Environment

Assure a clean and sustainable environment for existing and future residents of the region, and integrate environmental protection objectives in all planning activities.

Policy Background
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), rapid population growth has caused waste production in the U.S. to double since 1960. This alarming trend is projected to continue into the next century. The EPA estimates that in 1990, 64% of garbage was disposed in landfills, 18% was recycled, and 18% incinerated. Waste reduction programs in the Delaware Valley include Pennsylvania's Act 101 and the Statewide Recycling Act in New Jersey.

Measurement
This indicator gauges the effectiveness of regional waste reduction programs by measuring the pounds of waste generated per person per day. The lower the waste generated, the closer the county is to achieving Pennsylvania and New Jersey state goals. In Pennsylvania, the Municipal Waste Planning Recycling and Waste Reduction Act (ACT 101) of 1988, set the goals of stabilizing the weight or volume of waste generated per capita in the Commonwealth to be the same or less on January 1, 1997 as it was on the effective date of the act (September 1988). Act 101 further stated that at least 25% of all municipal waste and source-separated recyclable materials generated in the Commonwealth on and after January 1, 1997, should be recycled. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) established the goal of capping waste generation from 1990 to 1995, and intends to reduce waste generation during the following ten years.

Waste generation data for this indicator are supplied annually by the counties to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) and by the solid waste industry to NJDEP. In Pennsylvania, the parameters of waste generation are based upon those materials collected under Act 101 and include aluminum and tin cans, corrugated, newsprint and office paper, clear and colored glass, PET (Polyethelene Terephthalaye), HDPE (high density Polyethelene Terephthalaye) and mixed plastics, leaf and yard waste, car batteries, and co-mingled waste. The New Jersey waste generation figures contain the same elements as in Pennsylvania in addition to other waste materials such as aluminum scrap, white goods, sheet iron, junked autos, wood waste, asphalt, concrete, masonry, and tires. Because each state defines waste generation differently, Pennsylvania and New Jersey data are not directly comparable. Population figures are based upon the 1992 and 1996 Census estimates for the counties. This indicator will be compared over time.

Results
Pounds of waste generated per person per day increased in the New Jersey four-county region from 10.3 pounds in 1992 to 12.2 pounds in 1997. Gloucester County witnessed the largest increase at 5.3 pounds per person per day, while Burlington and Camden counties saw more moderate increases. Mercer County, however, experienced a decrease in the pounds per person per day. The Pennsylvania five-county region saw slight increases in Bucks and Chester counties from 1992 to 1997, still above the Act 101 goals. Montgomery remained unchanged, while Delaware County and the City of Philadelphia decreased.

Policy Background
Solid waste generation is largely determined by population and business growth. Recycling saves resources, landfill space and reduces air and water pollution.

In Pennsylvania, Act 101 required curbside recycling in larger communities, and established a statewide goal of 25% of solid waste generated to be recycled by 1997. The New Jersey counterpart is the Statewide Mandatory Source Separation and Recycling Act of 1987, which required each county to provide a system for collecting recyclables. The New Jersey Act set a statewide recycling goal of 60% recycling by 1995.

Measurement
This indicator measures the extent to which the Delaware Valley has reduced solid waste disposal through the use of recycling. A higher percent means more waste is being recycled. Data for this indicator are collected annually by the PADEP based upon county reports and NJDEP from reports by the solid waste industry. This indicator will be compared to itself over time as well as to a defined recycling goal. For the purpose of this indicator, Pennsylvania waste recycling includes metals (aluminum and tin cans); paper (corrugated, newsprint, office paper other); glass (clear and colored); plastics (PET, HDPE and mixed); leaf and yard waste; car batteries and commingled waste. The higher recycling rates in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Mercer counties are due in part to the construction and industrial waste. Further, NJDEP stresses the importance of the tonnage grant program which awarded grant money to municipalities through December 31, 1996, based upon the amount of solid waste recycled. Because each state defines recyclables differently, Pennsylvania and New Jersey data are not directly comparable.

Results
Between 1992 and 1997, the percentage of solid waste generated that was recycled increased from 16.5% to 24.9% in the five Pennsylvania counties. In the four New Jersey counties, recycled solid waste also increased from 50.9% to 57.9% of waste generated between 1992 and 1997. Chester, Delaware and Philadelphia counties all exceeded the Act 101 goal, recycling 36%, 27% and 28% of their respective waste streams. A slight increase occurred in Bucks County during the same period. Montgomery County did not meet targeted goals for 1995 or 1997. Gloucester County recycled 62% of its solid waste generated, the highest amount of the four New Jersey counties. Burlington and Camden counties also witnessed significant increases in solid waste recycled. Mercer County saw a decrease in the amount of solid waste recycled during the same period.

Policy Background
Dissolved oxygen levels in natural and wastewater depend on the physical, chemical, and biochemical activities in the water body. Water classified for the protection and propagation of fish and wildlife, such as the Delaware River, must contain sufficient dissolved oxygen to support aquatic life. Reduced concentrations of dissolved oxygen can lead to detrimental effects such as taste and odors in waters, and limit the kinds and numbers of fish and other aquatic life present.

