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| N.J. DEP won't close state parks |
| By John Reitmeyer and Chris Megerian |
| Published: 04/21/2009 |
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No state parks will be closed this year to offset budget cuts, but the future of New Jersey's land preservation effort is in question because lawmakers have not renewed the funding for it, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Mark Mauriello told lawmakers today. Last year, Gov. Jon Corzine's cost-cutting budget included a plan to close nine state parks to offset cuts for DEP. The proposal was ultimately scrapped, but some parks have cut off-season weekend hours at park offices to save money. The department is facing another cut this year as Corzine is seeking to trim the state budget again, but Mauriello told the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee the DEP isn't proposing park closures this time. But the future of the state's open space and farmland preservation program is less certain, Mauriello said, because the 2007 bond issue currently funding it will be depleted later this year. "There are not a whole lot of options available," Mauriello said. Recent discussions in Trenton have involved dedicating tax revenue or putting another short-term bond issue on the ballot for voter approval. Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, said his organization is seeking a long-term funding source by taxing water usage, SUV sales or greenhouse gas production. "If we don't come up with a (long-term) funding source we'll end up closing parks and eliminating programs that protect water and air," Tittel said after the committee's meeting. Read more. If link has expired, check the website of the article's original news source. |
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