From trash to treasure in Linden

RELEASE: July 20, 2007 – Volume XXXVII, No. 29

If I invite you for an afternoon hike along the Rahway River, in the shadow of the New Jersey Turnpike, you might be tempted to wear an environmental hazard suit! After all, this is one of the most industrialized areas of this state we’re in, known primarily for its traffic, tank farms, refineries and landfills. But a recent court settlement is opening the door for a natural renaissance.

The City of Linden recently settled a court case with the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) that allows for the closing of the Linden Landfill, and sets the stage for preserving the surrounding woods and wetlands along the heavily urbanized Rahway River. The 50-plus acres of preserved land will become the core of a Linden City Greenway, part of a future greenway network that will enhance public enjoyment of the larger Rahway watershed.

In the early 1990s this property was first recognized for its natural resources in “Greenways to the Arthur Kill,” the New Jersey Conservation Foundation’s study of the greenway potential in the urbanized region. It’s part of the Rahway River Mouth – the largest site found in the study at over 1,000 acres, and home to variety of endangered species, such as northern harrier and black- and yellow-crowned night herons.

“The landfill itself will be integrated with the nearby Hawkrise property, the largest contiguous forest in a 10-mile radius,” notes Dennis Miranda, executive director of the Rahway River Association. “There is documentation of over 100 species of songbirds and waterfowl which use the area during their migration. It’s also the eastern-most undisturbed tidal marsh of the Rahway River.”

In addition to closing the landfill, the settlement requires Linden to enhance 50 acres of surrounding forest areas and wetlands, and commit $1 million for greenway access for fishing, hiking, boating and wildlife. The funds will also pay for development of an education and interpretive program to be run by the New Jersey Audubon Society.

NJDEP will chip in an additional $1 million for the access and education components of the greenway, using funds from a separate natural resource damage claim settlement. That previous settlement also preserved 10 additional wetland acres, which will be added to the new greenway.

The Linden Landfill opened in 1940, before the NJDEP began regulating landfills through its Solid Waste Management Act. In 1999 it became one of the last municipal landfills to cease operations, after 60 years of accepting municipal waste.

Like many of New Jersey’s old industrial rivers, the Rahway is on the path to a healthier, cleaner future and Linden’s new greenway will support that restoration. More than that, the greenway will contribute to a healthier environment in the Arthur Kill region, and enhance quality of life and recreation for all New Jerseyans.

I hope you’ll contact me at info@njconservation.org, or visit NJCF’s website at www.njconservation.org, for more information about conserving New Jersey’s precious land and natural resources.

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