Montclair State University recently hosted 350 educators, environmentalists, scientists, legislators, and industry representatives for the Fifth Passaic River Symposium. Organized by the University’s Passaic River Institute, the symposium is one of New Jersey’s most important forums for discussing projects and addressing the environmental issues surrounding the Passaic River.

With the theme, “Today’s Status, Tomorrow’s Perspective,” the conference focused on sediment remediation as part of the Lower Passaic Interim Remedial Measure, the release of the Focused Feasibility Study, ecosystem restoration, environmental advocacy and public outreach efforts. Projects in the upper river and tributary watersheds also featured prominently among the 71 presentations at the conference.

Featured speakers at the symposium included George Pavlou, deputy regional Region 2 administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Bob Martin, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Congressman Bill Pascrell, and Colonel Paul E. Owen, commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District. Many others served as presenters or discussion moderators during the breakout sessions.

A biennial event, the next Passaic River Symposium will be held in 2014.

See photos from the symposium at Flickr.com.
Read an article about the event at NorthJersey.com.