Dean Naujoks Biography
Born
in PA and raised on the Upper Delaware (National Scenic) River, Dean
Naujoks likes
to hunt, fish, hike, canoe, travel and go white water rafting. He has
enjoyed spending time in most of the US National Parks as well as parks
in Alaska, Costa Rica and Canada.
Dean moved to the Raleigh area in
1987 and graduated
Cum Laude from NC State University, where he created his own degree in
Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development.
For eight years, Dean worked
for the NC Wildlife Federation (1991-1999) where he participated
directly in numerous state wide grass roots campaigns to
protect NC’s natural resources. His projects included reforming the
Pisgah and
Nantahala National Forest Management Plan, protection and designation
of more than 10,000 acres of coastal estuaries and mountain trout
streams as Outstanding Resource and High Quality Waters, the creation
of Gorges State Park, the Clean Water Management Trust Fund and the
Neuse Rules (comprehensive river basin plan to improve water quality in
the Neuse River).
From 2001 to 2008, Dean served as the Upper Neuse Riverkeeper.
In
2002, Dean worked with whistle-blowers to uncover more than 20
environmental
and labor law violations at Raleigh’s sewage treatment plant—the
largest discharger to the Neuse River. According to Raleigh Mayor
Charles Meeker, “It was the Riverkeeper who alerted us to extensive
problems which existed at our waste treatment plant, problems which had
not been brought to our attention by then plant management.” Since
2003, Raleigh has invested more than $40 million in sewage plant
upgrades and provided free drinking water to 32 families as a result of
ground water contamination (over 1000 acres, the largest in the state)
from the over application of sludge.
Dean created the annual
Neuse River Clean-up, which spans
70 river miles. From 2002-2008, more than 1,200 citizens participated in
cleaning up the Neuse River and more than 85,000 pounds of trash was
removed from the Neuse River. It was recognized as the largest river
clean-up event in the state.
In 2003 and again in
2008, Dean led a “Chronic Violator” campaign to challenge 15 sewage
discharge
permits of repeat violators to enforce compliance with the Clean Water
Act, leading to additional provisions (pollution controls) in 8 out of
the 10 permits challenged (2003). In March 2006, NRF documented
sludge and chemical discharges from Raleigh’s Water Treatment Plant.
Raleigh agreed to spend $3.5 million to eliminate its NPDES discharge
pipe to Falls Lake—a drinking water supply for over 400,000 Wake County
citizens.
In 2005, Dean led a grass roots
campaign to defeat the largest pollution trade ever proposed for US
waters, preventing the Town of Butner from discharging up to 61,130
lbs/yr of additional nitrogen into Falls Lake. Deans actions generated
more
than 1,000 public comments opposing the plan, leading to the creation
of a TMDL (pollution reduction strategy) for Falls Lake and the passage
of the 2005 Safe Drinking Water Reservoir Protection Act.
In
2006, Dean was instrumental in the creation of a visionary source
water protection plan to preserve 24,000 acres of critical stream
corridors to protect the water quality of nine drinking water
reservoirs in the upper Neuse River basin. The plan involved
partnerships with the City of Raleigh, state and county governments,
and local land trusts, and strengthened protection of drinking
water supplies for more than half a million people. The plan was hailed
by the South East Watershed Forum and others as a national model for
source water protection. More than $2 million has been invested since
2006. To date 3,785 acres along 34 miles of streams are under
conservation plans.
Also in 2006, Dean worked through 15 months of
stakeholder negotiations to create Wake County’s new stormwater
ordinance. NRF was instrumental in working with the development
community to implement one of the best stormwater ordinance in NC (using
Low Impact Development Practices and volume control), which will likely
serve as a model ordinance for other communities in NC.
In 2007,
Neuse River Foundation received the North Carolina Wildlife Federation
Governor’s Achievement Award for the 2006 Conservation Organization of
the Year.
In 2008, Dean developed and led “Muddy Water Watch”—a
statewide construction stormwater runoff campaign involving all the NC
Riverkeepers. The Muddy Water Watch Project (www.muddywaterwatch.org)
has been recognized nationally as a model training program to engage
citizens in sediment runoff and stormwater issues. More than 400 NC
citizens have participated in Muddy Water Watch trainings. Waterkeeper
programs in VA, MD, PA, AL, SC and TN are working to adopt this model
to address the nation's #1 water pollution problem as identified by the
U.S. EPA.
Also in 2008, Dean worked with The Duke Environmental
Litigation
Clinic to implement a mitigation plan for the state's largest known
source of polluted ground water due to over application of sludge at
Raleigh’s sewage treatment plant.
Dean was hired as the first Yadkin
Riverkeeper in November, 2008.