Clinton Township, NJ
– Today, concerned citizens, environmentalists, and government leaders gathered
to protest the planned closing of Round Valley Recreation Area. The rally
was organized by Matt Apgar, a resident
of Branchburg. “I’ve been going to Round
Valley since I was five years old,”
said Apgar. “I’ve got
great memories of canoeing with my dad there, and I still take the canoe out
there every now and again. It’s a property I would hate to see go to
waste. There are close to 4,000 acres of beautifully-maintained public
park land that no one will be able to enjoy if this happens.”
On April 1st the Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP) announced that, as a result of the governor’s proposed budget,
which includes a 15% cut to the DEP’s budget, it would be forced to close nine
state parks and cut back hours and services at three others. Round Valley
is one of the parks slated for full closure.
“This is the worst April Fool’s joke of the year,” said
Doug O’Malley, Field Director for Environment New
Jersey, “but unfortunately it’s no joke. If
Governor Corzine doesn’t lift these draconian budget cuts, New
Jersey residents will be locked out of enjoying some
of the jewels of the state park system.”
Camping and swimming facilities will be hit particularly
hard by the closings. The closings of Round
Valley, Stephens
State Park, Jenny
Jump State Forest,
Worthington State
Forest, and the swimming areas at D&R
Canal State Park
and Ringwood State
Park will leave only three swimming areas open in
all of northern and central New Jersey,
an area that is home to 6 million people.
Seventeen million people visit New Jersey’s
43 state parks every year, adding $3.9 billion to the state’s economy through
park fees, sales tax, and tourism-related industries such as hotels and
restaurants. “This is going to destroy our summer economy in the northern
part of the state,” commented Christine Feoranzo, Chair of the New Jersey
Sierra Club’s Northwest Jersey Group.
In addition, environmentalists have pointed out that the
closings will disproportionately affect low- and middle-income families.
“Too many of our politicians have vacation homes in LBI
or the Hamptons,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New
Jersey Sierra Club. “They don’t
understand how important these parks are to people. If they want to save
money, maybe they should close the governor’s houses at Island
Beach State Park
and Drumthwacket. Why should the governor get to use state parks and not
the people of New Jersey?”
With this proposed budget and the resulting park closings,
the state is disregarding the wishes of the people. New
Jersey voters have demonstrated again and again that
parks are a priority for them, approving numerous referendums for open space
funding over the past two decades, even during difficult budget times.
Most recently, voters approved the Green Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres, and
Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2007, authorizing $200 million in general
obligation bonds to fund preservation programs.
“New Jersey’s
citizens have invested billions of dollars to ensure that there are special
places where they can enjoy the outdoors away from traffic, malls, and the
everyday rat race,” said Cindy Ehrenclou, Executive Director of the Upper
Raritan Watershed Association. “It is a terrible
waste of a public investment and a dirty trick to those folks relying on parks
for their health and quality of life. As a conservation organization, we
are deeply concerned about the lack of stewardship for these precious resources
and stunned by the blatant disregard for the public at large.”
Environmentalists also point out that they have suggested
numerous alternate solutions to the governor and legislature. Everything
from an increase in camping fees to a modest sales tax on outdoor recreation
equipment to a tax on ATVs has been suggested as a possible source of parks
funding. Perhaps the best, most equitable solution that has been proposed
is for the state to charge utilities and other companies that lease public land
fair market value. Currently these groups pay just $1 an acre, 100 times
less than the market rate, for uses such as cranberry farming or running
electric, gas, and fiber optic lines through. Renegotiating these leases
could generate an additional $10 million a year, which would more than cover
the approximately $4.5 million that will be saved by these park closings.
“During the budget crisis of 2006, New
Jersey residents were outraged when state parks were
shut down for a few days,” said O’Malley. “The Governor should remember that
lesson: don't be penny wise, and park foolish. State parks are for the people
and shouldn’t be treated as a bargaining chip.”
Round Valley Reservoir is the deepest lake in New
Jersey at approximately 180 feet. Both
locals and tourists come to the lake to swim, scuba dive, snorkel, fish, boat,
hunt waterfowl, and picnic on the shores. The surrounding park also
boasts three marked trails, one difficult trail for experienced hikers,
mountain bikers, and horseback riders, and two easier trails for families and
those who prefer a less strenuous path. Round Valley is one of the few
parks that offers wilderness camping, with campsites on the eastern side of the
reservoir accessible only by hiking or boating.
