The Newark Star Ledger
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En route to EPA, Whitman plans $25 million for extra park aid

Anthony S. Twyman
January 10, 2001

State parks from Jersey City to Cape May and historic monuments such as Washington Crossing would be refurbished and maintained under Gov. Christie Whitman's plan to pump $25 million a year into New Jersey's long-neglected network of parks and historic sites.

Whitman's initiative, announced yesterday during her State of the State address, would concentrate on 10 parks, forests and historic "jewels" that need an estimated $154.5 million in improvements.

The money would be used for everything from refurbishing the historic train sheds at Liberty State Park in Jersey City to sprucing up the battlefields and buildings used by Gen. George Washington and his troops during the Revolutionary War at what is now Washington Crossing State Park in Mercer County.

"We want people to visit our parks, historic sites and wildlife areas," said the Governor in what is likely to be her final State of the State address. "First, however, we must make sure our parks have the facilities to accommodate visitors."

Al Ivany, a senior biologist and spokesman for the state Fish and Wildlife Division who works at the Pequest Trout Hatchery and Natural Resource Education Center in Oxford, Warren County, called the Governor's plan "one of the best things I've heard in quite a while."

Ivany said the center is short-staffed and its exhibits need upgrading. Whitman's plan calls for $2.4 million to refurbish the center.

"Right now our staff teaches more than 200 school groups a year," Ivany said. "The money would allow us to serve a lot more people."

Whitman, who plans to join the incoming administration of George W. Bush as head of the Environmental Protection Agency, said she wants to dedicate a portion of the state's realty transfer fee fund to pay for improvements to state forests, parks, recreation areas and historic sites.

Counties collect the realty transfer fee whenever a property deed is recorded. Last year, the state received $77.7 million from this fee. By statute, the first $25 million is used for Shore protection projects. The Governor yesterday said she wants to use another $25 million to improve state-owned lands.

The idea, Whitman said, is to create a "world-class park system" that provides recreational opportunities for New Jersey residents and draws tourists' dollars.

Over the years, Whitman has been criticized for not providing enough money in the budget to pay for the upkeep of state parks and property. Many state-owned facilities suffer from leaky roofs, plumbing problems and inoperable bathrooms. Some, such as Kuser Mansion in Sussex County's High Point State Park, have had to be demolished.

While the Governor's plan would nearly double the $13 million currently in the budget for state park capital projects, it does not include any additional money for daily operating expenses.

The state Department of Environmental Protection has estimated $430 million is needed to improve the state's 39 parks, 11 forests, three recreation areas, 57 historic sites, 42 natural areas, five marinas, 115 wildlife management areas and one golf course.

The 10 sites that will receive the bulk of the new money were named in a report developed at Whitman's request by the Garden State Preservation Trust, the quasi-state agency that oversees the state's open-space preservation program.

Judy Jengo, executive director of the trust, said while the group recommended the Governor dedicate $25 million annually over at least the next 10 years, it also hopes the Legislature will continue to spend the same amount or more in subsequent years.

Environmentalists yesterday praised the Whitman proposal as a step in the right direction.

"This is really what's been missing from the parks," said Michael Catania, executive director of the Nature Conservancy. "This is what it takes to make the whole thing work."