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Support Open Space in New Jersey! The ability to protect open space is a critical component of the American Littoral Society’s work to protect New Jersey’s coastal habitat, wildlife, and water quality. Please help give New Jersey voters the opportunity to support open space preservation on the November 2009 ballot.
Benefits of Open Space: New Jersey’s open spaces add significantly to all our residents’ quality of life. They provide habitat for our rich diversity of wildlife, enable us to connect with nature, and help purify our water and clean our air. They can help prevent soil erosion, stormwater runoff and flooding. Parks -- urban, suburban and rural -- provide access to recreation and are important to the health and well-being of adults and children alike. Preserving farmland helps us secure locally-grown food. Historic preservation improves the character of our neighborhoods and our access to exciting and interesting places. What it Will Cost Taxpayers: This will cost New Jersey Citizens only $16 per family per year--less than the cost for two family members to go to one movie. The Time is Now: Our legislators have until June 30th to approve an open space funding measure for the November ’09 ballot. Bills A3901/S1858 would let voters support a ballot measure, permitting the State to issue up to $600 million in bonds for three more years of vital open space investment. How You Can Help: Write to your legislators today! Download the attached letter and customize it with your contact information and send it to your legislators, in the State Senate and Assembly. Download sample letter Find your legislator and his or her address
Help Stop Sprawl in Barnegat Bay Watershed
Help Stop Sprawl in Barnegat Bay Watershed The State Plan Endorsement (Township-wide development plans) of Berkeley Township (Bayville) will undoubtedly have a direct impact on the surrounding municipalities of Beachwood and Lacey. In addition, the health of our waterways, especially Barnegat Bay, has declined because of years of unchecked, inappropriate coastal development. This vital resource is at further risk due to continuing development proposals throughout the watershed. We must be vigilant in our efforts to bring this issue to the forefront. The State Office of Smart Growth is conducting a local hearing to gather public comments. WHAT: Berkeley Township Plan Endorsement Public Hearing WHEN: Thursday, May 21, 2009 TIME: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. WHERE: Berkeley Township Municipal Building Township Committee Meeting Room Pinewald-Keswick Road 1st Floor Bayville, New Jersey 08721 In addition to new areas proposed for dense development, other issues will be open for discussion and comment such as: newly proposed preservation and development areas (TDR sending and receiving zones/Town Centers); the Barnegat Branch rail-trail and extended trail network in the community; Route 9 improvements and new road circulation elements; and most importantly the impacts that further development will have on Barnegat Bay. The public may comment orally, and in written form, at the hearing or may submit written comments to the Office of Smart Growth via email to osgmail@dca.state.nj.us, or to Benjamin L. Spinelli, Executive Director, NJDCA Office of Smart Growth, P.O. Box 204, Trenton, NJ 08625-0204, up to 30 days after the public hearing. Public comments may also be directed via email to the Executive Director at bspinelli@dca.state.nj.us up to the time the Commission takes action on the petition for Plan Endorsement. For more information on the proposed development plans visit: http://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/osg/plan/pe.html or contact helen@littoralsociety.org
Fight for Public Access to the Water (02.28.09) Urge the NJ State Senate to VOTE NO on S.1921
Bill Undermines Urban Waterfront Public Access
The following organizations oppose this bill. More are joining every day. American Littoral Society + Change to Win + Edison Wetlands Association + Greenfaith + Hackensack Riverkeeper + ILA Local 1588 + International Brotherhood of Teamsters + Ironbound Community Corporation + LIUNA +
NJ Environmental Federation + NJ Environmental Justice Alliance + NJ United Nations Association Globalization Project + NJ Work Environment Council +
St. James Social Services Center + NY/NJ Baykeeper + Raritan Riverkeeper + SEIU 32 BJ + UFCW Local 1360 + UFCW Region 1 + West Essex County CLC NJ residents have long been denied access to the waterfront in urban communities. This bill would make sure that this practice continues by prohibiting the Department of Environmental Protection from requiring public access to tidal waterfront areas at existing transportation, port military, industrial, and energy facilities or requiring the facilities to provide off-site access should there be overriding safety concerns that make the site inappropriate for public access.Significant portions of New Jersey’s northern and urban coastline are occupied by tank farms and other industrial facilities. S1921 would extinguish any chance of giving our urban residents a way to the water, as well as bolster meager parkland assets through walkways, access ramps and fishing piers. The bill would severely restrict the ability of citizens to monitor pollution along our urban waterways. Fishing access throughout the state, often provided through requirements placed on transportation projects, would become a thing of the past. The bill argues this is necessary for national security purposes, however, the US Coast Guard already has established security zones around nuclear power plants, all commercial waterfront facilities, liquified hazardous gas facilities and coast guard vessels and stations. Further, the bill prohibits DEP from implementing existing regulations which require a “replacement” public access facility where site considerations related to safety do make public access inappropriate. The bill goes far beyond what is necessary to protect facilities where national security issues are legitimately at hand. - The bill does not limit the prohibition on DEP’s requirements to situations where homeland and national security statutes preclude public access – it applies to all existing military, industrial, energy or port facilities – even if public access could be safely provided to urban waterways and there is no security issue;
- The bill is really intended to get business and industry out of contributing to providing public access to historically inaccessible waters – this is clear because the bill also prohibits DEP from requiring offsite access as an alternative.
- The bill is unneeded since the DEP has proposed regulations that would specifically address homeland security concerns – while not letting business off the hook to contribute to providing public access as a consequence of coastal development.
Getting the public to the water in urban parts of the state is a pressing need. In many places, this access can be safely accommodated on industrial waterfronts. The Legislature should not abandon this need by prohibiting the use of a reasonable, workable tool like the DEP public access regulations.
HOW YOU CAN HELP 1. Phone or Write NJ Senate President Richard J. Codey to tell him you are opposed to Bill S1921: 973-731-6770
449 Mount Pleasant Avenue
West Orange, NJ 07052
2. Download the PDF version of this alert and pass it on to others Download PDF
Read Star Ledger Editorial Opposing this Bill: Download PDF
Download the American Littoral Society’s Legislative Position on A.2954
REPORT ALL SITINGS OF INVASIVE CHINESE MITTEN CRABS The Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) and east coast state environmental agencies have issued alerts for the Chinese Mitten Crab (Eriocheir sinensis), a highly invasive species from China that has recently been spotted in teh Chesapeake in Maryland, in the Delaware Bay, and in the Hudson River. The crab is so invasive that it is listed under the Federal Lacey Act which makes it illegal to possess, import, export, transport, sell, received, acquire or purchase this species in the United States. To learn how to identify this crab and what to do if you find one, download the SERC Fact Sheet. Please pass it on to others who are active in, on, near east coast waters. Download Fact Sheet
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