McKeon, Riley Bill Asking Voters to OK Funding for Open Space & Historical Preservation Advances

Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman John F. McKeon and Assemblywoman Celeste Riley will ask New Jersey to vote on a $400 million bond to pay for open space, farmland and historic preservation.

“The New Jersey open space program is the nation’s most successful land preservation program, yet it has been left penniless while critical tracts of open space, farmland or historic sites are unprotected,” said McKeon (D-Essex), the Environment committee chairman. “Allowing this program to languish is an expense New Jerseyans simply cannot afford. Neglect of this program would have serious impacts on our environment, health and quality of life.”

The legislation (A-3901) would authorize the sale of $400 million in bonds to preserve land through the state’s Garden State Preservation Trust (GSPT) program.

“We must continue our legacy of aggressively protecting New Jersey’s diminishing areas of open space and farmland,” said Riley (D-Cumberland). “This bond act would create a dedicated stream of funding to support the state’s ongoing efforts to preserve critical tracts of land, including farmlands and historic sites, and voters would have final say on whether it should go forward.”

The program has nearly spent all of the funding from the 2007 voter-supported bond measure.

“Now is the time to protect New Jersey’s precious natural resources,” said McKeon. “During the current global economic downturn the state can gain the advantage in protecting valuable lands at unprecedented rates.”

“We have a responsibility to protect these valuable tracts of land today before they are lost to development at the expense of generations to come,” said Riley.

The measure was passed the full Assembly 66 to 9 with three abstentions. It now heads to the Senate for further consideration.

Assemblyman John F. McKeon Chairs the Environment and Solid Waste Committee. He represents the 27th legislative district, which includes many communities, including Fairfield Township, Orange Township, West Caldwell Township, and part of Newark.

Assemblywoman Celeste Riley represents the 3rd legislative district, which covers many communities in South Jersey including Bridgeton City, Deerfield Township, East Greenwich Township, West Deptford Township, and Woolwich Township among others.