readers Worldwide.
***************************************************************************





Archive provided courtesy of WaveGuide, http://www.wave-guide.org
Reprinted with permission of Roy Beavers, http://www.feb.se/EMF-L/EMF-L.html