Bringing out the heavy political guns for the second time in less than a month, environmentalists bemoaned the designation of the Hackensack River as one of the top 13 most endangered rivers in the nation, and vowed to help dismantle the development arm of the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission, the state agency that decides on development projects in the wetlands district.
Hackensack Riverkeeper Bill Sheehan, called a hero by some of the environmentalists present because of his staunch stand against development, said the designation by the American Rivers organization was a warning of danger to anyone concerned with protecting the local environment. He said he intended to lobby the state to change the charter of the HMDC, hoping to make it more of a preservation commission than a development commission.
Sheehan continued a decade-long assault by bringing with him an army of environmental activists representing every level of local, state and national interests, as well as political people such as Congressman Steve Rothman (D-9th Dist.) and Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg (D-37th Dist.) both of whom have consistently opposed over-development in the wetlands. In March, Sheehan succeeded in parading Acting Gov. Donald DiFrancesco before gathered TV cameras in what may amount to a landmark decision to oppose the Mills Corporation mall project slated for Carlstadt. Mills is seeking permits from the US Army Corps of Engineers to fill 700 acres of wetlands.
At an April 11 press conference held at Laurel Hill Park under stormy clouds, Sheehan faced news cameras from every major network and continued this attack on proposed development in the area, blaming these plans for the river’s being listed as endangered.
Rothman restated his continue stand against the Mills Mall project, and said the mall should be moved to a site currently occupied by the Continental Airlines Arena. What was even sweeter music to the ears of the collected environmentalists was Rothman’s promise to use his new position as a member of the House Appropriations Committee to push for funds that would make the Meadowlands a federally-protected wildlife refuge.
“As a new member of the House Appropriations Committee, I am pursuing several different programs to provide millions of dollars, the goal of which is to preserve and clean up existing open space in the Meadowlands,” he said. “This is one of my priority projects.”
Assemblywoman Weinberg said that American Rivers, based in Washington, D.C. has issued a list of the country’s most endangered rivers every year since 1988, and the inclusion of the Hackensack River will help focus attention on a major threat: urban development.
“The Meadowlands once comprised of 21,000 acres of wetlands, open water and lowland forest, it has since been diminished to 7,000 acres of wetlands,” she said. “And if we are not vigilant and do not translate our vehement opposition into action, it will be further reduced until this previous gift from nature is lost forever.”
In supporting Rothman’s call to move the mall project, Weinberg said the mall project as it stands “reeks of environmental indifference and economic ignorance,” and will destroy a large part of the habitat with parking lots that will produce large volumes of polluting runoff into the streams.
“The state of New Jersey spent $37 million in (its 2000 budget) to subsidize the debt-ridding Continental Airlines Arena,” she said, urging Mills to move the mall to that side so that the sports teams can move to Newark and help revitalize that city.
The threat is increased
American Rivers declared the Hackensack River “threatened” in 1996, upgrading its warning this year to “endangered” because of proposed development. But Sheehan, like Rothman, said the distinction can have a positive impact.
“The listing of the Hackensack as one of the most endangered rivers must not be looked upon as a negative thing,” Sheehan said. “it is proof that people across America care enough about our river to fix it.”
The Hackensack River was listed as 12th on a list of 13, with the nearby Hudson River listed as the fourth most endangered river in America. Criteria can include pollution, encroachment on open space, and many other factors.
While environmentalists agree that the Hackensack, with its source in Rockland County, N.Y., to its end in Newark Bay, is cleaner than it was a decade ago, because of stricter laws, development has become more of a threat.
“Development has a price,” Rothman said. “We live in the most densely populated state in the nation and still we continue to pave over our open space. If we are to have any open space for the future, we have to act now.”
Sheehan, during a question and answer session, said one of the new directions he would be taking would be to lobby the state legislature to reexamine the character that established the HMDC. In 1968, the state passed legislation that formed the HMDC and gave it broad powers over development in the Meadowlands, as well as to cleanup trash dumps and maintain the environment.
“I want the state to remove the word development from their mandate,” he said.
Representatives from the Baykeepers environmental group, the national office of the Sierra Club and other organizations were also on hand.
In a statement issued by the North Jersey group of the Sierra Club, that club said the endangered distinction for the Hackensack River was no surprise considering the river’s history of abuse and inappropriate development.
“The designation most endangered is a wakeup call, telling us to stop using the Hackensack River’s wetlands and watersheds for commercial, industrial and residential development,” said Betsy Kohn, chairperson for the North Jersey Sierra Club. “If we do not heed this call and continue to build and pave, we put the very life of this river at risk.”
According to Mark Becker of Bergen Save the Watershed Action Network, the Hackensack River is a source of drinking water for nearly a million people in Bergen, Hudson and Rockland counties.
“It is obviously a little frightening to hear that your drinking water source is classified as one of the most endangered rivers in the country,” Becker said.
Earth Day celebration in the Meadowlands
The Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission will celebrate Earth Day on April 21 with flower planting at a site near its Lyndhurst headquarters on April 21 at 10 a.m. The workshop is recommended for families and children 4 through 12 years old. There is a fee of $4 per person ($3 per person for Environmental Center member). Pre-registration is encouraged.
The HMDC is also challenging people to test their knowledge of the Meadowlands and use of their Internet skills by playing a game of 20 questions at the HMDC internet site http://www.hmdc.state.nj.us/ec/meadowland-iq-html.
If all questions are answered correctly, a person will be entered in a drawing to be held on Earth Day. Two prizes will be awarded.
Winners will have a choice between a tour of the Hackensack estuary on board the HMDC’s pontoon boat (for families with kids over 10) or a guided nature tour of the trails around the environmental center (for families with kids under 10). The excursions will host up to 15 people. For more information about any of the events call 460-8300.