Environment

I’ve helped make several important strides to protect and restore New Jersey’s resources during my tenure in Congress. One of my biggest achievements was the House passage of the Highlands Conservation Act, H.R. 1964 in the 108th Congress.

The Highlands Conservation Act will help preserve much of the remaining open space in New Jersey and protect cherished natural resources that provide extraordinary environmental, recreational and historical assets. This bill will provide the Highlands region with a national designation and an increase in federal financial support to protect these lands.

The Highlands region provides and protects the drinking water supply for over 15 million residents of the Philadelphia-New York-Hartford metropolitan area. Protecting these drinking water sources now will save the federal government future costs associated with building additional treatment plants for the nation’s most densely populated metropolitan area.

This bill will also help protect private property rights. Lands and development rights will be owned and managed by the Highlands states, so no new federal land-holdings or management burdens would result. No new regulatory authority would be created in the Highlands region or Conservation Areas, thereby maintaining local control over land use decisions, with land and development rights being purchased from willing sellers only.

Another important environmental initiative I have undertaken is introducing the Musconetcong Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.

The Musconetcong Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, H.R. 1307, will designate the segments of the Musconetcong river from Saxton Falls to the Route 46 bridge as a scenic river and from the Kings Highway Bridge to the railroad tunnels at Musconetcong Gorge as a recreational river.

Designating these segments of the Musconetcong River as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers system will:

• Encourage recreational use that is compatible with the preservation of natural and cultural qualities of the river corridor while respecting private property.
• Preserve and protect the character of archaeological sites and historic structures, districts, sites and landscapes in the river corridor.
• Preserve farmland and open space within the river corridor and the watershed.
• Protect, restore, and enhance the outstanding natural resources in the river corridor and the watershed, including endangered species, forests, floodplains and wetlands.
• Maintain and even improve existing water quality in the Musconetcong River and its tributaries.

This legislation maintains an excellent balance between protecting and preserving the river and providing for the rights of private property owners throughout the watershed. Designation as a wild and scenic river will not prevent the development and use of the river as often occurs with designation as a national park or wilderness area. Instead the goal is to preserve the existing character of the river.

Throughout my entire my life, I have had the opportunity to take advantage of all of the natural resources that New Jersey has to offer. My family and I have enjoyed the beautiful environment of the 5th Congressional District, and I want to ensure that many other families have the same opportunities for years to come.

Related Documents:

Press Release - Ringwood Relisted 9.26.2006

Press Release - Pohatcong 8.8.2006

Press Release - ATSDR Written Comment 8.7.2006

Press Release - Musconetcong Passage 7.24.2006

Press Release - Ringwood MCS 6.2.2006


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Related Files:

Ringwood Actuality