Jeff Tittel writes that a new study citing elevated levels of Teflon chemicals in Woodbury and other water systems underlines why establishing safe limits is vital.
To the Editor:
Concerning the recent article "N.J. a hot spot for Teflon chemical in drinking water":
Harvard University has just released an alarming study that shows dangerous chemicals are showing up in our state's water supply. The Harvard report comes on top of many others warning that our water is at risk.
This report says New Jersey water samples had the second-highest frequency in the country of finding these polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are components of Teflon. These chemicals have been linked to cancer, hormone disruption, high cholesterol and obesity. Instead of setting the standards for these chemicals, the Christie administration has blocked us from moving forward.
After five years of not meeting, the state Drinking Water Quality Institute finally recommended acceptable limits for these hazardous substances, but the state Department of Environmental Protection hasn't moved forward to enact any of the standards.
Before Gov. Chris Christie took office, the water quality institute received awards for its work to save lives and to save billions of health care dollars. Since then, the Christie administration has stacked the institute with industry people who are tied to chemical companies.
Without new standards, we are not cleaning up sites to the level that they should be cleaned, and are letting polluters off the hook at the expense of our drinking water.
Not only has the Christie administration deliberately blocked new drinking water standards for Teflon, it has prohibited the state from moving forward on standards for the chemicals perflourooctanic acid (PFOA), trichloroethylene (TCE), and perchloroethylene (PCE, or PERC).
We believe the governor has blocked these standards because he is trying to show an anti-regulatory agenda. It is unfortunate that instead of setting scientific- and health-based standards for these chemicals, he is risking public health for his national political ambitions.
Jeff Tittel
Director
N.J. Sierra Club
Trenton
N.J. school aid needs fairness
To the Editor:
Most reasonable people understand that what is said to be "equal" is not necessarily the same as "fair." Gov. Chris Christie is trying to capitalize on possible confusion about this to promote his "Fairness Formula" school funding proposal.
His plan would take state school aid from mostly urban and poor school districts, which now generally receive the most school aid, and shuffle it around to more affluent areas.
There is no question that education funding does need to be addressed and improved. There are some districts that get more than their fair share, while others get far less. But robbing Peter to pay Paul is not a solution. It's unfair, and it's a bad idea.
A better alternative sponsored by state Senate President Stephen Sweeney deserves support. His plan is designed to achieve true fairness and equity. It would give every district and every student what they are supposed to get under the current school aid formula.
The fundamentals of the current formula are hard to argue with. This formula takes into account the economic circumstances of students and things like whether or not they need remedial language instruction, and weighs them accordingly.
The major problem with current funding levels is that legal provisions were added to the formula to protect districts from losing any aid, even if their economic statistics have changed significantly over time. By eliminating those provisions, as Sweeney's plan would, districts would be treated equitably.
His proposal would treat students fairly based on their circumstances. Districts would get what they are supposed to get, which is the type of "fairness" I support.
Our goal should be to see all students succeed, not just some. Sweeney gets that, and his plan does the most to get us to that goal.
Paul Lott
Woolwich Township
Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com