Dear Editor:
On behalf of the Sierra Club North Jersey Group (a majority of whose members reside in Bergen County), we would like to publicly thank Representative Steve Rothman (D-9th) for his strong and courageous stand against the proposed “Meadowlands Mills” mega-mail and for his support for the establishment of a Hackensack Meadowlands Wildlife Refuge.
Over a year ago, in a Record Op-Ed piece (6/30/99), Congressman Rothman recognized that it was “insanity” to build another mall in the Meadowlands because of the added traffic gridlock and the immeasurable harm to our quality of life. “Pollution in the Hackensack River,” he pointed out, “is declining and families can now see rare birds, ducks and other wildlife returning to the Meadowlands. We cannot go back.”
Since then, the Congressman has taken an active role in the debates and negotiations over the future of the Meadowlands, advocating that the Mills project be moved out of wetlands to a more suitable site in an already developed area. Steve Rothman believes that protecting our remaining open space treasures, like our Meadowlands, is of critical importance.
We and the rest of New Jersey’s environmental community look forward to working closely with the Congressman in the coming months to build on both his record and our commitment to bring the Hackensack Meadowlands Wildlife Refuge to reality.
Hugh M. Carola
Meadowlands Issues Coordinator/
NJ Chapter Sierra Club