The Appalachian Mountain Club and Sourland Conservancy joined forces on Sunday, Oct. 26 to promote open space preservation and oppose the construction of the PennEast Pipeline.
The original purpose of the hike, as proposed by Cathy Reuscher, Mid-Atlantic Policy Associate for the Appalachian Mountain Club, was to highlight lands protected by the Garden State Preservation Trust and the immediate threat posed to New Jersey open space and waterways by a lack of long-term conservation funding.
The Executive Director of the Sourland Conservancy, Caroline Katmann, suggested the hike take place at the Baldwin Lake Area, one of the many parcels of preserved land in New Jersey that is threatened by the proposed $1 billion pipeline, which would span over 100 miles from northwest Pennsylvania through New Jersey. Opponents argue that the pipeline would encourage “fracking” in Pennsylvania, the fracturing of the shale with water and chemicals in order to free the natural gas, thereby continuing the use of fossil fuels and discouraging the transition to renewable energies.
At the beginning of the hike, Reuscher told hikers that a “Yes” vote for Question 2 on the Nov. 4 ballot, would be a vote to set aside some funds from an existing program (no new taxes), the Corporate Business Tax, for new projects. “New Jersey is the fastest growing state in the country. If we keep going at this rate we will be completely built out by 2050. New Jersey will be the first state to reach that status. The NJDEP states that NJ needs to set aside 160,000 more acres to continue to providing recreational opportunities, like hiking and kayaking, and about 300,000 more acres to maintain our agricultural industry,” Reuscher said.
Katmann discussed how the fragile ecosystems of the nearby Sourland Mountain region are especially threatened by the proposed pipeline along a nine-mile route through West Amwell Township and Hopewell Township. As the mission of the Conservancy is to protect the ecological integrity, historic resources and special character of the Sourland region, this group is actively partnering with other environmental organizations in the area, as well as citizens’ groups and individuals to oppose the pipeline.
Visit htcapp.org for more information. Sign up at sourland.org for eNewsletters with updated information about the PennEast pipeline and action alerts.
,
