New Jersey Herald, Newton, NJ April 3, 2007 - State’s ‘bear sweep’ costly, intrusive
05/04/07 11:31 Filed in: NJ Bear
Issue
Editor:
Never in my life did I believe that my hard-earned tax dollars would be used to fund a program that would invade my own home. I am referring to the DEP news release of March 12 announcing a “Five-County Enforcement Sweep on Illegal Feeding of Black Bears.”
This release doesn’t even hide the fact that my state government is going to come to my home, my property, and snoop around.
Never in my life did I believe that my hard-earned tax dollars would be used to fund a program that would invade my own home. I am referring to the DEP news release of March 12 announcing a “Five-County Enforcement Sweep on Illegal Feeding of Black Bears.”
This release doesn’t even hide the fact that my state government is going to come to my home, my property, and snoop around.
Up until
now, I have sat back and observed the hotly
contested issue of
a black bear hunt because, to be honest, I
don’t really care enough either way to comment
on it. I was born and raised in Sussex County, as
were four generations of my family
before me. I had never seen a black bear until about
five or six years ago.
I understand that there is a problem in numbers and hopefully one day the problem will be resolved so we can go back to enjoying the wonderful outdoor areas here in the county. With that said, I do care enough about my personal freedom and my right to privacy to speak out. This “enforcement sweep” is appalling and offensive. They will “canvass scores of homes and businesses in Sussex, Passaic, Bergen, Morris and Warren counties to determine if the public is doing all it should to avoid attracting bears.” They will “ask residents and business owners a host of questions including how and where they store garbage, pet-feeding practices and their experiences with bear encounters.” They say we could be subject to $1,000 fine if we are found to be feeding bears intentionally and further suggest strengthening the law to include unintentionally feeding the bears by leaving garbage stored outside or feeding birds.
I am almost at a loss for words when I think about how intrusive this sweep is. I would think the money would be better spent on an “enforcement sweep” of dead-beat absent parents, but maybe it’s just me. You have an educated and dedicated staff at the Division of Fish and Wildlife. They are the experts you need to best plan the way to maintain and manage our wildlife. Somehow I don’t think spying on their neighbors would be in any of their plans. I ask you, Governor Corzine, to reconsider this announced invasion of New Jersey citizens’ homes. I promise that I, for one, will not cooperate with any DEP official that comes to my home, and I will encourage all of my neighbors to do the same.
Tanya Knaap
Newton
I understand that there is a problem in numbers and hopefully one day the problem will be resolved so we can go back to enjoying the wonderful outdoor areas here in the county. With that said, I do care enough about my personal freedom and my right to privacy to speak out. This “enforcement sweep” is appalling and offensive. They will “canvass scores of homes and businesses in Sussex, Passaic, Bergen, Morris and Warren counties to determine if the public is doing all it should to avoid attracting bears.” They will “ask residents and business owners a host of questions including how and where they store garbage, pet-feeding practices and their experiences with bear encounters.” They say we could be subject to $1,000 fine if we are found to be feeding bears intentionally and further suggest strengthening the law to include unintentionally feeding the bears by leaving garbage stored outside or feeding birds.
I am almost at a loss for words when I think about how intrusive this sweep is. I would think the money would be better spent on an “enforcement sweep” of dead-beat absent parents, but maybe it’s just me. You have an educated and dedicated staff at the Division of Fish and Wildlife. They are the experts you need to best plan the way to maintain and manage our wildlife. Somehow I don’t think spying on their neighbors would be in any of their plans. I ask you, Governor Corzine, to reconsider this announced invasion of New Jersey citizens’ homes. I promise that I, for one, will not cooperate with any DEP official that comes to my home, and I will encourage all of my neighbors to do the same.
Tanya Knaap
Newton
