Transcript 1:00 - 1:30 pm - Dr. Gary Buchanan

NJDEP'S OFFICE OF SCIENCE - UPDATE
ON CURRENT AND RECENTLY
COMPLETED RESEARCH PROJECTS
Gary A. Buchanan, Ph.D.
Manager
Office of Science
NJDEP
October 12, 2012
NJDEP Vision Statement
Regulations that are balanced, incorporate
science, provide flexibility and accurately evaluate
potential impacts including cost‐benefit analyses.
 We must make permitting and inspection of
individuals, businesses, governmental bodies and
other organization both timely and predictable,
basing our decisions on science, data, facts and
cost‐benefit analyses.
 Science‐based decisions based on input from our
Science Advisory Board and the State’s colleges
and universities.
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OFFICE OF SCIENCE GOALS:
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Provide the department with, and access to, expertise and
information that supports its technical, program and policy needs.
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Act as liaisons to the Science Advisory Board and Standing
Committees that will help provide the Department with outside
expertise on scientific issues.
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Perform research to meet the information and problem-solving needs
of the department, and to identify and understand emerging issues
that require the department's attention and response.

Advocate and integrate the multi-disciplinary perspective into the
department's identification, analysis and resolution of environmental
issues.
Office of Science
• Program Support
– Technical Support
– Research Support
• Science Advisory Board
• Multidisciplinary
• Sound Science - Basis for Decisions
Experience –Science Based Support
• Air Monitoring/Modeling
• Fish Monitoring & Consumption Advisories
• Human Health Risk Assessment
• Standards Development
• Data Analysis & Interpretation
• Literature Reviews
Experience –Science Based Support
• Spatio-temporal Modeling/GIS Mapping
• Environmental Trends Analysis
• Water Quality Indicators
• Method Development (e.g., analytical)
• Emission Inventory Development
Science Advisory Board
NJDEP
COMMISSIONER
DEPARTMENT
STAFF
OFFICE OF
SCIENCE
PUBLIC
SCIENCE
ADVISORY BOARD
CLIMATE &
ATMOSPHERIC
SCIENCES
COMMITTEE
ECOLOGICAL
PROCESSES
COMMITTEE
PUBLIC HEALTH
COMMITTEE
WATER QUALITY &
QUANTITY
COMMITTEE
AD HOC
COMMITTEE(S)
STAFF EXPERTISE
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Toxicologists/Risk Assessment
Biologists/Ecologists
Air Quality/Modeling Specialists
Water Quality Specialists
GIS
Chemist
Statistician
Microbiologist
Environmental Scientists
RESEARCH
Variety reflects scope of NJDEP programs
 Drinking Water
 Unregulated Contaminants: e.g.,
Pharmaceuticals and PCPs
 Hexavalent Chromium
 Oil Spill
 Barnegat Bay

RECENT RESEARCH

Crumb Infill and Turf Characterization for Trace
Elements and Organic Materials

New Jersey Private Well Testing Act – Results by
County/Municipality (June 2012)
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Ocean Wind/Power Ecological Baseline Studies
Ocean/Wind Power Ecological Baseline
Studies
• 2 Year $7M Study
• Birds, Marine
Mammals & Sea
Turtles
• Environmental
Suitability for
Renewable Energy
Activities & Photos conducted under NMFS Permit No. 10014-01
Barnegat Bay
Other Studies
ACTIVE RESEARCH
BARNEGAT BAY
GOVERNOR’S COMPREHENSIVE
PLAN OF ACTION

