Meadowlands Bill Eliminated Meadowlands Protections

For Immediate Release

January 22, 2015

Contact Jeff Tittel

Meadowlands Bill Eliminated Meadowlands Protections

A dangerous piece of legislation (S2647 "Sarlo - A3969 Prieto) passed both houses and is awaiting Governor Christie's action. This bill would consolidate the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and the Sports & Exposition Authority. This legislation is now headed to the Governor's desk. The New Jersey Sierra Club's Director Jeff Tittel released the following statement:

"We urge Governor Christie to veto this legislation. This bill has become an attack on 45 years of successful regional planning in the Meadowlands. The Meadowlands Commission throughout the years, has helped protect thousands of acres of wetlands in the Meadowlands, while trying to steer development to less environmentally sensitive areas. Originally the Commission's role was development and has changed more towards conservation working to clean up landfills and toxic sites. They developed a balance between nature and development, in an area that has become an oasis in the middle of the most densely populated areas in the country. It is a place where you could be paddling your canoe in the middle of the wetlands seeing migratory birds and then turn the corner and see the New York skyline. This bill was rushed through last minute with changes made through an emergency action. This bill has never gotten the proper public scrutiny it deserves. Instead, of getting rid of the New Jersey Sport & Exposition Authority, like its original intentions, the changes have basically gotten rid of the Meadowlands Commission."

"This bill dismantles the Meadowlands Regional Plan, instead returning most of the review process and zoning back to the towns. This bill gives towns broad powers to grant exemptions from ordinances, building regulations and exemptions those actions from Meadowlands Master Plan. The bill eliminates the Meadowlands Environmental Research Institute, instead privatizing it. This allows for political science to determine science. This bill undermines the professional staff of the Meadowlands Commission, who worked hard to find a balance approach to protecting this environmentally sensitive area. The bill basically eliminated the Meadowlands Commission Authority over planning and natural resources. This bill will weaken protections for critical wetlands in the Meadowlands allowing for more mitigation and reclamation of projects that we believe is a way of weakening protections for those important wetlands."

"Instead of working to protect the Meadowlands, this legislation is much more about building flood control projects, dikes, and walls around the Meadowlands to be used as an excuse for more intensive development. This legislation does not look at climate change, sea level rise, or storm surges and the impacts this will have on the Meadowlands. These projects will not only put more people in harm's way, but will actually impact wetlands and the fragile ecosystem of the Meadowlands. The bill gives the new commission bonding authority that the Sports & Exposition Authority, which means they can borrow money to build massive projects like flood control projects that, will not work. This bill also allows for funding and building major transportation improvements, which are not tied to any real planning and could have potential negative environmental impacts. The new commission could also bond for the American Dream megamall and subsidies other developments as well. It could also allow for a casino in the Meadowlands. The bill seems to eliminate planning for affordable housing in the Meadowlands district. The tax sharing formula has been eliminated creating new ratable chase promoting inappropriate development in and around the Meadowlands. You cannot turn the Meadowlands into Holland instead we are turning into Neverlands."

"The bill gives the Commission jurisdiction over Liberty State Park, even though it is not in the same watershed or physically connected anyway. We believe this language was added in the bill to not only privatize the park, but to allow the Commission the ability to bond for development projects like an amphitheater that could be leased out to a private vendor to get around the State House Commission Laws, which prevent the sale of parklands for development. The park that is supposed to celebrate freedom, liberty, and gateway to America could instead be turned into shopping centers and amusement parks."

"This bill is the opposite of smart growth, by turning planning on its head. The bill is really about turning the Meadowlands into a new high density development area without real planning or environmental protections. The Meadowlands will end up looking like Central Park instead the green space will be walled off by dikes and seawalls. These projects will not work putting people and property in harm's way. That is why people who care about environmental protections, conservation, planning, and historic preservation should be urging the governor to veto this bill," said Jeff Tittel, Director of The New Jersey Sierra Club.

In 2011 The Sierra Club and Jeff Tittel received Toshi & Pete Seeger Wetlands Award for Protecting the Meadowlands.