I apologize for it being so long, but it's important, please read it through
The new rules being pushed through by our state government are going to change the way beach access is dealt with.
For as long as most of us can remember it was the state Dept of Environmental protection (DEP) that was the hammer that kept local towns from restricting our access to the water. Many of you remember the fight to remove the fence at the Rip and then later to remove the fence at Takanassee. Both times it was the DEP that fought for us and got our access back for us.
Now the New Commissioner of the DEP, Bob Martin, and our Governer are trying to push through a change in the regulatory wording that removes the DEP from any part regarding access and gives the local towns full control (the fox will now be guarding the hen house)
These new proposed rules coming out of the DEP remove all reference to the Public Trust Doctrine from state law and remove the DEP from any responsibilities pertaining to access. Towns could develop their own "municipal public access plans" that would dictate where public access and related amenities, if any, will be required. A town would not have to provide access where there are "practical limitations" and may send its public access obligation to a neighboring town or to other parts of the county.
The most immediate thing we will see is our money pumping sand onto beaches we can't get onto and much tighter access restrictions on the backwaters, both bay and rivers.
The rules are out for public comment now and it will be in our best interest to make ourselves heard loudly. Everyone has to do whatever they can to help stop this.
The organizations for whom beach access is important, are coming together as one organized voice. Even the groups that occasionally don't always see eye to eye, (the surfers and the fishermen) are putting aside all differences to put a stop to what the state is trying to do. Right now Surfrider and the NJ Baykeeper are taking the lead in fighting these new rules. They've asked us, the fishermen, to back them, both individually, and as organizations, which of course we are doing.
Everyone who reads this needs to immediately sign on.
There's a link over at Surfriders site to send a letter to your congressman and Governor
If you're a member of an organization or website that wants to lend its voice to the fight, please contact me for the phone numbers to get you signed up.
Additionally there will be public hearings WE MUST ATTEND AND BE HEARD !
Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at 11:00 A.M.
Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
Townsend Residential Life Center Multi-Purpose Room
Jimmie Leeds Road
Pomona, NJ 08240
Monday, May 23, 2011 at 1:00 P.M.
Seaside Heights Municipal Court
2nd Floor Court Room
116 Sherman Road, Seaside Heights NJ 08751
Remember, they are trying to stack the deck against us. Originally there were no meetings held after working hours but your calls and letters are beginning to have an effect, they have now scheduled one that we can attend without having to take a day off of work !!
The thing I find most interesting is the location they picked - A place that will have the most people attending who do NOT want the common man to have full and open beach access and who want the taxpayers to pay for new beaches in front of their million dollar homes.
Thursday, June 2nd 2011, 7PM
Long Beach Township Court Room (same as Council Chambers)
6805 Long Beach Boulevard, Brant Beach, NJ 08008
Additionally we can be heard here:
Meet the Governor Town Hall Meeting
Wednesday, May 18th, 2011 - Doors Open at 12:45 PM
https://spreadsheets1.google.com/spr...tGVzZHdUE6M A
Additionally, just so you realize exactly what we're up against............................
If you do your research on the current attempt to change the access rules you'll see that this all began with the town of Avalon suing the DEP over access just a few years ago.
Guess who one of the Avalon property owners is - Yup, Mr. Martin, our new Commissioner of the DEP
The rotten stench coming from this whole situation is incredible
(cut n paste from the state of NJ website)
Martin, 52, was born and raised in Massachusetts. He earned a B.A. in Economics and Sociology from Boston College and an M.B.A. in Finance and Investing from George Washington University. Martin has lived in Hopewell Township for the past 14 years and also owns a summer home in Avalon, New Jersey.
66 East 17th St.
Avalon, NJ 08202
Talk about an effective way to get millions of dollars of sand pumped onto "your beach" without having to allow public access, become the commissioner of the agency that enforces the law and get the law changed.
Only in NJ
The new rules being pushed through by our state government are going to change the way beach access is dealt with.
For as long as most of us can remember it was the state Dept of Environmental protection (DEP) that was the hammer that kept local towns from restricting our access to the water. Many of you remember the fight to remove the fence at the Rip and then later to remove the fence at Takanassee. Both times it was the DEP that fought for us and got our access back for us.
Now the New Commissioner of the DEP, Bob Martin, and our Governer are trying to push through a change in the regulatory wording that removes the DEP from any part regarding access and gives the local towns full control (the fox will now be guarding the hen house)
These new proposed rules coming out of the DEP remove all reference to the Public Trust Doctrine from state law and remove the DEP from any responsibilities pertaining to access. Towns could develop their own "municipal public access plans" that would dictate where public access and related amenities, if any, will be required. A town would not have to provide access where there are "practical limitations" and may send its public access obligation to a neighboring town or to other parts of the county.
The most immediate thing we will see is our money pumping sand onto beaches we can't get onto and much tighter access restrictions on the backwaters, both bay and rivers.
The rules are out for public comment now and it will be in our best interest to make ourselves heard loudly. Everyone has to do whatever they can to help stop this.
The organizations for whom beach access is important, are coming together as one organized voice. Even the groups that occasionally don't always see eye to eye, (the surfers and the fishermen) are putting aside all differences to put a stop to what the state is trying to do. Right now Surfrider and the NJ Baykeeper are taking the lead in fighting these new rules. They've asked us, the fishermen, to back them, both individually, and as organizations, which of course we are doing.
Everyone who reads this needs to immediately sign on.
There's a link over at Surfriders site to send a letter to your congressman and Governor
If you're a member of an organization or website that wants to lend its voice to the fight, please contact me for the phone numbers to get you signed up.
Additionally there will be public hearings WE MUST ATTEND AND BE HEARD !
Tuesday, May 17, 2011 at 11:00 A.M.
Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
Townsend Residential Life Center Multi-Purpose Room
Jimmie Leeds Road
Pomona, NJ 08240
Monday, May 23, 2011 at 1:00 P.M.
Seaside Heights Municipal Court
2nd Floor Court Room
116 Sherman Road, Seaside Heights NJ 08751
Remember, they are trying to stack the deck against us. Originally there were no meetings held after working hours but your calls and letters are beginning to have an effect, they have now scheduled one that we can attend without having to take a day off of work !!
The thing I find most interesting is the location they picked - A place that will have the most people attending who do NOT want the common man to have full and open beach access and who want the taxpayers to pay for new beaches in front of their million dollar homes.
Thursday, June 2nd 2011, 7PM
Long Beach Township Court Room (same as Council Chambers)
6805 Long Beach Boulevard, Brant Beach, NJ 08008
Additionally we can be heard here:
Meet the Governor Town Hall Meeting
Wednesday, May 18th, 2011 - Doors Open at 12:45 PM
https://spreadsheets1.google.com/spr...tGVzZHdUE6M A
Additionally, just so you realize exactly what we're up against............................
If you do your research on the current attempt to change the access rules you'll see that this all began with the town of Avalon suing the DEP over access just a few years ago.
Guess who one of the Avalon property owners is - Yup, Mr. Martin, our new Commissioner of the DEP
The rotten stench coming from this whole situation is incredible
(cut n paste from the state of NJ website)
Martin, 52, was born and raised in Massachusetts. He earned a B.A. in Economics and Sociology from Boston College and an M.B.A. in Finance and Investing from George Washington University. Martin has lived in Hopewell Township for the past 14 years and also owns a summer home in Avalon, New Jersey.
66 East 17th St.
Avalon, NJ 08202
Talk about an effective way to get millions of dollars of sand pumped onto "your beach" without having to allow public access, become the commissioner of the agency that enforces the law and get the law changed.
Only in NJ