10 point plan http://www.nj.gov/dep/barnegatbay/
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Plan 9: Producing more Comprehensive Research
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Support water quality improvement (nutrient criteria)
Establish the baseline conditions of the bay
Fill in critical data gaps
Advance habitat restoration on the Bay
Benthic Invertebrate Community
Monitoring and Indicator Development
Gary Taghon, Judy Grassle, Charlotte Fuller,
Rosemarie Petrecca
Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences
BARNEGAT BAY
NUTRIENT INFERENCE MODEL
Mihaela Enache, Don Charles; Patrick
Center for Environmental Research
Marina Potapova; Center for
Systematic Biology and Evolution
Academy of Natural Sciences
Benthic-pelagic coupling:
Hard clams as indicators of suspended
particulates in the Barnegat Bay-Little Egg
Harbor (BB-LEH) estuary
V. Monica Bricelj, John Kraeuter, &
Gef Flimlin
Barnegat Bay
Phytoplankton and Harmful
Algal Blooms
Ling Ren & Donald Charles
Patrick Center for Environmental Research
ANSP
BASELINE SURVEY OF
ZOOPLANKTON OF
BARNEGAT BAY
September 29, 2011
• Mr. James Nickels, Marine Scientist, Urban Coast Institute*
• Dr. Ursula Howson, Assistant Professor*
• Dr. Thomas Noji, NOAA, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Director,* *
• Dr. Jennifer Samson, NOAA, Northeast Fisheries Science Center,
Chief, Marine Chemistry Branch**
* Monmouth University
** James J. Howard Marine
Sciences Laboratory, Sandy Hook
BARNEGAT BAY RESEARCH

Assessment of Fishes and Crabs Responses to
Human Alteration – K. Able, T. Grothues, Rutgers
University & Paul Jivoff, Rider University

Assessment of the Distribution and Abundance of
Stinging Sea Nettles (Jellyfishes) – Paul Bologna
and Jack Gaynor, Montclair State University
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Ecological Evaluation of Sedge Island Marine
Conservation Area – Paul Jivoff, Rider University
OFFICE OF SCIENCE
OTHER RESEARCH
Delineation of a Potential Gaseous Elemental
Mercury Emissions Source in Northeastern NJ
• Goal: Determine source of periodic increased
concentrations of Hg. July 2011 - 2012.
• Principle investigators: John Reinfelder, Rutgers
University and William Wallace, College of Staten Island
(CSI)
• Hg0 data are being collected with Tekran unit at CSI, will
be augmented by near-field measurements with Lumex
unit
• Initial analyses started, will include comparison with
weather data
Elizabeth site, elemental
>= 3.0 ng/m3
Radionuclides in Northern New Jersey Fractured-Rock Aquifers,
Geological and Geochemical Indicators of Variability, and Regional
Implications
U.S. Geological Survey
in cooperation with
N.J. Dept. Environmental Protection
Zoltan Szabo, Judith Louis, Steve Spayd
NUTRIENT REFERENCES CONDITIONS IN NJ
LAKES
 Assess natural or reference conditions of NJ
lakes to support development of numeric
nutrient and other biological criteria
 Sediment cores – nutrient levels
 Diatom-based inference models
 Quantify pre-settlement trophic conditions
 Quantify change to present
EXAMINATION OF LOCAL MERCURY
CONCENTRATIONS DURING REDUCTIONS IN
MERCURY EMISSIONS IN NEW JERSEY- PHASE II
Goal to confirm decline of Hg in fish tissue due
to elimination & reduction of local Hg sources
 Examining Hg levels in 2 year old largemouth
bass in five lakes in NJ and watershed leaf
samples
 2007, 2009, 2011 completed
 2013 planned
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REMOVAL OF UNREGULATED ORGANIC CHEMICALS
IN FULL-SCALE WATER TREATMENT PROCESSES
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Team Approach:
 Catherine
Dipietro & George Budd, Black & Veatch
 Dr. Judy Louis, NJDEP
 Laura Cummings, PVWC
 John Dyksen and John Ludington, United Water
 Joe Maggio, Brick Township MUA
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Investigate the effectiveness of full scale
conventional and advanced water treatment
processes for removal of organic chemicals
USE OF INNOVATIVE DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS FOR
SITE ASSESSMENT/CLOSURE
Environmental Molecular Diagnostics (EMDs)
 New tools for site monitoring and management
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 PCR/qPCR
(polymerase chain reaction)
 DGGE (Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis)
 Sequencing
Publicly funded sites
 Use EMDs to direct bioremediation
 Support site closure
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FUTURE RESEARCH
 Barnegat
 Drinking
Bay – Year 2
Water
 Hazardous
 Emerging
Waste
Contaminants
OFFICE OF SCIENCE
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[email protected]
 609-984-6070
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Information and Publications:
http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/