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TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Jeff Van Drew which will delay implementation of new Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) rules to give the public broad access to private marina facilities in New Jersey was signed into law yesterday by Governor Corzine.

“The public has a right to access their waterways, but private marinas are an important part of the shore’s tourism economy,” said Senator Van Drew, D-Cape May and Cumberland. “Each marina is not created the same, and owners need time to develop plans which address the unique issues surrounding access at their facility, including public safety, site operation, and geographic location. A delay in the implementation of DEP’s public access rules is simply a matter of fairness to people who’ve invested a lot of time and capital in the Jersey Shore.”

TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Jeff Van Drew that would delay Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulations requiring marina owners to give the public broad access to their facilities awaits action by Governor after passing both houses of the Legislature on Monday.

“New Jersey’s marinas are a critical component of our rich tourism industry, providing people from throughout the Northeast with access to fishing and boating opportunities that are second to none,” said Senator Van Drew, D-Cape May, Atlantic and Cumberland. “But the ability of marinas to thrive has been threatened by new DEP regulations that were poorly conceived and place far too many burdens on marina owners and operators.”