For Immediate Release
April 28, 2011 Contact Jeff Tittel, 609-558-9100
Highlands Act Opponents Approved for to Highlands Council
The drinking water supply for 5.4 million state residents came under attack today when the Senate Judiciary voted, to release three of Governor Christie's nominations to the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council. The Governor has nominated a slate of 10 individuals, many of which have spoken out against the Highlands Act and challenged the law's constitutionality in the past. Governor Christie is using these appointments to go around the Legislature to repeal Highlands protections. Sierra Club is concerned that six of his ten appointments will take the side of developers and corporate polluters over the protection of New Jersey's water supply.
"Today the Senate Judiciary Committee placed politics before protecting the state's drinking water. Two of the three newest Highlands Council members are opponents of the Highlands Act and have been appointed as part of the Governor's attempt to dismantle the Highlands regulations. The Governor is stacking the Council with members who will weaken environmental protection and not enforce the law," said Jeff Tittel, Director New Jersey Sierra Club.
Lopatcong Councilmen James Mengucci and Hunterdon County Freeholder Robert Walton support growth over protection of our water supply and have opposed the Highlands Act, DEP Highlands Rules, and the Highlands Regional Master Plan.
Freeholder Robert Walton has been quoted in the Hunterdon County Democrat saying he is "diametrically opposed to the Highlands Act." He has also stated that he would vote against Hunterdon County submitting a conformance petition to the Highlands Council. In the three years before the passage of the Highlands Act, Councilman Mengucci supported continued growth and sprawl development in Lopatcong as the community's population grew by over 500%. In 2000, 1,400 people lived in Lopatcong, skyrocketing to 7,200 in 2003. Mengucci continues to support inappropriate growth, calling for the development of the Ingersoll-Rand tract, a critical habitat for threatened bird species and one of the few open spaces remaining in the township. As Council members, these individuals will not be implementing the Highlands protections they oppose. Instead they will open the Highlands up for development causing a loss of open space, destroying our water quality, and creating overdevelopment and sprawl.
"These confirmations mark the beginning of the dismantling of environmental protections for five and a half million New Jersey residents," said Jeff Tittel. Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty was also confirmed today. He has been a leader on historical preservation and open space issues in Morristown.
The Christie Administration's support of Highlands Act opponents to serve on the Council emphasizes his desire to restrict implementation of the Highlands Act, eliminate the Council's funding, stack the board with pro-development members and weaken DEP regulations, making the Highlands regulations essentially meaningless.
At a townhall meeting in March in Hoptacong, Governor Christie stated that the Highlands Act "was based on a lie" and as the Democratic legislature prevents him from repealing the Highlands Act, appointing "commonsense" individuals to the Council is the only recourse he has to weaken the Highlands regulations. The confirmation of these appointments is the Governor's opening salvo in rolling back Highlands protections.
"Christie would rather appoint people from special interest and people who have a political agenda to dismantle Highlands protections to the Highlands Council than protect our drinking water," said Jeff Tittel. "The Governor is playing political games and putting our drinking water at risk."
Seven vacant or expired seats on the Council remain and the Governor has nominated individuals to fill those seats. Still awaiting confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee are Bergen County Surrogate Michael Dressler, Roxbury Mayor Jim Rilee, White Township Mayor Sam Race, Sussex County Freeholder Richard Vohden, former West Milford Planning Board Chairmen Michael Tfank, aquatic biologist Michael Sebetich, and Passaic County Freeholder Bruce James. There is no diversity among the Governor's nominees. No women, no minorities, no environmentalists.
The remaining nominations must be held until the Governor nominates a balanced slate of individuals who actually believe in protecting the Highlands. Diverse opinions are needed on the Council, but open opponents of Highlands regulations must not be placed on the Council.
The Highlands region provides drinking water to 5.4 million New Jersey residents across 14 counties and the state's key economic industries.
"Today the Judiciary Committee took the side of politics over the protection of drinking water for the people of New Jersey," said Jeff Tittel. "These appointments will undermine critical protection for New Jersey's water supply.
Kate Millsaps, Program Assistant NJ Sierra Club 145 W. Hanover Street Trenton, NJ 08618 609.656.7612 (f) 609.656.7618 <http://www.newjersey.sierraclub.org/> www.newjersey.sierraclub.org Received on 2011-04-28 13:09:02