Measurement
This indicator measures the change in the water quality in the Delaware River. Flowing for nearly 330 miles from New York state to the Delaware Bay, the Delaware River is the primary drainage basin for the region. Large regional tributaries such as the Schuylkill River, Neshaminy Creek and Rancocas Creek drain urban, suburban and rural lands into the Delaware River carrying with them potential pollutants threatening its water quality and living resources. Dissolved oxygen (DO) is an indicator that is commonly utilized to measure the ability of a water body to sustain aquatic life. The standard measurement unit is milligrams per liter (mg/l).

Data for DO is collected annually by the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) at numerous water-quality monitoring stations along the Delaware River throughout the region. The DRBC data is assembled into the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Storage and retrieval database for water quality (STORET). Measurements are commonly taken by DRBC between late March and late December at slack tide and three feet below the surface of the channel. A higher DO number means that there is a greater concentration of dissolved oxygen in the water at a particular monitoring station which may imply better water quality. The DRBC has established water quality objectives for DO for the STORET stations in the region. Changes in water quality will be compared to themselves and to the DRBC's water quality objectives over time. The monitoring stations are analyzed from north (Fieldsboro) to south (Marcus Hook) and illustrate changes in water quality at those stations located in the Delaware Valley.

Results
The monitoring stations at Bristol and Torresdale were the only stations to experience a measure that did not meet the DRBC water quality objectives in 1990. All stations met DRBC water quality objectives in 1995 but Bristol and Torresdale fell below the standard again in 1997. Water entering the region at Fieldsboro contained a greater DO content than water leaving the region at Marcus Hook. Decreases in minimum DO between 1990 and 1997 occurred at all monitoring stations - many of which are in heavily industrialized areas.

Policy Background
The Delaware Valley depends on its water resources for drinking water, agriculture, industry and to support its many diverse natural systems. Unfortunately, nearly all human activities may adversely affect surface and ground water quality and quantity in some way.

Measurement
Increases in water withdrawals for public supply purposes is an indicator of increasing demand for water resources. If withdrawals exceed water recharge, the potential for saltwater intrusion and low flows in surface water bodies will increase. Low flow in surface water bodies may have significant impacts on the surrounding communities. For example, competition for dissolved oxygen and habitat will increase for marine plants and animals as the water level drops. Water temperatures may shift, impacting the ability of the water to hold dissolved oxygen. As a result, the waterbody may lose species which are less tolerant to environmental changes. By contrast, decreases in public water supply withdrawals may indicate success in regional water conservation programs. Moreover, there may have been a significant reduction in the amount of water withdrawn for industrial use, as industry has either increased its water efficiency or simply left the region. New technologies and new pump stations may also result in a decrease in water withdrawn. Rainfall amounts also tend to affect water withdrawal data.

This indicator measures both surface and ground water withdrawals for public water supplies between 1990 and 1996. The data represents withdrawals reported annually by public water suppliers in the Delaware Valley to the Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC). Public water supply includes all uses of water supplied by public water suppliers including: residential, commercial and industrial. Withdrawals do not equate to water use within a county, since water withdrawn in a county may be transferred to another county. The data is based on the location of the water withdrawal not on the location of water consumption. The data also do not include withdrawals under 100,000 gallons per day.

Results
Public water supply withdrawals within the Delaware Valley decreased 6.6% between 1990 and 1996. The PA five county portion of the region witnessed a water withdrawal decrease of 7.7% while the four NJ counties had a withdrawal decrease of 2.4% during the same time period. Significant decreases in water withdrawals occurred in Camden, Philadelphia and Montgomery counties. The decreases in Camden and Philadelphia counties may be attributed to the decline in industrial withdrawals and the loss of residential populations. Montgomery County's decrease may be linked to the completion of the Point Pleasant Pump Station in Bucks County. Many portions of Montgomery County are now served by this station, therefore possibly reducing the amount of water withdrawn within the county. An increase in water withdrawals in Bucks County, between 1990 and 1996, may be connected to the Point Pleasant Pump Station as well. In Burlington County, a 16% increase in water withdrawals, may be related to the New Jersey-American Water Company pipeline, which withdraws water from the Delaware River in Delran Township, Burlington County.

Policy Background
Energy consumption has major and conflicting implications for the economic health and quality of the environment of the Delaware Valley. Energy consumption tends to increase with economic activity. At the same time, higher energy use is typically associated with more impacts on the environment

Measurement
This indicator measure the extent to which the residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and transportation entities of Pennsylvania and New Jersey engage in energy efficient practices. The greater the number, more energy is being consumed. Data are reported annually by state through the U.S. Department of Energy. The measurement unit is the amount of energy per person used in millions of British Thermal Units (BTUs). Comprehensive regional data is not available. This indicator, including other state data, will be compared over time.

Results
Energy consumption increased in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey between 1990 and 1997, 5.3% and 7.7% respectively. Pennsylvania consumed more than 324 million BTUs per capita in 1997, while New Jersey consumed approximately 320.7 million BTUs per capita during the same time period. National energy consumption increased by 4.0% to 351.2 million BTUs in 1997.