Governor Signs Green Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres & Historic Preservation Act
For Immediate Release Contact:
July 31, 2007 Joanna Wolaver, NJAS 609-712-3622
Governor Signs
Green Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres & Historic
Preservation Act
Voters Given
Opportunity this November to Fund Programs for One
Year
Princeton
– Today,
Governor Jon S. Corzine signed the Green Acres,
Farmland, Blue Acres and Historic Preservation Act of
2007. This
legislation places a question on the November 6, 2007
ballot that asks New Jersey voters to authorize the
state to issue $200 million in general obligation
bonds to fund the state’s widely popular and
successful Garden State Preservation Trust programs
for one year.
The Keep It Green Campaign, a coalition of over 90
groups from across the state, applauds the Governor
for signing this legislation. If approved by the
voters, the Act will provide one year of funding to
keep New Jersey’s current open space, farmland
and historic preservation programs afloat, as well
dedicate funds to begin the Blue Acres program, which
will purchase flood prone properties.
The bill, A4402, was sponsored in the Assembly by Assemblymen John F. McKeon (D-Essex), Douglas H. Fisher (D-Salem, Cumberland, Gloucester), Robert M. Gordon (D- Bergen) and John E. Rooney (R-Bergen). The legislation, S3005, was sponsored in the Senate by Senators Stephen M. Sweeney (D-Salem, Cumberland, Gloucester) and Leonard Lance (R-Warren, Hunterdon).
This summer and fall, the Keep It Green campaign will work to secure the voter approval of this ballot question. By voting yes, New Jersey residents will protect our state’s drinking water, keep our rivers, streams and beaches clean, prevent overdevelopment, preserve our historic treasures and ensure a high quality of life in communities across the state.
In addition to supporting this ballot initiative, the campaign also looks forward to working with the Governor and State Legislators to secure a long-term, stable source of funding for the Garden State Preservation Trust in the coming year.
-More-
Quotes from Keep
It Green Campaign Members:
“When New Jersey residents
vote on November 6, they will not only have the
opportunity to fund a successful public program, but
also to determine the future they will leave their
children and grandchildren – a future with
clean water, open space and natural beauty or with
polluted drinking water, overdevelopment, traffic and
devastating flooding,” stated Joanna
Wolaver with New Jersey Audubon Society and the Keep
It Green Campaign Coordinator.
“When voters step into the
booth this fall, they clearly should Vote Yes for
open space,” said Doug
O’Malley, Field Director for Environment New
Jersey. “But the Legislature and the
Governor still have work to do this session to fully
renew our open space funding for the long
term.”
"This bill is a
critical down payment toward the permanent
funding needed to provide the conservation
and recreation resources that improve the
quality of life in urban communities,"
said
Karen Lagerquist, Policy Advocate for the Coalition
for Affordable Housing and the
Environment.
"The pace of
destruction of historic sites in New Jersey - from
neglect or rampant development - continues to
escalate, and the potential loss of NJ Historic Trust
grants will make the lack of resources to preserve
these landmarks even more acute. The time is
now to renew these funds," said Megan
Thomas, President of Preservation New Jersey, the
statewide historic preservation education and
advocacy group.
“This Bond
Act is a down payment on the future of New
Jersey,” stated Jeff
Tittel Director of NJ Sierra Club. “This will Keep the
Green in Green Acres and is our number 1 election
priority.”
“We applaud Governor Corzine
and the State Legislature for putting this important
issue before NJ voters,” said Tom Gilbert
of The Wilderness Society. “New Jersey’s
wild places and open spaces are disappearing fast and
this is an investment in our children’s future
that we can’t afford not to
make.”
“Since 1989, D&R Greenway
Land Trust has led the preservation of 178 properties
9,750 acres – nearly all of them acquired with
funds provided by the Garden State Preservation
Trust. We are grateful to Governor Corzine for
signing this act and encourage voters to continue to
support public funding of land
preservation,” said Linda J.
Mead, Executive Director of D&R Greenway Land
Trust.
"Voters want to
fund clean water, urban parks, open space and
preserved farms and now they get the chance. From the
Highlands to the Pinelands and the Jersey
Shore and from Newark's Weequahic Park
to Trenton's Old Barracks, all of New
Jersey will benefit as we continue down the road to
stable, long-term, and increased funding of
these programs," said David
Pringle of the NJ Environmental
Federation.
"This ballot
question comes not a moment too soon - with the
voter's approval, it will enable New Jersey's
preservation programs to continue for another
year," said Alison
Mitchell, Director of Policy at the New Jersey
Conservation Foundation.
The New Jersey – Keep It
Green Campaign is a coalition of over 90
environmental organizations, land trusts,
sportsmen’s groups, faith-based groups,
watershed associations, and historic preservation,
affordable housing and urban park advocates from
across the state that are calling on the Governor and
the State Legislature to renew and strengthen the
Garden State Preservation Trust. For more
information, please visit www.OutdoorRecreationAlliance.org.
