NJ Highlands

In 2003, NJEF helped to pass the NJ Highlands Protection Act, one of New Jersey's most important drinking water laws.

• The law is supposed to protect the Highlands' natural resources, especially its water supplies, the source of half the state's drinking water.
• These resources are critical to NJ's economy: our 3 largest industries (food processing, recreation-tourism-fishing, and pharmaceutical) are all water-dependent.
• If the Highlands are not adequately protected, the cost for additional water treatment (excludes additional health care costs) in its service area alone would be $100 billion over 50 years

The Law is being Delayed and Weakened

The Highland's Act's implementation is years behind schedule. The NJ Highlands Final Draft Regional Master Plan (RMP) has been released, but it does not provide adequate protections. NJEF is working to strengthen and implement the RMP as soon as possible. The protection of this crucial resource is an environmental, moral and economic imperative for the people of New Jersey.

NJ Governor Jon Corzine needs to ensure stronger implementation of the Highlands Act and no adverse impacts before then. Degradation of water supplies and other resources is occurring every day. Contact Corzine today!.

The Importance of the NJ Highlands

• The NJ Highlands is 800,000 acres of largely contiguous forest stretching from Northwest Bergen County to Northern Hunterdon County.
• This area supplies half of the state's drinking water (for 5.4 million New Jerseyans) and is under massive threat from overdevelopment and sprawl.
• 3,000-5,000 acres of the Highlands are lost to sprawling development every year and build out could be reached in 20-30 years.
• More recreational visitors go to the NY-NJ Highlands each year than Yellowstone, Yosemite and Grand Canyon National parks combined, making the Highlands an integral component of NJ's eco-tourism economy.
• Nearly 150 threatened and endangered species call the NJ Highlands their home.

Comments and Concerns with the Highlands Regional Master Plan (HRMP)

• Development in Water Deficit Areas (110 of the 183 subwatersheds in the Highlands) should not be allowed-i.e. no more development where water is not currently available.
• Extension of sewers and "package plants" in the Preservation Area should be prohibited except as specifically provided for in the Act, i.e., for health and safety, not for clusters and redevelopment.
• Eliminate exemptions to the requirement for 300' buffers around important waters.
• Practical Guidelines must be in place to protect, enhance and restore Natural Resources:

*There must be a clear hierarchy of preventing damage to natural resources requiring applicants to move through avoidance as the preferred alternative, minimization second, and mitigation as the last resort including benchmarks to prove its success before more development can.

*Forest resources should be protected and enhanced by requiring state certified forester approved Forest Stewardship Plans, not the weaker Woodland Management Plans in all cases.

• Ensure environmentally sensitive features in Existing Community Zones receive strict protections.
• Make clearer and more protective standards for Map Adjustments to prevent "lets make a deal".
• Expedite the development of documents, standards and guidance which must be in place to meet the bar set by the Plan's Objectives.
• Urge the Governor to issue an executive order immediately to ensure no adverse impact to natural resources occurs until an RMP is implemented that ensures the same no adverse impacts

Keep It Green!
The Keep It Green Campaign is a coalition of over 90 environmental organizations, land trusts, sportsmen's groups, faith-based groups, watershed associations, and historic preservation, affordable housing and urban park advocates from across the state calling on the Governor and the State Legislature to renew GSPT this year.

On Election Day, voters decided YES on Ballot Question #3 (pdf, 287kb), the Green Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2007. This will provide funding to protect New Jersey's open space, farmland, and historic places from development. NJEF would like to thank our members for supporting this initiative.

Prior the the ballot question, passing, the Keep It Green campaign ran radio ads and held numerous press events to support funding for the Garden State Preservation Trust.

In June 2007, the Keep It Green campaign ran radio ads calling on Governor Corzine to stop opposing open space legislation, environmentalists' top priority. The ads follow on the heals of Memorial Day weekend flights from Cape May to Sandy Hook of a banner urging people to call the Governor as "open space is at risk!".

The Keep It Green campaign warns of the continued loss of open space and its adverse impacts on the state's drinking water supply, as well as the loss of parks and recreational opportunities for our children, and a key cog in the state's economic engine.

Listen to the ad (.mp3)

The Garden State Preservation Trust (GSPT) has been the nation's most successful open space program, saving hundreds of thousands of acres a year, but it will run out of funding at the end of this year. The campaign is calling on the Governor and the Legislature to reauthorize funding for GSPT by passing ACR10/SCR 136 before leaving for the summer. Citizen and legislative support for ACR10/SCR136 is overwhelming.

"Already preservation efforts are coming to a halt. If the Governor and Legislature do not act now the Trust will have nothing left," stated the Keep it Green campaign's radio advertisement. "Governor Corzine and the legislature shouldn't play politics with New Jersey's open space."

Critical Habitat

NJEF, along with NJ Audubon and other environmental groups have launched a campaign to protect New Jersey's critical wildlife habitat. Habitat protection rules exist but have yet to be released for comment. While we wait, towns like yours continue to lose ground and critical habitat to over-development. Critical habitat areas:

• Are treasured open space and allow for recreation and eco-tourism.
• The last refuge for our rare and disappearing wildlife.
• Critical to protecting our drinking water.

Please call or write your local officials and mayor and tell him/her to sign onto the Critical Habitat Rule letter we recently sent urging the governor to propose the "ready to go" and long overdue critical habitat protection rules.

• Find your legislator
• Find your mayor
• Find our if your mayor has signed on our how to get them on board
• Find Additional Information about critical habitats.

Help Save Petty's Island

NJEF is working to permanently protect Petty's Island from development. Petty's Island, 392 acres of open space located in the Delaware River and part of Pennsauken, is a treasured area, home to nesting bald eagles, endangered herons, and other wildlife. This last parcel of open space amidst a sea of sprawl is being threatened by yet another bad development project.

We have an incredible chance to save this important and precious space. CITGO, who owns Petty's Island, wants to clean up, preserve and protect the island as open space at no cost to taxpayers! The protection of this island would protect the wildlife and provide New Jersey residents with a beautiful place for education and recreation in one of the oldest industrial areas.

Shockingly, Pennsauken Township and their developer, Cherokee, want to develop Petty's Island and destroy the only remaining area of open space left! They want to build 700 homes, a hotel and conference center, and a golf course on the island, ultimately destroying the environment, wildlife and a place to recreate.