TRENTON – Two pieces of legislation sponsored by Senate Military and Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jim Beach and Senator Fred Madden…
S2857 / S2858 / S2859
By DMUAdmin Jim Whelan News & Releases
TRENTON – Noting that preserving the environmental quality of New Jersey crosses party lines, State Senator Jim Whelan today applauded Governor Christie for signing a series of open space bills which will bring millions of dollars in Green Acres funding to Atlantic County.
“Open space acquisition and environmental preservation are absolutely essential to ensuring the quality of life that we enjoy in New Jersey, and should be beyond politicization,” said Senator Whelan, D-Atlantic. “While I’ve certainly disagreed with the Governor in the past over policy, I believe that living up to our environmental responsibility under the Green Acres program is the right thing to do. The projects funded under the three open space laws signed earlier today will result in hundreds of acres of land protected from development and suburban sprawl in Atlantic County alone.”
By DMUAdmin Bob Smith News & Releases
TRENTON – A package of bipartisan bills that would provide direct grants to numerous communities for the direct preservation of open space, farmland and historic properties was today passed by the Senate.
In total, the eight bills would provide more than $260 million in Green Acres, Blue Acres, Farmland Preservation, and Historic Trust funds to county and local governments and community organizations.
Senators Bob Smith (D-Middlesex) and Christopher “Kip” Bateman (R-Somerset), the chairman and ranking Republican on the Senate Environment & Energy Committee, respectively, praised the Senate’s unanimous support for the bills.
“New Jerseyans have long supported Green Acres and farmland preservation, both in principle and at the ballot box, because they simply are the right thing to do to ensure that there are open spaces for our children and future generations to enjoy,” said Smith. “And we cannot know where we are going unless we understand where we have come from, making historic preservation essential to the future of our state.”