MCKEON: OPEN SPACE CRUCIAL TO ECONOMIC VITALITY  ASSEMBLY ENVIRONMENT CHAIR TELLS NEWS12 N.J.'S JONES, MCQUEENEY, REPLENISHING GARDEN STATE PRESERVATION TRUST PRIORITY FOR N.J.  (TRENTON) - Assemblyman John F. McKeon today announced he would continue to push to replenish the bankrupt Garden State Preservation Trust (GSPT) that funds Open Space in New Jersey and runs out of money in July. The Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee chairman reiterated comments made this weekend to Laura Jones and Jim McQueeney on News12 N.J.'s 'New Jersey Power and Politics,' in response to a question on his current priorities with regard to the environment.McKeon told Jones and McQueeney that if Open Space was not protected, one of the detrimental impacts could be to hamper the state's ability to provide fresh water to residents. Without viable open space preservation funding, the cost of treatment to provide fresh water from the Highlands to state residents over the next few years may run into the $50 billion dollar mark, McKeon added. The Highlands is the source of fresh water for more than half the state's residents and open space preservation is an important component of protecting those water supplies."Our ability to provide fresh drinking water is crucial to the economic vitality of our state," McKeon (D-Essex) asserted. "The protection of open space has always been a top priority for the people of New Jersey and key to our long-term viability. As the most densely populated state in the nation, it is imperative that we protect our dwindling open spaces and the purity of our pristine watersheds, rivers, streams, lakes and reservoirs." Thousands of acres of land in the Highlands are protected under the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act McKeon sponsored in 2004. New Jersey voters have voted in favor of funding for open space even during the most challenging economic times, approving twelve separate bond acts since the first Green Acres Bond Act was passed in 1961 to fund open space. More recently, voters approved a ballot question in November 2007 to provide $200 million in state funding to preserve open space, prevent sprawl and purchase flood prone areas. This replenished the Garden State Preservation Trust Fund. The GSPT funds the preservation of open space, farmland and historic resources. The Green Acres open space program provides funding for parks, recreation and conservation, and the purchase of flood-prone areas, while protecting drinking water sources from over-development. The state provides money to counties to preserve farmland by buying the development rights, while leaving the farms in private ownership. Historic preservation money goes to non-profits and local governments to preserve important buildings and sites that form part of our rich history.The GSPT is one of the country's most successful land preservation programs.###Contact:Chairman McKeon Gita Bajaj (973) 275-1113 Office(973) 224-4851 Cellular