Officials supported environmental issues

Honesty, integrity and the courage to do the right thing are in short supply these days. Sen. Barbara Buono and Assemblyman Peter Barnes III have earned our trust and support for their continued ability to work for good government.

Last year, during the Ford Motor Co. contaminated fill fiasco, Sen. Buono stood up to politically connected developer Jack Morris and Ford Motor Co. when the companies brought thousands of tons of contaminated concrete to residential properties throughout the county and beyond. Sen. Buono, working with Edison Wetlands Association, spearheaded a public hearing in Edison, forcing Ford and Morris to clean up the toxic concrete and convincing the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to correct the failures that led to that shameful situation.

Assemblyman Peter Barnes III has long been the driving force in preserving the remaining natural treasures of overdeveloped Central Jersey. He was instrumental in forming the Edison Open Space Committee and has long been a strong supporter of the Triple C Ranch, the last working farm in the Edison area. His work has helped give children in our densely populated area the chance to connect with the wonders of nature and the joys of visiting a farm.

When other politicians downplayed the very real risks of the abundant toxic waste sites in the "Chemical Belt" of Middlesex County, Sen. Buono and Assemblyman Barnes instead did something to fix the problem. They helped families and community groups ensure cleanups took place on many notorious contaminated sites. Such cleanups made a tremendous difference in the health and quality of life of the countless families who lived near the many such sites in our area.

Edison Wetlands Association has worked for 17 years to remediate the Lower Raritan River Watershed. Without the support and direct action from Sen. Buono and Assemblyman Barnes, many of our area's most significant environmental improvements would never have occurred.

Robert Spiegel Executive Director Edison Wetlands Association