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by Ed Cherry
(from Jersey Coast Anglers Association May 2004 Newsletter)
Today’s laws to protect New Jersey’s coastal areas have developed over many decades. Governor McGreevey is committed to building on these laws to enhance our coastal and ocean resources and is looking for public input on how we can best achieve this goal
Notwithstanding the efforts to protect our coastal areas, there is growing national concern and accumulating evidence that the oceans are at risk from non-point and point source pollution, climate change, overfishing and the effects of coastal development.
In June 2003, the Pew Oceans Commission released its report to the nation on the state of America’s living oceans. In response, Governor McGreevey directed Commissioner Campbell to consult with representatives of commercial and recreational fisheries, community and environmental organizations, the business community, and other constituencies and develop recommendations responding to the report.
In response to the Pew Oceans Commission report and in anticipation of the report of The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has taken the opportunity to consider actions that would strengthen stewardship of our coast and the sustainability of our ocean. The measures being considered recognize the ecological, economic, and recreational value of New Jersey’s marine and coastal resources, and are designed to further the goal of healthy coastal and ocean ecosystems, as well as foster the public trust regarding tidal waters administered by government for the benefit of all citizens. The Department is asking for the public’s thoughts on these proposed measures and is also seeking the public’s suggestions for how the Department might better protect New Jersey’s coastal areas and ocean waters. Possible measures include changes to regulations, development and implementation of plans to manage coastal and ocean resources, funding sources for existing programs, or legislative initiatives. In addition, the public input will help inform the Governor’s comments on the Ocean Commission’s Preliminary Report. The Governor’s comments are due on May 21, 2004.
The Department will host two public meetings to gather input from members of the public. The meetings are scheduled as follows:
Monday, April 19, 2004 at 10:30 am
Monday, April 26, 2004 at 7:00 pm
Written comments may also be sent to:
Ruth Ehinger
Coastal Program Manager
NJ Department of Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 418
Trenton, NJ 08625-0418
These meeting dates will have passed by publication date for this JCAA newsletter. JCAA will post a position, plus all relevant materials on its web site http://www,jcaa.org as soon as these materials are available. JCAA will request follow-up meetings to address this matter because of the initial very short notice of the above two meetings. The comment period for the Commission’s Preliminary Report will run from April 20 to May 21, 2004. Comments on the Preliminary Report can be submitted by e-mail, fax, or regular mail. The report and detailed instructions for submitting comments will be available for download from the Commission's web site, http://www.oceancommission.gov , on April 20, when the report is released to the public.
The comment period on the Commission's Preliminary Report is the first step in a two-stage process. In this stage, the report will be available for review and comment by the nation's governors and interested stakeholders. Stage two will begin when the public comment period closes on May 21. At that point, the Commission will take time for a comprehensive review of the comments received from the governors and others. Once all comments are considered, the Commission will prepare and deliver its final report and recommendations to the President and Congress.