NJ Bill targets Bear-Human Encounters

A new piece of legislation from a state lawmaker aims to reduce the number of human encounters with black bears.

Under the measure from Assemblyman Tim Eustace (D-Paramus), people "in any municipality located in a habitat occupied by bears" would be prohibited from putting their food waste or other bear-attracting refuse at the curb without a bear-resistant container.

"The idea is just to train people to get rid of their garbage correctly," Eustace said. "We're just trying to make less garbage out there for bears to troll through."

According to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, there were 884 bear sightings in 2014 between Jan. 1 and Dec. 20, up from 635 the year prior. Last year also saw a 58 percent jump in the number of damage and nuisance instances. More than 550 complaints involved bears rummaging through trash.

"The problem occurs when people are unused to living in bear territory," Eustace said.

Similar bear-proof rules would also be required of certain gated communities, condominium complexes and campgrounds in New Jersey, where receptacles are provided to residents and visitors.

Violators of the bill would be subject to a fine of anywhere from $50 to $1,000.

Larry Ragonese, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection, said there is no reason to legislate how people take out their garbage. In many cases, he said, people in bear-populated areas are already being smart with their disposal techniques.

"Most people bring their trash into their garage or into their cellars and don't bring it out until that morning," he said.

Ragonese added a number of towns have implemented mechanized trash collection, and the system is not compatible with bear-resistant containers.