NJ Productive Ecologies VI - Conflict in Kearny

Our understanding of the site has improved immensely due to the sequence of maps/diagrams that we designed in conjunction with our research. Identifying key structures, examining how they affect the natural environment (which was always a large part of our thesis), and connecting socio-political forces with economic conditions ultimately led us to make a decision to further focus on an area of our site that revealed significant conflict- the Kearny edge. The following quotes are important to consider before understanding the next step we would choose on our mission to successfully map conflict at our site.

Scientific Findings:

The following quotes can be found on page 6 of this Rutgers University study, completed in 2008.

“The majority of the Kearny Marsh stormwater contaminant loadings occur to be appearing at the Frank Creek’s interface...”

“Due to the impairments being caused as a result of water flowing into the marsh from Frank’s Creek, we recommend that this connection be severed. Should the connection remain, it needs to be physically controlled, so that water can drain out of the marsh, while water flow into the marsh is restricted during storm events...”

Conflict:

The following quotes can be found in this article by The Jersey Journal in 2011.

“Kearny is seeking funding for a new $1 million pump station after Hurricane Irene dumped up to three feet of water in some basements east of Schuyler Avenue.”

“A pump station would pump water into Frank’s Creek,” said Town Engineer Michael Neglia.

The town has collected $250,000 toward the new pump station from Russo Development, a firm that is constructing a new mixed-use commercial and residential complex on Schuyler Avenue.”

“Mayor Al Santos said Kearny is requesting that other developers with pending projects in town also contribute to the fund.”

By re-examining our data, we realized that there was substantial conflict between remediation efforts on the marsh (New Jersey Meadowlands Commission) and redevelopment efforts by the municipality of Kearny and a private development company- Russo Development. Seeing that the Rutgers University study proved that there was a highly concentrated area for stormwater contaminants at Frank's Creek, and Russo Development/Town of Kearny have plans to pump even more water through that specific site, it is clear that there are two conflicting forces working to revitalize 'something'. Combine this idea with the notion that there is general lack of access to the wetlands and you have a picture that portrays true conflict.

The following model seeks to highlight themes within the conflict along Kearny edge. It can be thought of as a 'hybrid' map, pulling from the previous diagrammatic maps that we used to get to this point in the first place.