MCKEON: 'OPEN SPACE' TRANSCENDS BOUNDARIES

MCKEON: 'OPEN SPACE' TRANSCENDS BOUNDARIES --- ASSEMBLY ENVIRONMENT CHAIR SAYS BI-PARTISAN PUSH FROM 36 LAWMAKERS UNDERSCORES OPEN SPACE CRUCIAL TO ECONOMIC VIABILITY, RECOGNIZES OVERWHELMING VOTER SUPPORT

(TRENTON) - Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee chairman John F. McKeon, Esq. today said the rapidly expanding bi-partisan push from lawmakers for open space underscores its importance to New Jersey's economic viability and recognizes the overwhelming support from voters reiterated in a recent poll.

In the past ten days, 25 additional lawmakers, including seven Thursday, signed on to a measure McKeon sponsored to place a ballot question before voters in November on a $600 million bond issue to fund open space. The total number of sponsors is now 36.

The bankrupt Garden Space Preservation Trust that funds open space runs out of money in July and McKeon's measure would give voters the choice to replenish the funding.

"Open space is crucial for our economic viability - for our farming and tourism industries, for our forests, sources of fresh water and to fight climate change," McKeon (D-Essex) said. "It is imperative to prevent a break in funding so we do not impair the progress we have made over decades or permanently lose valuable tracts of land including sources of fresh water," McKeon said.

New Jersey voters have approved 12 consecutive bond measures to fund open space since the first Green Acres Bond Act was passed in 1961. In November 2007, voters approved a ballot question to provide $200 million in state funding to preserve open space, prevent sprawl and purchase flood prone areas.

In a recent poll conducted April 3-5, an overwhelming 80 percent of New Jersey voters called on their legislators to place the ballot question on the $600 million bond issue to fund open space before the state's voters - including three in five who said they "definitely" want their legislator to take such action.

67 percent of voters polled support spending $600 million on open space and historic preservation. Voter support went up from the original 59 percent when respondents learned the bond issue would cost an average of $16 per year per household.

The poll of likely voters was conducted for the 'Keep It Green Coalition,' by Fairbanks, Maslin, Maullin & Associates. The Coalition, that comprises 124 environmental and other groups with a total of 300,000 members, is a staunch advocate of McKeon's ballot question measure to fund open space.

"The poll results are a ringing endorsement of what we have been saying all along," McKeon said. "Voters in New Jersey understand the importance of protecting and preserving open space and want the opportunity to make that choice in November."

McKeon pointed out that it would be cost prohibitive to interrupt the funding of open space.

"In the absence of viable funding, the cost of providing fresh water from the Highlands region could run into the $50 billion dollar mark over the next few years. This would include the cost of treating contaminants," he said. "The present economic climate provides a unique opportunity to purchase land at a significant value and generate much-needed revenue to struggling landowners."

According to the N.J. Highlands Council, approximately 19,000 more acres of the most critical land in the Highlands' Special Environment Zones must be preserved in order to minimally protect the state's drinking water.

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 that water supply. Thousands of acres of land in the Highlands region are protected under the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act McKeon sponsored in 2004.

"As the most densely populated state in the nation, it is important that we protect our dwindling open spaces and the purity of our pristine watersheds, rivers, streams, lakes and reservoirs," McKeon asserted. "Failure to do so could have a harmful impact on New Jersey's economy and our environment for generations to come. The growing support from New Jersey lawmakers recognizes this fact."

In the past ten days, Assembly Budget Chairman Louis D. Greenwald, Assembly Majority Conference Leader Joan M. Quigley, Assembly Minority Whip Jon M. Bramnick, Assembly Minority Budget Officer Joseph R. Malone III and Assemblyman Harvey L. Smith signed on as prime sponsors of the legislation.

Assembly members Peter J. Biondi, Ruben J. Ramos, Jr., Amy H. Handlin, John J. Burzichelli, Jack Conners, Anthony Chiappone, Sheila Y. Oliver, Mila M. Jasey, Mary Pat Angelini, James W. Holzapfel, David P. Ribel, Vincent Prieto, Thomas P. Giblinm Ralph R. Caputo, Herb Conaway Jr., Elease Evans, Joseph V. Egan, Gordon M. Johnson, Fred Scalera and Wayne P. DeAngelo signed on as co-sponsors.

The new sponsors are in addition to prime sponsors Assembly members John F. McKeon and Celeste M. Riley and co-sponsors Assembly members Reed Gusciora, Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr.,  Valerie Vainieri Huttle and Nilsa Cruz-Perez.

"The ultimate hearing for open space must be in November when New Jersey voters are given the choice to decide on its funding," McKeon said.

The measure passed unanimously in the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee on Monday, May 11 and by a 4-1 vote Monday, May 7, in the Senate Environment Committee.

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Contact:
Gita Bajaj
(973) 224-4851 cellular