[Pharmwaste] Wallkill River fish problems in N.J. stir concerns in Ulster County article

[Tenace, Laurie]

http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-news/20160202/wallkill-river-fish-problems-in-nj-stir-concerns-in-ulster-county
NEW PALTZ >> Environmental watchdogs say the discovery of intersex fish in the Wallkill River in two New Jersey counties underscores contamination problems in the 88-mile waterway, which extends into Ulster County.
A U.S. Geological Survey report issued in December<http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=4412&from=rss_home#.VrEp-bIrKUm> said some male fish in the river were found to have female characteristics. And on Monday, the New Jersey Sierra Club issued a press release blaming the problem on poor environmental oversight.
"These types of deformities may be attributed to hormone-filled runoff of pesticides and other pollutants in the water," the Sierra Club said. "The state of New Jersey has failed to afford these water bodies the protection they deserve, and now we're seeing the effect of that."
Town of New Paltz Supervisor Neil Bettez said this week that the U.S. Geological Survey report does not say how far north the contamination extends but that the findings serve as a reminder about problems in the Wallkill, which ultimately merges with the Rondout Creek.
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"Unlike a lot of other rivers, it drains north, so we're catching all of that urbanization affects," Bettez said.
The Sierra Club contends New Jersey officials have disregarded the impacts of chemicals and pharmaceuticals that get into the river, but Bettez isn't sure it's that simple.
"I wouldn't pick on New Jersey more than any other [cause]," he said. "I think the problem with the Wallkill is death by a thousand cuts. We all contribute a little bit to the problems along the Wallkill."
Ulster County officials have been saying for several years that the river is not suitable for swimming.
Bettez said former village of New Paltz Mayor Jason West correctly identified the level of denial about problems with the Wallkill River when talking about the annual local regatta.
"He had a quote in the paper saying it's the one day of the year we pretend the river isn't polluted," Bettez said.
"We all kind of knew that there were problems with the Wallkill," the supervisor said. "I think the fact that we're looking at these problems means we are more likely to try to solve them. Everyone kind of knows that the Wallkill is not the cleanest river in the world, but I think if we start now working on it, my hope is in 20 years we can get it clean."
Regarding the presence of intersex fish, an author of the Geological Survey report said, "It is not clear what the specific cause ... is."
"Chemical analyses of fish or water samples at collection sites were not conducted, so we cannot attribute the observation of intersex to specific, known estrogenic endocrine-disrupting chemicals," author Luke Iwanowicz, a Geological Survey research biologist, wrote.
Dan Shapley, water quality program manager for the environmental advocacy group Riverkeeper, said the report shows the need for further study of the Wallkill River.
"What we have ... is some kind of signal that messed with the hormonal functioning of these fish," Shapely said. "You'd have to look at the Wallkill and say, are there potential sources of pesticides in our stretch of the river? ... Are there potential sources of pharmaceuticals? ... I would say yes, there are potential sources of both."


Laurie Tenace
Environmental Specialist
Waste Reduction Section
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
2600 Blair Stone Road, MS4555
Tallahassee, FL  32399
Laurie.Tenace at dep.state.fl.us<mailto:Laurie.Tenace at dep.state.fl.us>
850.245.8759

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