News & Events
Rutgers Partners with Raritan Headwaters Association to Study Microplastics in the Raritan River
The study of microplastics and their negative effects as water pollutants has led to multiple opportunities for research and partnership. Through the Rutgers Raritan River Consortium minigrant program, Dr. Nicole Fahrenfeld led a study with the Raritan Headwaters Association (RHA) over this past summer. The goal of the study was to better understand...
Rutgers 2030 Master Plan Public Access Planning Studio
Seven graduate students participated in this Fall 2017 studio through the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy to analyze two key elements for public access to the Raritan River as proposed in the Rutgers University Physical Master Plan - the RU 2030 Master Plan. The key elements explored were a new riverside boardwalk and a...
Mini-grant enhances weather and climate data collection in the Raritan
Be it drought, flood, excessive heat or cold, climate variability and change, or simply the more “normal” day-to-day conditions in the basin, it is exceedingly beneficial to have adequate and accurate environmental data at hand to assist the research community, decision/policy makers within diverse stakeholder communities and the general public. Rutgers...
Cybersecurity and Technology Management Guidance for Local Government
Over the last few years, the center has worked with the NJ Municipal Excess Liability Fund and other organizations to develop guidance on managing technology and cybersecurity for New Jersey’s local governments. This report is a compilation of articles written from NJ Municipalities, the magazine of the NJ State League of Municipalities. They focus on...
Discards and Fishery Dynamics Data to Inform Raritan Bay Recreational Summer Flounder Fishery Management Policy
Summer flounder (Paralichtys dentatus) is a key species for New Jersey’s fisheries, including being the most commonly captured species by recreational anglers and the most valuable finfish species for the commercial fishing industry (NMFS, 2017). Increasingly strict fisheries management measures have been implemented in recent years partially due to the...
New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance receives Annual Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award
The New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance was one of eleven recipients of the 19th Annual Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards given in Trenton on Tuesday, December 10, 2018. The Alliance received the award in the Environmental Education (Educator-led) category. The award description read, "Facilitated by the Rutgers Climate Institute and Rutgers...
Temporal Heavy Metal Distribution and Bioaccumulation in the Lower Raritan River
With the surge of urbanization and industrialization, the Raritan River, and particularly its 15-mile long lower portion, has experienced profound contamination over the last 100 years. More than 15 EPA designated Superfund Sites are present in the Raritan watershed, and exceptionally high concentrations of toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, copper, lead,...
Shore protection strategies for estuarine beaches: a case study of Cliffwood Beach, NJ
The shoreline of Raritan Bay is developed with homes and recreation sites that are vulnerable to erosion and flooding exacerbated by increased rates of sea level rise. The US Army Corps of Engineers has implemented coastal storm-risk management projects or feasibility studies for several communities on Raritan Bay, but not all locations are included....
Study of ecoenzymes and bioavailability of methylmercury in the Lower Raritan
The Reinfelder lab and high school students from Malcolm X Shabazz High School (MXSHS) in Newark, NJ were awarded a Rutgers Raritan River Consortium Mini-grant to conduct field studies of ecoenzymes along the Raritan River Bay. Uptake experiments of the neurotoxic methylmercury (MeHg) into a freshwater phytoplankton using natural river water were conducted...
Creating a rich digital environment to support resilience on the Lower Raritan
The Raritan River region is the home of many businesses, residential communities, critical facilities, and wildlife species. Flooding is a persistent problem in the Raritan River region when excessive rain from storms affect the river basin. During hurricane events, flooding can be even more severe due to combined storm surge and heavy rainfall effects....
Recent Products
A Seat at the Table: Integrating the Needs and Challenges of Underrepresented and Socially Vulnerable Populations into Coastal Hazards Planning in New Jersey
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Coastal Management Program received a Project of Special Merit (PSM) grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as part of NOAA’s Coastal Hazards & Cumulative and Secondary Impacts...
Summertime Thermal Conditions and Senior Resident Behaviors in Public Housing: A Case Study in Elizabeth,NJ, USA
As heat waves become more extreme, there is a growing concern for the health of elderly city dwellers who have poor living conditions and limited access to resources. Much research has documented socioeconomic links to heat vulnerability, but limited studies have...
Federal Tax Incentives for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2019
The Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program, administered by the National Park Service in partnership with the State Historic Preservation Offices, is the nation’s most effective program to promote historic preservation and community revitalization...
Managing Technology in Local Government: Cybersecurity, Risk and Proficiency
Guidance for Local Government and Other Organizations In the last five years, Bloustein Local Government Research Center has undertaken several local government technology initiatives; this report is based on those findings and recommendations. While focused on and...