Did you know that New Jersey has a gatekeeper of habitats? His name is David Grossmueller, and he is a senior permitting specialist at PSE&G.
All projects that could potentially impact natural resources are reviewed by David and his team. They decide how projects can be completed in a way that conserves the area’s habitat as well as the natural species and wildlife living in it.
“Any project that is within 300 feet of a wetland or flood hazard area and appears to support threatened or endangered species associated with it, comes to us for review so we can figure out what permits are required,” David said.
PSE&G has supported additional research from David about the conservation of salamanders, bog turtles and pollination ecology, which has helped inform several projects related to the areas where those critters live. His doctorate in zoology and expansive knowledge of New Jersey’s wildlife habitats have made him a prized asset to every team within PSE&G.
David’s love for all things related to zoology, habitats and ecosystems started when he read about these subjects in second grade. He thought zoology was the most fascinating thing ever. He was known, as a kid, to run around with a butterfly net, collecting bugs.
Nowadays, outside of his work, David fishes, collects insects, raises orchids and has a pet tortoise and two hounds. He decided to semi-retire on May 10 and move to Georgia, where he will enjoy his newly acquired 78 acres of property, plant wildflowers that attract butterflies and birds, and work remotely. If David had one superhero power that could restore the planet, he would make a glacier to stabilize the atmosphere, helping to preserve the natural world that he loves so much.
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