Green Jersey

News roundup for Wednesday, June 4

A barn swallow in Middle Township. Photo via scholtz.org.

Scientists darkened the chest feathers of male New Jersey barn swallows and found the change makes them sexier to females and affects their body chemistry. Click here for the study, published yesterday in the journal Current Biology.

Two groups, Bluewater Wind and Fishermen’s Energy, are vying to build the first offshore wind farm in the country. Bluewater wind wants to put up 116 wind turbines, and Fishermen’s Energy, a group led by commercial fishermen, has proposed 74 turbines. Both projects would be built off the coast of Atlantic City; Atlantic City mayor Scott Evans endorsed the project yesterday, according to the Associated Press.

New Jersey health department officials have found that lead in 3 tainted athletic fields can be absorbed by the human body. According to state epidemiologist Eddy Bresnitz, via the Associated Press: The lead levels aren’t enough to poison someone who plays on the fields, but could cause more problems for children already exposed to lead.

Metuchen is considering adding more parking spaces for its rail commuters.

Orange’s City Council meets tonight. On the agenda: A vote on improvements to the city’s drinking water system that will either make or break several redevelopment projects.

Donald Trump is still sore at state officials. In a letter to Corzine Administration adviser Gary Rose yesterday, he wrote: “It is too bad you did not let the Trump Organization continue its work on the Meadowlands site. If you had, children would have been playing on the almost-completed baseball, softball, soccer and football fields weeks ago.”